After the Horcrux by Manwe Valarian
Summary: Harry and Ginny were meant to be together, but that doesn't mean things will be easy. They must deal with a rebuilding British magical community, fame, and even overprotective family members.
Rating: R
Categories: Post-DH/AB
Characters: None
Genres: None
Warnings: None
Challenges: None
Series: None
Published: 2011.02.28
Updated: 2020.03.29
Index
Chapter 1: Chapter 1 A New Day
Chapter 2: Diagon Alley and the Wizengamot
Chapter 3: Off to Australia
Chapter 4: Finding the Grangers
Chapter 5: Goblin City
Chapter 6: Surprise Affection
Chapter 7: Returning to England
Chapter 8: Vigilantes
Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Feeling Alone
Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Alone in Grimmauld Place
Chapter 11: Chapter 11 I Didn't Mean That
Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Exams and Reconciliation
Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Ginny's Birthday
Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Promises
Chapter 15: Chapter 15 End of Summer
Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Return to Hogwarts
Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Classes, Classes and Homework
Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Tryouts
Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Carmen Del La Rosa
Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Shopping in London
Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Hogsmeade and Halloween
Chapter 22: Chapter 22 November Rains
Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Change of Partners
Chapter 24: Chapter 24 A Plan Backfires
Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Feelings
Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Numb
Chapter 27: Chapter 27 A.K.A. Carmen Del La Rosa
Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Moving forward
Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Meeting the Relatives
Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Bludgers and Lies
Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Rumors and Scrutiny
Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Uncovering Dark Secrets
Chapter 33: Chapter 33 End of the Mission
Chapter 34: Chapter 34 What Are You Doing Here?
Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Reconnecting
Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Two Weeks Until Easter
Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Easter Traditions
Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Bodacius Brenda
Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Twelve Hours
Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Torn Asunder
Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Healing Harry
Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Nightmares
Chapter 43: Chapter 43 A Christmas Together
Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Night Visitors
Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Finally
Chapter 46: Chapter 46 The Wedding - part 1
Chapter 47: Chapter 47 The Wedding II - for everyone else
Chapter 1: Chapter 1 A New Day
Author's Notes: This is my version of what might have happened "After the Battle". This chapter is strictly from Harry's POV.
Harry opened his eyes and wondered where he was. He relaxed when he realized that he was in his four-poster bed in Gryffindor Tower. His mind started swirling with the events of the past few days. Voldemort was dead. His most important Death Eaters were captured and the rest are fleeing.
He sat up and looked around at the dormitory. This was the first place he ever felt at home and that he belonged. Could this be the last morning that he will wake up here? He didn’t attend any of this school year, but it was supposed to be his last. He did not want to go back to Privet Drive, and they wouldn’t want him back there even for a brief visit. Harry dreamed about his escape from that place, but now it was a reality. He could go to Grimmauld Place, but that house with all of its Black Family Legacy, was so very depressing. The possibility of him actually defeating Voldemort was so remote that he never considered what he would do afterwards.
All these thoughts about where to live and what to do for the rest of his life, he quickly pushed to the back of his mind. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and breakfast were what he wanted to think of. He listened to hear the sounds of Ron snoring in his bed, but the room was silent. He must be at breakfast or in the common room. Harry quickly got out of bed and put on his trainers, before starting down the stairs to the common room.
Checking his watch he noticed that it was eight; breakfast time in the Great Hall. It suddenly occurred to him that there might not be breakfast with all the damage to the castle. The kitchens probably had been emptied of food with yesterday’s celebration. He looked across the common room and saw a gaping hole in the outside wall. Walking to the hole, Harry looked out at the grounds of Hogwarts. Witches and wizards were scurrying around some cleaning up debris and others taking pictures.
“Good Morning, Harry.”
Harry snapped his head around to see Professor McGonagall sitting in a chair in the corner of the common room. “Good morning, Professor. I see the clean up of the castle has begun.”
“Yes, I only wish that the workers were the only people outside though.”
“What do you mean? Who are the other people?”
“Reporters, photographers, people who want to see where You-Know-Who was defeated at the Battle of Hogwart’s….”
“Battle of Hogwarts?” asked Harry.
“Yes, the Daily Prophet is calling it one of the greatest battles between magicians and magical beasts in history. So, naturally, wizards and witches are showing up by the hundreds to see it and the hero.”
“Hero?” asked Harry.
“Yes Harry, you!” Harry shook his head in disbelief, as Professor McGonagall spoke. “If you think you were news before because of your battles with You-Now-Who...”
“Professor. He is dead. You can call him Voldemort and even Tom Riddle if you want.”
“I know Harry. Old habits I guess. However back to the famous Harry Potter, the boy who lived and went on to amass an army of…”
“I didn’t amass an army!”
“Harry, my dear, surely by now you should be use to the type of stories that come from the Daily Prophet.” Her sarcastic comment brought a wide smile to Harry’s face. “So now the magical world looks to you as a saviour, conquering hero, and even a sex symbol.”
“What?” he spluttered.
“Why the Daily Prophet has a special edition dedicated to Harry Potter, his life and many loves. Pomona and I were amazed that with everything else you were doing this past year. You had time to father at least six children!” Professor McGonagall rarely ever smiled so the mirth that beamed from her face seemed to catch Harry by surprise.
“I never! How could they!” Harry’s expression changed to fear as another realization came to him. He needed to see Ginny! NOW! “I need to leave and see someone, Professor.”
“Well, Harry you will just have to be patient. Travel plans for you will take some time to arrange.”
“Why can’t I just go into Hogsmeade and Apparate from there?”
“My dear boy, didn’t you hear what I told you about the level of your fame. If you would walk out on any street, in a magical community, well-wishers would mob you. Therefore, it would be best if you stay in this common room until we can get the fireplace connected to the Floo network. This entire castle is crawling with people.”
“Can’t you get rid of them?”
“I’ve tried Potter, but a few of them are parents of the students. They are here to pick up their child’s things that were left behind; the ones we evacuated and the ones that–that were hurt and died. I don’t have time to spend sorting everyone out.”
Harry saw that Professor McGonagall’s eyes were tearing up, so he decided to be patient and wait for the Floo network. “Professor, Could I get something to eat while I wait?”
“Yes Harry.” She pointed her wand at one of the low tables, and toast, marmalade, and pumpkin juice appeared. “I do believe that there is something you need to give me for safe-keeping?”
Harry looked at her with a blank expression. He wasn’t sure what she meant.
“Albus’ portrait has informed me about the wand that you carry. He thinks it would be best if it was replaced to its resting place. As the new Headmistress of Hogwarts, I have the ability to set up better shields.”
Harry suddenly remembered “I almost forgot about the Elder Wand. It needs to be placed back in his sepulchre. Hopefully no one else will ever try to use it again.”
Harry reached into his robe and pulled out the wand that had been Albus Dumbledore’s and handed it to Professor McGonagall. She took the wand gave it an appraising look before sliding it into a hiding place in her sleeve.
“I’ll make sure that this is replaced after everyone has gone.” She then turned and left through the portrait hole.
As Harry devoured the toast and marmalade, he started to feel all alone in this common room. After spending almost an entire year with Ron and Hermione, it seemed strange for them not to be here. Why had they left without saying goodbye? Hermione had his rucksack, and he therefore had no clothes except what he was wearing.
He noticed that there was a copy of the Daily Prophet with the food so he started to read it. Most of the stories seemed to be written by Rita Skeeter; they were so sensational that instead of being angered by the lies he found them amusing. This helped occupy his time, but he was getting impatient. There had always been people in this room to pass the time with, but now it was just big, vacant, and lonely. The more he looked around the room, the more he missed someone else, Ginny.
The fireplace erupted with green flames, and Kingsley Shacklebolt stepped out of it.
“Good Morning, Harry”
“Good morning Kingsley, or should I say Royal,” he said with a smile.
“So you heard the broadcasts we made?”
“One. I think? That seems so very long ago.” The thought of living in a tent and Apparating to a new place everyday seemed like a distant memory now. “I see the Floo network is working. I can’t wait to get out of here.”
“Well, there are some things that I need to discuss with you before you leave. First, are you planning to live at number twelve, Grimmauld? I will keep it a secret from the rest of the Ministry; any contact with you will be by me or one of the Order.”
“Maybe, I really don’t have any other place but the Burrow. I know that they would take me in, but with Fred dying and everything. I don’t want to be a burden to them.”
“The second is the business at Gringotts. As the acting Minister for Magic, I have been able to convince the goblin’s to drop all charges and grudges against you, Ron, and Hermione.”
Kingsley stopped talking and looked around the room. He seemed to be surprised that Harry was alone. “Where are they?”
“Don’t know, Maybe they went to the Burrow with the rest of the Weasleys. I woke up this morning and I was the only one here. Kingsley, do you know anything about funeral plans for Fred, Remus, and Tonks?”
“Well that kind of relates to the last couple of things that I wanted to talk to you about. You do know about the press that the battle created ‘The greatest battle in history of magic’ or whatever you want to call it. The Ministry wants to create a special award to honour all the people who fought in it, who of course weren’t Death Eaters. The people who died will be given Orders of Merlin, Third class. You though will be given an Order of Merlin, First Class.”
“Well I don’t think I deserve that alone. What about Severus Snape? I found out that he truly was on Dumbledore’s side; he should get an Order of Merlin, Third Class. What about Hermione, Ron, Neville Longbottom, and Professor McGonagall they were just as important as I was. I think they should also receive a First Class award.” Harry stopped talking and stared at Kingsley. He suddenly realized that he had just given the Minister for Magic orders.
Kingsley stared at Harry for a minute or two before finally speaking. “I can see why Dumbledore cared so much for you. You truly do think of others. I don’t know if I can get the Wizengamot to agree with all those things, but I’ll try.” He stood up and placed some Floo powder on the table in front of Harry. “There are very few wizards who are as famous as you and remain as humble. Be careful where you go! Not only Death Eaters but fans, admirers, and if the stories in the Prophet are true, paternity suits.”
Kingsley's deep bass laugh filled the room. Harry just sat there irritated, wondering how many more times he is going to hear that remark.
Would Ginny believe it?
“You never said when and where the funerals are at. Moreover, I’ve only ever attended Dumbledore’s. Are they all like that?”
“No, they are not.”
“Fred, Remus, and Dora’s will all be this afternoon. Why don’t you just go to the Burrow?”
“Yeah, maybe I’ll do that.”
Kingsley turned and disappeared into the emerald flames.
Harry needed to go to the Burrow, but he wasn’t sure how they would treat him He wanted desperately to see Ginny. I many ways he would really like to go there to live for a while also, but he didn’t want to be a burden to them. As he sat and thought about this, he realized that it had been two days since he left Shell Cottage and his clothes were dirty and torn.
Harry stepped into the fireplace and said number twelve, Grimmauld Place. When he stopped spinning, he stepped out into the kitchen. It was spotless and clean. He was amazed at the change in Kreacher in the past nine months.
“Kreacher!”
“Yes, Master,” said the aging house elf, who bowed low enough to touch his nose to the floor.
“I cannot remember if I thanked you for your help fighting against the Dark Lord. It was most welcome and of great service. You are a great and loyal elf, Kreacher.” He hoped that the compliment wasn’t to superfluous. He wanted to make sure Kreacher knew how much he appreciated his help, but he didn’t want it to sound fake.
“Thank you, Master! Whats can I dos for you?”
Harry walked around the kitchen trying to think what he should do, and if Kreacher could get it done in time. “Kreacher, can you go and get me new clothes, ones that would be appropriate for a funeral. I would also like some flowers, like a bouquet - Roses. Yes, that would be nice. Can you go and get these things this morning, while I get cleaned up? Can you buy things for me at Diagon Alley?”
“Yes, Master! I’s can do thats.”
“Good, that would be fantastic.”
There a pop and the house elf was gone. Harry went upstairs and started filling the tub. Even though the Death Eaters are suppose to be hiding Harry still refused to bathe without his wand at his side.
As Harry soaked in the tub, the simple pleasure of a warm bath was wonderful. It took many of the aches and pains away that he had from the fighting. As he lay there soaking in the warm water his thoughts wandered back to Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. Actually all of the Weasleys, the night Fred died; he didn’t have the time to be there with the family. He had to stop Voldemort. Then after he was victorious there were so many people that it seemed like he could never spend more than a minute talking to anyone. Is this what his life is going to be like? Will he ever be able to walk down a street without people staring and sometimes pointing at him? If it is, then will Ginny be able to put up with it.
SNAP! Kreacher suddenly reappeared in the bathroom with a bundle of clothes and a large bouquet of roses.
“Kreacher has returned with new dress robes fors Master Harry. I’s have these roses, only one flower shop was open. Is Master pleased?” croaked the old elf.
“Yes I’m very happy with what you bought.”
“Does Master needs help with his bath?” Kreacher stepped towards the tub as though he was going to assist Harry bathing.
“NO! I can manage on my own. Thank You! That will be all.” Harry shivered at the thought of the old elf washing him.
The elf left with a pop. Harry quickly finished his bath got dried off and found to his surprise that the clothes not only fit but looked very nice. He stuffed his invisibility cloak into a pocket in his robe, and found a little pocket in his sleeve for his wand. He hung his Mokeskin bag around his neck. He was ready. He checked his watch and it wasn’t eleven o’clock yet. It was time to go to the Burrow.
As he walked through the house he thought about all the work it would take to make this house livable. He reached the fireplace in the kitchen. Tossed in some Floo powder and he was off to the Burrow.
“Harry!” His name was said by four people before he even stepped out of the grate. Ron and Hermione were there. They were talking to George and Charlie, while sitting around the kitchen table.
“Where have you been?”
“Where did you get those clothes?”
“Why didn’t you come sooner?”
George asked for some hints about girls. Harry turned to tell him to “sod off”, but stopped when he noticed the sadness in his eyes. He had the wicked smile that the twins would wear when they were up to mischief, but his eyes looked hollow and lifeless.
Mrs. Weasley came into the kitchen from the sitting room. Her eyes were swollen and her face puffy from crying. Mr. Weasley was following close behind.
“What lovely flowers, dear,” said Mrs, Weasley staring at the bouquet in his hands.
“Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. Is Ginny here?”
“Yes, she is up in her room. Would you like to see her?” She had a slightly puzzled look on her face.
“Yes! Yes, I would! If it’s alright?” Harry never thought after all he had done that asking to see Ginny would make him so nervous.
“Ron, will you get Ginny. Harry dear would you like me to take those flowers for you?”
“No. Well — actually they are for Ginny.” This statement seemed to catch both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley by surprise as they shot each other quizzical looks.
“GINNY! HARRY’S HERE! COME DOWN,” shouted Ron at the top of his lungs.
“Thank you, Ron. That was such a help,” said Mrs. Weasley sarcastically.
Harry heard a door open very slowly up the stairs. He saw Ginny slowly and mechanically walk down the stairs towards him. Every eye in the room seemed to be on him. This felt wrong! He never imagined this type of a reception.
Ginny’s face seemed to be drawn tight. She didn’t look to have been crying, although she seemed to be sad enough. Harry’s throat tightened, it hurt to see her like this.
“Hi. Harry,” she said stoically, without looking at him.
“Lovely seeing you, Ginny.” This definitely wasn’t how he saw this moment happening. Ginny was supposed to happy. There weren’t to be six sets of eyes staring at them.
“Who are the flowers for?”
“Harry said they are for you dear,” interjected Mrs. Weasley. “Would you like me to get a vase?”
“No — I don’t think I’ll need one.” She took the flowers slowly from Harry’s hands. He wondered what was wrong. He wanted to look into her lovely brown eyes, but she wouldn’t look at him.
“Ginny is there something wrong? Don’t you like the flowers? They remind me of you, and the way your hair smells.” Harry whispered trying not to let anyone else hear, as he leaned in towards her.
“What are you going to do with them if you don’t put them in a vase, dear,” inquired Mrs. Weasley.
“THIS!” Ginny swung the flowers with all her might and smacked Harry across the face. This caught him by surprise and his glasses flew off. She immediately hit him with the bouquet on the other side of the face. The room exploded with laughter from George, Charlie, and Ron.
“WHAT WAS THAT FOR!! Those things have thorns,” Harry yelped, while trying to guard from further attacks.
“GOOD! I am glad they have thorns. Serves you right!” screamed Ginny.
“You don’t believe any of the rubbish that Rita Skeeter is writing.”
“NO!”She spat swatting Harry again with the bouquet.
“Then, WHY are you so mad at me?”
“Ginevra Molly Weasley! Stop that this instant! What is going on around here,” demanded Mrs. Weasley.
The three boys were laughing, Hermione was in shock, and Mr. Weasley had a quizzical look on his face like a dog trying to focus on a distant sound.
“You want to know why I’m hitting you Harry Potter. It’s for what you put me through this last year!” She stopped talking and took another swing at him. “I have loved you since I first laid eyes on you. Then last year we started dating. — I was in heaven!”
“That’s the reason?” No sooner had Harry said that then Ginny smacked him twice.
“NO!! You had to go off and save the world. You did the noble thing — as always, said that we had to stop seeing each other. Because The Death Eaters might find out and hurt me.”
“Yes. Well that is true. They do that dear,” Mr. Weasley said matter-of-factly.
“Then at the wedding the three of you take off, and I don’t hear from you or see you again until two nights ago.”
“Ginny, I couldn’t contact anyone you know how dangerous it was,” Harry pleaded with her.
Tears started leaking out of her eyes. She let the bouquet droop towards the floor. “I had no idea if you were alive. I used to listen to hear if you had been caught or sighted. Night after night I’d lay awake afraid to go to sleep. It was always the same dream. You were lying dead and Voldemort was standing over top of you laughing.”
Unsure and upset seeing Ginny crying, Harry stepped forward to touch her, to comfort her. Ginny immediately hit him with the bouquet again. “I am not through being mad at you! There you were at Hogwarts DEAD in Hagrid’s arms and that vile creature laughing about it. It felt like someone had ripped my heart out.”
“Ginny I am so sorry for…” Harry didn’t finish his statement because Ginny hit him with the bouquet and ran off up the stairs crying. Harry ran up trying to apologize, but when he turned to look into her room she hit him with a Bat-Bogey Hex, and slammed the door in his face.
Harry slowly walked back downstairs with bits of flowers in his hair and bat shaped bogeys flapping on his face.
“Well Harry, was that the way you planned it,” sniggered Ron.
“Can someone break this hex for me, and help me find my glasses.”
“Now you know why I prefer to work with dragons. They aren’t as mean.” Charlie was laughing so hard that he had difficulty talking or breaking the jinx.
Hermione found his glasses and handed them back to him. “Harry, please be patient with her. You didn’t see what it was like for her. The dead were everywhere. She knew you would go out. When she saw you, it took several of us to keep her from running out there to you. Please be patient. It might take some time for her to recover.”
“Well I learned one thing from this experience. Buy flowers without thorns,” Harry said while picking thorns out of his face.
“Harry, could I have a word with you, alone.” Mr. Weasley had a similar expression to Ginny’s. Harry sat down at the kitchen table, while Ron, Hermione, Charlie and George walked to the sitting room. After they had left the kitchen Mr. Weasley walked up to Harry and stood over top of him and stared down at him.
“So how long have you been dating MY little girl?”
Harry spent the next fifteen minutes talking about him and Ginny and hoping that he wasn’t going to say anything that will anger her again. After he had finally stopped talking, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley seemed to relax.
Whatever Harry said must have been acceptable, because after a couple of statements about honour and virtue (mixed with hints of some jinxes that Mrs. Weasley’s father had used or threatened to use). Mrs. Weasley started cleaning his scratched face, and asking questions about what he would like for lunch, and where he was at this morning. She thought he would have come with Ron and Hermione when they Apparated at ten o’clock this morning. Harry made an excuse about going to Grimmauld Place, and changing there. He then excused himself and went into the sitting room to talk to Ron and Hermione.
“Better think of a good lie, you two. Also where did you camp last night?”
“Oh! Welll — we — a — should have told you, but you were really tired,” stuttered Hermione, while her face turned pink. Ron just sat there with silly grin on his face. “Are you mad at us?”
“Me! No! Actually I’m happy for the both of you. It’s just that I was talking to McGonagall at eight and Kingsley at nine. So I just thought I’d warn you. Your mother was asking me a couple of questions”
“Why l'il-ickle-Ronniekins! You bad boy,” chimed in George and Charlie, from the corner of the room.
“Shut up you two!” Ron tried to say this as loud and forcefully as possible without his mother hearing. Hermione seemed to turn a deeper shade of pink and took a sudden interest in her fingernails.
“You know what, Ron? If you keep this up I may even start telling people that we are related. Of course, I’ll tell them you’re a cousin.” George seemed to be delighted. Ron just sat there and glared at him.
Harry quickly decided to change the subject. “So Hermione, I was wondering when you’re planning to go to Australia. I figured you would want to go and find your parents.”
“I am not sure. I want to be here for the memorial service. There is also the problem with getting plane fare. How do I explain what has happened, and what I did to their memories?”
“If there is anything I could do to help, just ask.” Harry thought how pedestrian that statement seemed compared to what she had done for him through the years. “When is the service?”
“The memorial for Fred, Remus, and Tonks is going to be out in a secluded valley, around sunset. More friends can come then.” Charlie told Harry, and then added in a whisper. “George has something planned. It is Fred’s service after all. Can’t leave without a laugh, it wouldn’t be a proper memorial.”
Everyone in the room started to question George about his plans, but he kept quiet and just said “You’ll have to wait and see.” While everyone’s attention was focused on George, Ginny came creeping back into the room.
“Harry,” her voice was barely above a whisper.
“Oh, hello again.” Harry jumped at the sound of her voice. He stood there nervously looking for her wand.
“I am not going to hex you. I just want to talk. Alone!”
“Not in your room, young lady! That isn’t proper,” shouted Mrs. Weasley. She had moved into the room without anyone noticing, so when she spoke everyone seemed to jump as though stuck with a pin. “Lunch will be ready soon. If the two of you want to talk, then go outside, where your father and I can keep an eye on you.” She turned and walked back into the kitchen.
“Well, Harry, I’m glad you came over. Mom’s back to her old self. Thank You! A Job Well Done!” A statement like that should be coming from George’s mouth but instead it was Charlie.
Harry and Ginny walked through the kitchen followed by the inquisitive stares of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. While walking through the yard, Harry touched Ginny’s hand. She quickly pulled it way. About half way to the gate, Ginny stopped and looked up at Harry.
“Harry, I am so confused. There is so much I need to tell you, but I am not sure how to say it.” Ginny was pacing back and forth in front of him.
He could feel his throat tighten fearing that she was going to tell him she found someone else. He reached for her again, but she stepped away from his hand, again.
“What I told you in the house about being in heaven when I am with you is true. I never expected you to be interested in me.” Harry wanted to tell her that he felt the same way with her. “I was always worried that you would forget about me…, there would be other more important things to think about. If I didn’t fear your death I was afraid you would stop caring about me.” Ginny looked at Harry with uncertainty in her eyes. “When I saw you in the Room of Requirement, I thought my heart would explode with excitement. I am amazed that you didn’t hear it beating. When Fred, Remus, and Tonks were killed whatever excitement I felt was destroyed. Then I saw you. I — I thought you were dead.” Her voice started to shake with emotion. “The pain was unbearable. I wanted to run out there to be beside you….”
“Ginny, I am so sorry for that but…” pleaded Harry.
“ Don’t interrupt me; please, I need to tell you — to tell you.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “I didn’t care then if I died, because I could be with you. I just wanted to go out fighting. Then you reappeared, alive in the middle of the fight. I thought about what might have happened. I would have been alone, instead of with you. After you fought Voldemort and won I just wanted to go to you and hold you. There were so many people all wanting to see you too. Then the day wore on. I — I still couldn’t be alone with you. Night-time came and people started leaving and you — you were gone. I saw that Ron and Hermione also were gone, so I thought you were with them. I came home, went to bed, and cried most of the night because I thought you forgot about me. That I wasn’t that important to you. When Ron and Hermione showed up this morning without you, I figured you had other places more important places to be. When you finally arrived and gave me those flowers, all the fear and worries that had been building up just erupted from me. I need to know how you feel about me. Am I just a silly little girl crushing on someone — someone who is beyond my reach? I need to know!!”
Harry stood there looking at her. Guilt washed over him as he realized how much he had hurt her. “Ginny, I am so sorry that I caused you this much pain. You are not a silly little girl! Without knowing it, you helped me through some difficult times this past year. When I was lonely and feeling like a failure, I — I would use the Marauders Map just so I could see your name. I missed you so much. I wanted this morning to be special. I wanted you to know how much I care for you. Seeing the type of pain that I have put you through makes me feel that — that I don’t deserve you. Faking my death was necessary. When I heard you cry for me, it tore me up inside. Leaving yesterday without saying goodbye was — inexcusable. There were so many people who wanted to talk to me, to celebrate, and grieve with them that I just had to get away. I am so sorry. All I wanted to do is protect you. I didn’t want you to get hurt like everyone else I have ever loved.”
Ginny looked surprised when Harry said that he loved her. “Harry, please don’t tease me.”
“What? What do you mean tease you?”
“Don’t tell me that unless you mean it, Harry. I don’t think I could stand being hurt again.”
“Ginny, I do love you,” he said softly. Her face suddenly softened as she stared at him. Her brown eyes filled with tears as she stepped towards him. She was kissing him. It was soft and tender. Warmth filled him like he had never felt before. Perhaps finally admitting his feelings for her allowed him to feel this.
Ginny pulled back from him and stared in his eyes. “I love you Harry.” She kissed him gently again, before leaning her forehead against his chin. “Even though I never gave up on you, I never thought you’d say that to me.”
Harry lifted her chin up with his hand to look in her eyes. “Why do you think that I wouldn’t fall in love with someone as beautiful and intelligent as you?”
“You’re, HARRY POTTER, the champion of the magical world. I am just Ginny Weasley…”
“Don’t say that!” pleaded Harry. “I don’t care about all this fame. The only thing I want in this world is to be with you. Please! Believe me!”
She whispered. “I love you so much.” Her lips were on his. One of her hands grabbed his hair, the other his shoulder, and pulled him in tight to her. His one hand reached into her silky hair and the other was around her waist, as he pulled her tighter against him. The kisses were no longer soft and gentle, but urgent and needy.
“Harry! Stop groping my sister!” yelled Ron from beside them. “Lunch is ready. Everyone inside is watching you two.”
“Ron you’re a git.” said Harry and Ginny in unison. When Harry looked towards the Burrow, he saw the angry faces of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley staring at them from the kitchen windows.
Ginny swore under her breath as she looked at her parents glaring at them. He was going to ask her about her parents reaction, when she spoke up.
“Ron and my brothers aren’t the only overly protective ones in this family.”
“Yes, I did discover that earlier.”
Ginny looked fearfully at him. She gripped his hand tight and started to walk towards the Burrow.
Everyone was already sitting down at the table, when they entered the kitchen. Hermione and Charlie smiled at him, but Mr. and Mrs. Weasley with Ron were rather tight lipped. George sat there reading the Prophet’s Special edition “Harry Potter his life and many loves” enjoying the effect it had on everyone else.
The only open chairs were one both sides of Ron and Hermione. Ginny looked at Harry and rolled her eyes before sitting down beside Hermione. She pulled her wand and set the newspaper on fire while it was still in George’s hands.
Without any reaction to Ginny setting the newspaper on fire, they all tucked in and started to eat. Mrs. Weasley cooking was excellent, and the conversation was pleasant, until Ron asked Harry were he was going to stay now. Ginny offered him Percy’s old room.
“I don’t think that is a good idea. It wouldn’t be proper considering the present circumstances,” stated Mrs. Weasley.
“Fleur stayed here with Bill, before they were married,” shouted Ginny. “I bet you wouldn’t protest Hermione staying here, then why can’t Harry stay here. It isn’t fair.”
“The only way Harry would be able to stay here, is if he and you allow me to cast a few Charms,” stated Mr. Weasley calmly.
“Ginny, I am planning to stay at Grimmauld Place,” said Harry, hoping to stop the heated argument. “Hermione, I was wondering if I could get some things from your beaded bag.” He said hoping to get away from the fight brewing up in the kitchen.
Hermione started to stand up, but George brought her up short.
“Why didn’t you get them this morning, Harry? It would have been easier, when there was only the three of you.”
Ron and Hermione’s faces turned to ash, as all the eyes around the table turned to them.
“I forgot,” stated Harry. “I had other things on my mind and didn’t think it would be a problem asking later.”
Everyone seemed to be satisfied with Harry’s reason. They went back to fighting over the injustice of Ginny not being allowed to have her boyfriend sleeping under the same roof as her.
Ron and Hermione quickly left the kitchen and practically ran up the stairs to his old room. Harry followed along and was getting out of breath by the time he reached the attic. Once inside, Hermione cast a Silencing Charm and Ron began to yell about his brother. After several minutes of screaming about George, he finally calmed.
Hermione started unpacking her beaded bag. She handed Harry his rucksack and Ron his. Harry silently went through everything that was in his rucksack. Most of it was going to be thrown in a rubbish bin. It didn’t fit him and he never wanted to wear another one of Dudley’s hand-me-downs. He roughly stuffed everything back in the rucksack. He noticed that Hermione was sitting and staring at her hands. He had to look again to realize that she was staring at the last of her money.
“Hermione, are you all right?” Harry asked her.
She looked up at him teary-eyed. “I don’t have enough money to buy a ticket to Australia.”
“Maybe Kingsley or Dad could get you a Portkey,” offered Ron.
“The way things are now, it would take days to arrange one. However, I don’t have any other choice.”
“I’ll pay for the tickets, Hermione,” stated Harry. “I have money in my vault.”
Ron chuckled at his comment. “You think any of us would ever be welcomed back to Gringotts?”
“Kingsley, excuse me, the Minister for Magic informed me that Gringotts has agreed not to press charges against us.” Ron and Hermione gave out a small cheer at his news.
“He also told me that I was to get an Order of Merlin, first class.”
“Of course, mate, you just finished off the most evil wizard of all time,” stated Ron proudly.
“I told him I wouldn’t accept it unless you two, Neville, and Professor McGonagall also get one. I didn’t do this alone.” Harry stopped talking as the emotions of realizing how much they had sacrificed for him overwhelmed him. Friendship like that was rare to find.
The mood was broken, by Ginny storming into the room. She walked across the room and plopped down on Harry’s lap, before proceeding to snog him.
“Alright, enough you two,” demanded Ron. “I am not going to be put through watching the two of you doing that all the time.”
Ginny broke away from Harry and smiled at Ron. “When you come back next year, I will be in the same classes, and Harry and I will be spending a great deal of time...” she stopped talking and stared at Harry. “...studying.”
“No,” shouted Ron. “If last year was any indication, of what you two call studying...”
Harry tuned out Ginny and Ron fighting with each other. Her comment made him think about his future again. Could he return to Hogwarts? If he didn’t, could he get a job based on his abilities rather than his fame? Could he find a job that would hire him to be anything but a figure head? If he didn’t get a job, how long could he last on the money left to him in the vault?
Suddenly the realization of having a future beyond having Ginny in it flooded into his mind. He was a godfather. What would he have to do to be a good one? He had a godfather, but he was locked in prison for twelve years. He had Grimmauld Place, but he really couldn’t see living there the rest of his life. He had told Professor McGonagall that he wanted to become an Auror, but without receiving the proper N.E.W.T.’s he couldn’t even start training to be one.
“Harry!” shouted Hermione.
He snapped his head up and realized that everyone was staring at him. Ginny was looking puzzled, but Hermione and Ron looked afraid.
“Please tell me that your scar isn’t hurting,” Hermione said fearfully.
He involuntarily touched it and looked at her. “No, it isn’t. Why are you asking?”
“Your face was scrunched up like you were in pain?”
“I just realized that I have a future now. I need to start thinking about life after Voldemort.”
Hermione looked like she might start crying and Ginny ran her fingers through his hair. She started lean over to kiss him, when Ron spoke up.
“It will be a short future if you can’t keep your ruddy hands off my sister.”
Harry turned to protest along with Hermione and Ginny, and they all saw that Ron had a lopsided grin on his face.
“Prat!” Ginny called her brother. She grabbed Harry’s hand and dragged him out the door.
Harry followed along without protest. He was still thinking about Teddy Lupin, and if he will need to help raise him. He would be willing to try, but he doesn’t know anything about babies, except they cry, eat, and soil their nappies.
They entered the kitchen to find Percy and Bill there. Fleur was leaning on Bill’s shoulder. She looked to be crying. There was an intense discussion between them and their parents.
When Ginny and Harry entered the kitchen, Percy and Bill turned to look at them. Percy had a haughty air about him. Bill had look like he might leap from the chair and physically attack Harry. He glanced down at their hands clasped firmly together and scowled at him. Fleur seemed to be whispering something to him that got him to calm down
Ginny never wavered under their intense stares. She walked over and sat down at the kitchen table while keeping a firm grasp of Harry’s hand.
The discussion changed to who would be Disapparating with whom. Ginny was underage. Harry and Ron can but never passed an exam, this fact seemed to concern only Percy and Mrs. Weasley. All the time no one said exactly where they were going. Finally after forty-five minutes of negotiation and bickering, they were ready to leave.
The destination really had no name it was a valley north of town that the magical community would use for gatherings. Ron, Harry, and Hermione decided to Apparate together. Ron would lead. Ginny had to go with Mr. Weasley.
Within minutes the entire family was standing in a deep valley surrounded on all sides by steep wooded hills. The valley reminded Harry of a large Quidditch pitch. The floor of the valley was a large flat grassland with one stream flowing through it.
The memorial service wasn’t what Harry expected. Their bodies had been interred earlier in the morning. Only Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and George were present at Fred’s. There were sandwiches, pastries, cookies, Butterbeer, and Firewhiskey.
There were twenty or thirty witches and wizards, many Harry recognized as Order of the Phoenix members. Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle were there, and telling stories about how unpleasant it was to be stuck with the Dursleys all that time. Harry and Ginny walked around the party holding hands. They were accompanied by Ron and Hermione who were doing the same.
People were constantly approaching him and congratulating him on defeating Voldemort. He would say that he didn’t do it alone that he had loads of help, but so many people didn’t want to believe him. They all insisted that he was just being modest, before asking what he was going to do next.
As they walked around, they noticed that in the centre of a congregating mass was a picture of Fred and one of Tonks and Lupin holding Teddy. It was strange to look at their images all so life-like moving in the picture frames. The four of them stood transfixed and saddened by the fact that they were gone.
“It’s difficult looking at former students like this,” stated Professor McGonagall. She had walked up behind them with out being noticed. “I can remember all three of them in classes; where they sat, the trouble they would get into. I will never forget those fireworks and that portable swamp. Fred and George sure gave that Umbridge woman fits.” Professor McGonagall chuckled as she said this. “Now you two (looking at Ron and Hermione) need to think of an explanation for last night. I was just talking to Molly and Arthur, and they seemed to have been under the impression that the two of you spent last night at Hogwarts with Harry.”
Ron’s entire face, neck, and ears turned pink. Hermione’s face was the same colour, and she appeared to sink into the ground from embarrassment. Ginny looked around Harry’s shoulder and whispered, “hypocrite.”
Hermione who seemed to be the most embarrassed by Professor McGonagall’s statement stammered out an apology. “I’m — I’m — sorry Professor — It’s — a — well — I’m just sorry.”
“My dear, you didn’t break any school rules. I think after what you three did this past year, you are definitely mature enough to be respected as adults. I just thought I’d give you a heads up. Well, I think, I shall walk around and see who else is here. Oh, if you three return again next year.” She was staring at them with steely eyes. “I’ll treat you like any other student, understand!”
Professor McGonagall turned and walked away. Ron immediately turned his embarrassment into anger and directed it towards Ginny. Harry and Hermione intervened between the two, in an attempt to stop it from escalating to a full-blown fight.
They decided to walk over and get some Butterbeers. They saw Lee Jordan, Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, and Oliver Wood standing in a circle around George, who was cracking jokes and telling funny stories so that everyone was howling with laughter. The only person who seemed to mind was Percy. This wasn’t the sad and sombre event that he had expected.
Harry noticed Bill and Fleur talking to someone, and Fleur was acting extremely silly. It wasn’t until Bill moved that he saw Andromeda Tonks, so Fleur must be entertaining Teddy. Harry wanted to talk with Mrs. Tonks, and the girls wanted to see the baby. The four of them walked over and Harry tried to introduce himself to her.
“Hello, I’m Harry Potter.”
“Well that’s obvious,” she said looking at his forehead. “We have met before, when you were at my house.”
“Yes, I wasn’t sure if you would recognize me.”
“I remember you tried to curse me,” she said with an accusing tone.
“I am sorry, but you look like Bellatrix” He had hoped she had forgotten that.
“Yes, well that is a curse!”
“I don’t now if Professor Lupin told you, but he made me Teddy’s Godfather.”
“Yes, he did. He also told Dora and me why. It seems you told him to go home and be a husband and father to Dora and Teddy.”
“It was something like that. Maybe not that nice, I am sorry that I spoke to him that harshly. He was just very afraid.” Harry remembered yelling at Remus in the basement of Grimmauld Place.
“I’m glad you did for my daughter’s sake. Thank you.”
Harry was shocked by her compliment and stood there for several seconds before speaking again. “Mrs. Tonks, I really have no idea what a godfather is suppose to do. I really want to be there for Teddy.”
“Have you ever watched a baby before?”
“No. I don’t even know how to change a nappy.”
“I can teach you. I’ll come over and help you watch Teddy,” chimed Ginny. She seemed to have a strange gleam in her eye.
Harry had forgotten to introduce everyone. When he introduced Ginny as his girlfriend she seemed to be so pleased that he could almost feel a warm glow coming from her. After the introductions, they all started a pleasant conversation, which was centred on babies. Bill seemed to be a little uncomfortable with this topic. He mentioned that it was time to go and give the farewells, and pointed towards the pictures. Harry turned and noticed that people were starting to line up to walk past the pictures. George was offering everyone a glass of Firewhiskey so that they could toast the departed.
A knot was forming in the pit of Harry’s stomach. He started to think about finally saying goodbye to his friends.
Percy had gone through the line and was now crying on his father’s shoulder. There were witches and wizards from the Auror department saying goodbye to Tonks. The old Gryffindor Quidditch team had gone past and paid their respects.
Ron and Hermione were in front of Harry. They took a glass from George and stood in front of the pictures mumbled a goodbye and I’ll miss you before downing the whiskey. Hermione had to help Ron off to the side with the other people who had gone through the line.
The knot in Harry’s stomach had now climbed to his throat as he and Ginny took their glasses and stepped up to the pictures.
“Fred, you were like a big brother to me,” croaked Harry. The lump in his throat seemed to be making it hard to speak. “Tonks, I only knew you a short while, but in that time I came to love you as a friend, thank you for being there. Professor Lupin, Moony, I am so sorry that this happened to you so soon after finally finding love. I won’t forget what you wanted me to tell Teddy. When he asks why you died, I’ll tell him it was to help make the world a better place for him to live in. I will also tell him, that you made the world a better place by just being in it. All three of you did! I thank you for that.” He tipped his glass and the Firewhiskey burned his throat. The lump in his throat melted and started to leak from his eyes.
He felt Ginny’s hand squeeze his tightly. Grief had overwhelmed her. Harry put his arm around her and helped her over by Ron and Hermione. Bill and Fleur walked up and paid their respects, and Mrs. Tonks said goodbye to her daughter.
George stepped up to the pictures.
“Mr. and Mrs. Lupin, I hope you are together and happy.” He said before emptying his glass.
“Fred, I couldn’t ask for a better brother, business partner, and fellow trouble maker. I will really really miss you.” George had refilled his glass only to empty it again. “My dear brother, you always said you wanted to go out with a bang. I think you deserve about a thousand,” with this statement George pointed his wand to distant part of the valley. It erupted with a thousand Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes Fireworks.
The mood of everyone changed immediately from sad and sombre to one of excitement as the fireworks seemed to fill the entire valley with lights, sparks, pops, and whistles. Whatever sadness Harry was feeling was gone almost immediately; even Percy seemed to be cheering up. People were laughing and giggling. The four of them were standing and watching the fireworks zoom around, when Mrs. Tonks approached Harry.
“I heard what you said up there. I think you will be a good godfather. You already have the most important thing.”
“What’s that?”
“You’re loving and caring. Don’t be a stranger, stop by and visit regularly. You can even bring a friend,” she said looking at Ginny. “I need to leave now, bye.” She turned on the spot and was gone.
They went and picked up a Butterbeer, and sat down on the grass to watch the fireworks. “Hermione, I am paying for us to go to Austalia,” said Harry. “Ron, I also want your parents and Ginny to come along. I think we all deserve a long restful holiday.”
“Harry that will be very expensive are you sure you want to pay for it?” questioned Hermione.
“Yes, I am sure. For the past two days, people have been asking me ‘what I’m going to do next’, and I usually didn’t have an answer. I have decided to spend as much time with people I care about and love. Everything else, I will deal with as necessary.”
Chapter 2: Diagon Alley and the Wizengamot
Author's Notes: I guess it is time to complete this story. The magical community is starting to move on from Voldemort's reign of terror, but evil hasn't been eliminated.
I would recommend reading Forgotten before reading this chapter, because it will explain the present state of the Ministry and magical society in general. If this chapter seems a bit rushed, it is because I wanted to give that feeling. So many things are happening to Harry as his life has changed dramatically in the past two days.
“Ginny, its time to go home,” Mr. Weasley stated firmly.
“I want to stay longer with Harry. Please Daddy!”
“No! Your mother and I are leaving now, and you shall come with us. I don’t want to hear about being of age in less than two months. You’re still my… you’re still under seventeen. Ron, we are expecting you home tonight also,” said Mr. Weasley stiffly.
Ginny leaned over and quickly kissed Harry goodnight. She stood up and stomped off with her father. Ron and Hermione sat there in shock. They had never heard Mr. Weasley so stern with anyone. Harry knew that Mr. Weasley had almost called Ginny “his little girl” as before when they had their private talk.
“All right, you two! Snap out of it! Your Dad is just upset because I’m dating Ginny. I don’t think it’s anything personal.” Harry paused, but Ron and Hermione sat there looking dejected. “It’s like he sees her as a six-year-old. He referred to her as a ‘little girl’ earlier today when he talked to me alone in the kitchen. The two of you just happened to get in the way of his mood.” Harry thought this was rather funny, because she was definitely not a “little girl” anymore, at least, not in his eyes.
Harry looked at his friends’ long faces, waiting for them to respond. “Why don’t we see if George needs help cleaning up here? Then go home, get up early tomorrow and plan our trip to Australia.”
They started walking around the valley looking for George. He was sitting off by himself staring at the fireworks, and did not hear them until they were upon him. He stood up and quickly wiped his eyes.
“Hey, George, you need a hand cleaning up?” asked Ron.
George looked at the three of them before speaking, “Yeah, I guess we should be cleaning up. I want to take this stuff back to the shop tonight.”
“Why don’t you come back to the Burrow with Hermione and me?” Ron asked, as they walked around the valley cleaning up. Hermione and Harry Levitated trash to the area by the refreshments.
“No. I need to get on with my life and business. I can’t just give up and move home. Besides, there’s so much work to be done at the shop, we’ve — I mean, I’ve been closed for over two weeks. We also lost our biggest money maker because of Harry,” he said pointedly at Harry.
“Because of me? What did I do?” Harry stared back at him, puzzled by his comment.
“You defeated you-know-who and now no one is going to need those Shield Cloaks. So I have an entire store room full of merchandise that I can’t move.”
“Why don’t you sell them to students at Hogwarts…,” interjected Ron. “…to protect them from sneaky attacks by other students.”
“What? Sell Shielding Cloaks to students. They couldn’t afford them.”
“Advertise them to the parents as a way of protecting their darling little children.” Ron looked at George, and nonchalantly offered an advertising slogan. “Concerned about bullies? Our Shielding Cloaks will protect your loved ones.”
George stood there in thought. A smile started to stretch across his face as he contemplated what Ron had said. “It might work. It will be a different approach, almost respectable. Yes, it might just work out. Brilliant idea, Ron! Thank you! Hey, have you ever considered working at the shop? If this idea works out we — er — I will be needing help.” George pulled out his wand and tapped the leftovers and trash from the party and they all disappeared. “Well, I’m off to the shop. If the three of you get time, visit me at the shop tomorrow, think about what I said, Ron. Bye!”
Ron stood there with a shocked expression on his face.
“What’s wrong?” asked Harry.
“Did he actually ask me to work with him at the shop?”
“Yea, it sure sounded like it,” stated Harry.
“I never imagined he would ever do that,” said Ron still gobsmacked.
Harry and Hermione shared a look, as they tried to control their laughter.
“I think it’s time to go home. I’ll be at the Burrow first thing in the morning. Have a pleasant night you two.” Harry shook Ron’s hand and hugged Hermione goodbye, before Apparating outside of his house. He went straight to the kitchen upon entering.
An owl was sitting on the table with a letter attached to its leg. He removed the letter and noticed it was from Kingsley, the Interim Minister of Magic.
Dear Harry,
The Wizengamot has agreed to your request. Everyone that you mentioned will receive Orders of Merlin First Class. You and all the recipients must appear at the Ministry tomorrow at one o’clock in the afternoon. Please send a reply by return owl. Be prepared to tell the assembled members about your defeat of Voldemort, and the involvement of the other recipients.
Sincerely,
Kingsley Shaklebolt, Interim Minister of Magic
Harry wrote a quick note to Kingsley that he would be there. The owl flew up the kitchen’s chimney. Making a cup of tea, he sat down to reread the letter; suddenly the fireplace erupted with green flames. Instinctively, he drew his wand to defend himself.
Ron, Hermione, and finally Mrs. Weasley came out of the fireplace. The first two were clutching letters from the Ministry, and Mrs. Weasley had tears of joy in her eyes. She pushed past the other two and ran to Harry and gave him a rib-breaking hug.
“Ron told me what you said to Kingsley. That he should also receive an Order of Merlin, First Class. Thank you! I can’t believe that my son has received such an honour.” She said this while hugging and kissing Harry. “Well I must be getting back. Come for breakfast tomorrow. Looks like it’s going to be a big day!” She released Harry and left by the Floo.
“Thank you! You really shouldn’t have done that.” Blubbered Hermione, as she hugged and kissed him. “That was so sweet of you.”
“Yeah — thanks mate!” said Ron with a lop-sided grin. “I hope you don’t mind if I don’t hug and kiss you.”
“Not at all, in fact, I would prefer it,” laughed Harry. “Hermione, I would not have survived without the two of you. It was only right that you receive any accolades that I get. Now, no offence, but will you let go of me? I think Ron is jealous.” Hermione released Harry and stepped back to survey the kitchen.
“Harry!” Hermione drew her wand. “Death Eaters!”
Harry and Ron also drew their wands and looked around for the Death Eaters.
“Where Hermione?” Ron and Harry said almost together, as they glanced fearfully around the room.
“Harry, we didn’t return here because Yaxley broke the Fidelius Charm.” She spoke to him as if he was daft. “Don’t you remember when we invaded the Ministry? Dammit! I can’t believe I forgot about it until now.” The three friends stood in the kitchen with their wands readied for an attack. Each one now remembered the incident that Hermione had mentioned and were angry that they had not remembered it earlier. It was the reason that they had gone to live in a tent.
“Kreacher!”
“Harry why are you calling him?” Hermione finished asking this, when there was a pop and the old House Elf appeared beside Harry.
The elf bowed low to Harry. “Yes, Master?”
“Kreacher, has there been anyone in this house except myself and my friends? I am only concerned since the three of us left last September.”
“No, Master. Kreacher knows when people are in his house. Kreacher is a good and loyal elf to good masters.”
“Thank you, Kreacher. You are a good elf. That is all.” The elf disappeared with a pop and they lowered their wands.
“I don’t understand why Yaxley didn’t enter this house when he had a hold on my robes. We Apparated onto the stoop. He had to be inside of the Charms protection.” The three of them looked at each other trying to solve this mystery. Hermione continued, “Yaxley would have turned this house over to Voldemort without hesitation. What stopped him?”
“Maybe he didn’t see the house or wasn’t inside of the Charms protective Shield,” Harry offered, as a reason occurred to him. “Hermione, whenever I would go on recognizance missions to the Ministry, I would sometimes stumble when Apparating onto the stoop. The Death Eaters across the street would react as if they saw something. The Charm’s wards are close to the door. It could be possible that when we Apparated Yaxley landed outside of the ward. The security of the house was never compromised.” He looked at Hermione’s face and could tell she was not convinced.
“Hermione, I think Harry is right. I remember that Yaxley grabbed at my arm when you Apparated us to the woods. That’s what caused me to splinch.” Hermione looked at her two friends for a minute, before conceding that they might be right.
“I guess. I mucked that all up and made us live in that tent for nothing.” Disappointment showed on her face and in her voice.
“Hermione, you were fantastic. We all believed it too. It all worked out didn’t it?” Harry walked over to her and gave her a reassuring hug. “I owe you my life.”
“Ahem. Hands off my girl Potter. You have your own.” Ron said with a smile, moving Harry away so he could embrace and reassure Hermione.
They spent the next half an hour talking about the awards, and things that they would like to do tomorrow. Finally, Harry said they should all be getting to bed and reminded Ron that he was expected home. This statement made Ron grunt something under his breath, as he and Hermione Flooed to the Burrow.
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The next morning after a relaxing bath, Harry quickly dressed and Apparated to the Burrow. He appeared on the walk by the kitchen. There seemed to be a mist in the air that the morning sun had not burnt off yet. He started walking towards the house and before he reached the door Ginny flew out in her nightclothes. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a passionate good morning kiss.
“I missed you. I love you. Daddy wouldn’t let me come over last night. He’s being really strange towards me since yesterday.”
“I love you too. Yeah, I noticed that about your Dad. We’ll talk later. I think I know why.”
“Ginevra! I raised you better than to run around outside in your nightclothes,” Mr. Weasley said from the kitchen door. “Good morning, Harry.”
Harry and Ginny entered the kitchen to find Ron and Hermione up and dressed. Ron was holding his letter. The kitchen was filled with the delicious aromas of bacon, eggs, toast, and tea. Ginny gave Harry a little hug and peck on the cheek under the watchful eye of Mr. Weasley, before leaving to change out of her nightclothes. He sat down at the table and Mrs. Weasley immediately put a plate stacked with food in front of him.
Harry took a deep breath and worked up the courage to ask about Australia. “Mr. Weasley, the three of us are planning to leave for Australia soon to find Hermione’s parents. I would like for you, Mrs. Weasley, and Ginny to come along with us. I think we all could use a holiday.”
“I — um — appreciate the offer, but I’m afraid we wouldn’t be able to go. I will need to get back to work and well — it just wouldn’t be possible.” Mr. Weasley seemed to blush slightly while saying this.
“If it is a concern about money, I was going to pay for the trip. I owe the two of you so much that I would really like to do this for you. Besides, we will probably ride on an airplane, please come along.”
At this point both Ron and Hermione joined in to convince his parents to accompany them. The discussion lasted several minutes with the usual comments about Harry “should not be doing this” and Harry insisting, “I want to”. He was very careful not to mention that the only way Ginny could come was with them. Finally, the Weasleys consented to accompany them to Australia.
“Ginny, you, your father, and I are going to Australia with Ron, Hermione, and Harry,” announced Mrs. Weasley, when Ginny came back into the room.
“You convinced them! Wonderful!” Ginny squealed, as she hugged and kissed both her mother and father before sitting down right next to Harry. She put her arm around his waist, and leaned her head on his shoulder. Harry was sure he heard Mr. Weasley mumble something from the other side of the Daily Prophet.
Ginny only ate two pieces of dry toast and some eggs, insisting that she wasn’t hungry. The entire time she was eating, she refused to let go of Harry. After breakfast was finished, they decided that everyone should go to the Ministry of Magic.
Mr. Weasley said that he would take them to the Department of International Magical Cooperation to see if they could plan their trip. After that, they would go to Diagon Alley to see George, and Harry could go to Gringotts. If they left right away, they should be able to do this and still get back to the Ministry in time for the awards.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
They were at the Ministry by nine-thirty. Australia, they discovered was not an easy destination to reach. The witch told them that all the Magical governments had broken off relations with the British Ministry during Voldemort’s control, because of abuses against Muggles.
They would have to use Muggle transportation the entire way there and back. There also was not any normal type of communication either. The owls just could not travel that far over the ocean. It seemed that Muggle communication would be used. When they said that they wanted to leave the next day, the witch, helping them, nearly fainted. However, since this was for Harry Potter and his close friends she would try her best.
Kingsley and Professor McGonagall were right about his fame. Even at the Ministry, he was drawing stares from everyone, and people were constantly thanking him and congratulating him. They even asked for his autograph. One particularly attractive witch cornered him in the lift and insisted he give her his autograph. Hermione grudgingly gave him a quill, and Harry, mumbling under his breath, asked what she wanted him to sign. She pulled up her robe and insisted that he sign her thigh.
Luckily, the lift reached her floor before Ginny could break free of her mother’s and Hermione’s grip. Therefore, the witch escaped without Harry’s autograph and being hexed to bits by Ginny.
The plans for the trip would be finalized later that afternoon. They had two hours to go to Diagon Alley, before they had to be back for the meeting. They decided to Apparate directly into Weasley Wizard Wheezes back room. The sudden appearance of six people in the back room, where George was taking inventory, made him jump and throw a box of joke wands. They landed on the floor and turned into forty rubber chickens.
“Bloody hell! What are you trying to do, give me a heart attack?” cried George.
“We have great news. Ron is getting an award, an Order of Merlin, First Class, this afternoon,” proclaimed Mrs. Weasley proudly. George congratulated Ron and proceeded to harass him about receiving such a lofty honour. Harry decided to take his leave so that he could go to Gringotts and get the money needed for the trip.
When he stepped out of the front door, the street was busy, and everyone seemed to be happy. Unlike the last time, he was on this street and going to Gringotts. Harry started walking towards the bank and had not walked a quarter of the distance when someone shouted, “Hey, it’s Harry Potter.”
The street suddenly became impassable. People seemed to emerge from everywhere, and they all wanted to see him. It was a repeat of the Ministry; pats on the back, handshakes, an attempted hug and kiss on the check, and people wanting autographs. Harry tried to keep moving towards the bank, but it was almost impossible with everyone crowding around him like this. He started wondering if Dumbledore went through this after he defeated Grindlewald.
He became disoriented as to where he was on the street. He hoped that he was not heading away from the bank, when he heard. “Avada…,”
Harry’s fighting instincts took over. In a swift fluid motion, he fell to the ground, while turning towards the sound and pulling his wand out of his sleeve.
“…Kedavra!” A jet of green light shot over Harry’s prone body.
“Stupefy!” Harry shot a stunning spell back at the place where the killing curse originated. He hit his mark. The other wizard fell to the ground stunned unconscious.
As he fell, Harry felt something fall across his legs. Looking at his legs, he saw a wizard with a look of shock on his face, and his eyes and mouth were open. Dead! Killed by the curse Harry had avoided, just an innocent bystander who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The street suddenly erupted with hundreds of shouting voices. Harry could only hear bits and pieces as he pushed the wizard off him and looked around for more attackers.
“Potter’s been attacked!”
“Two are down!”
The street quickly cleared out, as people were Disapparating to get away from the fight. Harry slowly walked over to his attacker. He looked to see if he could recognize him. Sensing movement behind him, he turned and saw all the Weasleys and Hermione running towards him. Ron was the first to reach him followed by Ginny and George.
“Are you all right mate? What happened?” exclaimed Ron.
Harry was going to tell him, when a small voice crying out pierced his heart.
“Please, get up Daddy!” A little girl no older than six was leaning over the dead wizard. Her long blond hair fell over periwinkle robes that looked brand new. She was looking into his blank dead eyes while her little hand shook his shoulder.
“I want to go home now. Please get up. I don’t want ice cream. I just want to go home to Mummy. Please get up.”
Her sweet innocent voice rang through the street like a bell. No one was talking anymore everyone stood staring at this little girl trying to wake her dead father. Harry started to walk over to her, but Mrs. Weasley reached her first.
“Dear, Your Daddy can’t get up. He’s — he’s has been hurt. Is your Mummy or someone else here that you know?”
“Mummy is at home. I don’t know anyone else. Why — why did someone hurt my Daddy?”
“I don’t know why.” Mrs. Weasley answered as she started to cry. She reached her hand out to the girl. “Why don’t you come inside, and we will try to find your mother.”
“I don’t want to leave my Daddy out here.” Tears started to fall from the girl’s eyes.
Mrs. Weasley took the girls hand as George levitated her father’s body and followed them into the joke shop. As she walked, she asked Mr. Weasley, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione to try to find someone who knew her. Harry noticed that as they dispersed, Ginny was holding on tight to her father’s hand.
Two cracks shocked Harry back to reality, turning he saw two Aurors that he recognized from last night’s memorial service walking towards him. After taking the attackers wand and binding him head to foot with rope, they questioned Harry and many of the people still on the street. Harry could not help feeling responsible for the wizard’s death when he told about ducking out of the way of the Killing Curse.
The Aurors went into the joke shop to check on the little girl and see her father.
Harry turned towards the bank when he felt a hand on his arm. He turned expecting to see Ginny, Hermione, or Ron, but it was an old man, who walked with a cane.
“It wasn’t your fault that man died. You weren’t the one that fired the curse,” wheezed the man. “You can’t save the entire world, Harry Potter.”
It was as if the man could read his thoughts. Harry had been thinking about how this should not be happening anymore. Voldemort is dead! Families should not be torn apart like this. Another family ripped apart by death and hatred just like his, Neville’s, the Bones’, the Weasley’s, and Teddy Lupin’s. It was supposed to have stopped.
Harry acknowledged the wizened man. He had no choice but to continue with their plans of finding the Grangers. The little girl was being taken care of by Mrs. Weasley and the Aurors should be able to help, so there was not anything for him to do. He swallowed his guilt of the wizard’s death and started walking towards the bank. He felt queasy, as he strode through the street, as though he had swallowed a bit of rancid food.
The bank was under a great deal of repair. He found it humorous that here he was going into this bank to check on his vault, when four days ago, he was breaking into the Lestrange’s. When Harry stepped through the inner set of doors, he could swear that every goblin turned to look at him.
He walked up to the nearest window. “Hello, I’m here to check on my vault and to make a withdrawal.”
“Do you have your key, Mr. Potter?”
“No. I would like to check on the Black Family vault willed to me by Sirius Black. I was never given a key.”
The goblin dropped off his chair and walked to one of the back offices. Harry could see them back there talking and occasionally staring out at him. After ten minutes of this, the goblin returned with a scroll of parchment.
“We checked the records and it seems that you have been left the entire contents of the Black Family vault. However, you will not be able to go to it for some time. It seems that someone broke into this bank a few days ago and flew our security dragon out of here. Therefore, we are now in the process of training a new one. It is too dangerous to allow anyone down there, except our own specially trained staff. If you want to make a withdrawal, you will need to write it down the amount, and we will retrieve it for you.”
“Well. I need two thousand Galleons sent to the Department of International Magical Cooperation, and I would also like to have some Muggle money. I think twenty-five thousand pounds should be enough. Do you think I would have enough in the vault for that transaction?”
The goblin looked at Harry with his jet-black expressionless eyes, and then down at the scroll he was carrying. “I will get your Muggle money now. The rest will be sent to the Ministry this afternoon.”
“Is that a record of the vaults transactions,” Harry asked about the scroll.
“Yes. Would Mr. Potter like to see it?” The goblin extended his hand with the scroll.
Harry took the scroll and started to read it. The vault had initial holdings of 8,705,266 Galleons 14 Sickles and 3 Knuts. There were eight or nine withdrawals of ten to twenty Galleons, probably Kreacher buying things for the house. Then he saw a transaction of 1,327,008 Galleons for a dragon and repairs.
As he was reading the scroll, the goblin had counted out his pound notes on the counter. It looked at Harry with a nasty smile on its face. “Dragon rides are very expensive, aren’t they Mr. Potter.”
Harry took the cash and squeezed it into his Moke Skin bag before leaving the window. He left the bank liking goblins even less than before. No wonder they “forgave” the three of them. He had to pay for everything.
Checking his watch, he noticed that it was almost noon. He walked down the bank’s steps to Diagon Alley. The attack must have chased people away. At least he did not have to worry about people flocking to him. They were no doubt afraid of being hit by a stray Killing Curse.
Entering the joke shop, he smelled lunch. He didn’t have much of an appetite, but he wanted to know if they found the little girl’s mother.
Ginny was waiting for him behind the counter. She was playing with some of the Muggle magic cards.
When Harry walked in, she got up and gave him a warm comforting hug and kiss. “I am happy to see you’re all right. I should have done that before, but seeing that little girl was so upsetting. She’s home now. The Aurors were able to locate her mother.” Ginny stopped talking to look him in the eye before continuing. “How are you feeling? You’re not blaming yourself, are you?”
“He died because he was standing next to me. Yes! I am feeling guilty. Ginny, that could have been you.”
“I know being at your side will be dangerous. I am willing to accept that. What I won’t accept is you trying to shove me away to keep me safe. I want you to love me and to be with me! Please, don’t tell me to go away for my protection.”
“I won’t, but I can’t help but want to protect you. Is that okay with you?” He did not wait for a response. He just wrapped both arms around her and kissed her.
“Excuse me! Lunch is ready.” Mr. Weasley was standing in the doorway to the back room. “We need to get moving if we are going to make the presentation.”
Ginny pulled from Harry’s hug and faced her father. “Daddy we need to talk. I mean you, me, and Harry need to talk.”
“Must it be now, dear? Can’t it wait until later?”
“No! We need to come to an understanding. The sooner the better, is how I look at it. I love you, Daddy that will never change. I know that when you look at me. You see me as a little girl, and I don’t want that to change. I will always be your little girl, no matter how old I am. But, I am not a little girl anymore and I need a different type of love…”
“I know that. I know a great deal more about this than you may realize. Your mother and I are concerned that you two might rush into marriage and family too quickly.” When Mr. Weasley said this both Harry and Ginny were taken back. “We couldn’t think of a better man for you than Harry, as long as he is careful about signing autographs.” He looked at Harry and smirked. Harry’s face turned red, as he remembered the witch in the elevator.
“We are concerned about you being caught up in this whirlwind of passion that the two of you emit whenever you look at each other.” Harry and Ginny looked at each other, their faces turning bright red. “A blind man can see the excitement when you two looks at each other. You aren’t seventeen and Harry is only a year older. Spend some time together without being married. Ginny, you are too much of a free spirit to settle down at a young age and try to raise a family, Go, discover, meet new challenges, after a while, you will have time to start a family. Promise your mother and me that you won’t run off and get married. Please promise me.”
Ginny and Harry stood there, taken back at what they had just heard.
“I promise, Mr. Weasley,” Harry said sheepishly.
Ginny looked at Harry and then her father. She seemed to be thinking about something before she said, “All right, I agree.”
“Good, now, why don’t the two of you come back and get a bite to eat before we go to the Ministry?”
All the Weasley’s were there sitting around several small tables that had been pulled together to make a long one. There were cucumber sandwiches and pea soup from the Leaky Cauldron, but no one was eating much. They all seemed to be preoccupied with the attack. Harry had to answer a barrage of questions about what had happened. He took a sandwich and a bowl of soup but did not finish either one before he had to leave for the Ministry.
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The entire party arrived in the Atrium at twelve-forty, and the two Aurors that were at Diagon Alley met them. They informed Harry and everyone else that they were to go to the Minister’s office first. All the recipients and their guests were to meet the Minister before going to the Wizengamot. While in the lift, the Aurors told Harry that the attacker was a cousin of the Death Eater, Runcorn.
The Minister’s office was on floor number one. Harry had been there last year when he removed Alastor Moody’s magical eye from Umbridge’s door. They were led back to the exact same area where Umbridge had her office. Neville and his Grandmother were there along with Professor McGonagall. Everyone was extremely excited about seeing each other, Neville and his Grandmother could not stop thanking Harry for suggesting this honour. While everyone was talking, Harry slipped away to look at the door that had held Moody’s eye.
While Harry stared at the door, Kingsley walked up behind him. “All right there, Harry? You seem to have a great interest in this particular door. Any reason why?”
“This was Umbridge’s office. When we broke into the Ministry, I ended up here…”
“You broke into the Ministry?”
“Yes! Didn’t you know? Moody’s magical eye was planted in this door by that toad, Umbridge. I almost got us captured because I took the eye out of the door. I could not stand the thought of someone like her using it to spy on her workers. Stupid and impulsive wasn’t it?”
“Maybe it was. I would have done the same thing. Mad-Eye was the Auror that trained me.” Kingsley placed a reassuring hand on Harry’s shoulder. “It is time to go. You can reveal everything about last year. The entire Wizengamot has been screened and sworn to secrecy. Did you prepare a speech?”
“Me? No! That’s the type of thing that Hermione would do. I’ll wing it. Although I am a little concerned about revealing too much to the members of the Wizengamot. Are you sure you can trust them?”
Kingsley chuckled. “Yes, we can trust them. Many of the corrupt ones have been removed. They all thought that Voldemort would reign forever and were not afraid to show their true allegiance.”
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Everyone entered the Wizengamot chamber. Harry and the other recipients sat down in front by the doors, and their guests were seated in a special section. Harry stared up into the seats that held the Wizengamot. The last time he was here the seats had all been filled. Now barely a third of them had members sitting in them.
Kingsley called the meeting to order. He introduced Neville, Professor McGonagall, Hermione, Ron, and finally Harry. He stated that these people were responsible for the downfall of the Dark Lord, Voldemort. Harry chuckled, as these sorcerers seemed to jump at the sound of his name.
One wizard stood up and asked. “Why should we honour all these people, when it was Harry Potter that killed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?”
“Because, I could not have accomplished it without their help,” Harry stood up and stated this emphatically. “My friends put themselves in grave danger to help me accomplish a task given to me by Albus Dumbledore. If they had not done this Voldemort would still be alive, and I would be the one that is dead. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger accompanied me and helped all last year in accomplishing my tasks. Neville Longbottom led a resistance at Hogwarts that allowed me to enter there and complete my mission, and, unknown to him, he also destroyed a piece of Voldemort. Professor McGonagall organized the defense of Hogwarts and the evacuation of its underage students. She did this so that I could accomplish my mission, even though, I would not tell her exactly what I was doing. If any of these people had not done these things I honestly believe that I would have failed, and Voldemort would still be alive.”
“Are you sure that he is dead?” We thought that before,” shouted another wizard.
“Albus Dumbledore knew that he wasn’t dead. I should say completely dead. Professor Dumbledore knew that Tom Riddle had made Horcruxes.” A murmur went through the chamber when Harry mentioned Horcruxes, and many of the members turned pale. “My mission was to find these Horcruxes and destroy them, until I did, Tom Riddle could not be killed. Yes! His name was actually Tom Marvolo Riddle, not Lord Voldemort.”
Harry started to tell the assembly about how they had theorized that there were six Horcruxes when actually there were seven. He told about each one; how it was discovered and then destroyed. He looked over at the Weasleys when he talked about the diary. He explained about Dumbledore destroying the ring and their pursuit of the locket the night he died.
He even spoke about Kreacher’s and Regulus Black’s involvement. He talked about taking the locket from Umbridge and Ron destroying it. Breaking into Gringotts and taking Hufflepuff’s cup.
He described all the help that Neville had given him to hunt for the Diadem of Ravenclaw, and for calling in Dumbledore’s Army and the Order of the Phoenix. He explained about Ron and Hermione entering the Chamber of Secrets to get basilisk’s fangs and destroying the cup. This was all accomplished because Professor McGonagall believed in him and organized the castle to fight against the Death Eaters, so he could locate the Diadem and destroy it.
He talked about the death of Severus Snape. Even as he died, he gave Harry the knowledge to defeat Tom Riddle, but Harry never revealed the reason why he became a spy.
When Harry talked about the last unknown Horcrux and the fact he would have to die by Tom Riddle’s hand, a gasp seemed to circulate the room. He described going into the forest and being hit with the Avada Kedavra Curse. He told them about how the blood that Riddle had taken from him three years earlier kept him from being “completely” dead and allowed him to come back.
Harry stopped talking to get control of his emotions as he thought of his parents, Remus, and Sirius. He did not reveal anything about the Resurrection Stone or the Deathly Hallows. Looking over at the Weasley’s, he saw Mrs. Weasley and Ginny’s faces were shiny with tears. He stated that his sacrifice had weakened Riddle’s powers, as his mother’s sacrifice had protected him.
He described Neville opposing Riddle and eventually destroying the last Horcrux when he killed Nagini with Godric Gryffindor’s sword. Only after all these tasks were accomplished could Tom Riddle be killed, and fortunately, he was.
Harry had finished talking about the destruction of Riddle when the memory of the dead wizard and his daughter came back to him.
“Tom Riddle or Lord Voldemort is dead. Evil is not. Today someone tried to kill me. They missed and killed an innocent man, left his little girl without a father. No one person can conquer evil. It takes everyone working together, just like at Hogwarts where all the Houses joined to protect the school.
“When I say everyone, I am also including Giants, Half-Giants, Werewolves, House-Elves, and Centaurs. They were there at Hogwarts fighting evil alongside of purebloods, mixed-bloods, and Muggle-borns. Unless we put aside our prejudices, evil will rise again. So please, I implore you as leaders of the magical community to work together with branches of our society to make it a better place to live. Thank you for listening.”
Harry stopped talking, and the room erupted with thunderous applause. The wizards and witches started coming down out of their seats to shake everybody’s hands. It was almost a repeat of when Harry killed Riddle. Everyone wanted to talk to and congratulate not only Harry, but also all the other recipients. Neville looked very surprised. Seven years ago, he seemed to be destined for failure. Harry looked at Ron wondering if he will ever feel overshadowed by his family again. Hermione looked like she was talking everybody’s ears off. She was probably discussing House Elf rights.
He noticed that Ginny and her father were gone. He was a little disappointed, because he wanted to introduce her as his only girlfriend, contrary to what Rita Skeeter has been writing in the Daily Prophet.
Finally, after an hour of handshakes and questions by Department of Mysteries employees about his beyond life experience, Kingsley announced that the recipients and their families were going to leave. He led them back to his office.
Mr. Weasley and Ginny were waiting for them. They had left the chamber and went shopping in Diagon Alley. They wanted to pick up a few things for the trip. Everyone, except Hermione and Ron, treated Harry differently. They were so moved by his story about walking to his death.
Kingsley handed them all official scrolls stating that they have received an Order of Merlin, First Class.
Mr. Weasley stated that they should get going because there will be plenty to do tonight to get ready for their big trip tomorrow. “I went to the Department of International Magical Cooperation and picked up our information and aireoplane tickets. We leave the Burrow tomorrow at noon, so we can be at Heathrow to board our aireoplane at four-thirty. The Ministry will be sending cars to pick us up. So, we must get home and pack.” Mr. Weasley announced to everyone while walking to the lift.
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The next several hours were controlled mayhem as everyone was rushing around trying to find things to take. The trio was finished in less than an hour, since they never unpacked their rucksacks from the past year. They went outside to get away from all the noise and confusion.
Sitting on the grass in the orchard, Ron and Harry were chatting about the witches and wizards at the Wizengamot. Hermione had her nose in a book that Mr. Weasley had bought her The Magical History of Australia.
“I thought you weren’t supposed to tell anyone about the Horcruxes,” inquired Ron.
“I think that was to keep Riddle from realizing we were hunting them. He didn’t invent them. The Horcrux has been around for years, so I imagine other witches and wizards knew about them,” Harry replied.
“You seemed to leave some other things out of your story today, Harry,” said Hermione, without looking up from the book. “I didn’t hear a single word about the Deathly Hallows.”
“Well. I thought it best not to mention them. The same with Professor Snape being in love with my mother is something that they did not need to know. I just wanted everyone to know what the four of you had done.”
“I agree that was a very wise thing to do,” replied Hermione. She closed her book and looked up at Ron and Harry. “I thought your ending was wonderful. How you stressed co-operation between all the factions of the magical community. Professor Dumbledore would be so proud of you.”
“Yeah, thanks for not mentioning the fact that I left the two of you out there in the woods,” Ron added sheepishly.
“We never stopped thinking of you, and you never stopped thinking of us. You weren’t really gone,” Harry reassured Ron with a smile. “Hermione, I need some advice. It’s about Ginny.” Harry felt a lump in his throat as he tried to form the words. “She seems — a — little distant — after hearing about what we had done. I realized that she never had a chance to ask me what had happened.”
“I think hearing you had walked into those woods to die for everyone else was a pretty big shock. The fact that you died and then came back is an intense thing to comprehend. Everyone in that chamber was shocked at that revelation. Did you notice how everyone was treating you, almost with reverence? You don’t need to worry about her loving you any less,” Hermione chuckled at this last statement.
“Thanks, I wasn’t sure,” Harry said with relief.
“You mean that you thought my sister would stop loving you? It’s a good thing that we were with you, because you are really thick, mate,” laughed Ron.
Harry punched Ron’s shoulder as the other two were laughing at him. Hermione moved to kiss Ron’s shoulder and within seconds they were lying on the ground snogging. Harry quietly stood up and slowly wandered back towards the Burrow. He saw Ginny walking through the garden looking for something and walked towards her.
“Hi. I came out here to tell the three of you that dinner is ready. Where are Ron and Hermione?” Ginny asked quietly, still with the same uneasy distant expression, as she had at the Ministry.
“They’re busy, at the moment. Do you want to go with me to get them?”
“Busy? I suppose they are snogging?”
“Yeah. We had better talk loudly so they can hear us coming. Are you feeling all right? You seem — um — distant.”
“It was what you said about sacrificing yourself. You actually died?”
“Not exactly, but it was close. I was still able to return.”
“I think that I owe you a huge apology for the things I said and did yesterday.” Ginny walked into Harry’s chest and wrapped her arms around him. “I understand things better now. I don’t know if I could have made that walk.” She relaxed her grip, looked into his eyes, before tracing his scar with her left index finger. “I can’t believe that you had a piece of Voldemort’s soul in you and it never possessed you. I was possessed from writing in a book. How could you resist it?”
“I am not sure how I was able to resist being possessed.” Harry returned her loving gaze. “There are many things I could tell you about my walk, but the most important was thinking about never being with you again. Just before I — he cursed me. I thought about holding you and snogging you.”
“You know, I really want to snog you senseless. However, dinners ready and I’m rather peckish.” She smiled at him and touched his lips with a finger. “I think I’ll have these for dessert. Now, where is my brother? I want to spoil his fun for once,” said Ginny with an evil smile.
Chapter 3: Off to Australia
Author's Notes: Harry, Hermione, and the four Weasley's are leaving for Australia to find Hermione's parents. Hermione proves to be a truly clever witch, but she can also be a very emotional witch. Harry gets to go on a first date with Ginny, and it is relatively uneventful.
Harry looked at himself in the mirror. His hand-me-down clothes were worn and ill fitting, but they were all he had. He needed to look like a Muggle for the plane ride, and these were his best Muggle clothes.
I wonder if I will embarrass Ginny. Harry laughed about his concern for embarrassing her. It felt good to be able to worry about simple things like that. It was even better to realize that Ginny was his girlfriend again. He was worried that she would find someone else, but she waited for him. He smiled as that thought processed through his mind. She actually waited for me and said she loves me.
The past two days had been wonderful with her. Harry chuckled at how much her attitude changed towards him after hearing about his “adventures”. Yesterday morning, she held onto him as if he was going to run away, if she let go. After hearing what he had been through and telling her about the last thing he saw before being cursed, she realized that he was there to stay, and was more relaxed around him.
Picking up his rucksack, he started downstairs to the kitchen. He stopped at the bathroom to pick up the last of his toiletries. Closing the rucksack, he continued his descent. On the bottom flight of stairs, he heard voices coming from the kitchen.
Pulling out his wand, he tentatively walked down the last of the steps. He had just reached the bottom step when he recognized Ron and Hermione’s voices. They had made themselves a cup of tea and were sitting there waiting for him.
“We had to get away,” groaned Ron. “Mum’s in a real state trying to get everything packed and arrangements with Bill, Fleur, George, and Percy to take care of the place.”
“What time should we be arriving at your house,” asked Harry.
“We all should be there by eleven o’clock, or Ron’s mum will go mental when we do arrive. I have something that I need to do this morning, so I’ll see you at the Burrow by eleven o’clock sharp.” Hermione stated in a bossy voice and then walked out the front door and Disapparated.
Harry noticed Ron’s disappointment at her not kissing him goodbye and puzzlement about where she went. “Don’t worry about it. She must be all twisted up inside not seeing her parents in a year. So, don’t be surprised if she starts acting like your mother.”
“Oh, wonderful - two of them to deal with,” snapped Ron. Both of them laughed about this, while dreading the possibility.
Harry looked at Ron for a second before calmly speaking to him. “Hermione has always been strong and stable for us. This is the first time that the problem has been personal to her.” Ron looked at Harry and raised an eyebrow as though he was going to argue with him. “Hold on! I mean it is the first time her blood family is affected. It’s different.”
Looks of realization shown on Ron’s face, “You’re right, it is different when it is family like that.” An unspoken understanding passed between the two friends, that it was their turn to be strong and stable for Hermione.
The conversation quickly changed to other things, which means Quidditch and brooms. They talked spiritedly until Harry checked his watch and saw it was 10:45. He ran around the house for one last check, before Apparating to the Burrow with Ron.
Ron was not exaggerating. Mrs. Weasley seemed to be in a particularly foul mood as she ran around the house giving orders. Her voice echoed through the house and out into the garden. She was yelling at Ginny about finishing her packing when they arrived. Ron and Harry placed their rucksacks[G2] on the ground by the curved pathway that led to the front door of the house and decided that standing guard over them outside would be a smart thing to do.
Hermione arrived a few minutes later barking orders to the two of them making sure they had everything. She then marched off into the fray inside. Ginny appeared later, dragging her school trunk. She placed it on the ground beside Harry and gave him a good morning kiss. Five minutes later Bill and Fleur appeared with looks of concern etched on their faces. They walked up to the three of them.
“Mum’s settling down now. I hope everything goes well for you, and Hermione’s able to locate her parents without much problem. The three of you have a great time. Keep an eye on Ginny for me,” said Bill.
“I will,” replied Harry.
“I was talking to Ron,” Bill stated rather coolly. Harry felt his face get warm as Ginny’s eldest brother stared at him. Ginny’s and Fleur’s giggling didn’t help Harry keep his composure either. After a few tense moments, Bill and Fleur walked outside of the wards and disappeared.
Mr. Weasley came out of the house with Hermione at eleven-thirty-five. They brought a couple of suitcases with them and joined the three already standing in the yard. Everyone was dressed as Muggles. Harry noticed, for the first time, that Ron had done a very good job with his clothes, probably with a little help from his girlfriend.
“Hermione, where did you go in such a rush this morning?” inquired Ron.
“I went to pick up letters my parents wrote me from Australia.”
“I thought that you altered their memory, so they forgot that they had a daughter,” questioned Harry. “Why would they write to you?”
“They weren’t writing to me. They were writing to Mrs. Mary Teabring a friend I implanted into their memory. I rented a post box in London for two years. I figured if we hadn’t succeeded in two years then…”
“That was bloody brilliant!” exclaimed Harry. “So, you have their address on the letters. That will make things easy. We should be able to find them within a day and…”
“They will probably hate me and never speak to me again,” said Hermione, tears leaking from her eyes.
“That is why I thought we all should go with you. If your parents get angry with you, we will try to explain your actions,” assured Harry. “I think once they hear about what happened here. They will realize that you were only trying to protect them.”
Everyone was busy trying to reassure Hermione that her parents would forgive her, for altering their memories. Her tears were still flowing when Mrs. Weasley finally joined them in the front yard.
“Ron, what did you do to make Hermione cry?”
“Nothing, Mum,” Ron snapped back at his mum. “She’s just worried about her parent’s reactions.”
“Oh, Hermione, my dear, don’t worry; we won’t stop until we’ve made them understand.” Mrs. Weasley walked over gave her one of her big motherly hugs.
“Thanks everyone! You’re all really wonderful friends. Oh! I love you all!” Hermione blubbered, while crying even harder from happiness.
The cars arrived at exactly noon. They were all loaded up and leaving the Burrow within fifteen minutes. The long three-and-a-half-hour trip to Heathrow was pleasant. Hermione’s spirits had improved greatly. Mrs. Weasley seemed to be excited to be going, now that all the preparations and packing was completed.
Arriving just before three-thirty, they were unpacked and hauling all their bags, without magic, into the airport. Hermione and Harry took the lead with getting their luggage checked in, and the tickets arranged.
The only flights that the Ministry could get tickets for were three separate flights that eventually ended up in Australia. They would fly from London to Cairo, Egypt, then Cairo to Mumbai, India, and then finally to Sydney, Australia. At each stop, they would have at least a four hour wait[G6]. Harry added up the time and figured that if all goes as scheduled the trip would take twenty-seven hours. He wondered if everyone would be friends when they finally arrived in Australia.
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The first thing that they ran into was the security screenings for carry-on luggage. One of the security guards asked, “if they packed their own bags”, and Mrs. Weasley responded by saying that she did not have a House Elf, so “yes”.
A security guard asked Hermione “to please empty her beaded bag onto the counter for inspection”. Harry used a Confunding Spell to avoid problems. Hermione completely forgot about all the security in airports. She never had problems before with her parents. Ginny had to use her wand to write on a piece of paper; when she was questioned about the “wooden stick”, she was carrying on the plane with her.
By the time, they had boarded the third plane, they did not even wait until they were questioned they just went through security Confunding anyone who looked at them[G9]. Hermione was worried that those spells would not wear off and something tragic might happen[G10]. Everyone else was so tired of the security checks they tried to ignore her, and when she persisted, Mr. Weasley assured her that the charms would have minimal effects on the Muggles.
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When the first plane took off from Heathrow, Harry leaned his head back against the seat and let out a long sigh. The days since Voldemort died were as frantic as the days leading up to it. The celebrations and memorials wore on him. Harry realized that he was the figurehead of the magical world now, as much the leader as Kingsley. A position he didn’t want but was his regardless. His life had changed, and there was nothing he can do to stop it. Without Professor Dumbledore, he was now the most celebrated wizard in their world.
All he wanted to do was spend the time in Australia relaxing, and enjoying his time with Ginny. It was good that he was getting away from England because he would never be able to do that, without hiding from everyone. He was tired of hiding from people, and the all the attention. It would be wonderful to be able to walk around without people running up to him, but that was not possible in England.
As he cleared his head of everything dealing with the British magical community, Harry realized that he had never taken Ginny on a date. The only date he had ever been on was with Cho on Valentine’s Day, and that had been a bloody disaster. Ginny and he spent time with each other in quiet places, but they never went on a proper date. He looked to his left, stared into her brown eyes, and gently squeezed her hand. His life was changing, but with Ginny by his side, the changes might not be all bad.
Trying to find something to do beside sleeping and eating became difficult. Ron wanted to play Exploding Snap or Wizard’s Chess, and he became extremely frustrated when Hermione reminded him that those games would draw to much attention. Therefore, they read magazines and watched movies on the plane. The movies fascinated the Weasleys because it was their first exposure to TV or video. Harry noticed that Ginny became very interested in various fashion magazines, at the airport waiting areas. She kept looking at the different dress styles and asking his and Hermione’s opinion how they would look on her.
Mr. Weasley was his usual over-excited self. He was threatened with restraints on the first plane when he tried to open one of the emergency hatches. All he wanted to do was go out and look at the wings while they were in flight. He resigned himself to looking out the window at the wings.
That did not prevent a reprimand from the flight attendants after he yelled out; “the wings were flapping, I knew that they must have flapped”. Mrs. Weasley was finally able to pump enough gin into him during the layovers that he would just sit in his seat and hum to himself until he fell asleep.
The travelers finally arrived in Sydney at eight o’clock in the morning, Australia time. It took two hours to retrieve their luggage and find a taxi large enough to take them to the hotel. Everyone had to find warm clothing upon arriving, because the temperature was only nine degrees Celsius and it was raining. The long trip was showing on their faces, as nobody was talking, and their expressions were blank.
The hotel was an hour’s drive away from the airport, located in the southwestern suburban outskirts of the city. It sat on a small hill in the center of a large plot of well-manicured land. The main building rose like a beige monolith from the center of a sprawling complex of buildings. It appeared light and pleasant even with the ugly grey skies and rain. The drive arched its way into the center of the complex at the base of the monolith.
The travelers walked into the lobby and were impressed at the sight. It was large and airy, decorated with earth tones and natural plants with a high ceiling. The décor was beautiful and gave the impression that you were outside on a patio. No one expected the hotel to be this nice. Harry once again felt uncomfortable wearing his worn-out Muggle clothing.
They walked up to the main desk and introduced themselves as the Weasley party. The woman behind the counter looked up their reservations and immediately went into her introduction to the hotel.
“Weasley party of six, a two-day reservation with three adjoining suites, and your dinner reservations for tonight are at six-thirty in the main dinning room, which is down that hall and to the left.
“Excuse me,” interrupted Mr. Weasley. “What dinner reservations?”
“They are part of your reservations, sir. There are also complimentary spa and boutique privileges with your rooms. Many guests who travel from Europe enjoy them. It helps them to relax, reenergize, and forget about the trip,” She said with a sweet smile. “There are also a variety of shops in our complex. You may find them an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon. Here are your key cards and the lifts are to your right. Your luggage will be taken to your room shortly. I hope you enjoy your stay in Australia.”
On the way to their rooms, Harry pulled Hermione to the side and put a wad of notes in her hand. “I want you to take Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, and yourself to the spa and shopping. Buy yourselves something nice, if you need more come see me. I am going to do the same with the guys. Wait until I try to convince Ron to go to the spa.” Harry was hoping what the clerk said about the spa was true. He wanted to forget about the plane ride and be ready for tonight.
“Are you sure about this? It could be very expensive.”
“I know. I don’t care; its only money, but you are my family.” With this statement and the look on his face, Hermione conceded and took the money. She also reminded him that it is normal to tip workers; bellhops, door attendants, and waiters.
Harry had found his room, and unpacked his rucksack, before telling Ron his idea for the afternoon.
Ron was objecting to going to the spa, when everyone else came in the room.
“Harry, dear,” Mrs. Weasley spoke first. “This isn’t necessary, you know. We can get by just fine with the clothes we have.”
“I know this isn’t exactly a holiday, but I would like to treat all of you to a day of shopping and a night out. Mrs. Weasley, all of you please try to indulge me this afternoon. You never know. You might actually enjoy it.” Harry stood there, resolute in his plan. “I won’t take no for an answer.”
Hermione, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley left his room. Ginny stayed behind, “Harry, why are you insisting on this? It isn’t necessary, you know.”
Harry stepped close to Ginny, so his face was inches from hers. “I just want all of us to have a wonderful time. I think we deserve it.” He smiled at her and moved to whisper in her ear, “I want tonight to be special for us.” He kissed her before she left for her room.
After they had a light lunch, everyone went to the spa. The men went to their section and spent time in the steam bath before they had a massage. Then they went to a salon to get haircuts. Ron looked absolutely repulsed at the idea of having a manicure. Harry started laughing at his reaction, which led to a round of manly arm punching.
Harry and Ron had to keep his Dad under control. His excitement of anything muggle had him asking questions about everything, even to the workers. The ladies also had the same treatments, except they accepted the manicures and pedicures.
The men were done first so Harry ushered them off to find new muggle clothes to wear tonight. He was quite amazed at this hotel. It had several clothing shops for both men and women. It even had a jewelry store and a flower shop.
After finishing their shopping, they all went back to Harry and Ron’s suite. Ron was finally allowed to play wizard’s chess and soundly beat Harry four times in a row. Mr. Weasley was busy looking at all the electronic gadgets while gushing about all the things they had seen.
Finally, the women returned from their shopping, when they heard Hermione and Ginny’s door close in their suite. The girl’s suite was located between the other two. Mr. Weasley told the boys that they should be getting ready before leaving for his room.
An hour later, Ron’s parents left for dinner first, but not before knocking on the other two doors reminding them that they need to get a move on.
Harry and Ron were getting their ties straight and making sure the buttons were aligned on their new suits. They both had black trousers and jackets. Ron wore a light blue shirt with an azure silk tie to bring out the blue of his eyes, as the salesmen assured him it would do. Harry’s shirt was a pale green and his tie a deep green for the same reason. The salesperson had tried to get them to buy shirts the same shade as the ties, but when they tried them on and looked in the mirror they both thought they looked too peaky.
Harry went to pick up the rose he bought for Ginny, when Ron grabbed his arm. “I want to know why you are doing all this,” asked Ron. He looked nervous and slightly edgy.
“Doing all what? Going out to dinner? I want to relax and — um — celebrate you might say.”
“What did you whisper to Ginny earlier? When you thought, I wasn’t looking.” Ron stared intensely at Harry almost daring him to say something. “I am not as thick as you seem to think I am.”
Harry couldn’t help but laugh at Ron’s last statement, which only made him angrier. “Ron, you don’t need to defend your sister’s honour. I am so happy and excited because this is the first actual date I have taken her on and…” Harry suddenly stopped talking and got a faraway look in his eyes, his mind had wandered to some super happy thought because a wide smile crossed his face.
“And WHAT?” Ron said this forcefully and leaned even closer into Harry.
“She says she loves me.” Harry stopped talking as if he had to catch his breath. “I know she told me for the first time three days ago. I’ve been so preoccupied that it didn’t sink in until the flight down here.”
“Of course, she loves you. She’s fancied you since she was ten. So now that you two are a couple it is only natural she would love you,” Ron said this to Harry slowly as though he was exceedingly thick.
Harry looked at Ron again. He has no clue, what this means to me. “She’s the first person to ever tell me that, well, that I can remember.”
Ron sudden pulled back from Harry. He saw in his friend’s eyes a gleam of happiness that he had never noticed before. The thoughts of never hearing that someone loves you is so foreign to Ron, that the possibility of being almost eighteen and never hearing anyone say that is absurd. Being a Weasley, he has been told that he’s loved by his parents all his life, and even his brothers and Ginny had told him that. It was simply part of being a Weasley, like having freckles and red hair. “Oh, - well — I guess we should — a — go and collect the girls then.”
They left their room carrying the roses, and Ron could not help but comment on how Harry must have been studying that book he gave him last year. They knocked on the girls’ door and only Hermione stepped out.
“Good evening don’t the two of you look positively dashing. Harry, Ginny will be a little bit longer. Hope you don’t mind?” Both Harry and Ron were surprised at Hermione. They had known each other for almost eight years and they had never seen her look so elegant and mature. She was wearing a bright red strapless dress that went down to mid-thigh that fit tight to her curves. She had her hair French braided to control its bushiness. Ron was speechless when he saw her. He walked up to her, handed her the rose, and escorted her down to the dining room.
Harry stood in the hall waiting for Ginny to get ready. As he did this, he started to look around at the various decorations while wondering what was taking her so long.
Ginny had been ready for over a half an hour. She was nervously pacing the floor concerned about how she looked. All afternoon she had been a nervous wreck about tonight. All she could think about was Harry telling her that he wanted this “night to be special”. She even had Hermione upset with her earlier:
“Ginny! Stop that pacing you’re making me crazy. You look beautiful. Harry will be speechless.”
“You think so? I just feel so lost. I never went to out like this before. I don’t want to make a fool of myself, not tonight.”
“I know you said he wanted tonight to be special. He seems to want us to celebrate that we made it through this war.”
“Why did he whisper it in my ear, so that Ron couldn’t hear it?”
“Maybe he just wanted to get close to you. He seems to like it.” Hermione had a slight smile on her face; this seemed to upset Ginny even more.
“I know he does, and that’s why I’m so nervous”
“Ginny you don’t think…? He meant — that he wants to get that close — do you?”
Ginny had been looking through the eyehole of the door since Hermione closed it. She was watching Harry wait in the hall. She wanted to make a grand entrance by stepping out of the door while his back was turned. Even through the distorted view of the eyehole, he looked handsome in his new suit. He was looking at the picture on the opposite wall, now was her chance. She quietly opened the door and stepped out into the hall.
“Good evening, Harry.”
He immediately turned towards Ginny and was almost speechless. He was able to stutter the phrase, “Binny you’re Geautiful!” This had both of them laughing; Harry from embarrassment and Ginny from satisfaction.
He could not help but look at her from head to toe. Her hair fell gracefully around her face and over her shoulders. She had pearl earrings and a little gold heart necklace. Her dress looked to be the same as Hermione’s, but it was black. This seemed to give her complexion a soft peachy glow. Her shoes were high heeled with open toes showing off her new pedicure. The shoes helped accentuate her legs, which Harry had suddenly realized he had never seen before. She had always worn long robes or jeans, which seemed almost criminal now.
“Well, do I pass inspection?” asked Ginny as she noticed him looking her over. Harry blushed furiously.
“I am sorry. I couldn’t help myself. I never realized you were so beautiful. Here… here is a rose for you.”
Ginny took it from him and he even thought her hands were beautiful with her fresh painted nails.
“Thank you, it’s lovely.”
“Next to you, it’s just an ugly stick.” He offered her his arm. “Shall we go to dinner?” They slowly walked to the elevator.
“Harry, I noticed that there aren’t any thorns on this rose.”
“That’s the way it came. I didn’t request it special. I promise I won’t leave to save the world tonight.” This brought a chuckle from her. They finally arrived at the table where the rest of the party was impatiently waiting. Harry refused to walk fast. He wanted to savor his time alone with her.
Everyone at the Weasley table had been waiting for them for what seemed a very long time. Mr. Weasley had insisted on going up to get them, but his wife told him to sit down and be patient. When Harry and Ginny appeared in the dining area both Ron and Mr. Weasley thought that her dress was to short and to tight for her to be wearing in public. They immediately winced in pain as Mrs. Weasley kicked them under the table, in response to their comments about Ginny’s appearance.
“Arthur and Ronald, I don’t want the two of you ruining her evening. This is her first date with Harry.”
“Ron. You didn’t say that about my dress, and our dresses are identical except the color.” Hermione said this with little smirk, which left Ron stammering for a response.
Harry held the chair for Ginny, and then sat down beside Mr. Weasley who was rubbing his leg. Ginny asked what was wrong with her father and Mrs. Weasley quickly replied, “leg cramps — it seems Ron and your father are getting legs cramps from the long flight.” Harry who was looking at Ginny, noticed Hermione suppressing a grin.
A waiter came with menus and told Mr. Weasley that their dinner would be added to the room’s bill. He left after taking their drink orders.
“Harry, I still have all that money you gave me. They did the same thing for the clothes and jewelry we bought.”
“Same here. Hermione, remember what you told me about giving tips to workers? Every time I tried they would refuse.”
“Yes, that has been happening to me also.”
“Maybe Australia has different rules of etiquette.”
“I doubt that, every place I ever went with my…” Hermione’s voice seemed to fail her, and everyone could see the sadness on her face. Ron reached over and took her hand in his. The awkward silence was broken when another waiter appeared with a bottle of champagne and the other drinks.
“I’m sorry, but no one ordered any champagne,” stated Mr. Weasley.
“This is a complementary bottle from the hotel.” The waiter popped the cork, poured six flutes of champagne, and bowed before leaving. Everyone at the table looked at each other to see who wanted to propose a toast.
Ron cleared his throat and said, “Here is to Hermione and her parents. May they soon be reunited.” Everyone heartily agreed.
“When we get back to London, I should thank the person who booked this hotel. It is simply fabulous. Then I’ll strangle them for arranging our flights down here.”
“Now Arthur, it was short notice after all. Don’t be making trouble when you get back,” scolded his wife.
A third different waiter showed up to take their dinner order. Harry, who had no experience with fine dining, thought this was strange. He looked over at Hermione and saw a look of puzzlement on her face. Harry looked around the restaurant to see if other tables were getting similar service. He noticed that their table was in the center of the large ornate room. They were also next to the dance floor. The place seemed to be filled to capacity. He wondered if this was normal for a Monday night.
The band started to play shortly after the waiter took their order. Harry looked at Ginny and asked her to dance.
“I didn’t think you liked to dance,” she asked him, as they moved slowly around the dance floor.
“It depends who I’m dancing with.” He did not care for dancing, but he could hold Ginny and look at her without irritating her father. She seemed to have a peaceful and serene look on her face that captivated him.
“Ron, why don’t you dance with Hermione?”
“It’s all right, Mrs. Weasley; Ron only dances when Viktor Krum is around.”
“Hum — is that right — vell, Her-my-o-nee do you vant to dance?” Ron stood up offered his hand to her and they walked onto the dance floor
“Harry, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this happy before,” stated Ginny as they moved around the dance floor.
“It’s all because of you,” he softly told her. “Because you told me you love me.”
“Is that all? Of course, I love you,” giggled Ginny
“You’re just like your brother.” Ginny eyes widened when Harry said this.
“He asked me why I was so happy earlier. I told him that you are the first person, that I can remember telling me, that they loved me.”
“Oh, Harry didn’t your parents…” Ginny stopped in the middle of her sentence. She realized that he would never remember that. “I’m sorry, that was insensitive, but surely your Aunt or…”
“No! They never told me… they just never.”
Ginny felt tears forming in her eyes at the fact that Harry had to live a childhood like that. She turned her face away from him to control her tears.
“Look, Harry, we’ve started something,” Ginny laughed at her brother on the dance floor with Hermione, happy for the distraction so that she could control her tears. She turned back to him and looked dreamily into his eyes. “You amaze me. With all you’ve been through you can still be so kind and loving. It’s simply amazing.” She pulled herself close to him and laid her head on his shoulder.
“I love the sound of this.”
“Yeah, the music is good. I guess.”
“Not the music, silly. I love listening to the beating of your heart.”
“Molly, you see how close they are!” Mr. Weasley stood up from his chair as though he was going to separate Harry and Ginny.
“Arthur, you want to dance!” Mrs. Weasley grabbed his hand and led him onto the dance floor, where she pulled him into a tight embrace like Harry and Ginny’s.
The three couples danced together for several more songs until a fourth waiter brought out their meals. They ate, talked, and laughed for over an hour.
The band was now starting to play faster paced music, and other guests were getting up and dancing. Ginny dragged Harry back to the dance floor. Ron and Hermione soon followed, along with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Finally, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley excused themselves and retired to their rooms. Ron and Hermione left at midnight, but Ginny did not want to leave.
Harry never knew Ginny loved to dance like this. Once dinner was finished, they spent almost the entire night on the dance floor. Harry, whose only dance experience was at the Yule Ball in his fourth year, was clueless. He tried to follow Ginny the best he could, as she swayed and moved to the music. She had a smile that showed pure joy and happiness. He enjoyed watching her hair gently sweep across her shoulders and face.
They hardly ever sat out a dance. If they did, it was only to have a quick drink, or to take off her shoes. Ron and Hermione tried to keep up with them, but eventually ended up sitting more than dancing. Finally, around two in the morning Ginny decided that it was time to leave. They left the dance floor hand in hand looking very tired but extremely happy.
“Well, I guess you do know how to dance, Harry.”
“No, I don’t. I just followed you. I felt like a troll out there most the time. I never knew you loved to dance so much. I guess there are many things I don’t know about you.”
“Mrs. Potter. Excuse me, Mrs. Potter, you left your shoes at the table.” Another waiter that Harry hadn’t seen before that evening came running out of the dining room carrying Ginny’s shoes. Harry turned and gave him a quizzical look.
“Oh, thank you so much! I wouldn’t want to lose those.” The waiter handed the shoes to her, bowed low and then returned to the dining room.
“Mrs. Potter? Your dad wouldn’t like that statement much. I noticed you didn’t correct him.” She giggled and gave Harry a sly little smile as they waited for the lift. Once inside Ginny let go of his hand and leaned back against the wall of the lift. She sniffed the rose and a mischievous look appeared on her face.
“Excuse me. Excuse me. Could you tell me how to get to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters?” she said like an eleven-year-old boy. Harry blushed.
“I can’t believe you remember that.”
“I fell in love with you that day. I thought you were so cute, and you were standing there all alone looking lost. I just wanted to go over, give you a big hug, and kiss. You see, Harry, I fell in love with you before I knew what your name was. When I found out that the little lost boy was the famous Harry Potter — well — you remember how I was.”
“Well, I must say, that was probably the luckiest day of my life.” He took her hand as they exited the lift and walked toward their suites.
Stopping in front of her door, Harry turned and looked into Ginny’s eyes.
“I truly enjoyed my first date with you. I wish this night would never end, but it’s late and we need to go to bed. Tomorrow we must go sort out Hermione’s problems.” A loud thump could be heard from her parents’ room.
“I wonder what that was.”
“Sounded like someone fell out of bed,” stated Ginny. “I hope no one’s hurt.”
Harry leaned into Ginny to kiss her goodnight. He stopped when he felt her hand on his chest and she had turned her head and was looking away from him.
“I’m sorry Harry. I am so sorry — but I don’t think — that I can do this. Not tonight.”
“Ginny, what’s wrong? What can’t you do?”
“You know I love you, and someday, I do want to become Mrs. Harry Potter, but I don’t think — not tonight — I’m sorry if I ruined everything for you.”
“What are you talking about?” he whispered. “All I wanted to do is give you a kiss good night.”
“What? That’s it? I — a — thought you wanted — to — ah — spend the night with me.”
Harry gave her a little smile. “Yes, someday, but not tonight, and not until you’re ready. I can wait.”
“I thought you wanted this night to be special for the both of us.”
“It was. This was our first date, that’s why it was so special.”
“Oh, I feel like a fool.”
“Kiss me you fool! Then we need to get some sleep,” he said teasingly.
Ginny crossed her arms and gave him a stern look, “Not if you’re going to use stupid lines like that.”
They both shared a laugh and a kiss good night before going to their separate rooms.
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Mrs. Weasley stood over her husband who was lying by the door with his arms and legs clamped firmly together. She was winding up a long flesh colored tube, one of her sons’ Extendable Ears. Mr. Weasley had one still against his ear as he lay on the floor. “I told you that we could trust our daughter and Harry. You didn’t need to go rushing out there to keep them from doing anything rash. I will not let you embarrass Ginny, as my father embarrassed me, with his spying and interfering. The more we more interfere with them, the more likely that hardheaded daughter of yours will rebel. Finite.”
“Well thank you for lifting that curse. What made you change your attitude over the past few days?” Mr. Weasley sat up and glared at his wife. He rarely talked to her with such a harsh tone, but she rarely put him in a Full Body Bind.
“Emotions were different then, with the — the — deaths and Harry’s victory.” Mrs. Weasley’s voice changed it seemed to get distant as she spoke. “They had that huge row. I was afraid they might rush things a bit. It’s different now. They are calmer, more like a normal couple.”
Mr. Weasley looked at his wife deeply concerned about her sudden change in mood. “Well, you still didn’t have to curse me. That hurt when I hit the ground,” he said softly.
“I’m sorry, dear.” Her eyes were now filling with tears that threatened to roll down her face. She pulled back the bed sheets and lay down. “Now, why don’t you come to bed? We all need some rest.” As Mr. Weasley lay down beside her, she whispered, “Hold me Arthur, please.” Then she started to cry.
Chapter 4: Finding the Grangers
Author's Notes: Harry and company learn about how the magical society of Australia. Everyone thought it was going to be easy to find Hermione's parents, but it quickly gets complicated.
Harry woke up with a smile on his face. He had a good night sleep filled with pleasant dreams. They were all focused on a red-haired girl with brown eyes and a warm inviting smile.
“Hey wake up! Just because you’ve been out all night with my sister doesn’t mean you can lie in till noon. Mum and Dad want all of us downstairs for breakfast in a half an hour. We to meet a Mr. Carl from the Australian Ministry.”
“Are the girls up?”
“Mum said Hermione is up and dressed but Ginny is refusing to get out of bed.” Ron stood towering over Harry with a look on his face as though he was ready to pummel his best mate.
Harry sat up and put his feet on the floor. The muscles in his back and legs, fatigued from last nights dancing, screamed in protest.
“You have yourself a good time with my sister last night?” The question was filled with danger. Harry, even in his groggy state, picked out the emphasis Ron put on the words “good time”.
Looking at Ron in his present state of distress, Harry chose his words carefully. “I enjoyed dancing with her, as you probably noticed.” He kept talking ignoring Ron’s grunt. “Then I escorted her to her door, where I kissed her goodnight, before coming in here for a kip. I hope that is acceptable behavior, for you.” Ron blushed slightly before nodding and turning away, walking towards his side of the room. “I told you yesterday that this was just a date. I wasn’t trying to shag your sister.”
“Yeah! What if she had offered?” Ron had stopped walking and looked at Harry with a raised eyebrow. “Would you have said no?”
Harry was shocked at Ron’s question. He had never even considered that possibility last night. “Are you calling your sister a ….”
“I am not calling my sister anything,” shouted Ron, clearly offended by Harry’s accusation, and then continued talking softer. “The way she looks at you and acts around you…,” Ron stopped talking and looked at Harry, before talking barely above a whisper. “The last time I saw a girl look at a man like that was Fleur looking at Bill at their wedding. You can guess how that night turned out. Look! I just don’t want her to end up a…,” he cleared his throat, “… a young mother.” Ron finished and went to his side of the room and started playing chess.
Harry sat on his bed with his head swimming with what Ron had said. He would never want to do that to her.
He knew he would have declined her last night, but if she would ask another time. What would he say? If he said no, would she think he doesn’t care that much for her? Harry vigorously ran his hand through his hair as though it would help sort out his thoughts.
Standing up he took a deep breath before walking over to Ron. “I — I want to tell you,” stuttered Harry, as he tried to organize his words. “That I would never want to get Ginny — um — that way.” Ron nodded in response to Harry’s statement. “I’m…,” Harry cleared his throat nervously. “I’m not sure if I’m ready — for — for that, yet. I’m just — a — trying to understand dating and snogging.” Ron didn’t look up at him, and Harry turned and walked towards the loo to get showered.
“Harry,” He stopped when he heard Ron say his name.
“I want to — say — thanks. I don’t want to lose you as a friend. I know you love Ginny, and all, but if you would hurt her…” Ron’s conflicted feelings about his best friend and his sister were evident, as saying every word seemed to be a huge effort.
The two friends stared at each other for several seconds, before grunting, “All right then” and, “fair enough”.
Harry continued into the loo. After a quick shower, he dressed and was ready for breakfast. Hermione had already come over and was sitting on a chair, while Ron rubbed her neck.
She stated that she did not have a good night’s sleep. Hermione carried with her the book on Australia that Mr. Weasley gave her and the letters from her parents.
“I am really worried about having sent my parents here now. This book told about how Australia was a British penal colony for years, and many outcast witches and wizards came over on the same boats as the prisoners. This country could be filled with Death Eaters or very similar wizards.”
“Hermione, what are the odds of anything happening,” stated Ron.
“I know its long odds, but I’m nervous for their safety anyway.”
“When was their last letter to you?” asked Harry.
“A month ago, so I guess they are still fine.” Hermione seemed to relax a little when she said this. The three of them talked about last night, and what Mr. Carl would be like.
“There you are,” Ginny said as she entered the suite. Her hair was still damp from her shower. “Did you and Ron have a good night sleep last night?” She asked Harry as she gave him a hug and quick kiss good morning. He noticed that she seemed to give Hermione a wry smile.
“Yes, brilliant, we had better get down to breakfast, now, before your parents send out a search party for us,” replied Harry.
Harry and Ginny left after the other two, saying that he wanted to check on some things before leaving. This gave him a private moment with Ginny, to snog, and tell her how much he enjoyed last night.
Ginny started giggling at the last statement. “Hermione and I were talking, yesterday, and she also thought the same things about your plans for last night.”
“Oh really,” replied Harry, slightly offended.
“Yes. She didn’t want to interfere, so she slept in the closet, with a silencing charm on the door. That is why she is so stiff and sore this morning.” They both broke out in giggles over the thought of Hermione curled up in a closet while Ginny slept peacefully in her bed. After a few seconds they looked at each other and realized that, they should be ashamed of themselves, but that didn’t stop their sniggering.
By the time, they left the room, Ron and Hermione had already gone down the lift to the dining room. Harry and Ginny arrived as the waiter was taking orders for breakfast. Before he left, Harry caught him by the arm, and whispered something in his ear. The waiter nodded and left.
“What secret plans are you formulating now?” inquired Mrs. Weasley.
“You’ll see.” Harry had a pleased look on his face.
“We ordered for the two of you,” said Mrs. Weasley, as she smiled at her daughter. “We weren’t sure when you would show up.”
The waiter returned with tea and orange juice for everyone and a Daily Prophet for Mr. Weasley. Everyone was in shock, that the hotel had a wizard’s newspaper.
“I figured out what was going on last night. This place is filled with wizards and witches, or at least, the workers here are. When we left the dining room last night, Ginny forgot her shoes. The waiter ran after us with her shoes and called her, Mrs. Potter, but all the reservations were for the Weasley family. I assumed that this place must have wizards and witches on staff. It would be logical, considering the Ministry made our reservations.” Harry looked over at Hermione whose eyes were full of excitement at having a puzzle to solve. Everyone else looked at him, not quite believing what he just said.
“Of course, look at all the things that happened yesterday: they wouldn’t accept tips, we had at least six different waiters serving us, and they all bowed like we were the royal family. I wonder if our Ministry runs this place, since Australia doesn’t have one.” Hermione was now looking around the dining room as though looking additional clues.
Another waiter returned with breakfast, after serving it, he bowed and left. Everyone noticed that it was to Harry that the bow was directed. Ginny looked at him and simply said, “What, no autographs, he looked like he had nice legs?” The table howled with laughter at this statement. They all joined in harassing Harry about his celebrity status, which made him feel good that they found it amusing instead of annoying.
“Well I’m glad that everyone is enjoying themselves,” said a middle-aged man. He appeared to be a typical Muggle on vacation, with tan trousers and a light green polo shirt. “I am Brad Carl.” Everyone turned to look at him and say hello. He was tall and muscular. His thinning hair was a mix of colours, from reddish brown to dirty blonde, with grey sprinkled in around his temples. He had clean-shaven square face with hazel eyes. He also spoke with a slight Scottish lilt. Harry mused that he would be a person that Uncle Vernon would view as “perfectly normal”.
“I need to know. What made you realize that this was a hotel for magical people? We were trying to be inconspicuous, even though you were the guests of honour.”
“Last night, when a waiter called Ginny, Mrs. Potter, instead of Weasley,” stated Harry, then as an afterthought he added. “I should have realized something was up earlier, when we had the best table in the place, and the band seemed to play according to what we were doing.”
“That was a good observation, particularly after a long night on the dance floor. Most people would be too exhausted to notice much.” Brad Carl said this with a smile that made Harry and Ginny blush. “This hotel acts as the center of Australia’s Magical Community. We don’t view being magical as being different or better but blessed. We were preparing to celebrate the fall of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, when we received notification that you would be arriving here in a couple of days. “
“Mr. Carl, I thought you didn’t have a Ministry of Magic here?” inquired Hermione.
“We don’t call it that, but this place functions as one. Unlike in England, we want to blend in with non-magical people. We call them folks here. If you hear someone saying “folks” then they are talking about Muggles. We find it’s easier to talk between each other without giving away our secret.”
“Excuse me again…,” Hermione piped in again. “… but do you have problems here with dark wizards,”
“On rare occasion, yes,” his reply had an impatient tone.
“According to A Magical History of Australia dark wizards use to come over here on prisoner ships.”
“Do you always believe everything you read?”
Ron, Harry, Ginny all emphatically answered. “YES!” Hermione seemed to be a bit put out, by either his question or everyone’s answer.
“Well, when you read a book about potions, spell casting, or anything that isn’t subject to opinions, you can believe it. Topics that are subjective like “good” and “bad” wizards, you must use discretion when reading. A good example is your friend, Mr. Potter. Every year the Daily Prophet seemed to be changing their opinion of him.”
“That is different, it’s a newspaper writing what the Ministry tells them, or lets them,” replied Hermione.
“Do you really think the Ministry doesn’t control the publishing of books also?” Mr. Carl hesitated to let Hermione digest the possibility of her beloved books being published under the scrutiny of the Ministry. “I am not trying to demean you, my dear. I just want you to realize that what you read is not exactly how things have occurred. Many of the undesirable wizards that have come to this country were trying to get away from the pure blood fanaticism that exists in England. Many, of us, still have loved ones there that we want safe. That was why we are so happy that the He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was defeated. I am an alumnus of Hogwarts. I am a Hufflepuff and five years ahead of Arthur and Molly. My name then was Ignatius Bradley Carlyle. I made it more folk friendly after moving here.”
The next half hour was spent eating breakfast and listening to Mr. Carl talk about living in Australia as a wizard. He lived in a neighborhood of folks and used all their devices; telephone, microwave ovens, television, and even computers. He said that the magical community even has its own website and many of them communicate using email. Only Harry and Hermione had a vague understanding of what email was, as they both had technology classes in public school, before going to Hogwarts. They also have a Floo network but it isn’t widely used because of the lack of fireplaces in most homes. When Apparating to a place, they have, buildings and locations designated for that purpose, so no one sees them appear or disappear. They even have their own court system and governing body to help control misuses of magical powers.
“Now that I’ve bored you all with my version of Australia, we get to the reason you are here. Ms. Granger, have you any idea where your parents might be in this country?”
“Yes, I do. They have been writing to a ‘friend’ I implanted in their memory. Here is the address.” She handed him one of the envelopes with a return address on it.
“I am impressed. A very smart thing to do, this will make the search quick and easy. I need to go to my office, look this address up, and make plans accordingly. I shall be right back.”
Hermione had a relieved look on her face as he walked away from the table, when she realized that she might be able to find her parents quickly and easily. Everyone else, at the table, was chatting animatedly, about the things that Mr. Carl had told them.
He returned after ten minutes. “Well I’ve checked the location and there is an Apparating site thirty kilometers away near the city of Brisbane, where we can pick up a van. We should be there in an hour. Now if everyone will get ready to travel as folks and meet me at the front desk in fifteen minutes, we shall be on our way. Oh, the rooms are yours for as long as you want, free of charge. The bill is being paid by the wizards and witches of Australia’s Magical Community, as a thank you.”
Everyone finished eating and hurried back to their rooms. Harry was thinking about what to take along. He decided to grab his invisibility cloak, a habit he developed over the past two years. They all met again at the front desk and were escorted into Mr. Carl’s office.
He took them, to an adjacent boardroom, which had a plastic dish sitting on the table. Mr. Carl activated the Portkey after everyone grabbed a hold. The landing spot was a large warehouse that also housed a variety of vehicles. They spent several minutes finding a van large enough for them to get into without magic. Once inside they drove out of the warehouse and through the suburbs of Brisbane north, to a town called Brighton. Mr. Carl drove, and Hermione sat in the other front seat. Ron and Harry sat directly behind Mr. Carl and Hermione, while the other three squeezed into the back seat.
As they drove, Hermione became increasingly nervous and irritable. No one reprimanded her but tried to support her. They knew she was feeling anxious.
Harry was wondering if she had any plan to get close enough to her parents to reverse the spell. He laughed to himself at the thought of her knocking on their door, saying good day, and hitting them with a spell in the doorway.
The van had an electronic navigation system, which guided them through to their destination. They drove into a housing development in Brighton, which vaguely reminded Harry of Little Whinging. The houses were set close together, but they each were unique in their own way. The houses in the Dursley’s neighborhood looked almost like they came from a die, they were so much alike. When the navigation system stated that at the next intersection turn left and proceeds 100 metres to your destination. The tension and anxiety were thick in the van. No one spoke to each other. When Mr. Carl turned onto the road, Hermione uttered a nervous, “Oh No!” The navigation system told them to stop in front of a house and Mr. Carl checked the address. Tears spilled down Hermione’s cheeks. Yellow tape surrounded the property, and the front door had tape on it along with a sign, “Do not cross by order of the police.”
“Oh no…nooo what did I do? What did I do?” wailed Hermione.
“Mr. Carl what is going on?” asked Ron, as he reached forward to comfort her.
“I have no idea what has happened?” he replied
“Can’t we go and look or ask someone?” asked Mr. and Mrs. Weasley from the back seat.
“NO! We must leave! We can’t stay here!”
As all this shouting and confusion was happening, Harry slipped on his cloak as he stepped out the van.
“Who left? Where is Harry? We must leave before someone calls the police!” Mr. Carl was getting nervous and angry at this point.
“He left under his cloak. I think he is going inside to see what happened. We must wait a little longer!” demanded Ron. “He knows what he is doing.”
After Harry closed the door of the van, he Apparated inside of the house. He wanted first to determine if this was the Grangers’ home, that they had not moved. Then he wanted to see, if he could figure out what happened. He found the answer for the first question within seconds, as he saw pictures of Hermione’s parents on the wall.
He looked around the house quickly and noticed that there was an appearance of a small struggle. As he looked more carefully, he noticed some unusual footprints in the plush carpet. Among these footprints were strange looking leaves and berries. After finding these, he decided that he should leave. He Apparated out to the van and found that the police had arrived, to question why it was parked in front of the house.
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When Hermione heard that Harry had left she began to calm down. She knew that he would be back with information. They sat in the van waiting in silence. Time seemed to creep along. Harry needed to get back, and soon.
A police car appeared around the corner with its lights flashing and pulled up to the back of the van. The officer got out and started to question them and ask for identifications. He stood away from the van’s window, so he could see everyone inside. They made the excuse that they left their visas back in the hotel. He said he was going back to his car to call for support and they were not to leave or get out of the vehicle.
Mr. Carl nervously sat in the van and watched the officer walk back to his car and reach for the radio, without taking his eyes off the van. He pulled the microphone to his mouth and hesitated before replacing it on the dash. He then walked forward to the van’s window and told them that everything checked out. The officer returned to his car and left without looking back.
“I hope I Confunded him in time?” Harry’s voice outside of the van’s window made Mr. Carl jump. “Let me get in and we can leave.”
He opened the door and sat down after Ron had budged over but did not pull off his cloak until the van turned a corner. Hermione besieged him with questions about what he found.
“Hermione, I am not sure what happened. It appeared that there was a struggle, but no signs of blood. I found some footprints and some type of berry. The footprints were either Goblin or House Elf.”
Mr. Carl glared at him in the rearview mirror. “There has never been any evidence of Goblins or House Elves in Australia. We use folk banking methods and… ”
“I know what I saw. They were Goblin or House Elf footprints. Does anyone know anything about this type of a berry?” He handed the berry first to Hermione, who took it and made a repulsive face because of its odour. It was small, round, and a beige colour. The leaves were deep green, elongated, and had spiny white fibers covering them. The stem was woody, grayish brown, and appeared to be octagon in shape, and a pungent oily substance covered the leaves and the berry. Eventually, everyone in the van looked at the berry, and all commented on its strong odour of dung, but had no idea what type it was.
Brad Carl reached down and pulled out a cell phone. “Hello, Lisa, this is Brad. I will be at the hotel in about fifteen minutes with some guests. I need you to check the news for the Brighton area look for incidents on Seaview Lane. Thanks. Bye. We will be arriving at another hotel shortly. There we will be able to do some research into what is going on.”
This hotel was small, barely thirty rooms which stretched along the parking area away from the office. They pulled into a parking space outside of the office entrance. Everyone got out of the van and entered the door marked employees only. Lisa was a middle-aged witch who looked like a typical Muggle secretary, except when she got up, her keyboard kept typing. Walking over to Mr. Carl, she handed him some sheets of paper with printing on them. “Well, Brad, I found what you are looking for,” she informed him.
He showed them the print out of a newspaper headline; Mysterious Disappearance: another one in a long string of disappearances. Hermione walked over and took them from Mr. Carl, who said that if she wanted to read them, then she could go to the employee’s lounge. Hermione walked towards the door and everyone else followed.
“Mr. Carl, Regi’s back there celebrating,” stated Lisa with some concern. “She’s been drinking.”
When they entered the room, they saw Regina McKinnon. She was leaning back in a chair, with her feet up on the conference table, reading several Daily Prophet’s about the fall of Voldemort. She was an intimidating sight. She did not appear to be taller than Ginny or Hermione, and she had the look of someone who has lived off the land for years. Her skin was bronze toned and appeared to be as tough as leather. Her arms and legs were lean and muscular. The arms of her shirt were cut off, and she wore shorts. Her hiking boots looked beaten and worn and she wore them without socks. Her hair was sun bleached blonde, and her eyes were bright blue and beamed with intensity, which added to her striking appearance. Sitting beside her was a half-finished bottle of scotch. She closed the newspaper and looked at who had entered the room. She looked at their faces and back to the front of the newspaper where she also saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s pictures.
“Harry Potter! I am so glad to see you! Thank You!” she stood up, ran to him, pulled him into a tight hug, and kissed him on the lips. She also turned to Ron and did the same thing. She grabbed Hermione, hugged, and kissed her on the lips. Harry, Ron, and Ginny almost started laughing, as Hermione’s eyes became as big as a House Elf’s.
“I can’t believe He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is dead. Finally! Justice for my family!” Everyone stood there in shock, taken back by her aggressive personality, raspy voice, and the strong odor of scotch. “Whoa, who stepped in crocodile shit?” Everyone’s expression now was one of puzzlement at what she said. “You mean you people can’t smell that?”
Hermione suddenly realized what she was talking about, “Do you smell this?” She reached into her jeans pocket and produced the berry that Harry had found.
“That explains what the odour is. You people just get back from Queensland?” inquired Regi, looking at the odd berry.
“No, we found this in my parent’s house in Brighton.”
“I wonder how it got there. This thing only grows in the swamps in Queensland, and only in one spot. This protects the crocodile’s domain, according to the originals.”
“Originals? Who are they?” asked Hermione.
“Aborigines, the original inhabitants of Australia. They say that this plant protects the kingdom of the crocodile because it grows as a giant hedge in the middle of the swamp. No one has ever been able to cut through it and live.”
“Great, we know where to start. Can you take me to this place?” Harry had a look of determination as he said this. They had an actual lead to where Hermione’s parents were.
He immediately wanted to know how long it would take to get there. He was told that brooms would be best, but it would take several hours from the nearest Apparation point, which was in the outskirts of Cooktown.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley tried to convince him to wait and plan this better and give Regi time to sober up. She took offense at this statement and said that she has flown in worse shape than this.
It was decided that everyone would Portkey to the next point and wait there for Harry and Regi to investigate. Ginny insisted on going with the two of them, but was loudly told no, by her parents.
The eight people appeared in the middle of a storage room. There were brooms placed along the one wall. The place also had other rudimentary provisions in various cubbies. Harry and Regi picked up two of the short heavy brooms and readied themselves to leave.
They took some food and water along with them, since it was close to noon, and they would be flying for a long time. They could eat in transit, or after they located the place.
He said goodbye to everyone. Ginny hugged, kissed, and wouldn’t let go of him, without a promise that he return.
Once they stepped out of the warehouse, the oppressing heat made Harry realized they were in a subtropical jungle. The brooms length was beneficial, since the path, they would take wound through the thick tangle of trees. They stayed below the canopy to prevent accidental sightings and flew around and though limbs and leaves. The jungle foliage was so thick that they couldn’t see more than ten metres in front or behind them. The only way they kept on course was by using the compasses that were on the brooms. The flight was long and tiring, but, finally, they arrived at the location.
The hedge was enormous, almost twenty meters high and capped by a thick canopy of trees. It stretched in both directions in a slow arc. The area around the hedge was thick jungle. Someone could stand a few meters away from it and never notice it for the thick foliage, but the odour of the berries was oppressing.
They flew along the face of it for a few minutes, looking for openings to the inside.
Harry asked how far it was to go around it. Regi said that she had no idea because no one had ever bothered to do that. After landing, he stepped up to the hedge pulled out his wand and yelled “Reducto” and large potion of the hedge fell away. He repeated this several more times until he had started to form a tunnel into the hedge. Suddenly he hit something as his hex deflected and almost hit him. When he had stepped to the hedge he had felt a tingling on his skin, he thought there was magic present. Now he was sure of it.
“Regi, Get the others I am going to investigate further. Where will I be able to find you, when I’m done?” She told him that she has home thirty kilometers down the river at the base of a large hill of stone. He will be able to see it from the river since no trees grow on the hill.
Harry realized that the clothing he was wearing would be to warm for this place. He removed his heavy jumper leaving only an undershirt. He then used his wand and trimmed the legs off his pants. With that task taken care of, Harry pulled out his invisibility cloak threw it over him and disappeared.
Chapter 5: Goblin City
Author's Notes: As the title names implies, Harry found something out there. Let us see how he handles it.
“Any sign of him,” asked Hermione, as Ron, Ginny, and Regi returned from their search. It had been five days since Harry disappeared. They had looked for him for four days straight, and still no sign of him. They had circled the hedge the last two days, a trip that took over five hours on brooms, because of the thick jungle.
“Face it, he’s dead,” Regi had been saying this for the past two days. “The originals say that area is cursed. No one has ever gone inside of it. I’m sorry but Harry has become another victim.”
“No, he isn’t. He’s still alive. I know it,” replied Ginny. What amazed everyone was that she did not get angry or worried. She just spoke with confidence. She was the only one though. Everyone else was feeling that something terrible must have happened to him. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were apprehensive at the thought of Harry’s death, and their daughter’s grief.
“If he doesn’t show up today, I want to try to get inside of that place, and hunt for him,” stated Ginny, with determination.
Regi went to say something but stopped. She looked over to Brad Carl, who shrugged his shoulders. She seemed to accept Ginny’s determination to find Harry, even if she disagreed. With a sigh, she and Mrs. Weasley set off to the kitchen area to get food for everyone.
No one spoke as they sat in Regi’s home eating and watching the growing shadows of the trees from the setting sun. Her home was a building designed for the tropical climate, and sat on a low outcropping of rock, that extended out from a large stone hill. It had a thatched roof, and three sides were open to the surrounding jungle, which was only a short distance from the building.
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Harry had left the area of the hedge and was looking for Regi’s house. What he found behind the hedge shocked him. It was a city of Goblins; there were thousands of Goblins, and a hundred captives. He was flying under his invisibility cloak above the jungle canopy to avoid detection. He had been under his cloak for the past five days. He was in a hurry because the sun was low in the sky and he didn’t want to be lost out here after dark.
Following the river, in the direction Regi had told him, the stone hill soon became visible. It rose out of the lush green jungle like a basalt witches hat, with a rounded tip instead of a point. He changed his course and headed directly towards the hill. As he approached, it became larger than he had expected. It rose thirty metres above the treetops and was ten metres wide at the very top. The closer he got the more he noticed the large opening in the dense jungle that surrounded it. It may have been a solid spike of stone thrust up from the ground, but the stone surface was cracked to give it an appearance of a pile of stones meticulously stacked to form this shape. Lichens and some grasses grew in the cracks of the stone, which gave them the appearance of green veins, once he was close enough to see them.
Upon reaching the hill, he dropped down into the clearing and flew around the hill to find the house. He flew around the clearing twice, before he recognized the house. The thatched roof made it blend in with the long grasses that surrounded it. It was situated on an outcropping of rock, as large as a Quidditch pitch. The outcropping rose vertically up from the jungle floor almost two metres. There appeared to be a set of steps carved into the stone that opened to a path running towards the river that he had been following. The surface of the outcropping was nearly flat with a slight slope away from the stone hill. It had long grasses on its surface except at the farthest point away from the hill, where there was grove of trees surrounding a large pool of clear fresh water, about twenty metres away from the house. The pool appeared to be five or six metres in diameter and the excess water bubbled over the edge of the rock outcropping, in a little stream that fell onto the spongy jungle floor.
As he descended to the house, he looked for Ginny. She had never been far from his thoughts these past few days. Seeing her, he glided over close to her before setting his broom down and taking off the cloak.
“Harry!! Harry’s back,” exclaimed Ginny as she ran to him and wrapped her arms around him. “Oh Harry,” She let go of him and stepped back. “You stink. Really bad!” Harry was covered with dried slime, a mixture of mud and rotting vegetation, and it smelled like crocodile dung.
“I am happy to see you too, dear,” Harry said with a laugh. Everyone else had come towards him and formed a semicircle in front of him waiting to hear his news. He looked at Hermione and tentatively said. “I found your parents, and they are alive.”
“Why didn’t you bring them back,” she shouted. “You were gone five days. Why didn’t you bring them back, Harry?”
“It’s complicated. I need to explain some things. It’s really unbelievable what I’ve seen.”
“Well — I am waiting — explain!” Hermione crossed her arms and glared at him.
Harry started talking about the complex. A hedge twenty metres high and almost ten kilometres in diameter surrounded it, and there is a Shield Charm in the middle of the hedge. It is a city of Goblins, perhaps as many as five thousand Goblins, hundreds of House Elves, and a hundred humans.
The Goblins use the House Elves and humans as slaves, to tend their fields of fungi, dig roots and harvest crocodiles for meat. Some of the Goblins carry wands, but he never saw them perform magic. They use the House Elves to go out and capture humans by Side-Along Apparation. He estimated three or four people a night. He was able to Apparate inside of the complex, but not outside in or inside out.
“Harry, stop!” demanded Hermione. “If they are capturing four people a night, there should be more than a hundred captives. Are you sure you found all the captives?”
“Yes, I located them all.” He tried to avoid her eyes, because he was holding back one thing from her.
“What is happening to the captives, Harry? Don’t avoid the question! You are not telling us something.”
Harry stood there dreading to tell her but knowing he had to. “Every day the Goblins take four captives who have been there the longest — and — and feed them to what I think is the ruler of the Goblins.”
SMACK!!
Hermione hit Harry on the nose with all her might and started to swing at him with both fists and kick him with her feet. Ron had grabbed her around the waist to pull her away and he was also getting hit by her. “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU LEFT MY PARENTS IN THERE TO DIE LIKE THAT. HOW DARE YOU! I HATE YOU!”
“Petrificus Totalus,” Ginny cast a Full Body Bind on her, and then looked at Harry. “Well, we are waiting for an explanation.”
Harry looked nervously at everyone and tried to ignore his swelling nose and welts from her attack, before explaining. “Hermione, your parents are not due for five more days. I think with just a handful of wizards we can go in there rescue the captives and make it impossible for this to happen again. If we can’t rescue everyone, then I will go back and bring your parents out. We have twenty-four hours to decide what to do. Then I’ll get your parents and leave everyone else to suffer the consequences.” Hermione was lying on the floor immobile, but tears were running from her grief filled eyes.
Ginny lifted the hex. Hermione sat up, and melted into Ron’s arms, sobbing. Harry felt the cold stares of everyone penetrate him. They were looking at him in disbelief, that he could allow people die horrific deaths, as he watched and gathered information.
Harry left the building and walked outside into the gathering darkness. He was hungry and tired, but he did not want to be with anyone right now. The way they looked at him chilled him to the bone. He was trying to do what was best for everyone.
The memories of seeing the captives being attacked by the Goblins came back to him. It was his first day inside of the city. His first instinct was to fly to their rescue. However, the thoughts, of what might happen to the Grangers, prevented him from doing that. He wanted to go and rescue them that second. On his flight to find them, he realized this would leave the other captives for instant death.
He watched and learned all he could about the Goblins and the captives. If he could find a way of rescuing everyone and making sure this never happens again, then he will do it. Therefore, he watched the Grangers and made sure they were safe. After gathering enough information, he returned here. To be hated and reviled by everyone.
Mr. Weasley came out with fresh clothes for him. “Why don’t you take those things off and go to the pool to get cleaned up. Then you can get something to eat, and we can talk about your plans.” Mr. Weasley lowered his voice and spoke with sympathy. “Harry, you hit us with a load of bad news all at once. No one hates you, not even Hermione.”
After bathing and changing clothes, Harry returned to the house. They had moved all the tables together with seating of various types for everyone around them. They had also set a place with water and a couple of sandwiches for him. Hermione had calmed down and simply stated. “We all would like to hear your plans. There is parchment and quills for diagrams. We need to decide what to do.”
Harry sat down and ate, while describing what he saw, and what he thought would work to free the captives. Four hours later, they had a plan of attack. Regi and Brad sent urgent messages out to all that could come and help. The biggest argument occurred when Harry wanted Ginny in the attack team too, because of her abilities on a broom.
“She is the best flyer here besides me,” he pleaded with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. He wanted her to stay aloft under the invisibility cloak and attack from the air. He had thought of this while he was flying around the compound invisible.
“She’s underage. I won’t put my little girl in danger like this,” snapped Mr. Weasley.
“I AM NOT A LITTLE GIRL!” she screamed at them. “I’ve survived Death Eaters! I won’t be in danger under the cloak. I am doing this whether you like it or not.” Her parents finally conceded to let her join the fight. The only question left was if enough witches and wizards would show up. Harry decided to go for a kip, since he barely slept for the past five days.
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When Harry woke, the next day, people were already arriving. They said that by nightfall, there could be twenty or thirty more and even more showing up the following day. Brad and Regi were briefing them on the plan and introducing them to the visitors from England.
Harry looked for Hermione to talk to her and reassure her that he would not have left her parents there to die. He found her, Ron, and Ginny by the forest. She had the spell books from her beaded bag out. She was reviewing them to make sure everyone was ready.
“Harry, I want to talk to you about this Shield that surrounds this city.” Her tone was businesslike as she spoke. “You think we can destroy it from the inside out. Why exactly do you think this?”
“I noticed that plants can grow from the inside outward, but if you push them back into the Shield then they are cut off. The Shield’s primary function seems to be to keep things from getting in. I wouldn’t trust to try to walk through Shield though.”
“No that would be extremely dangerous, what would happen if you stumbled backwards. Let me do some more reading so I can decide which spells we should use.” The rest of the day, she had her nose in books reading and preparing for the task. Ron sat beside her watching and supporting her, when her anxiety and frustration overwhelmed her.
Harry tried to be there also, but he kept being pulled away to answer questions and meet people. Ginny went with Harry sometimes but eventually stayed with Ron and Hermione.
Evening arrived, and there were forty witches and wizards ready to set out the next morning. It was decided, that the operation would start before dawn. Regi had also contacted a tribe of Aborigines that lived near by, and let Harry know that they were coming to help, if possible.
Brad, Regi, and Harry thanked everyone who showed up and suggested that everyone try to get a good night’s sleep. Finding an open spot on Regi’s floor was difficult, so Harry and many new arrivals slept outside, under the stars.
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Brad walked around Regi’s house at five o’clock in the morning shaking and rousting everyone out of bed. By five-thirty, everyone had eaten something and was flying on a broom towards the Goblin City.
The entire party landed at a site outside of the hedge. Harry started taking people inside to locations under the cover of the invisibility cloak. Each trip would take thirty minutes and they had until two-thirty in the afternoon to get sixteen people inside and in place for the initial attack.
At noon, Harry was getting tired, from flying constantly since early morning. He asked Ginny, if she could transport the rest of the people. He could take her inside and show her where to drop people off, and then she could come back for the rest.
She sat on the broom and Harry covered them up with the cloak. He kissed her and asked her to promise not to do that with anyone else, that comment earned him an elbow in the ribs.
They rose up to the top of the hedge, and she saw that the trees within the hedge had grown tall enough to create a solid canopy over the ground below. Harry directed the broom towards a dark spot in the sea of green. The hole, which he had cut in the leaves, was barely two metres wide, and it wound through and around branches until it emerged into the city.
Under the canopy, it was dark, and a putrid fog filled the air. The thick canopy of leaves blocked out almost all the sun, and the trees cooled the air enough, that it seemed to be chilly compared to the hot humid jungle surrounding the hedge. There were fires burning at various spots that they could see. The canopy left only enough light in to give the appearance of a moonlit night. You could see but not great distance or clarity.
As they lowered the broom toward the ground, clumps of goblins appeared around the fires. They did not seem to be living in houses or caves just out in the open under the trees. The putrid air caused Ginny’s eyes and lungs to burn, and the sight of the Goblins revolted her. She was used to Goblins in England. These ones were fat and dirty. They did not appear industrious or hard working like the Goblins at Gringotts, just fat, ugly, and lazy.
The lack of sunlight allowed mushrooms to grow wild. They were covering the dry ground and growing on trees. She saw Goblins eating them as they lay around the fires. The ground itself was about half solid and half swampy quagmire. The Goblins had cut paths through the mushrooms and any other vegetation that grew in this dark place. The paths connected various clusters of Goblins throughout the City.
Harry flew her to the spot where she was to drop people off. It was a ten-minute flight from the hole in the canopy. The site was by a large swampy area, where she could see humans chained together foraging for roots for the Goblins. Harry took her back to the opening in the canopy before returning to the drop point to be sure she was familiar with the area.
They sat the broom down, and before coming out from under the cloak, they hugged and kissed, as other wizard and witches watched them from the surrounding brush.
Harry’s feet sank into the marshy ground when he stepped off the broom. He stood there staring at nothing as he tried to follow Ginny leaving under the cloak.
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Gerruk sat on his throne like all his forefathers had. The Throne of Bones was its name. They called it that because the skeletons of the wizards that brought the Goblins to this land lay here.
Years ago, a group of wizards convinced a rebellious band of Goblins to leave England and come with them to this land. Together they would live and rule without the repression of the Ministry. The wizards brought the Goblins to this swamp and made the protective walls to keep their enemies out, but Gerruk’s great-great-grandfather realized that the Goblins became their slaves along with the House Elves.
The Goblins rebelled and suffered many losses, before finally killing all the wizards. They had trapped the wizards on this island in the middle of the swamp. It was the wizards’ domain. No Goblin was permitted to set foot here. His ancestors finally killed all the remaining wizards on this island before taking their wands and burning their remains and all their belongings. The only thing that survived the fire was this chair.
His great-great-grandfather claimed this chair, as his throne, and took control of their wands. Never again will Goblins be subservient to humans. The thought of all this brought a sick sinister smile to Gerruk’s lips.
His grandfather was the ruler who started using the House Elves to capture humans as slaves. Gerruk remembered working as a guard over the slaves, when one attacked him. He was carrying a wand, one of the wands taken from original wizards. They had long ago stopped working for the Goblins, but they carried them anyway as a symbol of superiority.
The slave’s attack caught him by surprise and knocked the wand out of his hand. Gerruk stabbed the slave with a dagger but the slave kept fighting. He finally bit the slave in the neck and did not release his bite until the slave was dead. He still remembers that first distinctive taste of human flesh. Crocodile is adequate meat, but human was so much better.
When he became the ruler, he immediately had slaves brought to him and his personal guards every day for their meal. Remembering this made him hungry and he began to wonder when today’s meal would arrive. If the House Elves did not show up soon he would have to call them, for only a ruler on this throne could order the House Elves.
Gerruk’s large belly was starting to rumble. He wanted today’s meal soon. Suddenly three humans appeared before him, his meal had arrived. Gerruk in his laziness and eagerness for food never noticed these humans were not accompanied by House Elves.
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At 2:15 PM Ginny dropped the last person off and went airborne, to wait for the battle to begin. Harry had located the two wizards who were to Apparate with him to the Goblins’ ruler, at the same time the thirteen witches and wizards here would attack the guards and free the captives. The remaining people on the outside will then cut a large hole through the canopy on the far side of the city, enter on brooms and attack the Goblins on the ground there before flying back up to the treetops to come over and assist with the captives. If everything worked, as planned, they should be able to rescue everyone, and all get out alive.
Harry Apparated before a fat Goblin who was sitting on a large chair that appeared to be carved out of algae and slime. There were human bones lying all over the ground haphazardly discarded, by this ruler and his henchmen, who lay on the ground around him. The ruler, looking at Harry and his companions, leaned forward and started to salivate while the surrounding Goblins sat up.
“STUPEFY,” shouted Harry, and this ruler flew over backwards, knocking his chair over before hitting the ground himself. The other two wizards joined in, and within minutes, all the Goblins were lying on the ground stunned. The three wizards looked at each other, joined hands and disappeared into the mist.
When Harry returned to the swamp the last of the Goblin guards were being stunned. Several of the witches were releasing the captives. Hermione had already released her parents and started crying and asking them to forgive her. It appeared that the captivity had broken their memory charms because they had recognized her. Harry decided that he would go and try to attack the Shield Wall. Everything seemed to be going incredibly smooth and easy.
“Goblins coming! Hundreds of them! To your left!” The shout came from thin air. Ginny had been keeping watch for such an occurrence. She must have left immediately because there were curses cast from thin air, and the squeal and shouts of enraged Goblins sounded in the distance.
Harry ran over to where the captives were and rallied them to follow him, Ron, and Hermione. He led them through the sticky mud to the hedge while the others battled the Goblins. Running over the ground was difficult. Either, you were in mud, or you had to fight through the densely growing mushrooms that released their spores to create a brownish fog around you. He had nearly reached the wall when the people on brooms showed up. They told him about another group of Goblins approaching from near the hedge. Some went to intercept that group, and the others stayed with Harry to guard the captives.
Harry, Ron and Hermione were in the lead. They came to the hedge, stood in a line and started attacking it. They started using the Reducto Charm but this was to slow. They changed to the Blasting Curse. Large chunks of the hedge started to explode as they created a gaping hole several metres high and wide.
They quickly reached the magical Shield hidden in the hedge. When they hit it, with the Blasting Curses, a loud deep boom resonated throughout the city and the hedge shook violently. They sent another trio of Blasting Curses at the Shield, and the hedge again shook violently, and pieces of the plants started to fall off in chunks. The sound was so powerful that everyone felt it compressing his or her chest.
The trio looked at each other and cast another group of Blasting Curses at the Shield. This time the Shield exploded outward away from them destroying the hedge on the outside, and the thundering sound and shaking of the hedge seemed to increase.
The Shield was weakening. They were going to be able to destroy it.
The next barrage of Curses produced the same result, but this time a burst of energy came back at the trio. They had only produced Shielding Charms in time to protect them. When the energy burst hit their Shields, it ricocheted upwards and blasted a hole in the canopy of leaves.
“Stop, we need to get everyone together before this thing blows,” Harry shouted to the others. “We need every Shield we can produce, to protect the captives. We also need to get Ginny down on the ground.” The Shield in the hedge was vibrating and crackling loudly. The sound was almost deafening, and the hedge was visibly wavering.
As his warning was being passed between the others, Harry saw Ron point at something behind him. Turning he saw Ginny had landed. At first his heart stopped, she was holding the broom in her left hand, but her right arm was missing its forearm and hand. He quickly realized that she had tied the cloak around her wand hand so that she could fire off curses more quickly.
She ran over to Harry. “Everyone’s coming back to the captives. The Goblins turned and ran for the inner areas,” she yelled in his face, from centimeters away. “So, is this where the action is at?” Her eyes sparkled with excitement and her lips had a crooked little smile.
Standing almost shoulder-to-shoulder, they cast another barrage of Curses at the Shield, this time they could see a gaping hole torn in it, before a beam of energy flew back at them. It hit their Shields and bounced upwards through the trees again. They stumbled backwards a few steps. The next barrage tore a larger hole followed by a stronger beam of power that knocked them all down when it hit their Shields. The hedge’s Shield had become so unstable that there were bolts of energy like lightning blasting from it at various places illuminating the darkness with brilliant blue-white light. The hedge itself was falling apart as the Shield was waving and buckling along its entirety.
There was a slight hesitation before the next barrage of Blasting Curses. They looked at each other. “Are you sure this is safe?” screamed Hermione.
“I’m pretty damn sure it isn’t!” retorted Harry, as loud as he could. “If we don’t destroy this shield than they will do this all over again.”
The four friends looked at each other with determination. As one, they lifted their wands, and cast four Blasting Curses in unison at the Shield. The hedge’s Shield shattered.
At first, Harry thought he went deaf. The sound had stopped, and the entire area was silent. The hedge’s plants disappeared and were replaced by a silvery glow, as if it had produced a Patronus. He suddenly realized that the glow was the Shield’s magical energy. It wasn’t a beam of energy, but a wall twenty metres high. Harry saw it coming and had time to think Protego, but the word never left his lips before the wall of magical energy collided with him.
Chapter 6: Surprise Affection
Author's Notes: Some clumsy and awkward moments with Harry and Ginny.
Brian and forty other originals crept through the jungle towards the forbidden area, the Realm of the Crocodile. The area had haunted his people for generations. It hadn’t been there from the beginning of time, but no one remembers when it appeared. One day, a group of hunters came upon it. They tried to cut through the boundary hedge and were killed. Various other hunting parties tried to discover what was inside of the hedge, but none survived. It was soon labeled taboo, and now generations later the thought of walking near it strikes fear in everyone in his tribe.
The forty warriors accompanying him were frightened by the hedge but are curious what was inside of it. Brian told them that a powerful man was going to a tear a hole into the hedge. Brian couldn’t tell the nonmagical people about goblins. He just hoped they reacted to a flood of goblins rushing out of the opening.
Regi had sent him a letter asking for help in stopping the goblins. They had met years ago and had struck up a friendship with their common love of Herbology. Magic had run in Brian’s family for as long as records were kept. His fellow tribesman didn’t scorn or fear him. Being magical in his community was revered not scorned. He just never did magic with a wand in front of his fellow tribesman.
BOOM!
At the sound of the loud noise, Brian held up his hand. It was unnecessary because everyone had stopped walking. They were all craning their necks to try to see where the noise was coming from.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Brian could feel the pulse of magic flowing through the trees that surrounded them. He could not see where the noise and magic were coming from. There was another loud noise accompanied by an even stronger pulse of magical energy.
“Look!” shouted one of the tribesmen. He was pointing to his left.
Brian moved to the left and saw what the man was pointing at, it was the hedge wall and it was quavering. It looked as if it was alive. Another loud boom was heard, and the hedge shot out chunks of the vine twenty feet into the jungle.
“Everyone get behind a tree and stay low. Remember, don’t shoot anything human coming out of the hedge,” he ordered them.
“If it isn’t human than what is it,” asked an older man.
“Our enemy,” said Brian. He could tell that the rest of the people in his group didn’t believe him completely. It was obvious he was not saying something. No one questioned him.
Another loud Boom was heard and this time a beam of magical energy shot out of it towards them. It splintered two trees that grew too close to the hedge.
“Move back,” Brian ordered. “We may be too close!”
Everyone moved further away from the hedge which was now wavering. The noise was happening every second and blasts of energy kept erupting from the hedge destroying large sections of the jungle. The intensity of the noise and eruptions of energy kept increasing until there was a blinding flash of light. All the noise stopped, and the hedge had disappeared to be replaced by this wall of bluish-white energy. It seemed to stand there for a second before moving away from them at an incredible speed.
It destroyed everything in it path as leaves, limbs and various debris from the trees flew into the air. The wall of energy rushed towards a point; miles away from where they crouched behind trees. It stopped there for a second before exploding outward. The blast was so intense it knocked them over.
Standing up Brian looked out over the area that had haunted his ancestors. It now a massive hole in the jungle. A large expanse of swamp that stretched out for miles and was littered with splintered wood and debris.
“Crikey, mate, that looks like a nuclear bomb exploded in there,” said Elea. He was the eldest of the group. He carried the scars of the traditional rights of manhood and his nose had been pierced for a bone.
“Yes, it does,” said Brian looking at the massive destruction. He had never imagined that magic could do something like they had just witnessed.
“I suppose we should go in there and see if any of your friends survived,” said Elea.
“Yes, I suppose we should,” said Brian, as he started to walk slowly to the hole in the jungle.
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Pain and confusion filled Harry’s mind. His right side pulsed with pain with every heartbeat. His back was also throbbing, but its pain was different. He tried to move his head to better see where he was and the extent of his injuries, but something was holding his head in place. He probably could not see anyway, because his glasses were not on his face. The light was mottled as though it was partially blocked by something.
Every effort he made to move resulted in a sharp pain from some other place on his body, and the feeling like he was being restrained. He thought he could hear voices around him, but they were strangely muffled.
He thought he heard someone shout that they found him. A second later the light hit his face full force as a branch was pulled off him. The face that might have been Regi McKinnon appeared over him. She quickly waved her wand over him. He recognized it as a diagnostic spell that Madam Pomfrey had used on him many times before.
Regi’s mouth moved, but he couldn’t understand what she was saying. He saw her reach her hand beside him and say something to person beside her. Mr. Weasley appeared above Harry with a worried look on his face. He placed is wand beside Harry’s neck. Harry could feel water being siphoned off beside him. He hadn’t realized that he was partially submerged in water until it disappeared. As the water ran out of his ears, he could understand what everyone was saying.
“Harry, can you understand me know?” asked Regi.
Harry could barely croak out a yes.
“You are a right mess. I am going to Levitate you out of the mud before I try to fix you up. This is going to hurt so try to bare with it.”
Harry could feel the pull of magic on his body, but something was holding him back. Pain started to throb from his back with greater intensity causing him to groan in agony. The spell was gently canceled as he was lowered back down into the mud.
“Something is holding me down,” Harry was able to say in a harsh whisper. “It hurt.”
Regi leaned forward and thrust her hands down his side and under him. While this was happening, he felt someone place his glasses on his face. When the world appeared to him with greater clarity, He saw Ginny. She was beaming down at him. Her face looked as if she had been crying there were tracks of tears on her mud smeared face. Her hair was a mess. It was a jumble of mud, sticks, and leaves sticking out in every direction.
“Hi Harry,” said Ginny weakly. “You did it again. You saved us all.”
Regi’s hand hit something that caused Harry to groan in agony.
“He is impaled through back and the root is still stuck in the ground.,” she said to the people who were gathering around him. “I am going to Stun you, Harry. I am afraid the pain will be too intense when we move you. We will fix you up before Ennervating you. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Harry whispered again.
“Any questions or anything you want to say?”
Harry turned his head as much as the mud would allow him. “Nice hair Ginny,” he said with a laugh.
Ginny eyes went wide for second, before she pointed her wand at him. There was a flash of red and the world went black.
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Harry awoke feeling wobbly headed. He tried to open his eyes, but they didn’t seem to want to react at first. When they finally opened, he saw that he was some place different, but it was too bleary to see where he was.
Ginny appeared in his vision and kissed him before placing his glasses on his face.
“How are you feeling?” she asked.
“I hurt all over. What happened? How is everyone else? Did everyone make it?” Just asking those questions made Harry feel weak.
Ginny smiled at him before looking somewhere else. “He is awake.”
“Good, I’ll be right over.” Said some man out of Harry’s vision.
“That is Healer Swanson,” said Ginny. “Regi sent for him when we got you back here.”
Healer Swanson appeared in Harry’s vision, and started to run diagnostic charms on him. He was an older gentleman with a sallow complexion, a narrow face, and pale eyes behind large glasses, and white hair that was combed back. He spent several seconds waving his wand over Harry’s right arm, his chest, and his left leg.
“How are you feeling, Mr. Potter?”
“Sore, and I can’t move.”
Healer Swanson laughed a little. “I doubt if you are just sore with the amount of injuries you sustained” Ginny laughed at the healer’s statement. He looked at her with a strange expression.
“Harry has been injured so many times over the past seven years that he had his own bed in the infirmary at Hogwarts.”
“Really that often,” asked a shocked Healer.
“Yes, it comes with fighting dark wizards every year,” said Hermione. She and Ron appeared in his vision.
“How are you doing, Mate?” asked Ron.
“I am trying to ascertain that information,” said the Healer rather stiffly.
“Sorry, we will return after he is done, Harry,” said Hermione. She bent down and kissed him on the forehead. “Thank you.”
They moved from his sight before the Healer spoke again.
“I have placed you in a medical body bind. It is to keep you from moving while you heal. Even with your history of injuries, you are in a very fragile state, Mr. Potter. You have multiple internal injuries from being impaled on several roots. Your wand arm sustained multiple fractures and your left leg was broken in four different places.
“The most amazing thing is it seems that your magical core hasn’t been depleted considering the spell you cast. It will take several days before you can be released from the body bind and even then, you will need to be in bed for several more days, before you can resume normal activities.
“I have left several days of potions with Regi and Miss Weasley. They will be administering them. I will also return every day to monitor your condition. You need rest. The Pain potion will make you sleepy, so fall asleep.
“It has been an honour to make your acquaintance Mr. Potter.” Healer Swanson said to him. He then looked around him. “You can talk to him but remember he needs his sleep.”
Healer Swanson moved out of Harry’s sight and Ron, Hermione, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, and finally Regi encircled him.
Harry went to ask if everyone was alright, but Ginny placed a finger on his lips to silence him.
“Everyone is alright Harry,” she said. “The entire goblin city was destroyed along with everything that wasn’t protected by your Shield Charm.”
“Harry,” said Hermione. “That Shield was so powerful. That it protected everyone, but the force of that wall of energy colliding with your Shield must have done all this damage to you.”
“Your wand was driven through your right hand and the bones in your arm were shattered,” said Regi. “We figure you were bracing yourself with your left leg and that is the reason why it was so badly damaged. The force of the collision drove you so far into the mud that we couldn’t find you for several minutes. It also impaled you on a couple of roots. I was concerned about infection and your internal damage was out of my abilities to heal. Brad Carl called for Healer Swanson.”
“Once again Harry, you saved us all,” said Mr. Weasley.
“And nearly died in the process,” snapped Ginny. Everyone looked at her. “Well he did,” she added defiantly.
“I don’t understand,” said Harry. “I never cast a Shield Charm. I never had a chance to say the charm, and I am rubbish at nonverbal spells.”
“You weren’t this time, mate,” said Ron. “Hermione believes it’s that save-the-world complex you seem to have.”
“Its time for you to take your potions and get some rest,” Ginny spoke up. She sounded just like her mother. “I don’t want any argument from you take them all. So, open up and start swallowing.”
Ginny put one vial after another to his lips and poured them down his throat. Each one seemed to taste worse than the last. It may have been the combination of the potions, but it didn’t matter he shivered from the taste. Even before he finished the last vial, he could feel his eyes getting heavy.
“Go to sleep Harry. The sleep potion will wear off in eight hours, when it will be time for another round of potions.” Ginny leaned over and kissed him good night.
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Every eight hours for the next two days, Harry would wake up to Ginny kissing him. She would then talk to him for a few minutes along with Ron, Hermione and others. He had discovered that Hermione’s Memory Charm on her parents had broken with the stress of being kidnapped and exposed to the slave labor in the goblin city. There seemed to be some tension between Hermione and her parents, but it didn’t seem to be too severe. Ron and Mr. Granger had bonded over their love for chess. A couple of times when Harry was awake Ron wouldn’t come and talk to him because he was in the middle of a chess game.
He was pleased to hear that all the people who had been captured and enslaved had survived the destruction of the city. They cannot be sure, but they believed that none of the goblins survived the destruction of the shield. It can only be assumed that the House Elves also perished. Hermione seemed a little sad about that, since the House Elves were slaves to the goblins.
Healer Swanson appeared to examine him every day. After two days, he was pleased with his progress and lifted the medical binding on his body. He still insisted that Harry remain in bed for another three days before trying to get up. If everything progresses properly Harry can have his bandages off in five days and be free to resume normal activities.
After having the medical bind lifted Harry tried to move and found he could barely move because the bandages were so constricting. He could move his left arm and his right leg. The rest of his body was wrapped up so tight that he couldn’t even bend to sit up.
He could move his head to the left and right and up a little, so he could see around him instead of just the thatched roof above him. There were people here that he didn’t recognize. Ginny had told him they were officials from the Australian magical community. They were coming up to inspect the goblin city and talk about how things were in the city. They were also bringing Daily Prophets, so her Dad could keep up with news back home.
“How is everything back in merry old England?” he asked her.
She smiled at him. “Let me get a paper and show you.”
Ginny stood up and walked over to where her father was sitting with her mother on a wicker settee. She looked through the stack of papers and pulled out a section from each one. Harry knew she was up to something by the smile on her face as she walked towards him.
Ginny sat down and showed him the headline of the page, Potter Watch: I spent the night with Harry Potter. “I am jealous Harry,” Ginny said icily. “You skipped out on me and traveled half way around the world to sleep with her. There was also the time you were seen driving a car through Muggle London, shopping in Liverpool, and the multiple other times you spent the night with other women sometimes with more than one in a single night. Well, what do you have to say for yourself.”
“Yeah, Potter quit cheating on my sister,” said Ron from his chair as he and Mr. Granger were involved with a game of chess.
“You know, Harry. If it is in the paper it has to be true,” said Hermione.
Harry could hear the sarcasm in Hermione’s voice. “Don’t they have anything better to write about?”
“Its even better,” laughed Ginny. She put down that paper and picked up another. “There are pictures of you with another woman and your baby.”
Harry stared at the picture of a young couple. The man who the paper claimed was Harry Potter had black hair, round glasses and fair skin. Those were the only similarities between him and the man in the picture, who resembled Seamus Finnegan more than him.
“Bloody Hell,” exclaimed Harry louder than he intended.
“Language, Harry,” said Mrs. Weasley from the settee.
“Sorry, don’t those reporters have anything better to do than to make up stories about me. This bloke doesn’t even look like me,” he shouted. “What do people think of Kingsley and what he is doing with the Ministry?”
Ginny gave him a warning look a second before a man started talking to him.
“Hello, Mr. Potter, my name is Gregory Bobbins the Secretary of International Cooperation here in Australia.” He had walked to Harry’s left and extended his right hand. Harry shook his hand awkwardly with his left.
Gregory Bobbins was a tall thin man with greying brown hair and fine-featured face. A person might even call him delicate. His dressed neatly and stood with an air of formality. He reminded Harry of Percy Weasley.
“Minister Shaklebolt has been doing a wonderful job with the British Ministry. He has been working tirelessly to reestablish communications with all the other magical governments. Mr. Arthur Weasley would be able to give you a better update on what is going on within the Ministry itself. He has been receiving daily communications from Minister Shaklebolt.
“After you have fully recovered, I have many things planned for you and Mr. Weasley to attend to help improve relations with magical governments from this section of the world…”
Harry’s eyes glazed over as he listened to Gregory Bobbins go on about schedules, dinners, and dignitaries.
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Harry sat and stared up at the starry sky. It was midnight and he couldn’t sleep. Healer Swanson said he was completely healed. He wasn’t given any potions today. He had been sleeping constantly for the past week, and tonight he wasn’t sleepy.
Regi’s complex was still filled with Wealsey’s, Grangers and other friends of hers. Everyone was sleeping on temporary mattresses placed on the ground. She had a Charm placed around her property to keep out crawling and slithering things. He had to be careful not to step on anyone as he walked out of the building.
Harry smiled as he could hear Ron’s snoring all the way out here. He was a good fifty feet out of the compound. He decided to lay down on the soft grass that covered the ground. The night was warm, but not uncomfortable. The sky was clear, and it seemed that every star was shining extra bright tonight. He laid there for several minutes trying to pick out any constellations that he had studied in Astronomy class. He never paid much attention to the chapters on the constellations of the southern hemisphere, since they couldn’t spot them on the tower. The only thing he could spot was the Southern Cross.
Even though he was focused on the stars, he heard the soft sounds of someone walking in the grass. He instinctively rolled over and reached for his wand. In the moonlight, he could easily tell it was Ginny.
“Harry is everything all right?”
“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep. How about you?”
“I couldn’t either,” she replied softly. “Do you want company?”
“Yeah, sure, come lie down,”
Harry laid back and put his arm out to his side thinking she would lay next to him. Ginny laid down, so her head was on his stomach, so they formed a large letter “T”. He laid his hand on her stomach, which she grabbed with her two hands. He could feel tension in her hands.
“Couldn’t you sleep? Did you have a nightmare?”
“I got up to check on you, and you weren’t there.”
“I have slept so much in the past week. I doubt if I will be able to get to sleep for another week.” He laughed at his comment, but Ginny didn’t say anything.
“Thank you for taking care of me,” he said and gently squeezed her hands. “You don’t need to check on me anymore.”
“We all thought you were destroyed by that wall of energy. We couldn’t find you for almost ten minutes.” She squeezed his hand even tighter. “That’s twice in two weeks Harry.”
“Twice?”
“That is twice in two weeks that I thought you had died.”
“I am sorry, Ginny. I — I don’t know what to say.”
“Do you love me, Harry. I love you. I really love you.”
Harry was taken aback by this question. “Yes, I really love you too, Ginny. Why?”
She turned and looked him directly in the eye. “Make love to me.”
Harry didn’t know what to say. He never expected this request. He was expecting her to yell at him. As he laid there in shock Ginny got up and sat on him straddling his hips. She leaned down and kissed him while starting to unbutton his shirt.
Harry was further shocked by Ginny’s behavior. Her kiss wasn’t her normal passionate kiss that made his heart melt it was mechanical and devoid of all passion. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons on his shirt.
He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Please stop,” he whispered to her. “I love you, but I am not ready for this. I -I don’t think you are either. Ginny we still have time.”
A single tear hit his face, before Ginny almost jumped off him and sat on the ground with her back to him. Her head was down so her hair covered her face. Harry could tell she was crying. He reached out to comfort her, but she pulled her shoulder away from him.
“I have watched you die twice, within two weeks. That doesn’t include the person who tried to kill you in Diagon Alley. Do you have any idea how much that hurts to see the one you love die? You remember what it felt like when Sirius and Dumbledore died. I have had to go through that twice now.”
Ginny, I…,”
“Don’t tell me that you won’t put yourself in danger. Danger will find you.”
“…I know I will always be marked for danger. I can’t promise you that I will always be safe either.”
“You said you broke up with me to protect me. You couldn’t stand the thought of losing me. It hurts just as much for me, Harry. If you die, I am not sure if I could go on. If I did, I don’t think I would ever want to be with anyone else. I just wanted to…”
Ginny stopped talking and lifted her head up as so to stare at the woods. Harry could tell if she had stopped crying.
“…I’ve bollocks this all up,” she said and started to get up.
Harry grabbed her hand. “Please stay with me. I am sorry that I wasn’t ready to — to make love to you. I can’t promise that I will live to be a hundred, but I do love you and need you in my life. Please stay.”
“You probably think I am a stupid bint.”
“No dear, you are not a bint,” Harry said.
“You prat,” Ginny said and turned and pushed him to the ground.
They hesitated to look each other in the eyes for several seconds before kissing. It was as Harry remembered her kisses, soft warm and full of love. The kiss turned into a snog. After a few minutes of snogging, they laid down on the grass and stared up at the stars. Nether one spoke for several minutes, when they did it was about how beautiful this all was. The warm jungle night, the stars, and having each other.
After some time, Ginny started to fall asleep on Harry’s shoulder. He nudged her to wake her up.
“I think you need to get to bed,” Harry said to her. “How much sleep have you been getting over the past week. Every time, I woke up you were right there.”
“I couldn’t sleep more than an hour or two. I had to check to see if you were still alive.”
“I am sorry that I’ve put you through so much pain and worry.”
“I guess I should expect it, after all I am The Harry Potter’s girlfriend.”
“You are my girlfriend. I am not The Harry Potter.”
Ginny leaned into him. “I am glad I am your girlfriend, because The Harry Potter in the Prophet isn’t very fit.” She kissed him, then stood up and offered him her hand.
“Isn’t the man supposed to offer the woman his hand?” he asked.
“Do you really think like that? That I am the little woman and should be all sweet and delicate.”
Harry grabbed her hand and pulled himself up. “I think you are sweet, but not delicate.”
“Good,” she said as she wrapped her arm around his waist.
They were walking back to the house, when they could hear giggling and splashing from the natural pool. Ginny stopped walking and looked at Harry.
“I think Ron and Hermione are up to something naughty,” she whispered. They were almost to the open sided building.
“Let’s give them a little surprise.” She pulled on Harry’s hand.
“Ginny, I don’t know about this. It sounds like they are doing more than just a little snogging. I don’t know If I want to see that much of them.”
“Oh, come on,” she said with an evil glint in her eyes that reminded Harry of the twins.
She pulled him down the path that led to the pool. The pool was surrounded by undergrowth, so no one could see who was in it. The path wound around so you could be on it and not be seen from the pool until you were standing on the banks.
In the short distance to the pool, female giggling could be heard, and low male laughter also be heard. Harry was having a bad feeling about this. There was a splashing sound that Harry could only imagine what was happening. Ron has a nasty temper and Hermione would not appreciate him gawking at her.
Ginny stepped out of the path pulling Harry after her. He only saw a bit of the water, before Ginny’s hand was slapped over his face.
“MOM, DAD, what are you doing?”
“Ginevra, what do you think you are doing out here at this time of the night,” shouted Mrs. Weasley. “And with Harry. You go back to the house this instant.”
“I can’t believe you, two. Acting like this,” shouted Ginny, while holding her hand over Harry’s eyes. “Why can’t you act like — like old people.”
Ginny pushed Harry back into the brush before taking her hand off his eyes.
She turned and walked back to the house pulling him in the other direction along the path. Harry couldn’t help himself. He started to snigger at Ginny.
“What is so funny, Potter.”
“They were acting like adults. After all, there is a reason they have so many children.”
Harry never saw Ginny’s wand before the Bat-Bogeys erupted from his nose.
“Find your own way home, you prat.”
“What, Ginny why did you do that. Damn, I hate this Curse,” shouted Harry.
Chapter 7: Returning to England
Author's Notes: It is time for the heroes to return to England. The title may seem a little deceiving, because this chapter is about Ginny and some of (my interpretation) of her feelings.
Her flashback memories will be in italics. There is an Authors note at the end of the chapter.
The plane leveled off at thirty thousand feet, and the “fasten seat belt” lights went off. Harry, the Weasleys, and the Grangers were going home to England. They had left the Singapore airport on their way to Heathrow. In twelve more hours, they will be landing on British soil, and it will be time to start rebuilding their lives.
The stay in Australia lasted an entire month. The first two weeks involved finding Hermione’s parents, and a bit of business with Goblins. The rest of the time had been spent sightseeing, courtesy of the Australian Magical Community. The AMC owned hotels and uses them as their offices. Magical people could Floo from one hotel to another without drawing attention to themselves. There were always magical rooms available for special meetings and purposes at these hotels. Hermione and Harry were amazed at how efficient this system worked to keep ‘folks’ from noticing magical activities.
Hermione had asked several officials how they were able to run electronic devices around all the magic. Electrical items don’t work in the magical homes and locations of England. She discovered that certain concealment charms interfered with the electrical systems. The Muggle Repelling Charm was the most notable. They don’t use these in Australia, so they can also use Muggle electrical devices.
Brad Carl had arranged for the return trip to Sydney to take eight days so that everyone could spend time enjoying Australia. He had even made sure their return flight was a standard Sydney to London flight, with only one stop at Singapore, for a couple of hours. He arranged diplomatic passes for them so that they did not have to go through security scans in the airports.
“Are you going to sleep?” asked Harry. It was eleven o’clock at night, and people all around them were turning off their personal reading lights to go to sleep.
“I think I will stay up for a bit,” replied Ginny, as she pulled out a scrapbook filled with loose newspaper clippings, photos, and various memorabilia of Australia. “I want to do a little studying, to try to figure out where you will be in tomorrows Daily Prophet.”
This statement made Harry grunt and shake his head. “I can’t believe you are still playing that game, besides you need to find three locations. We have been receiving papers a day late, plus our day for travel, and there will be a new Prophet tomorrow morning.” The Daily Prophet has been reporting “Harry Potter sightings” everyday, while he has been in Australia. He has been reported to be all over Great Britain at various residences, and sometimes the sightings have even been accompanied with pictures of someone with glasses and black hair. The sightings have been such a joke to everyone around him, they started a “Where’s Harry” pool. The Grangers, of all people, thought of the idea. It seems that this is a common thing among Muggles to get friends together and make friendly wagers on various things, usually sporting events, like football, cricket, and rugby. Ron has been the only one to guess right so far, with his standard “downtown London” and “Diagon Alley” guesses.
“That’s right,” she said with a laugh. “I definitely need to think about this. I don’t want Ron to beat me, and he is the only person to even guess where the Prophet sighted you. Besides, I would like to know who else you have been with these past few days.” She looked up from her scrapbook and stared at Harry with a raised eyebrow. The sightings have usually been by witches that many times have claimed he spent the night or weekend with them. These sightings made Ginny uneasy, even if she outwardly laughed about them. Harry has become the “most eligible bachelor” in the magical community. Gilderoy Lockhart had propagated this mystique of a handsome powerful wizard, with all his false accomplishments, but Harry’s were real and witnessed, and he’s younger and better looking, at least Ginny thinks so.
“Blimey, Ginny, you’re not going to believe these reports whenever we get back? Are you?” Harry asked with a bit of concern in his voice. “I mean most of those pictures don’t even look like me. You know where I’ve been the past month.”
Ginny smiled at his concern. It made her happy that he wanted to reassure her that he was dedicated to her. She doesn’t have any doubts about Harry’s love for her. She doesn’t trust the other unscrupulous women out there, like Romilda Vane and Australia’s “Tart Brigade”. “I won’t be concerned, until these pictures start looking like you, instead of these cheesy imposters.”
“Good point!” snorted Harry. “I certainly don’t look like any of those blokes. One of them even had grey hair.”
Ginny smiled at his comment, because Harry doesn’t look like any of the pictures in the paper, not even the ones of himself. He appears to have become younger looking, in the past month. There were lines of worry on his face and he always appeared tired in all the pictures of him, even the ones from the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Ginny had never noticed those things before, because they had always been there. She didn’t even notice them leaving his face, because she was seeing him everyday. It was Hermione’s parents, who noted the difference in Harry’s looks, from the pictures in the paper. Once they said something, then Ginny saw it straight away. The change in Harry isn’t unexpected, since he no longer is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders and a piece of Voldemort’s soul inside of him.
After realizing how Harry had changed, Ginny started to notice how everyone else had also changed. Her mother had changed the most dramatically. She can’t even remember her mum looking so young and happy. When they first arrived in Australia, her Mum was looking tired and haggard. Everyone assumed it was the death of Fred weighing heavily on her. She was having terrible nightmares. When they were at Regi’s house her Mum and Dad was up most of the nights, because of her nightmares. No one realized how bad off she was until then. It seemed that her Dad had been taking care of many of her Mum’s normal responsibilities, because of her state. Then suddenly she was happy again, and Ginny and Harry stumbled upon them skinny-dipping and Merlin knows what else. The thought of that night still makes her shiver.
After that fateful night and the argument that followed, the vacationers were split into two groups of four. Ron, Hermione, and her parents spent almost all their time together, since Hermione hadn’t spent much time with her parents since her fourth year. Harry, Ginny, and her parents were the other four, since her parents didn’t trust to leave the two love birds, as they were called, out of their sight. This annoyed Ginny in two ways: first, was they didn’t trust her, and second was that her parents continued to act like a couple of newlyweds, always holding hands and snogging in public.
Ginny looked over at her parents and there they were holding hands and her Mum had her head on her Dad’s shoulder. “Why must they do that?” whispered Ginny.
“Who, your parents?” asked Harry. His voice startled Ginny, because she hadn’t realized she spoke her thoughts aloud. “I think it’s good to see them still so in love. Don’t you want to still be that in love when we’re that age?”
Ginny smiled at Harry’s last statement, as thoughts of the two of them still holding hands and snogging, with grey hair, filled her head. “That’s not the point…” she said. “It’s the fact that they are MY PARENTS, and it’s embarrassing.”
“You are such an old prude, Ginny,” said her Dad with a smile. He had been earwigging while pretending to be sleeping. “There is nothing wrong with married couples showing affection.” Ginny noticed that he stressed the word married.
“A kiss goodbye or good morning is enough affection, in front of your children,” she replied. Harry, her Dad and Mum both laughed at her comment. “The last thing I need is another sibling.”
“Don’t worry dear, your father and I have that sorted out already.”
Ginny blushed and opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it. She looked over at Harry to see what his reaction was to her parent’s comments, and he was smiling at her. He said the entire time they had been touring Australia that he enjoyed seeing parents acting that way. He often made comments about how different it was from being with the Dursley’s, but he wouldn’t offer any more information about them. “I think I’ll go back to my scrap book, thank you very much for that information,” Ginny said in a whisper that came out like a hiss.
Her parents closed their eyes and leaned on each other for their kip. Ginny opened her scrapbook, oblivious to what Harry was doing. She stared at the articles but couldn’t get her parents actions out of her thoughts. After leaving Regi’s, they traveled to Cooktown, and stayed there for several days. The AMC had a hotel on the beach where they stayed. She can remember the second day there, Harry had convinced her, to wake up before dawn, so that they could watch the sun come up over the ocean. Of course, her parents had joined them. They wouldn’t even trust her alone with him for a couple of hours. They sat on the deserted beach wrapped in a blanket and watched one of the most beautiful things she has ever seen. As the sun rose, its rays made the ocean appear to glisten as though covered with millions of little stars, which changed from red to gold and finally to silver. The sight was so breathtaking that watching the sunrise became a daily activity for the rest of the vacation. Even when they were not staying within walking distance of a beach, they would Apparate to a beach then back to the hotel for breakfast. The only problem, with getting up this early, is they all needed a kip in the afternoon, but it was a vacation, so it wasn’t a big deal. This turned out to be a good thing for Ginny, most of the time her and Harry would fall asleep in each other’s arms somewhere, as long as they weren’t alone in their room. As she thinks about waking up in his arms, a warm dreamy smile graces her face.
“… Edinburg, and…” Harry’s voice brought Ginny out of her trance.
“What did you say?”
“I said,” stated Harry. “I will be spotted writing a novel in a coffee shop in Edinburg and teaching a fifteen-year-old Slytherin to cast a Patronus in Suffolk, and weeding gardens in Little Whinging. Those are my guesses, aren’t you going to write them down?”
“Oh yes, I shall do that, but those are some of the dumbest guesses I’ve ever heard,” she scoffed at him. Ginny wrote down what Harry had said, on a loose piece of paper and stuck it in her scrapbook.
“I think they are all dumb, to be honest with you,” he said with a hint of sadness in his voice. “I wish I could just walk down around Diagon Alley holding your hand, without ending up on the front page of the Daily Prophet. That would not be possible, unless I’m in a disguise. I’m sorry Ginny that things have to be this way.” Harry had wrapped both his hands around her left hand and looked pleadingly into her eyes.
Ginny was so absorbed by this, she couldn’t think of anything to say. She stared into his green eyes for a moment, amazed at the love that filled them. “I don’t care as long as we are together. Hermione and Dad both say that you are excellent at transfiguring your hair and features. Don’t worry Harry; I am sure the Prophet will get bored with you eventually.” She leaned over and kissed him gently on his lips. “Just remember, I will not go out in the public if you transfigure your hair red and you have freckles. I will not date someone who looks like one of my brothers,” she stated rather firmly. She looked at Harry to see if this last comment had bothered him. The first time she told him that, she continued talking and mentioned Michael and Dean. When she looked at him again, he had a pained expression on his face, almost like he was jealous of those two. If that is true then Harry is being silly, because she never loved Michael or Dean.
“I wonder how your brothers are doing?” asked Harry.
“You mean George?”
“Yes, mainly him, but I am concerned about all of them. I feel like I have abandoned them, by going to Australia, but I owed it to Hermione. She has done so much for me over the years,” sighed Harry.
“I am concerned about George too. He is your typical Weasley man. Tries to be all-tough and not let anyone know that he is falling apart on the inside. All my brothers are like that,” mumbled Ginny under her breath so that only Harry could hear.
“Yeah, I guess your right, except it isn’t confined to the Weasley men,” Harry shot back at her with a pointed stare.
“You’re right. I am like that, but I came by it honestly…” Ginny’s thoughts returned to when she was six years old, and her and Ron had been running and playing in the garden. They collided, hit their heads, and fell scraping their knees.
“…there, there Ginny, everything will be alright,” consoled Fred. He had picked up his crying little sister and was trying to get her to stop and find out what was wrong with her, a very considerate thing to do for a nine-year-old boy. “Can I look at your knees now? I need to see how hurt they are.” Ginny wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and pulled her left knee up for him to see.
“Ron, stop your sniveling and get off the ground. Blimey, you were run over by a little girl,” barked George. “Act like a man, not some whiney little girl.” Ron had also hit his head, fell, and scraped his knees, but the twins seemed to have no compassion for him.
“Ron ith hurt too, George,” said Ginny. “Why don’t you pick him up and thee if he ith hurt.” Ginny was missing her front teeth and spoke with a pronounced lisp.
“Because he is a boy, and boys, or I should say men don’t cry,” stated George imperiously. “Men are to be strong for girls, because girls can’t help but cry.”
“Thatth thtupid!” spat Ginny. George’s indication that girls are weak angered her. “You make it thound, like we girlth are weak.”
George and Fred both laughed at her statement and then said in unison, “You are what you are.”
“Who told you that? You two are making it up!” Ginny had pushed herself away from Fred and stood there facing the twins with her hands clenched in fists. She stomped her right foot with each statement for emphasis. “Who! Who told you that lie!!”
“Dad!” replied the twins.
“Did not!”
“Did to!”
“Did not! Did not! Did not!” her last words were almost a high-pitched scream.
“He told Bill, after Uncles Fabian and Gideon’s funeral, that it was the man’s job to be strong for the women. That was why he didn’t cry at the funeral, because he was being strong for Mum! So There! He said it!” yelled George at his little sister, who still looked like she would start throwing punches at any second.
Fred took over for George and said mockingly, “You girls can’t help it. It is just the way you are.”
“I am not weak!” shouted Ginny. She crossed her arms in defiance of her older brothers. “I will never cry. I am jutht ath thtrong ath any man. Jutht becauthe we are prettier, it doethn’t mean we are weak.” Ignoring her bloody knees and the egg sized knot on her forehead she turned and walked away from her brothers and went inside to her room.
“Hello Ginny! Are you in there?” Harry asked as he waved a hand in front of her face. “Whatever you were thinking about must have been good.”
“I was just remembering the time that I promised that I would never cry again in my life,” replied Ginny. “Only two things made me break that promise; Fred’s death and you.”
Harry looked taken back by her candid revelation. He looked ashamed of himself and shakily muttered, “I’m sorry.”
Ginny smiled at him before reassuring him, “I cried over our break up and when I thought I’d never see you again.” She wrapped both her hands around his right and looked lovingly at him and whispered so softly that he had to lean in to hear. “I also cried when you told me you loved me. So, you have made me cry for good things too.” She kissed him gently on the lips. As she was pulling away from the kiss, she looked him in the eye with a hardened expression and whispered, “If you tell anyone that, I will curse your bits off.” She let out a little laugh, “I must keep my reputation intact.”
Harry threw his head back and let out a loud laugh at Ginny’s last statement. This stirred many of the passengers around them, who woke up and gave him dirty looks for disturbing their slumber. After several minutes of mumbling, everyone fell back to sleep except Harry and Ginny.
“We should try to get some sleep, or we’ll be completely knackered when we get home,” plied Harry.
Ginny looked at him, still thinking about him laughing at her comment. His laughter wasn’t mocking or fake, but for some unknown reason to her it made her feel good. He seemed so pleased that she was strong and determined. She had always been afraid that he would want her to be more submissive, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Without even saying a word, she grabbed his shirt with both hands and pulled him into her for a deep passionate kiss. As she felt his strong arms wrap around her, she melted into him. She never felt inferior to him, but his equal. All ability to think about these things disappeared as she reveled in the feel of his warm lips and strong tongue. As she breathed through her nose so that she wouldn’t need to stop snogging his scent made her head spin. She wasn’t sure if it was his aftershave or if it just the way he smelled, whatever the scent is, it stirs her deeply and passionately. She lost all thoughts about where they were, and she grabbed the back of his head with one hand and his shoulder with the other and tried to pull him tighter to her. The feel of her fingers in his thick hair and on his strong muscular shoulder made her want to be even closer to him. She pulled herself to him only to feel the armrest dig painfully into her side. She broke the kiss. Looking up at Harry, he looked like he had just been hit in the head with a Bludger. She loved making him look like that.
She was going to snog him again, “Oi! Stop that! You two. We are on a plane and people are watching.”
Ginny turned to see Ron staring at her and Harry with murderous look on his face. She looked over at her parents, and luckily, they appeared to be asleep.
“I’ve been trying to get your attention for hours…”
“Ron, that’s a pile of troll dung!” exclaimed Ginny with a forceful whisper. “Can’t I even kiss Harry goodnight?”
“He should be good for about the next two weeks, if you ask me.”
“Nobody asked you! Now leave us alone,” countered Ginny. She looked at Harry who had lost his dazed look.
“I should be getting some sleep, Ginny, besides Ron is right, that was one hell of a goodnight kiss,” offered Harry. He leaned over and kissed her gently on the forehead, before reclining his seat. He leaned back and turned to face her. He ran his fingers over her cheek and through her hair, before whispering, “Good night.”
Ginny sat there staring at his face, as though she was trying to memorize every millimetre of it. She had done this already. She could close her eyes and tell someone every detail of his face from memory. However, she still sat there looking at him for some time, until everyone around her was asleep.
Sitting awake, while everyone around her was asleep, was when Ginny stopped to think about life. Many times, she would wake up at the Burrow, Hogwarts, her Aunt Muriel’s, and various places this past month and sit, and wonder, and worry about her life. Up until a month ago, she was always concerned about defeating Voldemort and his Death Eater and hoping that everyone she loves would still be alive. For the past month, she worried that everything that happened was actually a dream. She will wake up back at her Aunt Muriel’s and the war will still be going on.
No one was supposed to survive the war. She should be dead. Harry should be dead. All the Weasleys and Grangers should be dead, but they are not. One of her most confusing feelings were when she thinks about Fred dying. She loved him. Dearly loved him and George, they treated her like a young friend, not an annoying little sister. However, every time she thinks about Fred she also rejoices that he was only one that died out of all her brothers and dear friends. Colin, Tonks, and Remus were also friends, but not as close as Harry and Hermione. Sometimes she even wondered if feeling this way makes her heartless and selfish. Ginny stopped her present train of thoughts, sighs, and tried to clear her head.
Ginny hears Harry’s slow regular breathing. She can’t stop the desire to look at him and watch him sleep. He has an innocent and calm look to him, now. She hopes he never has another nightmare for as long as he lives. He has seen so many terrible things in his mind, but he is still the same gently boy that she fell in love with. A smile graces her beautiful face as she thinks about her first year at Hogwarts. Harry was very decent to her nicer to her than most students were. With all the bad things that happened to her and she went through, she truly fell in love with him that year. She was infatuated with him, because of his legend, and she thought he was very cute on the platform the year before. It was his reaction, to her singing Valentine, which made her love him. That was probably the dumbest thing she has ever done in her life. She embarrassed him when the troll tackled him in the hallway crowded with students. Then sang that song she had penned. She ran away because of her own embarrassment from Draco’s vicious comment. Harry never said anything to her about it. He seemed to feel sorry for her embarrassment. Most boys would have ridiculed her, yelled at her, or shunned her completely. Harry was still as nice to her after that incident as he was before. It takes someone with a big heart to behave like that.
Ginny pulled her gaze away from Harry’s face. She stared down at her scrapbook. She wanted to write down for her three guesses: shagging Ginny Weasley, shagging Ginny Weasley, and shagging Ginny Weasley. No one would probably find any humor in those. Therefore, she wrote down three towns she thought about and conceded defeat to Ron.
She looked through the rest of the things in the scrapbook, after writing down her three lame guesses. She was looking at the various pictures that she had of everyone in Australia. One picture brought a frown to her face. It shouldn’t, but it brought her back to the realities of dating Harry Potter. It was a picture of her and Harry at the going away party the AMC threw for them, the last night they were there. Harry wore in a rust coloured suit and had his arm around her. She had a pale blue dress. It was short sleeved and came to just below her knees. She had dressed conservatively for this event, because the entire AMC would be there, and she wanted to appear proper for Harry. In the background of the picture, there stood a group of young witches, daughters of the high-ranking officials in the AMC, which followed Harry around all night trying to get him away from her. She could have worn her little black dress from the first night and still looked conservative next to the “Tart Brigade”. They were all showing more skin than many would show in a one-piece bathing suit.
Ginny walked over to the bar. “I want something strong, but it must taste good,” she asked the bartender with a sweet voice and smile. He looked at her for a few seconds before starting to mix up some complicated drink. She turned to look at the exit where the loos are located. Harry was in one, but what was irritating her was the gaggle of witches standing by the exit waiting for him.
As she stood there watching them, the bartender returned with a large glass with an umbrella and a bunch of fruit on a plastic sword. She looked at it, then at the bartender. “It’s called a Grogg,” he said. “You can only order one a night, Miss Weasley, because its one of the strongest drinks we make.”
Ginny took a sip, “It tastes like fruit juice.”
“It’s a mix of coconut milk, pineapple juice, and doubles of rum, vodka, tequila, triple sec, and crème de banana so drink slowly, Miss Weasley.”
Ginny thanked him again and walked towards the buffet table. She looked over towards the loo and saw Harry being dragged off by Mr. Carl towards some other dignitary. This had been going on all night, she had accompanied him the first ten times, but everyone ignored her, so she would wait for him to come back. She watched Mr. Carl and Harry walk across the large hall weaving between tables, and the witches following behind them.
“What are you scowling about, Ginny,” asked Hermione, she had walked up to Ginny as she stood by the buffet table.
Ginny looked at Hermione. She had accompanied Ron to the buffet table for probably the fifth time that night. He was looking around trying to decide what to eat next. “The local collection of tarts over there,” Ginny said sarcastically as she pointed directly at the group of girls who were now trying to get Harry’s attention as he spoke with another high-ranking wizard.
“Tarts, where are there tarts?” asked Ron as he looked around the collection of food.
Ginny and Hermione looked at each other and had to suppress their laughter at her brother’s remark. “There, over there Ron, with the desserts.”
“Do you think they have any cherry…”
“Not a chance, Ron, not a chance,” laughed Ginny. As Ron walked away looking for the desserts, Hermione slapped Ginny’s shoulder.
“You really are in a cheeky mood tonight,” commented Hermione.
“If you had that gaggle of tarts following Ron around all night trying to tear him away from you, how would you feel?”
Hermione stood there and looked at the collection of young witches, the way they were dressed, and how they were trying to catch Harry’s attention. She looked at Ginny with an apologetic expression. “I am amazed you haven’t cursed the whole lot of them?”
“I have felt like it, but I don’t want to make a huge scene, to upset Harry. I guess I had better get use to this type of thing,” she said gloomily. Looking over at her boyfriend and all the people paying attention to him, she took a long sip of her drink.
“That looks refreshing, what is it called, maybe I’ll order one,” stated Hermione trying to break Ginny’s focus on the events unfolding in front of her.
“It’s called a Grogg. You may want to think twice before you order it. It is pretty strong.” As Ginny told Hermione what was in the drink, the expression on her face went from concern to shock to her bossy prefect look.
“You shouldn’t be drinking that. You could get inebriated and start cursing half the women in this place for looking at Harry,” demanded Hermione.
Ginny started to laugh at her friend. “Inebriated! Inebriated, only you would say that Hermione. No! I don’t plan on getting pissed. Unless, Harry leaves with one of them, then I will probably end up getting destroyed.”
“I couldn’t find any tarts on the dessert table, so I grabbed a couple of these things. I think they are called Cannoli.” He handed one to Hermione, who took it from him. She rolled her eyes with pleasure after taking a small bite from the one end.
“Ginny, why don’t you come and join us at the table. Harry will be back over soon,” asked Hermione. The three of them walked over to their table, but, before Ginny could sit down, Harry came back and dragged her out onto the dance floor.
They stayed out there for several songs and talked. It was the only place, they could get time alone together, and Brad Carl seemed to leave them alone if they were dancing. At least one of the “Tart Brigade”, tried to cut in on them with each song, but Harry always refused them. Even during the fast-paced dances, he kept close to Ginny and ignored them as they danced around them. Eventually Ginny had to leave to use the loo, as she was walking off the dance floor she saw Harry being whisked away to another table of dignitaries.
Ginny had used the facilities and was now standing in front of the large mirror in the make-up area of the fancy loo. She was starting to have doubts about herself. Harry tells her that she is pretty, but compared to so many other women, she doesn’t look that pretty. Her red-hair and brown eyes are nothing spectacular. There are so many blonde-haired blue-eyed girls around. Her complexion is what bothers her the most. It is pale. Some people will call it milky, but to her it just looks pale compared to the other witches and their dark tans. The past month she has been spending more time in the sun than she normally does, and now her freckles are dark and plentiful, while the rest of her skin has a slight pink hue to it. What bothers her most, some people who don’t know her, think she is only fourteen or fifteen. It must be because she doesn’t have large breasts. Then there are all those others, who have large breasts, athletic bodies, deep tans, and plenty of money from their family, but Harry still thinks she is pretty.
As she was staring at herself in the mirror, one of the “Tart Brigade” approached her. Cassandra Carl was one of the leaders of the brigade. She was the type of women who spent all day making herself look beautiful, and at night wears skimpy clothes to show the results off. Ginny had been nice to her, because she liked her father so much, but her patience with this self-centered wench was wearing thin.
“Aren’t you the lucky one,” Cassandra told Ginny while staring down her nose. Ginny was immediately reminded of Draco Malfoy’s attitude.
“Why do you say that, Cassandra?”
“You have been getting all the attention tonight from that sexy Boy-Who-Lived,” mocked the conceited witch.
Ginny clenched her fists and had to keep herself from cursing or punching the haughty witch. “Harry!” Ginny stressed his name. “Is not the Boy-Who-Lived to me. He is the Man-Who-Loves me,” spat Ginny, before she walked past Cassandra making sure to bump into her on her way out to find Harry.
She walked back to her table to find Harry sitting there looking nervous. He jumped up grabbed her and kissed her passionately disregarding the fact that Ron and her parents were watching them. He pulled away from the kiss and looked at her. “You can’t leave my side the rest of the night. I am so tired of those witches hitting on me. It’s really getting pathetic.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you!” whispered Ginny. This time, it was her turn to initiate the kiss.
Ginny put the pictures back into her scrapbook. She looked around, to ensure no one was watching her, before placing it inside of her magical purse. Leaning her chair back so she could be face to face with Harry, she kissed his sleeping lips. “Good night Harry Potter, the Man-Who-Loves-Me.”
A/N: I feel the need to explain something in this chapter. When I had originally posted this story on another site, people interpreted Arthur’s comment about why he didn’t cry at Gideon and Fabian’s funeral to mean he truly felt she was weaker. It was a case of him not fully explaining himself. He stayed strong and focused on Molly to help her through the funeral of her murdered brothers. The boys were the ones that thought it meant that girls were weak, not Arthur.
Chapter 8: Vigilantes
Author's Notes: Harry and company return to England. The Ministry has made some improvements, but there are still many problems.
When I started reposting this story, I thought that it would be quick and easy. That plan went out the window when I discovered that there are some chapters missing. So, now I must rewrite, I wrote it once ten years ago, it should be easy. Ha!
Everyone arrived in London exhausted and happy to be home. Brad Carl arranged to have the Grangers’ home in Australia sold and their personal goods shipped to England. They had more luggage and items upon their return than when they had left. Not only had they bought several sets of clothes each, but they also brought back souvenirs. Yet, Harry never spent any of his money in Australia. The entire trip was paid for by the AMC. It was their way of saying thank you for helping with the Goblin problem and defeating Voldemort.
Harry and the Weasley’s had problems with the gifts and money, but John Granger reassured them that this type of treatment was normal for dignitaries in the Muggle world. He and Brad Carl told them this is normal for governments, when they want to build relationships with each other. The relationship with the British Ministry is important to the AMC and the other magical governments from the southern pacific. Harry, Hermione, and the Weasley’s had received the royal treatment. They knew that they were representing Britain and more importantly Kingsley emissaries, but their status and foreign diplomats didn’t hit them until about the time they were to leave. Mr. Weasley seemed the most embarrassed by this realization. He had spent so much of his time languishing in anonymity that being considered as an important member of the Ministry made him uneasy.
The Grangers didn’t have a house to live in, so Harry offered them Grimmauld Place until they found one. The Weasley’s had insisted that they all stay at the Burrow, but the Grangers declined, because they wanted to get a house in the London area and reestablish their practice. Harry explained that it isn’t the cheeriest of homes, but hopefully they won’t mind. He will also be living there. Hermione asked Harry if she could stay there so that she could be close to her parents. He thought that this was amusing, because even if her parents weren’t staying there she would always be welcome.
Ministry cars met them at the airport. Mr. Granger could be heard laughing about not being important to the Ministry, when he saw the two cars with drivers waiting for them. The drivers loaded their entire luggage in cars refusing help from the travelers.
The eight people stood on the airport’s sidewalk for ten minutes discussing who should ride with whom and where they were all going. It was already 4 o’clock in the afternoon and everyone was suffering from jet lag, so the discussion got a little heated. Harry and the Grangers were going to Grimmauld Place in London, and the Weasley’s were going to the Burrow. Ron and Ginny wanted to go with Harry and the Grangers and Floo home. This arrangement was causing all the disagreement. Finally, Ron and Ginny won, and they left the airport to their destinations.
Between the Harry, Ron, Ginny, and the Grangers, the luggage was taken inside of the house easily. The driver was told to drop them off a half-block away from the house. Harry was probably being paranoid, but he didn’t want anyone discovering where he lived. Everyone had just stepped through the door, when Kreacher appeared with a pop. Hermione’s parents jumped and looked horrified at the aged house elf.
“Master should have called for Kreacher. Kreacher would have been honored to bring luggage in and put away,” droned the House-Elf as he bowed low to everyone. Ginny gripped Harry’s hand and stared at the House-Elf in shock.
“Kreacher, I would like to introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Granger and you remember Hermione.” Harry pointed at people as he introduced them. “They will be staying with us until they can find a new house. I want you to show them the same courtesy as you show me.”
“What would you like Kreacher to do, Master?” The House-Elf asked politely. Ginny had a look of disbelief plastered across her face.
“We need to put our belongings away, then maybe a meal,” said Harry, as he looked at everyone else. Hermione was giving him a look of disapproval. Ron looked happy about the suggestion, so Harry continued, “Something very British, steak and kidney pie with treacle tart for dessert.” Ron agreed wholeheartedly while everyone else gave a nod of approval.
They spent the rest of the time until supper unpacking and organizing their rooms. Kreacher had been busy while Harry was gone because the house was very clean. The Grangers were a little uneasy about the house, even though Hermione said how much cleaner and less dangerous the place was. They thought the sight of Harry and Hermione pointing their wands at a set of draperies in the stairwell and saying “Muffliato” in the same casual nature that one straightens a crooked picture, seemed strange.
Ginny was amazed by the place. It had been the first time she had seen it since it was the headquarters. The four of them exchanged solemn looks between themselves, when she said this, remembering all the Order members who died since that time.
Kreacher prepared a sumptuous meal that was very definitely British. It felt good to be home. Ron, Harry, and Mr. Granger went to one side of the sitting room for chess after dinner. The ladies sat and talked on the other side. Finally, around ten o’clock bleary eyed and after the two couples had several minutes of good-night snogging and completely knackered, Ron and Ginny bid everyone a good night’s sleep and Flooed to the Burrow.
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The next morning, Harry sat at the kitchen table alone. Hermione had left earlier with her parents to see about finding a new place to live. As he sat there sipping on tea and nibbling on toast, he started to wonder about the possibility of becoming an Auror. He said what he wanted was a quiet life, but he knew that he could not walk away from helping people. He even thought Ginny had come to terms with him facing danger, on a daily basis. What was worrying him was the fact that he never completed his seventh year at Hogwarts and took his NEWTS. There are many things he realized that he needed to learn if he wanted to be successful, but how could he learn these things without going back to school.
He was thinking about writing to Professor McGonagall about returning to the school to complete his education. He knew Ginny would be very happy if he did this. An owl flew down his chimney and dropped a letter in front of him before leaving the same way.
Dear Harry,
I am writing to you about the possibility of becoming an Auror. A Hogwarts Professor has told me that you had wished to become an Auror after leaving school. I regret to inform you that at the present time the Auror department is severally understaffed. It would be impossible to start your traditional training until that situation is rectified.
I am aware of your experience in this field. I am also aware that you did not complete your seventh year or take your NEWTS. The education that you missed would be a vital asset to becoming an Auror.
There is a solution to these problems. As I have mentioned before the department is unable to accept any more trainees into the traditional apprenticeships. Yet, it is receiving a very large number of applications. The solution is that Hogwarts would open its school to qualified Auror trainees and the staff there, along with various members of the Auror department, would help teach these trainees.
Even though you have not sent in an application, I am extending this offer to you. The initial testing will be August 2 at the Ministry of Magic. If you are interested in this opportunity than send an owl to Gawain Robards, Head of the Auror Department, Ministry of Magic. We have spoken of the possibility of you joining the Auror department and he is genuinely excited.
Sincerely,
Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minister of Magic
Harry finished reading the letter and immediately looked for a piece of parchment to write to Mr. Robards. He couldn’t believe it. The thing that worried him the most was not finishing his education and here the solution was presented to him. He finished the letter when suddenly he felt very thick. He had lost Hedwig. He had no way of sending the letter.
Harry appeared in the kitchen of the Burrow with his letter in his hand. He would borrow Pig from Ginny to deliver the letter. He stepped out of the fireplace looking for everyone to be crowded around the kitchen table, but everyone was gone. He looked out the windows at the garden and the orchard, but he couldn’t see anyone. He looked at the Weasley’s clock and they were either at work or traveling. No one was in mortal peril, which was reassuring. He breathed a sigh of relief and went to the Weasley’s fireplace to Floo to the Leaky Cauldron.
Just before he tossed the Floo powder, Harry realized that he needed to change his appearance. He couldn’t walk around Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron as himself. Tapping his wand to his hair, it lightened to a mousey brown color, and he tinted his glasses, so no one could see his telltale green eyes. He tried to pull his hair over his scar before turning on the spot.
He was glad that he had done these Transfigurations, because everyone at the Leaky Cauldron looked at him. Tom seemed to be staring at him, as though he was trying to decide where he has seen this young man before. He was able to walk through the Leaky Cauldron and into Diagon Alley without having anyone noticing him.
Harry purchased a barn owl and named it Dobby. He did this hoping that the owl would be as faithful and helpful as the original Dobby. He sent the owl with the letter to Mr. Robards. His stomach seemed to tighten a little when Dobby took flight. Harry started to feel nervous about letting everyone down by being a total failure in the Auror program. He realized that most people would expect him to appear at the Ministry and be their top Auror. He knew better than to believe that it would be that easy. He will need to work at it and gain everyone’s respect in the Department.
With that task out of the way, he decided to look around Diagon Alley. Occasionally someone would stop and stare at him, but no one said anything to him, which made him very happy.
He was surprised that Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes was still closed. He thought George would have reopened it by now. Walking to the door, Harry knocked several times. He could hear people moving around in there. He kept knocking until he heard a familiar voice yelling that they were not open. He knocked again, and Ron opened the door ready to give the annoying git an earful of obscenities.
“I said we are closed, you bloody idiot,” shouted Ron. Harry chuckled at him as he lightened his glasses and darkened his hair. He pushed past Ron to get inside before somebody on the street recognizes him. “Harry, I’m sorry didn’t know it was you. Come in, come in everyone is here.” Ron said to Harry who was already inside. “We came over to see about George. He — a — seems a little unmotivated. We think he might be drowning his sorrows.” Harry just stared at Ron with this last statement.
“Is that why the store hasn’t been reopened?”
“He has even mentioned to Bill, that he might sell the place.” This statement surprised Harry. George had been inventing mischief and items to create it since before they first met. The two of them walked into the back room where George sat on a crate staring blankly at a wall as Mrs. Weasley, Lee Jordan, and Ginny stood facing him. He could tell that they were all deeply concerned about George’s state of mind.
George looked at Harry as he entered the room. “Harry, welcome back,” he shouted with mock enthusiasm. He stood up and walked to Harry and placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder. He stank of Firewhiskey, sweat, and his breath had the scent of sick. His face was ashen, and he had dark circles under his eyes. “As the original financial backer of this fine establishment I regret to inform you that I am considering selling it.”
“Why? Why would you want to sell this place?” Harry asked as he looked around the store.
“I’ve lost motivation, and — I — a — just think it best right now.” George’s voice trailed off as he spoke so the last few words were barely audible.
“It’s because of Fred’s death. Isn’t it?” George glared at Harry in response to this accusation. “I am very sorry that Fred is gone, and nothing we can do will bring him back, but I never thought you would sell his dream.” George pushed Harry away from him. His face turned a sickly shade of red.
“It wasn’t only his dream. I also wanted this,” shouted George, while jabbing his thumb into his own chest. “We wanted this shop. Fred and I were partners. Now we don’t have it. I will never have him as a partner again.” George stood there, shaking with emotions, glaring at Harry.
“Selling the shop will not make the loneliness go away! Fred is a part of you. The two of you have a bond that is beyond being brothers,” stated Harry a little more loudly than he had intended. He was angry. It wasn’t George that he was angry at, but the fact the Fred was killed. He was angry because the misery Voldemort caused is still destroying good people like George.
“Harry your wrong. We HAD a bond. Fred is dead!”
“Fred is most certainly dead, but you still have that bond. Trust me on this,” Harry calmly stated. He had been able reign in his emotions a little. “When you love someone that bond goes beyond death. George, if you want to sell the shop then go ahead. I don’t want any money. I think that if you want to honor Fred and everything the two of you stood for together. You should keep this shop open and create as much mischief as possible.”
George sat down and placed his head in his hands. It appeared he was trying not to cry. Harry looked around at everyone. They all looked as lost as he was. Mrs. Weasley walked over and gave George a hug and he returned it. Harry looked at everyone and decided he should leave. They all were staring at George with deep concern, and he had just yelled at him and called him a quitter.
Harry had walked through the sales floor and was standing by the front door. He had pulled out his wand to Transfigure his hair and glasses, when a hand grabbed his arm.
“Don’t leave Harry,” asked Ginny quietly. “I need to talk to you.”
Harry turned around and looked at her. She looked confused, almost as though she had too many emotions running through her mind to sort out. Without thinking, Harry reached out and pulled her into a hug. “I am sorry, if I upset everyone by yelling at George. I couldn’t stop myself…”
“It’s all right. You basically said what we or, at least, I was thinking,” sighed Ginny. “He seems so lost without Fred.”
“Yes, he does. I am afraid if he doesn’t keep this store open then he will never have the desire to do anything fun again.”
“Harry, did you mean that, about the bond of love extending beyond death?” Ginny had pushed herself away from him so that she could look him in the eyes. In the short time they had been together, he realized that she did this for serious conversations.
“Yes, I do mean it, and I’ve felt it many times, with my parents.”
“What about us?” Ginny was staring intently into his eyes.
Harry knew what she was asking. Her concern about his death was real and justifiable. As he looked at her, she appeared to suddenly become delicate and frail in front of him. “I will do whatever I can to keep you alive. So, don’t worry,” quipped Harry.
“That is not what I meant.” Ginny’s eyes were starting to well up, and she didn’t appreciate his cheek. Her emotions had been brought to the surface by watching a childhood idol suffering. “If you hadn’t come back? If you had ‘moved on’, as you said? Would you have still loved me? Would I still have been able to feel you, in my heart?”
“I will always love you,” reassured Harry, “Nothing could ever keep me from loving you.” He leaned over and gently kissed her and pulled her close to him. He held her for a few minutes. She tried to wipe her eyes without him noticing by turning to look at the back room. He pulled slightly away from her. “You should not worry about this. Honestly, Ginny, I am trying my best to die some barmy old codger.”
Ginny started to giggle at his last comment. She leaned into him to kiss him, but an owl tapping on the window of the shop interrupted her. Dobby had returned. Harry had forgotten about his letter, but he didn’t think this would be a good time to mention it to Ginny. He opened the front door and Dobby flew up onto his shoulder. He introduced him to Ginny, and she thought it was nice to name him Dobby.
She looked at Harry and mentioned that he and the Grangers are invited over to the Burrow tonight for supper. Her mother wants to cook. She is tired of other people cooking for her. She kissed Harry good-bye and returned to the back room.
The remainder of the day was uneventful. Harry returned to Grimmauld Place, to find the Grangers looking at brochures and information about various Estate Agents and their properties. Harry told Hermione about the letter, and she seemed genuinely thrilled for him. He also told them about being invited to the Burrow. Hermione looked at him with a puzzled look on her face.
“Harry, how are we going to get my parents to the Burrow?”
He had never thought of that. They decided that side along apparition would be the best way. The Floo might be too difficult for first time users. They didn’t want Hermione’s parents showing up at some strange house or business, if they mispronounced the destination.
Her parents weren’t exactly thrilled at the sensation of being pulled through a rubber hose. However, they arrived at the Burrow with time to spare.
The Burrow was buzzing with activity. Bill, Fleur, George, and Percy were there. George’s spirits seemed a little better, but he seemed to be avoiding Harry. Mr. Weasley was talking excitedly with Percy about the changes in the Ministry. Everyone went to greet the Granger’s and ask them how they are getting along.
Ron was sitting with George. He went to hug and kiss Hermione hello, but returned to talk to George. Harry didn’t want to start a confrontation with George, so he avoided them by helping Ginny set the table.
The food was wonderful. Mrs. Weasley is the master of comfort food. She cooks simple dishes that fill you up and make you feel so good. Everyone was enjoying her cooking while talking about Australia and happenings here.
Percy announced that Hogwarts is almost finished with restorations.
“Do you know if there will be Quidditch this year?” asked Ginny.
“Why, yes, the pitch had only minor damage.”
“Great, I can’t wait to get back and play Quidditch again. Playing out back is fun, but I want to get an actual game with a Quaffle.”
“Well, Ginny do you fancy yourself a Quidditch player,” Percy said in a pompous manner. Harry wondered if he tried to sound like that or if it was natural.
“Yes, Percy I do. I actually have been wondering about playing Quidditch after I graduate Hogwarts,” replied Ginny airily.
“Well, you are in luck then.”
“What do you mean, Percy?” Ginny looked at him with a mix of curiosity and annoyance.
“I cannot say anymore, Ministry business,” announced Percy. He emphasized his statement lifting his right hand and turning his face away slightly from Ginny. A spoonful of mashed potatoes flew across the table and hit Percy on his glasses. Harry looked to his left from where the potatoes originated and saw Ginny, Hermione, and Ron smirking at him. George was across from Ron, and he looked like he was about to explode from glee. The rest of the table fell silent as Percy slowly reached up and removed his glasses and sat them in front of his plate. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley seemed shocked that anyone would do something like this with guests present.
Percy let go of his glasses and drew his hands back on the table until they were beside his plate. “Well,” he announced, “I see what you think of my announcement. So,” he suddenly grabbed his plate and flung it back in the direction that the potatoes came from splattering Harry and everyone to his left with food. “Back at You!”
The air seemed to disappear from the room, as everyone stared at the very un-Percy like action. It seemed like an hour had passed, but it was only a second or two before Mrs. Granger scooped up a fork full of green beans and flung them at Hermione, who had gravy and mashed potatoes dripping off her nose. “Don’t forget your vegetables, dear.”
All inhibitions went out the window, as Mrs. Weasley’s wonderful meal became projectiles, flying around the kitchen. It took only five minutes before everyone was smeared with a well-rounded meal and laughing so hard that his or her sides hurt.
Everyone had their wands out and had the kitchen sparkling clean in a few seconds. After all the dishes were cleaned up, the Grangers apologized to Mrs. Weasley about ruining her wonderful meal. Only to have Mrs. Weasley reassure them that it was worth it to hear her children laugh and have fun. She walked over to the oven and pulled out a chocolate cake for dessert. She stood there and held it until everyone promised not to throw it.
As everyone was enjoying their cake Bill returned to Percy’s conversation that started it all. “What Percy was alluding to is the Minister of Magic is trying to rebuild alliances with other countries. He wants to reinstitute something like the Tri-Wizard tournament.” Harry seemed to twitch at the memory of the last one. “It will not be one champion competing from each school, but several. One of the things the schools will be competing in is Quidditch. Hogwarts is getting Gwenog Jones to coach their team.”
Ginny almost choked on her cake when she heard that Gwenog Jones might be coaching the Hogwarts team. She had a poster of her in her bedroom. If there was ever an opportunity to get into professional Quidditch this was it.
Harry asked if anyone has heard from Mrs. Tonks and Teddy Lupin. No one seemed to have heard anything about them, so they were probably doing fine. Harry and Ginny helped clean up the dessert dishes, and then they took a walk outside.
“Gwenog Jones, coaching at Hogwarts. I am going to need to practice up and get on that team. Oh, Harry, this is like a dream come true for me.” Ginny was bubbling with excitement. They were sitting on a bench by the back door of the kitchen. “If I make the team, I’ll be playing matches all over England. Then if things work out, I’ll get to travel all over the world playing….” She stopped talking and all the excitement left her. “Harry, would you be upset if I played professional Quidditch?” She was looking at him, waiting for him to say yes or no.
“No! I wouldn’t be upset. What type of boyfriend would I be if I told you couldn’t pursue your dreams?”
“A typical wizard kind,” she solemnly said. “Most wizards of your wealth and prominence don’t allow their wives — or — girlfriends to work or have their own careers.” Ginny was now looking down at her hands.
“I was raised as a Muggle, Ginny. This is what your father talked about, living our life before settling down to raise a family.” Harry felt his face get warm as he mentioned them raising a family. Ginny also looked up at him when he said it. She seemed to be just as embarrassed as he was. “The only thing I will ask of you is to come back to me, after becoming an international Quidditch star.”
“Thank you for being so understanding.” She pulled his face down to her and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her and they got lost in the sweet sensations of snogging.
They finally stopped due to lack of oxygen. “Being understanding and marvelous comes with being The Chosen One?” Harry said with a laugh. “OW! That hurt,” he cried. Ginny had kicked his shin because of his last comment.
“Is everything alright out there?” Mrs. Weasley had asked from the kitchen door.
“It’s alright Mum. Harry is having leg cramps, from the long trip.”
“Seems to happen a lot in the family,” chuckled Mrs. Weasley as she walked away from the door.
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The next day Harry and Ginny were going to see Teddy Lupin. They arrived at the front door of the Tonks residence and knocked. They noticed that the house was all closed up. The drapes were pulled tight and the garden hadn’t been tended in a while. No one answered but they thought that they heard someone moving around inside.
Knocking again Harry shouted out. “Hello, Mrs. Tonks its Harry and Ginny. We stopped by to see Teddy.”
They thought that they saw a drape move before the sound of several locks being opened. Mrs. Tonks opened the door just enough to let them inside. She quickly closed the door behind them and reset the locks.
“Mrs. Tonks, what is wrong? Why are you hiding?” As Harry said this, he noticed that she looked several years older and extremely tired since the last time he saw her.
“It’s the vigilantes. They think I am Bellatrix. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been mistaken for my sister.” Even her voice was tired. Her attempt at humor failed, because of her present state.
“Bellatrix is dead. My mother killed her,” stated Ginny. “It was in the Prophet.”
“I doubt these people read or believe what the Prophet has to say. They have been wrong before. There are reports of vigilante’s attacking purebloods all over Britain. The Ministry is so over whelmed that they can’t do anything to stop it. The vigilantes attack and then disappear within before the Hit-wizards or Aurors can show up.”
The injustice of this burned inside of Harry. Andromeda had lost her husband and only child in the fight against the Death Eaters, and now idiots seeking revenge against her dead sister were pursuing her. “What can we do to help?” Harry almost shouted this as he found his emotions hard to control. “I can’t sit by and watch this happen to you after all you have been through.”
“Harry, Ginny, please sit down. If you want to help me, pick up things that I need for the house and Teddy. I don’t want the two of you chasing after these people.” They sat down on the sofa in her living room, while she went to get Teddy. He was awake and playing in a bedroom.
Mrs. Tonks returned with the baby and went to hand him to Harry, but Ginny grabbed him first. They sat and talked about what she would need. Harry held Teddy and gave him the stuffed Koala bear that he picked up in Australia.
He had just given him back to Mrs. Tonks, when the front door exploded, and people jumped inside. Harry drew his wand, but Mrs. Tonks was in the way. Before he could do anything, he heard at least six different voices shout “Crucio”. The pain shot through his body. He could hear the vigilantes laughing and taunting them as he writhed on the floor.
“You can’t hide from us. We saw you were home,” taunted one of the attackers. “It’s your turn Bellatrix.”
“How do you like it? This is for my cousin you slime,” shouted another.
“Maybe we will stay here all night before we kill you all.” They all were saying things mistakenly directed at Andromeda.
Harry could hear screaming in his ears. He thought it was his before he realized that he wasn’t screaming. It was Ginny, Mrs. Tonks, and Teddy. These scums were even torturing a two-month-old baby. Harry concentrated with all his might trying to push the pain out of his mind and only think about fighting back. He could feel control coming back to his arms and legs. There was still pain, but it didn’t control him anymore.
“Protego” Harry jumped up and cast a Shielding Charm. He could still feel the Curses cutting through his Shield, but their intensity decreased. His Shield expanded out in all directions slamming the vigilantes against the walls of the room. They were shocked at this happening and broke the Curses. Before they could react, Harry silently Stunned them all.
Ginny was slowly getting up. Mrs. Tonks also was recovering, but Teddy was screaming and twitching as though the curse was still on him.
Harry knelt beside Teddy and his Grandmother. “Mrs. Tonks, can you take Teddy to St. Mungo’s? Are you well enough?”
“Yes! Yes, I can do that,” she said with great effort. “Harry, I will be all right.”
“Then go! Go now! Please!” Harry was concerned what a powerful Curse like that would do to a baby that’s barely two months old. Mrs. Tonks walked with Teddy in her arms out the front door and Disapparated.
“Ginny, how are you? Do you think you could go to the Ministry and get some Aurors to come out here? I’ll stay and make sure no one escapes.” He was looking at her with deep concern in his eyes. He had never wanted her to know what that Curse felt like. He wanted to hurt that filth that would torture a baby and Ginny, but a part of his mind kept telling him it would be wrong.
“I’ll be fine,” replied Ginny as she stood up and stretched her legs and arms. “That wasn’t the first time I’ve felt that effin’ curse.”
“What do you mean, that wasn’t the first time?” shouted Harry. The shock of the statement had caught him off guard.
“The Carrows use to give Cruciatus Curses for detention. Do you really think I was going to keep my mouth shut when some slime ball talked about how horrible you were?” Harry stood there numb at what she had just told him. The thoughts of her lying on the floor of a Hogwart’s classroom while being tortured, was causing his head to pound.
“Relax, Harry, it wasn’t your fault. That is in the past, just let it go.” She saw the anguish in his face and told him this in a soft and reassuring voice. She gently kissed him. Thanked him for saving her, walked out the front door, and Disapparated.
Harry looked around the room. All the vigilantes were motionless. He began to wonder if there might be more of them. He put his invisibility cloak on, moved back into a corner, and waited for Ginny to return with the Aurors. His head was still pounding with the thought of Ginny being tortured. He tried to do everything possible to prevent that from happening. He kept trying to heed her advice and let it go. Let it go, it was in the past.
Harry heard movement outside of the house. He had been thinking of Ginny so much that he didn’t hear anyone Apparate. Even though he was invisible, he squeezed himself further back into the corner. He saw two wands appear in the doorway. The people holding them hesitated for a second, and then slowly entered the room. Harry didn’t recognize them. He pulled up his wand under his cloak in case he needed to use it. The two wizards looked around the room, and then spoke to someone outside.
“There are six people here, and they looked stunned. No sign of Potter though. He must have left.”
Harry recognized Ginny’s voice. “He is there. He is probably hiding from you. Let me come in there.”
“No, Miss Weasley, I don’t want you in there in case fighting breaks out.” This was said by another voice from outside. “Miss Weasley stop!” Ginny ignored his command and walked into the room.
“Harry, its safe these are the Aurors. If you don’t come out soon you will be having more leg cramps.” The other two Aurors looked at her as though she had lost her mind. Then they jumped as Harry suddenly appeared in the corner with a big smile on his face.
The rest of the Aurors came into the house. They tied up the vigilantes and picked up all their wands for an investigation. They questioned Harry about what had happened, and how he was able to fight off and stun six attackers at one time. Gawain Robards was the Auror in charge of the group. He seemed a little perplexed by what Harry and Ginny told them. He had never heard of somebody fighting off a Cruciatus Curse before or using a Shielding Charm like that. The thing that puzzled him the most was that Harry didn’t seem to know how he did it either. He told the two of them that they were free to go. The Aurors dragged the vigilantes outside and Disapperated.
Harry and Ginny went to St. Mungo’s to see how Teddy was doing. They found Mrs. Tonks standing over him in the spell damage ward. The healers had put him to sleep, because he was still showing the effects of the curse.
They walked up to Mrs. Tonks, stood on each side of her, and put an arm around her. She told them about how he wouldn’t stop screaming and writhing. She had to hold him very tight because she was afraid he might Splinch if he twitched while Apparating. The healers have no experience at this type of case. They were all shocked that anyone would torture a two-month-old baby like that.
Gawain Robards showed up with a healer in tow. He had finished questioning the attackers and checking their wands for prior spells.
“Well. Good news, we have an almost rock-solid case against those people. They may never see the outside of Azkaban again.” The three just looked at him and nodded recognition of the statement. “Have the three of you been checked by a healer?” They all shook their heads no. “I didn’t think so. Healer Alsop is here to check you, so please just cooperate.”
The healer looked at the three of them individually, while he did this Mr. Robards talked to first Mrs. Tonks then Harry. Ginny noticed that the conversation with Harry wasn’t a questioning, but he seemed to be congratulating him as he was patting him on the shoulder and shaking his hand. After the healer gave them all a foul-tasting medicine to drink, Mr. Robards told them all good bye.
“What did he talk to you about?” inquired Ginny.
Harry started to get a little nervous. He didn’t think Ginny would be surprised, but he figured that she would be angry. “He just told me that I did a good job. He also said that he received my letter and I am scheduled to take the initial Aurors test.” He stopped and waited for Ginny to explode at him, but she didn’t. She looked at him as though he had just told her what the weather was like.
“The initial test? Does that mean that you are going to start training soon?”
“I won’t start my actual training until September 1. If I pass the initial phase.”
Both Ginny and Mrs.Tonks stared at him in disbelief that he said that. “You just took out six attackers, after fighting off the Cruciatus Curse,” scoffed Ginny. “You are worried about not being accepted for training. Sometimes, Harry, you are unbelievably thick.”
“Ginny! It’s that I haven’t completed my education,” interjected Harry. “I am not that good at Transfiguration and Potions. Those are important aspects too. I am just glad that I’ll be going to Hogwarts to start my training.”
“What! You will be going to Hogwarts with me this year,” squealed Ginny. “Oh Harry, that is wonderful!” She hugged and kissed him passionately. Both Harry and she forgot about Mrs. Tonks being there and apologized for acting like that.
“That’s alright I am glad to see you two happy,” she said with a smile.
The three of them pulled up chairs and sat down beside the bed. They talked about the trip, and things that were happening in England. The time started to slip away. Harry noticed that it was almost five o’clock and suggested that Ginny go home. He would stay the night with Mrs. Tonks. Ginny reluctantly agreed and left. Mrs. Tonks insisted that Harry leave also, but he didn’t want to leave her alone.
Mrs. Weasley showed up an hour later with a basket of food and a ton of sympathy. She told Mrs. Tonks that Arthur was going to her house to fix the front door. She was so shocked at what Ginny had told her. Ginny and Hermione also arrived with her. They talked to Harry. Hermione seemed very interested in how Harry was able to Stun all six attackers.
Harry became tired of people telling him what he did was impossible and changed the subject by asking about Ron. Hermione said that he was still at the shop. He has been there all day, trying to get George to reopen it.
After about an hour a healer showed up and told them that there were too many people, and some would have to leave. Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, and Hermione said their goodbyes and left for the night. Harry stayed with Mrs. Tonks.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Later that night, Hermione sat in Ginny’s bedroom talking about Harry. Ginny was becoming annoyed at the fact that Hermione was questioning what Harry had done.
“Can’t you accept that he might be a really powerful wizard?”
“Well yes, but he was never able to do things like that before. His sudden ability to cast nonverbal spells is surprising to me, along with his sudden improvement at Transfiguration,” stated Hermione in her analytical voice.
“Have you ever considered that it might be because of the Horcrux?” replied Ginny.
“The Horcrux? Which one and what would that have to do with it?” questioned Hermione.
“The Horcrux he had been carrying around inside of him for seventeen years. That’s the one I’m talking about, Hermione. How could he have a piece of Voldemort’s soul in him for seventeen years and never be possessed by it. I was possessed from a diary that I wrote in. Harry had an actual piece inside of him. Living in him, yet he was never possessed. He must have had this internal battle going on inside of him that he never realized. That would require a great deal of magical power to resist. Now that it is gone all the energy and power needed to resist it can be directed to Harry’s other powers and abilities.”
Hermione and Ginny sat there discussing what she had just said. Hermione told her how the locket would make her feel when she wore it. The ability it had to affect your mood and at times, it seemed to be able to control your thoughts. Ginny had a valid point that Harry had been battling this evil since he was one year old. Now that it is gone, he would be a changed person.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
The healers awakened Harry and Mrs. Tonks the next morning. They had fallen asleep on a settee leaning on each other. They stood up and stretched before asking about Teddy. The healers were going to break the sleep spell on him and check to see how he was. Everyone was happy to find that the effects of the spell had worn off. Teddy lay in the bed and cooed at everyone staring at him.
“Thank you!” said Mrs. Tonks. “For staying with me last night, it helped having someone here. Why don’t you go home and get some rest in your own bed?”
“I might do that,” yawned Harry as he stretched again. “Is there anything you need me to get for the house and Teddy?”
“No, with those vigilantes incarcerated I should be free to get things myself.”
“Well let me know if you need anything. Take care.” Harry was shocked when she pulled him into a warm hug.
He left wondering how it is possible to have two sisters so completely different in personality. He was thinking about this and almost walked into Kingsley.
“Careful there Harry. You almost knocked me over,” said the Minister of Magic. He was dressed in high quality robes that gave him a truly royal look.
“I’m sorry King — um — Minister. I was just leaving Mrs. Tonks and Teddy.” Harry caught himself yawning again. He tried to suppress the yawn but wasn’t successful. “I wasn’t watching were I was going.”
“How is Teddy?”
“He is doing well. He was able to sleep off the effects of the curse.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I wanted to check on them, and to talk to you. Since you are here, I’ll take care of business with you first.” Kingsley handed Harry two pieces of paper.
“What’re these?” asked Harry as took the folded piece of paper from him.
“That is Miss Weasley’s Apparation license. And the other one is yours. She passed since she was able to Apparate to the Ministry yesterday,” he chuckled at the breach of Wizard Law that had occurred. Kingsley cleared his throat as though he was preparing to give a speech before continuing. “I am hoping. Well I am insisting that you come to the reopening of Hogwarts, on September 2. We are dedicating a monument to the people who fought and to the one’s that died. It would be great if you could say a few words.”
“Another speech?” groaned Harry.
“Yes, another speech,” laughed Kingsley, who couldn’t cover his amusement at Harry’s discomfort.
“All right, I’ll do it.” Harry’s body language looked as though he was given some Herculean task to perform. “If this keeps up I might as well be a politician, instead of an Auror.”
“Harry, stick to a career as an Auror. I’ve heard you’re a lousy liar.”
Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Feeling Alone
Harry thought about what Kingsley had just said. Shouldn’t he be proud that people thought he was a lousy liar. Being honest and trustworthy was important wasn’t it? The comment still bothered him.Even though he had slept some last night, he was still rather tired. He could just go home and have a kip, but he didn’t want to sleep the day away. All the Grangers would be off looking for places to purchase, so he would be alone if he went home. Considering all his options, Harry decided to go to the Weasley’s. He could also give Ginny her Apparation license.
Harry appeared just outside of the fence surrounding the Burrow’s property. It was thirty past eight, so he guessed that Ginny and Ron would still be sleeping. They had no reason to be up this early. Upon entering the kitchen, he was surprised to see both up and eating breakfast. Not only were they awake but they were dressed as though they were going somewhere.
Harry looked at Ron and Ginny as they were shoveling food into their mouths. Ron always ate this way, but Ginny was a little more reserved in her culinary habits.
“Harry,” said Ron with his mouth full. He was the first to see him.
Ginny stopped eating and stared at Harry. She had a strange expression on her face.
“Good Morning Harry,” said Mrs. Weasley happily. “Sit down and I will get you some breakfast.”
“Sure, thank you.” He went to sit down beside Ginny when he noticed the Daily Prophet sitting beside her. He stopped halfway down to the chair when he saw his and Andromeda Tonks’ faces on the front page. They were both asleep and leaning on each other beside Teddy’s bed. It was accompanied with the headline ‘Harry Potter has a love child to an older woman.’
Mrs. Weasley walked up beside him tutting. “You would think they would have better things to do than to make up lies.”
“If it’s about Harry, they know it will sell papers,” said Ron. “Well sis, are you ready? Nice seeing you mate, but we need to go to work.” Ron stood up and walked outside.
“Harry,” said Ginny a little sheepishly. “George offered to pay me to help at the shop.”
Harry was going to respond, but Ginny talked over him.
“If I want to impress Gwenog Jones and have any chance at becoming a professional Quidditch player, I need a good broom. If I work all summer for George, I should have enough for a new Cleansweep. I hope you don’t mind, but I need to get to work.”
She stood up and kissed him before moving to the Floo.
“Ginny,” he said quickly. “Here, you don’t need the Floo anymore.” He held out her Apparition License. “Kings… The Minister handed it to me to give to you.”
Molly walked over. “When did you get trained and tested in Apparation?”
“Never,” said a puzzled Ginny.
“She Apparated to the Ministry to get the Aurors last night when we were attacked. Kingsley said that should qualify as passing the Apparation test.”
Ginny smiled as she took the card. “I can legally Apparate. Cool!”
She quickly kissed Harry again as she ran outside. He turned to ask when she will be getting lunch, but the sound of Apparation made him realize that she was already gone.
“With Ron and Ginny working and Hermione trying to make up for lost time with her parents, what are you going to do this summer?” asked Mrs. Weasley.
Harry stopped and stared at his plate of food. He had no clue.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
“There you go Mr…” the counter person hesitated at saying a name. Harry was in disguise and didn’t want to reveal who he was.
“Billings, Evan Billings is my name.”
“Alright, Mr. Billings, that is the entire listing of textbooks for Seventh years from two years ago and several advanced defense books,” stated the counter person at Flourish and Blotts. “Plus, extra quills, ink, and parchment, is there anything else I can get you?”
Harry stood there and looked at the pile of books. He didn’t want to go into this next year unprepared. He knew that his fame would help him, but he wanted to learn as much as he could before his Auror Training even started.
“Could I have a couple of introductory books on Ancient Runes and Arithmancy?”
“Why of course, do you also want the accompanying study guides?”
Harry knew he was going to regret saying this, but he answered affirmatively.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Harry had the all the books laid out before him on Grimmauld’s library table. He had expanded the table slightly. He stared at the books wondering where to start. The house was empty. Ginny and Ron were at work. He never got to find out when they got lunchbreak or even how late they were working.
He wasn’t sure how much he could learn reading these books without first hearing a lecture. He was never one to read ahead in any of his classes. The closest thing he could think of would be during the Triwizard tournament and when he was training the DA. He looked at the stack of advanced Defensive magic textbooks. He wanted to pick one up and start on it, but he knew there were other subjects he needed to spend more time on. Reaching for the Seventh year Transfiguration Textbook he picked it up and started to read.
Ten hours later, Harry was sitting in the kitchen reading another book from the house’s library. It furthered explained the tricky transfiguration of inanimate objects into animate objects. He had been reading for the entire day. Kreacher had kept him supplied with tea and snacks while he studied. He placed the book down on the table and picked up his quill and made a few notes on the parchment he had been scribbling on all afternoon. He would need to go back and revise at another time. Maybe tomorrow morning, he was hoping that tonight Ginny would contact him. It was going on eight in the evening. He was getting hungry, but he had not eaten because he wanted to share a meal with Ginny.
The front door closed, and he heard voices. Hoping it was Ginny, he stood up and started towards the stairs leading up to the main floor. He had only taken a few steps when he realized that it was Hermione and her parents.
“I know it was an ideal location and house, dear, but we do not have the funds available to put a down payment on it,” said Hermione’s father.
“How long will it be before we get the money from our house in Australia?” asked Mrs. Granger.
“Most transactions take at least a month to process the paperwork and finalize the deal.”
“I don’t know if I can stand another month in this…,” Mrs. Granger stopped talking.
He heard Hermione whisper something, and their voices dropped to whispers that Harry couldn’t make out. He didn’t want them to think he was listening to their conversation, so he quickly retraced his steps to the table. He had just sat down at the table when Hermione walked down the stairs to the kitchen. She let out a little squeak when she saw him sitting there.
“Harry, I thought you were upstairs or over at the Burrow. What are you reading?”
Hermione didn’t wait for him to answer before she practically pulled the book out of his hand. He watched bemused as her eyes roamed over the page he had been reading.
“I am trying to get some studying done. I need to take an Auror exam in two months. I don’t want to make a fool out of myself.”
“This is very interesting; did you buy this book?”
“No, it was in the library. Mr. and Mrs. Granger, would you like something to eat? There is some beef stew and dumplings in the pot on the stove.”
“Is it any good?” asked Mr. Granger as he walked over to lift the lid and sniffed the stew.
“It smells good, but I haven’t had any,” said Harry. “I was waiting to hear from Ginny to see if she would come over after work.”
“Work?” asked Hermione. “Where is she working?”
“At the joke shop, along with Ron.” He smiled at Hermione’s blank expression. “You didn’t know.”
“No, I assume they are going to help George open the shop up,” replied Hermione trying to recover from her small surprise.
“Ginny said she was going to be working there all summer. She wants to earn enough money to purchase a new broom.”
“And Ronald, did he say how long he was going to be working?” asked Hermione rather waspishly.
Harry almost laughed when Mr. Granger let out a low whistle and whispered. “Poor boy.”
“No, he did not. Why don’t you Floo over to the Burrow and see if they are home from work.”
Hermione hesitated for a second. “No, if HE wants to speak to me. He can Floo or send an owl. I think I am going to get ready for bed. It has been a long day.”
Harry watched her walk out of the room extremely stiff. He almost hoped that Ron wouldn’t come over tonight. If he would show up now, those two would get into one of their loud rows. He did want to see Ginny, but he was still unsure if he should Floo over to the Burrow and check on her.
“If you want to go to see her, my advice is go,” said Mr. Granger. “You don’t want to get the same reception as Ron when you see Ginny again, do you.”
Harry started to snigger at his comment. “I think I will just Floo over and see how her day went.”
“Smart man,” said Mrs. Granger. “If you happen to see Ron, you might want to give him some advice about communication.”
“I will do that,” Harry replied.
He had a difficult time keeping from laughing about his two best friends. He was reaching for the Floo powder when green flames erupted in his fireplace. He stepped aside waiting for someone to step out of the flames. The only thing coming from the flames was a paper bird that flew around the kitchen and landed on his shoulder. It immediately unfolded into a note.
“That was some interesting magic,” said Mr. Granger.
“Yes, it was,” Harry replied as he picked the piece of parchment off his shoulder. He quickly recognized Ginny’s writing.
Dear Harry,
It was a long and trying day at the shop. I am completely knackered. I just finished eating and am heading to bed. I hope to see you tomorrow. I will contact you when I have time to see you again.
Love,
Ginny
“What’s that you are holding?” asked Hermione. She had returned without changing her clothes. She was carrying one of Harry’s new defense books.
Harry looked at Hermione’s parents before responding. He could see the apprehension in their eyes.
“It is a note from Ginny. She sent it through the Floo.” Harry stopped talking as he could see Hermione’s knuckles turning white as she gripped the book in her hand. “I guess they had a hard day of work and are going to bed early.”
“Well, I think I am going to do the same,” snapped Hermione. She turned and walked up the stairs.
“Don’t you want some stew, dear,” called her mother. “It’s delicious.”
“I am not hungry,” Hermione shouted from somewhere further up the stairs.
Harry turned to the Grangers. “I guess I will have some stew after all. It doesn’t look as if I will be going anywhere tonight.”
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Harry woke up the next morning to see the Grangers eating breakfast. Hermione looked tired, and, judging by how far she had read into the defense book, she hadn’t slept much last night. She must have read nearly hundred-fifty pages. Mrs. Granger was sipping on her tea and staring at the table. She looked up and wished Harry good morning, but Harry could tell it was forced. Mr. Granger looked at his wife with a sad expression.
“There are three possible locations we can look into today,” Mr. Granger said to his wife. “Hermione, are you going to accompany us again today?”
“Yes, Father,” said Hermione. She didn’t even seem to acknowledge Harry standing there.
“We should get going,” said Mrs. Granger standing up from her chair. “It will take us some time to get to all these locations.”
The Grangers all left after wishing Harry “A Good Day”. He stood there watching them leave. It looked like it was going to be another long day alone. He sat down at the table and poured himself some tea. There was toast and marmalade on the table. He picked up a couple pieces of toast and spread some marmalade on them. It looked like he will have another day alone to study.
Harry decided to start studying Potions today. He knew that without Snape’s potion book he will need to work extra hard to pass his Potion’s NEWTs. After spending all morning reading about Potion making, Harry needed a break. He wished he could go out for a spin on his broom, but he didn’t have one. He also realized that he would need to set up a Potions lab if he would be able to pass his NEWTs. Writing up a list of everything he needed to brew the potions he had covered today, he left for Diagon Alley,
Harry entered the Apothecary in his Transfigured disguise. He handed the older looking gentleman behind the counter the list of reagents to make the potions he had covered this morning.
“It looks like you are trying to catch up to last year’s curriculum,” said the older gentleman. He raised an eyebrow as he looked at Harry. “Planning on taking your NEWTs?”
“I would like to be able to pass my Potion’s NEWT, but school was disrupted last year. If you could, I would like extra reagents,” said Harry.
“Extra reagents?” the old wizard asked with a surprised expression. “Are you planning on messing up your initial potions?”
“I have never been very good at Potions, so I wanted to ensure I have enough to practice.” He said rather embarrassed.
“That is a smart thing to do, young man,” said the man behind the counter. “If you are not an expert at Potions, then it is always best to have extra. People come in wanting only enough reagents for one batch, and they usually never get it right the first time. Potions are a funny thing. My wife is the expert at making Potions, but she is also a good cook.”
“A good cook, sir?” asked Harry.
“Most Potions brewers are good cooks.” said the man. “It is very similar process.”
“I guess as long as I don’t get my cauldrons mixed up,” said Harry. He and the attendant chuckled at his comment. “I also will need the cauldrons, scales, and knives to measure and process my reagents.”
The attendant placed all of Harry’s supplies on the counter. “That will be 80 galleons.”
Harry realized that he didn’t have 80 galleons on him. “I am sorry, I do not have that many galleons on me. If you could set the package back behind the counter, I will go to Gringotts and get the galleons I need.”
“If you have a vault, you could set up an account so all you need is to sign for the purchase. You want me to get the application?”
“No,” said Harry a little more forcefully than he intended. He didn’t want anyone to know who he was. “I will be back within thirty minutes, if the goblins are cooperative.”
“Good Luck with the goblins,” said the man as Harry left the store. “We close at 5 this evening if you are not back, I will add a restocking charge to the cost.”
“I will be back before then,” he shouted to the attendant as he left the store.
He hurried down the street to Gringotts. He hoped the goblins would be a little more courteous this time than the last few times he was at the bank.
The goblins didn’t seem to show any animosity to him. He was able to get more gold out of his vault without incident. He returned to the Apothecary in time to purchase the supplies. The shops were all going to be open for another couple of hours, so he went window shopping. He first went over to the joke shop, but it appeared to be closed and he couldn’t see inside the windows.
He strolled along thinking about what else he would need. He stopped in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies and stared at the Firebolt in the window. He thought about purchasing one, even though he didn’t need one to be an Auror. His birthday was coming up and he could say it was an early birthday present. Sirius bought his old Firebolt for all the birthdays and Christmases he had missed.
The memory of Sirius’s death hit him like a Dementor attack. He could feel tears forming in his eyes, and thought his transfigured appearance even wavered slightly. Focusing with all his might, Harry Apparated to Grimmauld Place’s stoop. He quickly opened the front door and slammed it behind him.
He found the first chair in the sitting room and collapsed into it. Dropping his supplies with a clang as the cauldrons hit the floor. He couldn’t hold his tears back anymore. He placed his face in his hands and started crying for Sirius’s death, His parent’s sacrifice, Remus, Tonks, Fred and all those others that lost their lives.
He could not understand why this hit him so hard right now. He thought he had dealt with their deaths. He should be over this grief, but it was consuming him. The tears stopped after a few minutes, but the feeling of guilt and grief seemed to lay on him suffocating him like a heavy blanket. He didn’t even react or move when he heard the door shut and when Hermione and her parents returned.
“Harry, Harry, what happened?” asked Hermione.
“I — I…,” he stopped talking. How was he going to explain where all this grief came from that caused him to break down? “…the thoughts of everyone who has died just overwhelmed me.”
“Who, who died?” asked Hermione.
“My parents, Sirius, Tonks, Remus, Fred, Dumbledore, Colin Creevey,….”
“Alright Harry, I thought someone else had died,” she said with a sigh of relief.
“Hermione,” her father snapped at her. “Grief can hit people in many different ways.”
“Harry, did you do something that made you think of these people whom you lost?” asked Mr. Granger.
“I-I was looking at the new Firebolt. Sirius bought me one. He said it was for all the birthdays of mine that he missed.”
There was a moment of silence before Harry heard Hermione whisper to her father.
“It’s like getting a Ferrari for a birthday present.”
Mr. Granger let out a low whistle before speaking again. “Harry, there will be memories that will trigger grief, and that is fine. It means you cared about these people. What can complicate this situation is some people will tell you to avoid those things that activate your grief.
“If these memories are happy and special then hold on to them. We should always remember those that have passed. Hopefully, these memories won’t make you stop wanting to live and experience life. That would be a bad thing. Emotions are such a difficult thing to sort out. Don’t be ashamed of crying about missing someone you loved. It shows that you can still feel.”
Harry looked up him and then to Hermione. He couldn’t think of anything to say.
“I have been trained to work with grieving patients. Although,” he smiled. “…being a dentist, it isn’t something that should come from my work too often. It also comes from having experienced loss in my life. You two should not have had to deal with the losses that you had experienced. It is almost like back in the forties when everyone seemed to know a couple of people who died from the war. It had affected my parents lives and their entire generation.
“Harry, grief is normal. Different things will set it off for people. The thought of this broom caused you to grieve. My mother enjoyed working in the garden. It will sound strange, but when I see certain flowers or an older woman wearing garden gloves and a wide straw hat, I miss her.
“It will get better over time, but you will always miss the ones you love.” Mr. Granger smiled at him. “I think I have said enough for now. I think I will check to see if there is anything in the kitchen.”
Harry watched Mr. Granger walk away. He was still sad but he felt better. He looked over at Hermione who had a look on her face that indicated she had just realized something.
“What did you just realize, Hermione?”
“Oh, sorry,” she said quickly. She must have been still in thought. “I was just remembering growing up. Mother and I would go to the botanical gardens to view the flowers, and Father would never go with us. I think I know why. I had always thought he didn’t like flowers.”
“Do you miss your Grandmum?”
“She passed before I was born, so I have no memory of her. How are you feeling now?”
Harry smiled up at his friend. “I am still a little off, a little sad, but feeling better thanks to your Father.”
“I should go see if there is anything to eat.” Hermione said.
“Hermione, wait,” said Harry quickly. “There is something I need to talk to you about.”
“If it about Ronald, I don’t want to talk about…”
Harry snorted a suppressed laugh. “No, it isn’t about him. I am thinking that I should take your wand away when you see him again.”
“I guess I will need to work on wandless magic then.”
“Alright, he probably deserves what he is going to get, but you do realize he may not have any idea why you are mad at him.”
“And that is why I am so, so, so…”
“I get it Hermione, but I thought we were not going to talk about him.”
“What did you want to talk about?”
Harry scratched the back of his neck nervous that Hermione would get angry with him for admitting he had listened in on her family’s discussion. “When you got home last night, I heard your parents talking about finding a home and a place for their practice. I didn’t mean to listen to your conversation. I thought it might be Ginny coming over and…”
“Oh, is that all,” Hermione said nonchalantly. “What did you hear exactly?”
“I heard about some place your parents really liked but didn’t have the money to put a down payment on it. I would like to give them the money for the down payment. I have it…”
“Harry, that is a lot of money. The broker wants fifty thousand pounds for the down payment.”
Harry stared at her for a few seconds going through the figures in his head. “I think there are ten pounds to a galleon, so I should easily have it. I can get it for you tomorrow after I go to Gringotts.”
Hermione stood there staring at him with her mouth partially open. “I can’t ask you to….”
“You didn’t ask. I offered. Don’t forget you and that redheaded git are the closest people I have to true family. If your parents want to, they can pay me back. If they don’t, I won’t care.”
Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Alone in Grimmauld Place
Harry opened the door to Thurston J. Pearce’s Realtor business. An electronic bell sounded as he stepped into the waiting room. A middle-aged woman wearing a conservative navy-blue dress looked at him with uncertainty.“May I help you, young man,” she said stiffly.
Harry looked around the waiting room and didn’t see anyone else. He was supposed to be meeting the Grangers here this morning at precisely ten, but he didn’t see them. “I am supposed to be meeting the Granger family here this morning.”
“The Granger family?” the receptionist asked. She looked at her schedule in front of her. “Yes, they are to meet with Mr. Pearce at 10:15, and you are?”
“Harry Potter, are they here already?”
“No, they haven’t arrived.”
“Alright then I will wait until they arrive,” he said before she could say anything.
He looked around the small waiting area and saw a comfortable chair to sit in. He took off his rucksack and sat it down. The receptionist acted like she was working on something at her desk while glancing over at him every few seconds.
He was surprised that the Hermione and her parents were not here. They said to meet at ten. It was a few minutes before, but Hermione had always tried to be early to her classes when he and Ron didn’t make her late. He had nothing to do, so he sat there. After leaving Gringotts this morning, he had crossed London using the underground and busses to get to this office. After a few minutes he became restless, looking around he noticed some pamphlets of realty listings. Picking one up he started glancing through them. He was looking at various prices and locations. He was slightly bothered by the fact that he didn’t recognize many of the towns that these homes were located. He had spent so much of his time stuck in Little Whinging and the magical society that he didn’t know much about Muggle England.
The bell rung again as the door opened to several people walking through. At the lead was a middle-aged man in a three-piece pinstriped suit, who reminded Harry of a younger Cornelius Fudge. The Granger family was following him.
“If you are certain that you want the house in Kent, I can start drawing up the paperwork. I have several other listings that you may want to look at…,”
“Harry,” shouted Hermione interrupting the man who appeared to be Thurston Pearce. “You are here.”
She ran over to him and hugged him. “Did everything go well at Gringotts?” She whispered so no one else could hear them.
“Yeah brilliant,” he replied.
“Hello there, I am Thurston J. Pearce, who might you be?” asked the realtor while extending his hand.
Harry shook the man’s hand. “Harry Potter, I am a friend of Hermione’s.”
“And are you looking to purchase a home?” asked Mr. Pearce.
“No, he is here to meet us,” said Mr. Granger, he looked a little awkward in saying that. “I would like to speak to him for a bit before we start the paperwork on the Kent location.”
When the realtor didn’t walk away immediately, Mr. Granger looked at him. “Alone.”
The Realtor nodded awkwardly and left for his office back a hallway.
“Harry, are you sure you still want to do this for us? That is a lot of money.”
“Yes, sir, I am happy to help you out. If you want to pay me back you can, but if you don’t than I have no problems with it.”
“To whom is the check made out?” asked Mr. Granger.
“Check?” asked Harry.
“Yes, I assumed you had a cashier’s check made out. You certainly wouldn’t be walking around London with 50,000 pounds in your pocket.”
“No sir, it is in my rucksack.”
Everyone looked at the rucksack laying on the floor by Harry’s feet. Hermione’s parents paled as they looked at it.
“Is that alright? I don’t know if Gringotts could give me a check. I have never done anything like this before.”
“Yes, it is fine. I just assumed that…Never mind I keep forgetting about the differences in our societies.” He whispered the last word.
Harry picked up the rucksack and handed it to Mr. Granger. “Do you want to count it. It is all there. I would like that rucksack back though not today.”
“Yes, that will be fine, thank you again for helping us. You have no idea what this means to us as a family,” Mr. Granger said.
“Yes, thank you Harry for all that you have done for us,” Mrs. Granger said smiling at him.
He smiled at Hermione. “It’s what friends do, help each other out and be there for them.”
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Upon returning to Grimmauld Place, Harry looked at this house. He couldn’t call it a home. It was a building that his Godfather grew up and he now owns. He only looked through a couple of the brochures at the realtor’s office, but he liked what he saw in those books. The homes weren’t as sterile as his Aunt and Uncle’s home, but they were a vast improvement over this place.
With a sigh, Harry walked upstairs to the study. He needed to set up his Potion lab somewhere in this house and get working. Between going to Gringotts today and spending yesterday afternoon depressed, he was a day behind on his studies.
Six hours later, he was tired but happy. He had set up the Potions Lab in the room with the tapestry of the Black family. It took him about an hour to arrange everything. He had brewed two of the potions that were considered NEWT level, in the remaining time. He had tested them, and they met all the criteria as stated in the Potions book.
What the man at the apothecary told him made Harry think about the connection between brewing Potions and being a good cook. He wondered if his Mother was a good cook. He has no memory of her cooking and no one ever mentioned that aspect. He started to snigger to himself that Hermione was good at Potions, but she definitely wasn’t what he would call a good cook. It probably wasn’t fair since she was cooking in a tent and using whatever they could find in the woods and purchase in a hurry from Muggle stores.
Harry was just getting ready to sit down to dinner when he heard the front door open. He didn’t bother getting up. He suspected it was the Grangers. He could hear them talking as they walked down the hall. He assumed they would be returning for the night. He doubted that they could move into their new home this early.
Hermione was the first into the kitchen followed closely by her parents. All three of them wore large smiles. Mr. Granger was carrying Harry’s rucksack. He set down beside Harry and walked around the table and looked at Harry.
“Thank you again for the down payment for our house and practice, Harry. We will be moving out of here within two days. I would also like to speak to you about your business acumen. Did your Aunt and Uncle teach you anything about the banking system?”
“No, my Aunt and Uncle hated me,” Harry replied with a sardonic laugh. “They didn’t want to talk to me, so they were not going to teach me about Muggle banking.”
Mr. Granger looked at him with a strange expression, before looking at Hermione.
“I am not exaggerating Mr. Granger. I was never allowed to have friends until I went to Hogwarts and met Ron and Hermione. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for either of them or their families.”
Hermione’s parents stared at Harry for several seconds.
“Well Harry, carrying that much money around in a backpack was a dangerous thing to do. If I had known you were going to do that, I would have met you at a bank and we could have had them cut a cashier’s check. It would have been safer.” Mr. Granger said. “If you have any questions about Muggle finance, please ask me. I will help you.”
Harry blushed a little at Mr. Granger’s comment. “I will do that. Thank you.”
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Harry didn’t care if Ginny thought he was being pushy or needy with their relationship. It had been two days and he hadn’t seen her and the only note he got from her was the one about being knackered after a long day at work.
Mrs. Weasley sat a plate down in front of him. “Here you are Harry. Is that House Elf feeding you properly?”
“Yes, Mrs. Weasley…”
“Molly dear,” she said cutting him off.
“Yes, Molly dear,” he said with a smile. She smiled back at him taking the mickey out of her. “I have been eating well.”
“I am surprised that Hermione hasn’t been over to see Ron.”
Harry didn’t respond. He didn’t want to tell her that Hermione is upset with Ron at the present time. “The Grangers found a place to move in and they are busy.”
“Here, I thought those two were fighting about something,” Mrs. Weasley said sagely.
Harry almost choked on his fry-up at her statement. She knew her son and his girlfriend very well. “That is also a possibility. Ron never told her he was going to work at the shop and hasn’t sent her an owl or talked to her since he started there.”
“That boy can be so thick at times. Ginny should be down at any moment. Does she know you are here?”
Harry smiled at her. She definitely knew her son. “I doubt it unless she heard us talking down here.”
Harry heard footsteps on the stairs. They were quick and light, so he assumed they would be Ginny’s. She appeared dressed in the shop’s robes. She was also carrying a piece of parchment folded in the shape of a bird.
“I am going to Floo this to Harry…,” she said as she took the final few steps but stopped talking when she saw him sitting at the table. “Hi.”
“Good Morning, Ginny.” Harry rose and wanted to cross the room to kiss her, but Mrs. Weasley was standing there staring at them.
“Come on sit down and have some breakfast. I’ll turn around here and get a plate ready for you.”
As Mrs. Weasley made a show of turning around to the stove. Ginny crossed the room and gave Harry a quick kiss good morning. Mrs. Weasley didn’t turn around until she heard the bench scrape against the floor as they sat back down.
“Here’s your plate dear. Do eat up, especially since George hasn’t been giving you any breaks.”
“I am planning on taking breaks even if he doesn’t want to give me one,” Ginny replied to her Mother.
She turned to look at Harry. “That’s what is in this letter.” Indicating the folded parchment in her hand. She released it and it flew to his shoulder. “Could you meet me today for lunch?”
“Sure, what time?”
“I was thinking 1:00.”
“Sure, I will be in disguise. Blond or brunette?”
“Better go blond, it hides your identity better.”
“It is a shame you must do that to go out in public,” said Mrs. Weasley with a sigh.
“I don’t want to end up on the cover of the Daily Prophet, Mum,” said Ginny. She smiled at Harry. “I do miss seeing your eyes.” She reached out and cupped her cheek in her hand.”
Harry wanted to lean over and pull her in his arms and kiss her. Loud heavy footsteps sounded from the stairwell.
“Here he comes,” said Mrs. Weasley. She set a plate heaping with fry-up down on the table at Ron’s usual spot. “As much as he eats, I don’t know how he can go all day without lunch.”
“He is like a camel Mum,” said Ginny.
Ron came into the kitchen and sat down and started to eat without noticing Harry sitting there.
“Good Morning, mate,” said Harry. Ron’s fork stopped halfway to his mouth and he looked up and saw Harry sitting there beside Ginny. “You really need to work on your observation skills.”
“Very funny, Harry,” said Ron with his mouth half full. “What are you doing here?”
“He came to see me, like a good boyfriend should,” said Ginny emphasizing the last statement.
Ron realized what she was implying. “I supposed that I should contact Hermione, but we have been so busy….”
“At this point Ronald, it would be a good point if you contact her and plan on apologizing,” said Harry. “She didn’t even realize that you were working at the shop until I told her.”
“Why did you go and tell her that, Harry.”
“Because she asked why I wasn’t over here to see Ginny.”
“I take it she called me Ronald. Bloody Hell, women are so difficult.”
“Language Ronald, and WE are not that difficult if you were not so thick,” said Mrs Weasley from the stove.
Ron sat there looking nervous as he looked at his Mum and then his sister.
“Be glad I haven’t Bat-Bogeyed you,” hissed Ginny. “See Hermione, I doubt a letter will help your cause right now.”
Ginny stood up and grabbed Harry’s hand. “Walk me outside. I need to get to work.”
Harry followed her outside. She stopped walking once they were out of view of the kitchen windows. She placed her hand on the side of Harry’s face looking longingly into his eyes.
“It has only been two days and I miss you so much. How am I going to survive Hogwarts?” she said softly, before kissing him good-bye. “See you at 1:00.”
“I will be outside of the shop at 1:00,” said Harry before she Apparated away.
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Harry was standing across the street from the joke shop when Ginny came out the door at 1:00. He smiled because she was looking frantically around the street, apparently looking for him. He had changed his hair to blond and darkened his glasses. He almost laughed out loud as he crossed the street to her.
“Hey beautiful looking for somebody,” he said while slightly changing his voice. He was trying for an Irish accent like Seamus’.
Ginny turned to him with an angry expression. “Sod off, you…” Her face went pink with embarrassment. “You are getting too good at changing your appearance. Let’s go to the Leaky.”
She turned and started walking away.
“What no kiss for your boyfriend?” Harry asked.
“Someplace private alright,” she said.
They were walking past the former Florean Fortescue’s ice cream parlor and they noticed that it was under construction.
“I wonder what is going in there?” asked Harry.
“I don’t know, I wish Florean would have returned. I loved his ice cream,” sighed Ginny wistfully.
Harry reached out and grabbed her elbow. “Over this way,” he said as he escorted her towards a pile of construction material. It was piled to the one side of the building creating a little recess that one could stand in and only be slightly visible from the alley. Pulling his wand, he cast a silent spell before returning his wand to his pocket.
“What was that for?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.
“A Notice-me-not Charm,” he said. “Now may I have a proper kiss from my beautiful girlfriend?”
Ginny smiled but pulled back from him. “Change your appearance back, I feel like I am cheating on you when you are Transfigured.”
“Of course, my beautiful and ever faithful girlfriend,” he whispered. He waved his wand over his face and hair. His blond hair returned to black and the lenses of his glasses became clear.
Ginny smiled then gave him searing kiss while tangling her fingers in his hair. Harry’s head was spinning from the intensity of the kiss and how tightly she was pulling herself to him. They deepened the kiss. Harry had lost all sense of what was going on around him. His world consisted of him and this beautiful girl in his arms. Ginny was the first to break the kiss. She pushed back against him.
Her face was flush, lips slightly swollen and her hair was mussed from him tangling his hands in it. “You are so beautiful,” he whispered to her.
She smiled and looked like she might kiss him again, but she stopped and moved back a little from him so she could better look in his eyes. “I love you, Harry Potter.”
Harry was taken back by the way she said this, like there had been some doubt in in his mind if she loved him. “I know, and I love you too.”
“You’re not angry with me for taking this job?”
“I was a bit surprised that I found out the morning that you started.”
“George had asked me the day before and I was going to tell you about it, but the attack on Andy and Teddy made me forget about it,” she said, then her expression changed and she became more serious. “As much as I enjoy our romantic little spot, I am hungry and would like something to eat.”
Harry looked at the broken and discarded wood leaning against the building. “It is rather romantic isn’t it,” he said with a laugh. “Let’s go to the Leaky.”
He waved his wand over his face changed his hair back to blond and tinted his glasses so no one would see his green eyes. They stepped out onto the street and this time Ginny took his hand in hers and they walked to the Leaky Cauldron. They found a booth away from most of the people in the place. It was after the normal lunch breaks, so it wasn’t too full. They each ordered a sandwich, chips and pumpkin juice.
“What are you doing at the shop all day?” Harry asked after the waitress left.
“We got most of the cleaning done yesterday. It was a little messy, but overall not bad. Today we started building up supplies. They were almost out of stock on all their items. I have been working on brewing more love potions and ingredients for Skiving Snackboxes. It may take me most of the summer to get the supplies up to what they need before kids start shopping for school.”
Harry sniggered at the idea of Ron spending his summer brewing potions. “How does Ron like the idea of spending the summer over a cauldron?”
“Ron tried one love potion this morning and it turned out to look like sludge, so he is now learning Charms to be cast on different items. He is much better at that then brewing potions. What are going to do with your time this summer. You and Hermione have any big plans?”
Harry caught a hint of jealousy in Ginny voice. “Hermione, really,” he replied to her insinuation. Ginny looked slightly taken back by his comment. Their food arrived so there was a break in the conversation. After the waitress left, Harry looked at her waiting for a response.
“I just realized that I will probably be stuck working every day at the shop, while you and Hermione are alone in Grimmauld Place.”
“We are not alone. Her parents are there for two more days. Then Hermione and her parents are going to move into their new home.”
Ginny finished with her mouthful of food before speaking. “You are going to be stuck there all alone? What are you going to do?”
“I am going to study for my Auror exams on August 2nd.”
“Why bother, you are guaranteed a spot. You could always move into the Burrow,” she said. “I could see you every day.”
Harry stuffed several chips in his mouth and chewed to give him time to think about his response. “I missed all of my seventh year. I want to earn this position as an Auror. All my life I have needed people to help me to survive and live day to day. I want to be able to say I am an adult. I also don’t think your parents are too trusting of us staying in the same place. They don’t seem to trust me with their daughter.”
Ginny snorted at his last statement. “I don’t think they trust me with you.”
Harry smiled at her. “Lucky me.”
They finished the rest of the meal while making small talk about different things going on in the magical community. Harry hadn’t even been getting the Daily Prophet, so he was out of touch with Ministry activities. Ginny had heard from her Father that the Ministry was having financial problems. Many of the employees were taking temporary pay cuts to keep the Ministry going. It appeared that there had been some careless bookkeeping when Pius Thickness was in charge. Kingsley has been slowly hiring people to fill positions, but the screening process had been difficult. Trying to determine if they were trustworthy. They even demanded that people show their left forearm before being hired. Azkaban was difficult to guard with the depleted Auror and Hit-Wizard ranks. The Prison demanded so many of them that there were only about ten left at the Ministry to run investigations into crimes both from the last year and ones happening now.
Harry was feeling rather sad that he couldn’t help the Ministry right now, but he knew he wasn’t qualified. He knew that he would be hired as an Auror, but could he make that much of a difference. It was his Mother’s sacrifice and the accidental Horcrux that helped him defeat Voldemort.
They finished up their lunch and he and Ginny walked back towards the shop hand in hand. He was happy that she would be willing to hold his hand even with his disguise. They reached the shop and Ginny turned and kissed him.
“Can we meet for lunch every day?” Harry asked her.
“Yeah, I would like that.” She kissed him again and went inside.
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Harry had never heard why the house in Kent was so perfect for the Grangers, until they told him about it. It had been owned by a dentist who was retiring. They not only purchased a house, but all the equipment and his client listing. He was happy that it had worked out so well. They just had to purchase new bed clothing and mattresses and they could move in and start up their dental practice.
The Grangers stayed two nights before moving into their new house. Mr. Granger had talked to Harry about his wealth. Harry openly told him what he had inherited from his parents and the Blacks. Mr. Granger told him about the many ways he could invest the money to that he would never have to work a day in his life, but Harry really didn’t listen that closely to the explanation. He really didn’t want to sit around and live off his inheritance.
Ron had finally Owled Hermione. She was still angry with him, but at least they started talking. She went and met him at the Burrow. Harry was tempted to go also to see Ginny but decided against it because Hermione was back within an hour. Ron kept falling asleep while she talked to him.
It had been three days after the Grangers moved out that the Floo erupted with green flames and Andromeda Tonks stuck her head through.
“Harry are you there,” she called out.
“Harry walked into the kitchen and saw her head sticking out from the flames. “I am here. What do you need?”
“Could you watch Teddy for a bit?” She asked. “He was up during the night, and I barely slept. I need to get some sleep. I am not as young as I used to be.”
“Sure, I will watch him. Do you want me to come over there or do you want to bring him here?”
“Can you come over here? I know you have a lot on your plate, but it would be easier if you came here.”
“I will be right over,” Harry said. He watched Andromeda’s head disappear into the flames. Grabbing some Floo powder he tossed into the fireplace and stepped through.
He saw Andromeda was sitting holding Teddy. She looked exhausted there were dark rings under her eyes that he hadn’t noticed when talking to her through the green Floo flames.
“I can take him,” Harry said extending his arms toward the baby.
Andromeda struggled to get up and hand Teddy to him. “He just woke up. There is a bottle in the ice chest and his nappies are over here. If you could allow me three to four hours to sleep and get back to normal.”
“I will,” said Harry as Andromeda slowly walked back the hall to her bedroom.
He looked down at this baby in his arms. He had no experience with caring for babies. Hopefully, Teddy will be good, and he won’t need to feed him or change his nappy until Andromeda wakes up in four hours.
Harry sat down in a rocking chair and started to rock Teddy back to sleep. All was fine for about thirty minutes as Teddy slept while nestled in Harry’s arms, then he woke up yawned and screamed.
Four hours later, Andromeda walked into the living room. Teddy was sitting on the floor wearing one of the most awkwardly wrapped nappies ever applied to a baby. Harry looked up to her and tried to smile to put her at ease. He was sure that she would look at the condition of the living room and Teddy’s appearance and start yelling. Instead she looked at the two half emptied bottles, the collection of toys and wad of cloth wrapping Teddy’s bottom and started laughing.
“Why didn’t you wake me?”
“You needed sleep and I actually thought how hard it could be, and then Teddy woke up and I found out.”
“Have you ever cared for a baby before?”
“No.”
“Well, if you are willing to learn, I will try to teach you.”
“Thank you,” said Harry. Relieved that she didn’t demand that he leave and never come back.
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Harry settled into a routine of studying all day except when he would take Ginny out for lunch and spending Saturday’s at Andromeda Tonks. He would speak to Ron occasionally when he stopped by the shop, but he always had his appearance transfigured so it felt strange. He saw Hermione less frequently. Shortly after she had moved out of Grimmauld Place. She applied for an apprenticeship in the Department of Magical Creatures and was hired. She was continuing her campaign for House Elf rights.
In early June, A sandwich shop opened where Florean Fortescue’s ice cream shoppe had been located. Harry still had no idea what happened to him. It quickly became his and Ginny’s place for lunch. The weather was getting nicer and it had outside seating under a canopy so it they could stay dry even on a rainy day. Harry many times would purchase a Daily Prophet and sit and look it over as he waited for Ginny to arrive. She was late sometimes, because Ron took his lunch at Noon so he could see Hermione during her lunch break at the Ministry.
George had shifted her responsibilities after the joke shop opened for business. He wanted her behind the counter. She would still occasionally brew some Potions, but he trusted her to count the money. Ron would get bored or distracted and always give people the wrong change. Ron’s responsibility was to be on the floor restocking shelves and customer relations. He had become a bit of a celebrity himself having helped defeat Voldemort. Having him behind the counter became counterproductive as people would stand there and talk to him even though they were not purchasing anything.
“I hate standing there all day in one place,” complained Ginny. They had finished their lunch and still had twenty minutes before she had to be back. She kicked off her shoes and started rubbing her feet. “Why is it that standing in one spot all day hurts your feet more than walking around.”
“I would say all your weight is in one spot when you are standing, but I would get Bat-bogeyed.”
“Damn straight you would,” Ginny replied. “Just for that comment, you can rub my feet.” She put her feet up in his lap.
Harry repositioned himself and started to rub her feet. He noticed that people walking by were giving them strange looks. Some people would look at them and smile others would give them the looks of disapproval. Then there were the students who knew that Ginny and Harry had dated briefly during Hogwarts. They would often stare at Ginny them look at Harry with his blond-hair and dark glasses then back at Ginny.
“Demelza stopped by the shop the other day to speak to me,” said Ginny, after a couple of Hogwarts students stared at them. “I guess she had seen us together eating lunch and was curious.”
“I take it she wanted to know who you are dating now. Should I go from blond to brunette to really improve your reputation?” Harry started sniggering, until Ginny kicked him in the thigh. “Ouch that hurt!”
“You really want to feel the Bat-Bogey hex again,” snapped Ginny. “I have been writing Demelza and mentioned that we got back together. She was rather upset with me, having lunch with someone else.” Ginny hesitated a little. “She was also wondering why I would be seen with such a specky little git.”
“Specky git, am I,” he said before he held her feet and started to tickle them. Ginny started laughing and squirming in her seat.
“Stop, or I am going to hex you Harry,” she shouted.
They both froze. She rarely called him by his name in public. She would many times refer to him as Barney. Ginny leaned forward.
“Do you think you can appear in public as Harry Potter?”
Harry motioned his head towards the Daily Prophet. There on page one was an article about a ‘Harry Potter Sighting’. “Not yet,” he whispered to her.
Ginny slipped her shoes back on as they stared at the article. “I need to get back to work.”
“Is George ever going to give you a day off?”
“If I am going to be able to buy a high-quality broom, I can’t take a day off,” she said ruefully. She bent down and kissed him. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He stayed seated as she walked back to Weasley Wizard Wheezes.
He looked around the Alley. A plan had formed his mind, but how would he be able to pull it off. It would be easiest without his disguise, but he would be afraid of people reacting to him going into Quality Quidditch Supplies and buying a Firebolt racing broom. Ginny had figured that she would only be able to purchase a Cleansweep with her earnings this summer. If she wanted to impress Gwenog Jones, she should have a Firebolt. The difficulty would be him purchasing it and getting it delivered. He remembered something; he could have Kreature pick up the brooms.
Happy that he could give Ginny a Firebolt for her Birthday, he went into Muggle London and purchased several cookbooks and books on how to remodel homes He was going to learn how to cook and fix up Grimmauld Place. He was getting tired of constantly studying and he was ahead of schedule of catching up on the seventh-year curriculum. It seemed strange but the learning came to him easier than ever before. He could be done revising by the middle of July.
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Harry’s days changed as June ended. He was now just studying in the morning. Going to lunch with Ginny then coming home and working on Grimmauld Place.
He had figured Kreature would protest him changing the house, but he recognize that Harry was the owner of the house, so it was within his rights to redecorate it. What Kreature did protest was Harry cooking. Kreature took it as an insult to his cooking. Harry and he had come up with a plan. Harry would only try to cook two days a week.
The first few weeks were wrought with many failures. Some of them were so spectacular that Kreature would end up cooking anyway. No failure was so great as Harry’s first attempt at making steak and kidney pie. It took Harry forever to make the crust. It was thick and lumpy, and he had tried to roll out several layers of dough to cover the pie. To properly bake the pie, it would take almost an hour in the oven, so Harry decided to work on stripping wallpaper.
He noticed as he and Kreature were stripping the wallpaper off the sitting room that the House Elf started mumbling to himself again. Harry figured that Kreature liked that paper, until the black smoke started to fill the room and the house as the pie had burnt to a crisp in the oven. The smoke was so thick in the house that it was rolling out the windows. Harry always opened the windows in the house to remove dust as they tore up another section of the house.
The smoke was still rolling out the windows when the fire company came. They went into number eleven then number thirteen. They stood there on the street trying to figure out where the smoke was coming from since there wasn’t any smoke in either one of those houses. After the smoke cleared, the fire company left.
Harry went out and bought pizza. He and Kreature ate pizza that night.
By the end of June, he and Kreature had fixed up all the rooms that he had planned to work on that summer. They had redone the entrance hall, sitting room, Library, kitchen, dining room and three different bedrooms. The only thing left to do was remove Mrs. Black’s portrait and bring new furniture into the house and dispose of the old.
Harry spent one morning trying to break the Permanent Sticky Charms holding the portrait onto the wall. When he came back from lunch, he called on Kreature to see if he could break the Charms holding the portrait to the wall.
“I cannot remove the portrait from the wall, Master,” said Kreature mournfully. “Mistress had made me promise to never remove it from the wall as long as I am alive.”
“Mrs. Black is no longer your Mistress.”
“I made the promise while I was her servant. I can break the Charms Master, but I shall die,” said the House Elf.
Harry stared at the House Elf in shock. “No, I will figure something out.”
Harry stared at the wall and the portrait for several minutes before speaking to Kreature again. “Can I remove the Portrait without killing you?”
“You cannot remove the Sticking Charms, because I placed them with Elf magic. I am the only one that can remove them.”
“Do not remove them. I have another plan,” said Harry.
He went to the library to find books on Transfiguration. He needed to Transfigure the wall around the portrait. After spending several hours researching and practicing the spell in other locations around the house, he returned to the portrait.
Using his wand, he forced the curtains to be shut on the portrait. The screams of Wulburga Black were only slightly muffled. With several more swipes of his wand he peeled the wallpaper off the brick wall around the portrait. Taking careful aim at a row of bricks above the portrait, he Transfigured them to a steel beam. He was satisfied that he was able to make the steel beam smaller that the row of bricks so it would pull away from the row of bricks below it. He continued Transfiguring the bricks on both sides of the portrait to steel beams.
“Kreature,” called Harry. The House Elf had been standing beside him.
“Yes, Master,” answered Kreature.
“When I Transfigure the brick below the portrait, it will be free. Take this up to the attic and store it up there.”
“Yes, Master.”
Harry thought of something. “If you desire, you can move to the attic to be with your old mistress and other artifacts from the past.”
“Thank you master, but I shall remain where I am living now. It is a proper place for a House Elf.”
Harry looked the House Elf. If this House Elf thought a space in the back of the kitchen cupboards was the proper place for an Elf to live, Hermione will be having problems changing things. With a steady hand, Harry transfigured a row of bricks below the portrait into a steel beam. The portrait wobbled for a second or two before Kreature took control of it and Levitated it up to the attic.
Harry watched as Kreature disappeared up the stairs. This place was like the Burrow. He also had a ghoul in the attic. He turned back to the hole that was now in the wall and wondered what he would do with it. He had an idea. He would need to contact Dean and hope he would be willing to paint a portrait for him.
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Dean had agreed to paint the portrait that Harry wanted. Harry had paid him in advance so Dean could purchase all the supplies necessary. He would of course need to allow Dean access to his house so they could mount it on the wall. This made Harry think of another problem he was going to have. How was he going to get new furniture to the house?
He went to the Library again and started researching Banishing Charms, Switching Spells, and spells to shrink things. He had opened the second book about Switching Spells when he started to laugh.
“I turned into Hermione this summer,” Harry said to himself.
“Does Master need anything?” asked Kreature.
“No, I am fine, even though I talking to myself.”
Two days later Harry had spent the last two afternoons purchasing furniture from various Muggle stores. He had an idea how this would work. He just hoped he would not be arrested for violating any secrecy laws. He paid a moving company to pick up his new furniture and park the lorry in the Grimmauld Place street overnight. He knew that the closer the he was to the place he was banishing the furniture too the easier the spell was to perform. The company would come and get the empty lorry in the morning.
The driver parked the lorry right by an empty industrial storage bin that was empty. Waiting until dark Harry went to work. He started out by banishing all the old furniture from his house to the bin. Once that was complete. He went out to the truck and sent all the furniture to the rooms inside of the house. After three hours of constant spell work, he was knackered but happy. There were only two things he was concerned about. One was the Ministry sending someone out to investigate. The other was if he hadn’t cleaned all the little magical pests out of the furniture that now filled the bin. Would they crawl out and infect the Muggle homes?
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Harry was excited. Dean and Seamus was stopping by today with his portrait. It was the last thing he wanted to add to his home to make it complete. There was more to be excited about than just the arrival of the portrait and Harry completing his project on his home. Even though the thoughts that he finally has his own home. This wasn’t his Aunt and Uncle’s, the Blacks, it was his own home decorated and furnished how he wanted not how anyone else wanted it.
Tomorrow was his birthday. There was going to be a party for him at the Burrow. He did feel a bit of guilt for not going over to the Burrow more often. He did stop over once a week, but with only Mr. and Mrs. Weasley being there. It wasn’t the same. He had introduced Teddy to Molly who immediately fussed over the baby. Molly and Andromeda Tonks had struck up a friendship over the summer, which was good for both.
The best thing was going to be spending time with Ginny. Verity had returned from hiding and was now working at the shop, so Ginny could take off the afternoon. He had been told to come over around three. Dinner would be at six when Arthur and everyone else could show up.
Dean pulled up in a van with Seamus sitting beside him. He waved at them as they got out of the van.
“I always wondered where you lived,” said Seamus looking up at the two buildings that he could see.
“I don’t live in these buildings,” said Harry. He handed them the two slips of paper. “Read the what’s written on the paper.”
He smiled as they stared at the buildings as his house appeared in front of them. “Ready to go in?” asked Harry.
Dean had been staring at the building for several seconds before responding. “Yeah sure, what….”
“It’s under a Fidelius Charm,” whispered Harry.
“Bloody Brilliant,” muttered Seamus. “The Order of Phoenix? Wasn’t that some organization that fought against Voldemort?”
“Yes, it was the picture I sent you was the one from the first war. All but Aberforth are now dead.”
“Come on Seamus, let’s get this portrait in there,” ordered Dean.
Thirty minutes later the three of them were admiring the portrait replacing Walburga Black’s portrait. It was a painting of the original Order of the Phoenix in the background with the painting of the DA in front of them. Dean had captured the two pictures Harry had of them perfectly. He had enchanted them so that they would move around as they stared out you; making them almost seem real.
“That is incredible Dean,” said Harry. There was a lump in his throat, and he could feel a tear coming to his eye as he stared at his parents and Sirius.
“Are those your parents?” asked Dean. He had picked out Harry’s parents.
“Yeah, that’s them. Sirius Black, my Godfather is standing right beside them,” Harry said pointing at his parents, in the portrait. “Your painting is amazing everyone looks like they are alive.”
“We need to be going, Harry,” said Dean. “Here is the rest of the money you advanced me.”
“Keep it. Seeing this I feel like I should be paying you even more. This is so much better than I ever imagined.”
“Thank you.”
Dean and Seamus shook Harry’s hand and left. Harry stood there looking at the portrait. The subtle way that the people moved made them look so natural. Kreature shook him from his trance several hours later to announce that dinner was ready.
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Harry Apparated to the Burrow at four o’clock in the afternoon of his birthday. He was excited about the day. It wasn’t the fact that the Weasleys were throwing a party for his birthday. It was because he was going to get a long day with Ginny. He had not even seen her today because she was working straight through lunch so she could take off this afternoon and evening.
He smiled in anticipation as he approached the kitchen door of the pieced together house. When he reached the bottom step, Ginny stuck her head out the door.
“You can’t come in, Harry. Mum isn’t done with your cake,” said Ginny with a mischievous smile on her face. She closed the door behind her. “I am to distract you until the guests arrive.”
“I want to be able to see you from the windows, Ginny,” shouted her mother from the stove.
Ginny rolled her eyes at her mother’s comment.
“Don’t you roll your eyes at me young lady,” shouted Mrs. Weasley.
“Honestly, that woman,” sighed Ginny. She pulled Harry to her and gave him a warm kiss hello. It wasn’t anything extremely passionate. Harry was glad, because he knew Mrs. Weasley would say something if it had become too intense. She never yelled at Harry, but he didn’t like it when Ginny got yelled at by her parents.
“How was your day?” Harry asked her.
“About the same, watch the counter and brew Potions. The only nice thing is Verity being back. I don’t have to sit out there at the counter all bloody day staring at the door making sure no one is nicking any of the merchandise. How has the studying been going?
“I think I should be ready to take the test. I won’t ever know until the time comes. I haven’t been tested on any of the subjects. Say, do you want to sit down? I know you have been on your feet all day.”
Ginny smiled warmly up at him. “Sure, can I get a foot massage like our usual dates?”
“It would be my pleasure,” Harry said to her as they walked over to the bench by the kitchen door.
They hadn’t sat down for more than a minute before Mrs. Weasley burst through the backdoor looking around for them. Ginny was leaning against the arm of the bench with her bare feet in Harry’s lap. Mrs. Weasley stared at them for a second or two before speaking. “Don’t get too comfortable, Ginny, there is still work to be done.”
“Yes, Mum, I will help you set up the tables outside. Call me when you are ready for me to help.”
Mrs. Weasley went back inside. Ginny stared at the door for several seconds before sighing. “Honestly, what does she think we are up to out here?”
“I guess it was a good thing I decided to live at Grimmauld place instead of here this summer. Your mother would have been following us constantly.”
“Ginny, I can use your help,” shouted Mrs. Weasley, from the kitchen.
“I’ll be right in,” shouted Ginny. She swung her feet off Harry’s lap and put her shoes back on. Harry stood up with her.
“Harry, dear, you don’t need to help. It is your birthday after all,” Shouted Mrs. Weasley.
“Honestly,” sighed Ginny as she walked into the kitchen.
Harry sat on the bench outside of the Weasley’s backdoor enjoying the weather. Ginny had been carrying platters of food out to the tables in the garden. Harry would smile at her, but he couldn’t do much else. He started to wonder about going out for a spin on a broom, but he didn’t want to get windblown and Ginny would probably get jealous. It also wasn’t as much fun flying alone.
Ginny had just finished setting all the food out on the tables when other Weasley’s and guests started to show up. Andromeda Tonks and Teddy showed up first. Hermione was next quickly followed by Mr. Weasley, Percy, Bill and Fleur, Professor McGonagall, Hagrid, and finally Ron.
“George said to go ahead and eat without him,” said Ron as he sat down at the tables outside even though no one else was sitting down. He looked as if he was expecting everyone to start eating as soon as he arrived. “I thought we were going to eat tonight?”
“Ronald Weasley,” shouted his mother. “have some patience. It is Harry’s birthday so he can start off.”
Harry sat down across from Ron. He had been speaking with Hermione, Percy, and Mr. Weasley about the Ministry. Hermione walked around the table and sat down beside Ron.
“Hello Ronald.” Hermione said.
Harry had to hold his laugh in. It appears that Ron was in trouble with Hermione again. He hadn’t said hello to her before he demanded to be served food. Within a minute though everyone was eating Ginny had sat down beside Harry. Several times during the meal she would reach over and grasp his hand. Mrs. Weasley, after she and Ginny had cleaned up the dinner plates and serving dishes, brought the cake out. It was a large two-tier chocolate iced cake with decorations made of gold icing. He looked at the eighteen candles and realized that it didn’t look like that many candles on the cake.
After everyone had a piece of cake, people started to give him presents. He received several books on defense and several more on the history of the Auror department. The Grangers had sent a large box of dental care supplies. Ron gave him a box of the shop’s supplies.
Ginny handed him a rectangular present. “I hope you like it,” she said. She looked around at everyone and a blush couldn’t be seen on her cheeks.
Harry was a little hesitant to open it, if the thought of it would make her blush. Tearing the wrapping off the present, he stared at a picture of him and Ginny. It was from Australia. They had been sleeping on a hammock on the beach. He saw why she was embarrassed. they were only wearing their swimsuits, and Harry had his arm wrapped around her shoulders as they slept. They both had a look of peace and serenity on their faces.
Harry felt his face get warm as he thought about holding her in the picture. “I love it,” he told her and gave her a chaste kiss.
The picture was snatched from his hand. He looked up to see Ron looking at it. His ears turned red as he looked at it. The rest of the Weasley’s soon was trying to look at it. Percy looked almost scandalized.
“Grow up you lot,” said Mrs. Weasley. “Arthur and I took that picture while we were in Australia.”
Mrs. Weasley snatched picture from Ron’s hand and went to give it back to Harry, but another freckled hand grabbed it from her.
George Weasley let out a low whistle. “Australia, here I thought you were down there doing the hero thing with Hermione’s parents and the rouge goblins.”
“We were,” shouted Ginny. She stood up and snatched the picture from George. “Grow up and get your mind out of the gutter,” she said fiercely.
George held his hands up in mock surrender. “I am just here to say Happy Birthday to Harry and to offer my present to him. Harry, I will take you and the rest of the Weasley men on a pub crawl. It will be my treat.”
“A pub crawl, what is that?” asked Harry. Ginny gripped his arm.
“We just go to one pub and have a drink then another for a drink and so on and so forth, until you can’t remember which pub you are in,” said George.
“I don’t like the sound of that,” said Mrs. Weasley.
George looked at his mother and smiled. “Mum, I haven’t had a drop for over a month. Don’t worry about me, besides its Harry that we are going to get pissed.”
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An hour later they were at the Three Broomsticks toasting Harry’s birthday. Hagrid was with them. They bought Harry a butter beer and shot of Old Ogden’s Firewhiskey. An hour later and another butter beer and two shots of Firewhiskey, they were at the Hogs Head. Everyone stood around and talking animatedly with each other while Harry finished his Butterbeer and Firewhiskey.
Hagrid and Mr. Weasley bid them good night and left as they were leaving. Harry was feeling lightheaded by this time.
“Well, Harry, how about we go to a Muggle pub next?” asked George.
“Sure, how are we getting there. I’m not Apparating,” replied Harry.
George lifted his wand “Knight Bus.”
They all piled onto the Knight Bus. Harry was jostled by all the other Weasleys as they tried to find a seat. George gave Ernie an address and the bus took off with a bang sending Harry’s chair careening off the other inebriated passengers.
Three pubs and two knight bus rides later. Harry was having a hard time speaking. George had been keeping everyone laughing with his stories of Ron and Ginny at the shop. Harry was trying to remember the stories to take the mickey out of Ginny tomorrow. Harry noticed a break in the conversation. He looked up and saw George and everyone else staring at him. They all looked more sober then what Harry felt.
“Well, Harry, I am wondering what has happened between you and my sister,” George asked in a rather casual tone.
“Nothing. She is working too much for us to spend any time together,” Harry replied in a jovial manner, as all the drinks had gone to his head.
“That’s not what I meant. I noticed in that picture, the two of you seem very comfortable together. Have you?” he asked with a wag of his eyebrows.
“Have I what?” drawled Harry. He was pretty well trollied by this point and didn’t realize where the conversation was going. “We used to take an afternoon kip together in Australia.” Although Harry was oblivious to the type of questions, George was asking him, the rest of the Weasley men were not.
“So, you are telling us that you’ve never shagged our little sister.”
Harry noticed that all the Weasley’s were staring at him, “No! I’ve already told Ron this.” Harry had become irritated at George interrogating him like this.
“So, she is still a virgin then,” replied George.
“Yeah, I guess. She is.”
“What the hell do you mean by that?” snapped George.
“I am not the only bloke she has ever gone out with,” snorted Harry. No sooner than the words left his mouth than he realized he had made a huge mistake.
Ron, Percy and Bill had looks of outrage. He tried to calm them down by saying that he thinks that Ginny still is a virgin, and he only said that because he was irritated that they were questioning him. He told them that he really loved their sister and he wished that they would trust him not to hurt her.
The entire time Harry was talking George didn’t say anything, but he sat there with a smile on his face like Christmas had come early.
Chapter 11: Chapter 11 I Didn't Mean That
Harry was confused when he woke, and he didn’t want to open his eyes. His head was pounding, and his stomach felt like a boat on an angry sea. He could see light through his eyelids, so he knew it was daylight. He felt around him and realized that he was on a sofa and not in his bed. His left foot was on the floor beside the sofa. Trying to sit up, Harry felt his head spin and his stomach splash and twist around inside of him. Falling back down on the sofa, a low moan escaped his lips.“Master is awake,” said Kreacher. He had appeared beside Harry. “Master does not feel well. Kreacher knows how to fix this. He has done it for past Masters.” The House Elf disappeared and returned a few seconds later. ‘Here Master,” said the Elf, as he sat a glass beside Harry. “Drink all of this at once. It will make you feel better.”
Harry rolled over so he could support himself on his left arm. This made his head and stomach act up, but he wanted to drink Kreature’s remedy. He grabbed the glass without opening his eyes. The mixture tasted like Pepperup potion mixed with Xeno Lovegood’s Blimpy soup. He had to concentrate not to hurl the potion back up. After finally swallowing the last drop, he roughly sat the glass down onto the table, and flopped back down on the sofa. He placed his hands over his mouth and nose to keep the contents of his stomach in place.
After a couple of minutes, the urge to be sick left him, and he realized that his head didn’t hurt anymore. He sat up properly and Kreature was standing there looking at him. “Kreature, that was disgusting.”
“Is Master feeling better?”
“Yes, but…”
“Then it worked.” The House Elf disappeared without another word.
Harry looked at where the House Elf had been. He chuckled to himself. Kreature was comfortable with him, and he was right the drink made him feel better. Running his hand through his hair, Harry tried to piece together the events of last night. He had a bad feeling that something had happened that he was going to regret.
He easily remembered everything from dinner and opening his presents. He looked over to the corner of the sitting room and saw his presents piled there. The only one that wasn’t in the corner was the picture of Ginny and him. It was on the table beside the sofa. He tried to remember how they got here last night. He could vaguely remember going to the Burrow and getting them after leaving the pubs.
The Pubs! Harry did something or said something at one of the pubs. He remembered going to the first three pubs but leaving the third and going to the fourth was hazy. Was there a fifth pub? Harry tried to remember. He remembered having at least three drinks in the fourth pub. He suddenly remembered something as he looked at Ginny’s present. The entire conversation with George came back to him.
He jumped up in fear. “What if George told Ginny what I said? She would probably curse my bits off,” he shouted to the room. He started to pace around the room mumbling to himself. “How could I be so bloody thick? Bugger! What am I going to do?” He didn’t look where he was going and bumped into the wall. He stood there and hit his head against the wall for several seconds.
Pushing away from the wall, he walked over and picked up the picture of Ginny and him. He stood there and stared at it. “How could I mess something up as perfect as this?” he asked himself. He looked at the clock and saw it was eleven o’clock. He had two hours: to get ready to see her, two hours to figure out how he was going to apologize for his stupidity, two hours to try to salvage the best thing that ever happened to him.
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Harry stood in an alley trying to get his courage up enough to go face Ginny. He had never felt this type of fear before. It was different from the feeling you get when you face your death. Under those circumstances, the enemy was someone else now the enemy was he. He was the one that made the mistake that can hurt him.
The past two hours he tried to think of any type of an excuse to tell her, and they all seemed feeble. The best thing he could probably do was to explain why he said that and ask for forgiveness. Somehow telling her that he was drunk and said that she probably shagged Dean and /or Michael would not help his cause. Therefore, he would just explain that he was a git, and see how things go.
Walking into Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes brought stares from two of the three redheaded workers. Harry was sure that George had smiled at him. Ginny seemed to avoid looking directly at Harry, but she walked up to him and said over her shoulder to George and Ron. “I’m taking my lunch now.”
Harry held the door open for her. She walked through it and turned towards their sandwich shoppe. They walked about halfway there in total silence. When Ginny stopped walking and said without turning to look at him, “I am not happy!”
“Ginny…”
“Shut up! I cannot believe you told my brothers last night that I am a BLOODY SLAPPER!” The last two words were shouted so loud that everyone on the street turned and looked.
“Ginny, I didn’t say that,” was Harry’s feeble reply.
Ginny turned and looked him in the eyes. Her eyes were blazing with anger and pain. Harry felt like cringing, but he knew he deserved it. “You didn’t tell my brothers! Not one or two, but all my…” She stopped yelling, but continued sarcastically “excuse me you didn’t tell Charlie, or did you Owl him?” Ginny stopped to stare a little longer at him. “You told them that I have shagged everyone I ever went out with.” She stood herself up a little straighter. “Except you! If you think that ploy will get me to shag you…”
“NO!” The word came out as a soft howl. “That isn’t what happened at all.” Harry was staring at her not cowering from her anger. “We were drinking. We were drinking quite a bit. I was pretty well trollied and George started to ask me about us.” He stopped to look at her to see if she was believing any of this.
“Do you think being drunk gives you any right to…”
“No! No, it doesn’t Ginny. I am so sorry about what I said to your brothers.” He lowered his voice so that no earwiggers would hear. “They asked if we — had — well made love. I told them no. Then he said something about you still being a virgin. I — a — I said that I think you are.” Harry cowered a little, as Ginny’s anger seemed to pulse from her. “Then George asked what I meant by that. Ginny, I was peeved that he was asking this stuff anyway, and being as destroyed as I was, said something to get their wands in a knot. I said that I am not the only person you went out with.”
He stood there with his hands on her shoulders hoping that she would first believe him and second that she could eventually forgive him. They stood like that for several seconds staring into each other’s eyes. Harry couldn’t tell what Ginny was thinking. Her eyes were still hard and angry. She didn’t call him a liar, which is good.
“I am not hungry. I am going back to the shop,” she said with a flat unemotional voice. Harry let his hands drop off her shoulders and looked down to the ground. He could feel hope seep out of him. Before Ginny left, she spoke again, “What if it’s true, Harry? What would you think of me then?”
Harry looked up and caught her looking at him. A vision popped into his mind. It was Ginny and Dean in the corridor after Quidditch in his sixth year, when Ron and he caught them snogging. Only, they weren’t clothed. He immediately felt sick like his insides had turned to festering mass. He loved Ginny and the thought of her even snogging another man hurt him. The thoughts of her shagging them tore through his heart like a jagged knife, even if he had no right to be hurt. He didn’t notice Ginny leaving until he saw her long red hair swaying as she stepped through the shop’s front door.
He couldn’t move from the spot he was at. He stood there in the middle of Diagon Alley with his mind showing him images of Ginny with Dean, and Ginny with Michael. It hurt him so much that he didn’t even think about walking away. It was worse than when he imagined her marrying someone else. Now there was a face attached to the other man. It didn’t even matter to him if she wasn’t a virgin. He just couldn’t think about her with someone else. She was his Ginny; at least she used to be.
“Hey, that’s Harry Potter!” someone said by him. He looked up and registered that the street was filled with people staring at him. It occurred to him that he was so emotional that he let his Transfigured hair and glasses go back to normal. As people started to move towards him, he Apparated.
Landing on the stoop of his house, Harry stumbled through the front door. He walked upstairs to his room and collapsed onto the bed. Turning over, he saw the picture that Ginny gave him yesterday. It was sitting on top of the chest of drawers so that he could look at it when he woke up every morning. He had placed it there before leaving.
Looking at the picture brought back all the memories of Australia, they were so happy. He was so happy, to be able to hold her, and feel her soft bare skin against his chest. Her hair would cascade over him as she lay in his arms. He lay there on the bed staring at the picture, and thinking about Ginny and how he hurt her, unable to move. Minutes turned into hours as he thought about her, how much he loved her. She had told him she loved him. Hearing those words had made him so happy. Harry jumped up out of his bed and grabbed the picture with both hands. She never said she didn’t love me anymore, he thought to himself.
A smile formed on his lips as he thought that maybe all hope wasn’t lost. He would be patient and try to reassure her that he was sorry about what he said. Tomorrow he would Owl her and ask if it was possible to take her to lunch. His spirits dropped again. Tomorrow was the Auror testing at the Ministry. He couldn’t go to lunch with her. He needed to do something else. If he didn’t show up, it could make matters worse. If he would Owl her and tell her that he had to go to testing all day, would she understand?
Harry had thought of something to do. He looked at his watch and saw that it was three o’clock. He would have to move fast if he wanted to make sure, his plan didn’t fail. He ran through the house and Disapparated on the stoop.
He was back within fifteen minutes. He bounced as he walked through the house to the kitchen. He tossed a sandwich together and poured himself some pumpkin juice. He had to clear his mind and prepare for the testing tomorrow. He didn’t want to make a total arse of himself at the testing also.
Being too nervous to sit and eat in the kitchen, he walked up stairs to the study. It used to be the formal dining room. He had no plans of entertaining twenty or more people, so he put a desk in there and turned the table into a workstation. He walked past his textbooks and notebooks to a stack of scrapbooks that sat off by themselves. There were four books sitting among a haphazard collage of pictures. He had been collecting pictures from people for the past month, when he visited them, many where happy to give him copies of their pictures. There was a book of his parents, one of the Marauders, one for the dead DA and Order members, and one he had just for Ginny. He would work on these late at night. It helped him deal with the loss of so many people he loved. It somehow made him feel connected to them. It kept their memories alive and, in a way, it kept them alive.
While looking at the scrapbook of Ginny, he ate his sandwich. He was still nervous about tomorrows testing. He didn’t want to start revising his notes. He had done this for the past two days this would just get his mind all worked up. He needed to do something to relax.
Harry knew the exact thing what would do that for him. He went to his bedroom, where he kept his and Ginny’s brooms hanging on the wall. Picking up his Nimbus, he walked to the stoop. Touching the top of his head with his wand, he Disillusioned himself. As the familiar cool sensation melted over him, he thought how spells like this were now so easy for him. Once he was sure he was completely Disillusioned, he shot up into the London sky with a scream of shear joy.
At nine-thirty, Harry landed on the stoop again. He was still Disillusioned. He had flown over most of southern England, passing over the Burrow, Little Winging, and the Grangers new home. He had no plans to land he didn’t want to talk to anyone. He just wanted to fly. He walked inside of the house and lifted his charm. Something felt funny about the house; it felt different since he left four hours ago.
Kreature walked up to him and bowed low. “Master, someone was here while you were gone,” croaked the Elf.
“Who was it?” asked Harry. He knew who it was. He realized Ginny was here. He could sense or smell her flowery scent.
“It was Miss Weasley, Master.”
“What did she do? When was she here?”
“She walked to the kitchen and then your bedroom before she left. She was here an hour after you left. She left shortly afterwards,” finished Kreature. He kept his eyes low and Harry could tell he wasn’t telling him something.
“What else did she do? Kreature, what did she do?” he demanded.
“She left crying, Master.”
As Harry stood there, the happiness from flying left him again. The thoughts of Ginny coming to his house and leaving in tears made his heart ache again. He walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Kreature placed dinner in front of him. Harry pushed the food around his plate while taking a few bites of it.
His mind was swirling with all the possibilities of why Ginny was here and crying. He couldn’t get the thoughts of the pain he had caused out of his mind. He needed to get some sleep or else tomorrow he will be useless at the testing. Walking over to a corner cabinet, he grabbed a bottle of Firewhiskey, and poured himself a tall drink. He downed the Firewhiskey and trudged off to bed. Hoping he would be able to get to sleep sometime tonight.
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“Then George asked what I meant by that. Ginny, I was peeved that he was asking this stuff anyway, and being as destroyed as I was, said something to get their wands in a knot. I said that I am not the only person you went out with.”
Ginny stood there staring at him seething with anger and frustration. What he said made sense. She knew something was wrong this morning, besides the entire bunch of them getting drunk and stupid. Ron kept muttering something like “Harry Bloody Potter” under his breath while trying to down a Hangover potion. When she stepped into the shop, George came over and silkily offered his big brother support for her because of her git of a boyfriend. He then told her that Harry blurted out last night after he was drunk that she was practically the school broom. Everything he said could be misconstrued to what George said. That isn’t what has her so twisted up and angry at Harry.
He still had his glasses darkened. He does this so no one can see his eyes, but that means she can’t either. She wanted to look into his eyes. If she can do that, she can tell if he was being totally honest. His eyes reveal his emotions. She doesn’t need to ask him how he was feeling. All she needed to do was look into his eyes and she would know, but she couldn’t see through his glasses now. She wanted to slap those glasses off his bloody face.
“I am not hungry. I am going back to the shop,” she said with a flat unemotional voice. Ginny felt his hands slide off her shoulders. He was looking down at the ground. This seemed to make her even angrier with him, if that was possible at this moment. She wanted to hurt his feelings, the way he hurt hers. She has told him that she didn’t love Dean or Michael so for him to suggest she shagged them…. She is not that type of witch!
“What if it’s true, Harry? What would you think of me then?” He looked up at her. Then slowly his transfigured lenses cleared. They were no longer smoky. Ginny could see his eyes.
Her heart screeched to a halt. The pain in his eyes was almost unbearable to see. What had she done? Ginny had never seen a person kissed by a Dementor, but she could imagine that their eyes looked like Harry’s right now. She had done this to him. She couldn’t stand to look at him. She felt ashamed of what she had said. Backing away from him, she turned around and walked towards the shop. She needed to be alone.
The shame and regret of her hurtful words were overwhelming her. The tears forming in her eyes had nothing to do with Harry’s drunken stupidity. For the first time in Ginny’s life, she had truly done something that was unnecessarily vicious and cruel. She had always had a temper, but she never had done something that hurt someone she cared about as she had just hurt Harry.
She opened the door of the shop and walked through the display area. Ron looked at her and tried to talk to her. She refused to respond. She couldn’t talk to anyone now. She walked to the storage room and threw open the door and stepped in. She passed rows of shelves loaded with merchandise until she reached the furthest corner of the building and stopped facing the wall. The tears burnt her eyes and her breathing was coming in heaving sobs that she tried to control. She stood there leaning her face against the wall trying to block out the look in Harry’s eyes.
“Ginny! You all right?” asked Ron.
“Yeah, you back from lunch?” added George.
Turning around she screamed, “LEAVE ME ALONE, YOU GITS!”
Ron and George looked shocked at her response and left the stock room. Ginny slid down the wall and sat on the floor. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she crossed her arms on her knees, lowered her head, and cried. The tears fell from her eyes and soaked her robes. She cried for several minutes then she suddenly stopped. Picking her head up from her knees, she looked towards the store’s salesroom. All the pain that she is now feeling, and all the pain that Harry is going through is directly or indirectly her brothers’ fault.
She stood up and cleaned up her face and robes with a couple passes of her wand. She is going to make them pay for what they did. If she loses Harry, because of this, she’ll make them pay for the rest of their lives.
She walked out to the front counter and told George that she was ready to go back to work. George tried to talk to her, but she waved any conversation off with her hand. She wasn’t ready to talk to anyone about what had happened.
The rest of the afternoon, she worked without saying anything to her brothers except for work related conversations. She could feel them watching her to see how she was feeling. This concern for her only deepened her resentment towards them. Why do they constantly interfere with her and Harry’s relationship? Don’t they realize that will do nothing but make her miserable?
At four-forty-five, Ginny walked into the back for a few minutes. When she returned to the front, she looked around and saw that the sales floor was empty except for Ron and George. “Excuse me! Could I talk to you two in the office for a few minutes before the five o’clock rush?” Ron and George looked at each other and started to walk towards the back rooms of the shop.
When the three of them reached the office, Ginny pointed to two armchairs and ordered, “Sit down! I am going to tell you two a few things.”
Ron sat, but George stood there defiant. “I am your boss, and I will not sit because you…”
He stopped talking because Ginny pulled her wand and stuck it in his face. “I said sit!” she hissed dangerously at him. George looked at the point of her wand and wordlessly complied. Ginny lowered her wand and stood there glaring at her two brothers for several seconds before speaking again. “I am tired of you two interfering with Harry and my relationship. I love him!” she stated firmly and loudly. “The two of you do nothing but cause us pain. George, I hate you for…”
“Now wait her baby…” He stopped talking because he tried to stand up but found his robes glued to the chair.
“A delayed Sticking Charm on the chairs, dear brothers.” Ginny laughed as she quickly grabbed their wands out of their robes. They had both placed their arms on the chairs. Their robes where they contacted the chairs were permanently stuck. The robes were tight enough that they couldn’t lift their hands to get to their wands. She looked at them struggling to break free. Both were yelling obscenities at her and her little trick. “If you think I am done with you? You are wrong. If you think hurting people is funny George than your going to love this.”
She hit them with her Bat-Bogey Hex. While they sat there and tried to fight of the bogeys on their faces, Ginny Levitated them one at a time out through the shop and dropped them onto the main street of Diagon Alley.
“Ginny, you can’t leave us out here stuck to these chairs,” spluttered George.
“You aren’t stuck to your chairs, only your robes are stuck,” replied Ginny. She heard George start laughing. She hadn’t heard him laugh so joyously for a long time. She closed the front door and locked it. As she did this, the evening rush started in Diagon Alley. All the people getting off work and stopping to buy something on their way home were surrounding Ron and George. Ginny left them out there struggling to free themselves. She knew they didn’t wear anything under their robes in the summer, because of the heat. The only way they were going to get themselves free was to ripe out of their robes and run around Diagon Alley with only their knickers, socks, and shoes. Ginny smiled to herself. She hoped they, at least, had those on.
She walked to the office, took off her robe, and folded it neatly laying it on the desk. This was probably her last day. After George gets inside, he’ll fire her. She smiled at the thought of her brothers tearing out of their robes in front of the spectators in the street. Maybe George can get some publicity out of this prank. Whether or not she gets fired, she is going to find Harry and apologize to him.
The thoughts of her needing to apologize bothered her. She had never hurt anyone like that before. Hexing someone or yelling at them was one thing, but she hurt him deeply. This bothered her, because she never felt she was cruel, just strong and willing to stand up to anybody.
The back door of the shop flew open and George was standing there staring at her. Thank Merlin! He wore his knickers. Ginny stood up straight and stared at him. She wasn’t going to cower or ask for forgiveness from him.
“Brilliant!” shouted George. “That was one of best pranks anyone ever pulled on me!” he shouted, as he laughed, ran over, and enveloped her in a bear hug. He picked her up and spun her around. Ginny pushed him away from her. The thoughts of him nearly starkers hugging her like that were repulsive.
“George,” she squealed. “Get away from me. You’re starkers.”
“Not quite,” he responded. He grabbed the waistband of his pants with his thumbs and pulled them out. “I still have my Y-pants.” He laughed even louder at her cringing at the possibility of seeing even more of him. “Thank you, Ginny! I loved that. You should have seen the looks on everyone’s face, as we ripped ourselves out of the robes. Some old bird covered her eyes with her hand but left an obvious gap between her fingers so she could see.” He stopped talking because he was laughing so hard. He clapped a hand on Ginny shoulder, and calmed himself as he spoke again. “I’ve missed that,” he said solemnly. “That is the one thing that I’ve missed the most about Fred. We’ve pranked each other more than we pranked everyone else combined.”
Ginny almost argued with him, except she could see a tear forming in the corner of his eye.
“You don’t believe me, do you?” asked George. “Who do you think we tested the merchandise on? Ginny, if you are in the business of pranking someone, you had better be able to take getting pranked. Ron, he is easy enough to prank, but he doesn’t try to get even.” Almost on cue, Ron burst through the back door and started yelling and running towards Ginny.
“You bitch! How dare you…” He never finished the statement, because George reeled around and punched him.
“Don’t ever call Ginny that name again. Just because she has an imagination and can pull off a brilliant prank, doesn’t give you the right to call her that,” shouted George. He stood threateningly over Ron, who had a look of disbelief on his face.
“But, but, she…” stuttered Ron.
“We got what we deserved,” countered George. “What’s the matter Ronniekins, afraid to show everyone your natural assets?” George helped him up. “You know little brother. If you would show half the imagination that she has. You would be a great asset to this shop.” Ron looked at his brother with a blank and confused expression. “We will talk later,” said George. “Ginny, I am sorry if my sick idea of a joke got out of hand.” He cowered a little as she gave him a glare that looked like their mothers. “I thought you would just hex the bits off the boy. I never thought the two of you would end up like this. Go find him and talk to him. Ron and I will take care closing the shop tonight.”
George went to give her another hug, but Ginny put her hands on his chest to stop him. “George, I appreciate all this brotherly love, but please put some more clothes on. You two are making me ill.”
This encouraged him to chase her around the office trying to hug her and Ginny screeched and ran from him. Soon the three Weasley’s were laughing together again.
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Ginny Apparated onto the stoop of Harry’s house. Ron had told her that it could be done and no one from the street would see her. She knocked on the door, but no one answered. She knocked several more times. After the fifth time, she pulled her wand out and used Alohomora charm on it. The door creaked open allowing her to look inside of the house. She was amazed at the difference in the entrance hall. It no longer looked dark and foreboding. Stepping inside, she closed the front door and looked more carefully at the sitting room and entrance hall. It looked almost cheerful. The walls had new wallpaper that was light and colourful. It had a light green background with a variety of wildflowers randomly placed over it. It almost looked like someone’s flower garden.
“Harry, are you here?” She waited but no one answered. She called for him again, still no answer. She walked into the kitchen looking for him, but he wasn’t there.
Ginny walked through the house looking for some sign of Harry. She stopped and stared at the portrait that replaced Mrs, Blacks. It was a portrait of the original Order of the Phoenix and the DA. A lump formed in her throat as she counted everyone who had died in those portraits. Tearing her attention away from the portrait, she quickly glanced in every room marveling at the change in the house over the last two months.
She ended up at his bedroom. She cautiously opened the door. He had told her that he had redone Sirius’ old bedroom for his own. The room looked very nice to her. A large four poster bed sat with its head against the wall near the entrance. There were two chests of drawers, one near the bed and one at the other end of the room beside a small dresser. There was a door at the other end of the room, probably a closet. The walls were now a buttery yellow, giving the room a cheerful look. The hangings on the bed were deep maroon. They were so dark that they probably looked black at night. The solitary window had light rose coloured hangings. They appeared to be dense enough to block out most light despite their light colour.
The picture that she had given Harry yesterday was sitting on the chest of drawers closest to the bed. One could easily see it from the bed. When she decided to give it to him, she was worried he wouldn’t like it. She wanted to get him something more, but, with her saving for a high-quality broom, she couldn’t afford anything else. She walked over and looked at the picture. The two of them looked so good together. Just looking at Harry with his arm around her in a picture made her feel happy. However, he wasn’t here to hold her now.
Pulling her eyes away from the picture she saw a Firebolt on the wall. She reached out and took it down. She wanted one so badly, but there is no way she could afford one, and even before the fight with Harry, she felt funny about asking him for such an expensive broom. She placed it back onto the rack with a sigh.
She sat on the bed and stared at the picture for some time. She had no idea how long she was there. She was becoming worried. He might have put that picture there last night and didn’t have time to throw it away today. She wanted to talk to him. She wanted to reassure him. She needs him to reassure her. She didn’t want to lose him, over something as stupid as this.
The longer she sat there on the bed the worst her fears became. She started to imagine him walking into the Leaky Cauldron and choosing some witch to satisfy his needs. He could do that, because he was, after all, The-Harry-Potter.
She didn’t remember when she started to cry. She just knew that her cheeks were now wet. She was crying again. She never cried as much as she had over the past two months. She never had so much to lose, as she has over the past two months. This realization only made her more upset and caused even more tears to flow down her cheeks. Frustrated at her weakness, she decided that she needed to go home. Harry doesn’t like girls who always are crying. He thought she was so strong.
Ginny left the bedroom and walked down the stairs wiping her red eyes. The only thing she can do was wait, until Harry comes to see her. The thought that he might not want to see her again made her stop and sob briefly in the sitting room. Recomposing herself, she stepped out onto the stoop and Apparated home.
Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Exams and Reconciliation
Author's Notes: Harry takes his Auror exams, while Ginny waits to hear from him. A new/original character is added to the plot.
Harry pushed the wizard’s hat down onto his head as he walked into the Leaky Cauldron at eight-thirty to use the Floo. Today he had to go to the Ministry by nine for his Auror testing. They had set up a special Floo grate for the candidates. The problem with this was his Floo at Grimmauld Place was connected only to the Minister of Magic’s office and the Burrow. He didn’t want it connected for even a day to any grate in the Ministry’s Atrium. Merlin only knows who might find out and try to get into his home. Death Eaters he knows how to handle, but those damnable reporters and fans make him mental.
He had Transfigured his hair red, eyes blue, and his glasses were now black horn rimmed. He must look like Percy or Mr. Weasley. He won’t be seeing Ginny today, so this disguise should work for him. She told him before that she wouldn’t be seen in public with him if he changed his hair to red. After yesterday, she probably doesn’t want to see or be seen with him, so his hair colour right now was irrelevant. Besides, he was noticed in Diagon Alley yesterday when he had the fight with Ginny. Somebody may have seen him with his brownish-blonde hair.
“Excuse me sir,” asked Harry. He didn’t want to call Tom by his name. “Could I use your grate to Floo into the Ministry?”
“It is there to be used, mate as long as you have your own powder,” he gruffly replied, and Harry produced a bag of his own. “Might I ask why you need to use my Floo to get to the Ministry?”
“I have an appointment and I don’t have a Floo grate in my flat.” Harry had hoped that would satisfy his curiosity. Tom looked at him for a couple of seconds before going back to cleaning the bar. Harry probably didn’t even need to ask, but he didn’t want to create a stir if he wasn’t able to use it.
He sat down by the Floo to wait. As he looked around the tables, he noticed a few patrons eating breakfast, talking, or reading the Daily Prophet. That is when he saw it. A picture in the paper of himself standing in Diagon Alley, with headlines flashing above it Harry Potter Fights with Girlfriend. He fought the urge to walk over and rip one of the papers out of somebody’s hands. Looking around he saw a stack of them by the bar. He went up picked up a paper and paid Tom the Knut, before walking into the Floo grate and saying, “Ministry Auror Testing.”
When he stopped spinning, Harry stepped out of the grate and into a roped off section of the Atrium. In front of him were rows of chairs and many were already filled. The applicants all looked older than he did. He stood there staring at them and they in turn stared at him.
The Floo grates had been closed on each side of the one Harry stepped out of. Thick velvet ropes were attached to the wall by the grate and extend out into the Atrium. They were only two metres apart until they reached the waiting area with the chairs. Then they created a large rectangular enclosure, with only one other entrance that opened towards the center of the Atrium and the new fountain.
It had been two months since Harry had last set foot in the Ministry. In that time Kingsley had made several changes, most notably the fountain. When Harry first walked into the Atrium during his fifth year, it had been a tribute to Magical Brethren. It was actually a symbol of wizard and witch dominance over the other magical creatures. When Voldemort took control of the Ministry, it was a sadistic symbol of Pureblood supremacy with its Magic is Might statue.
Now it’s again a fountain consisting of a golden globe on a plinth, and water spraying out of the top of the globe that fell gently into the large catch basin surrounding the globe. The plinth was what fascinated Harry. It rotated, turning itself, and the globe. On the plinth in relief were pictures of a Wizard, a witch, a House Elf, a Goblin, a Centaur, a Giant, and lastly a person who was unmistakably a Muggle. Harry couldn’t help but feel proud of Kingsley for being brave enough to make such an obvious display of cooperation, between former foes and adversaries.
As people were walking past the seating area on their way to work, they would stare at the candidates and then turn towards the lifts. There was a group of people who stood outside of the enclosure that didn’t work in the Ministry. Reporters! When Harry appeared out of the grate, they turned and looked at him carefully, before turning their attention elsewhere. He was being careful not to look too closely at them. His transfiguration, and the fact his pointed hat was so low on his forehead that it hid his scar, kept his identity hidden. Satisfied that he had avoided unwanted attention, he sat down in a chair away from everyone else and started to read the article about him.
He spent several minutes looking at the article. He had really mucked things up yesterday. They did see him before he transfigured, and witnesses identified Ginny. They had referred to her as the girl who works in Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Now that they had put them together as a couple, it won’t matter if he transfigures his hair. People will still know who he is.
Harry lowered the paper as he realized what he just thought. He was still thinking about Ginny as his girlfriend. He might still have a chance, if his plan worked today, and she could forgive him. Feeling queasy about his predicament, Harry folded the newspaper and placed it on an empty seat beside him.
He sat there, waiting for the testing to begin, and watching as the workers strolled past the roped off area. He noticed an older man with worn robes and thinning red hair, Mr. Weasley. He looked over at the waiting area and stopped walking. He stood there looking at Harry with a puzzled look on his face. It was almost as though he is trying to decide if he should know this redheaded young man. After a couple of seconds, he shook his head and continued towards the lifts.
The crowd of workers slowly thinned out, and more Auror candidates entered through the Floo. Each time the Floo erupted with emerald flames, the reporters all looked at the new person with anticipation. When they finally appeared, the reporters would mumble to themselves and ignore the new person. With a new candidate arriving every thirty seconds, this routine was becoming comical to watch. The reporters suddenly turned away from their Floo watch and scurried towards the Atrium. Harry following their movement saw the reason for their excitement. Minister Shacklebolt was walking with a woman. She didn’t seem to fit in the magical world. She wasn’t wearing robes, but short brown pants that stop mid-calf, a beige shirt that was square cut at the bottom with sleeves that are three-quarter length; over it she had a brownish red vest. The clothing looked old and worn, but very rugged. On her feet were leather sandals, they were the same condition as her clothes. She appeared to be a few years older than Harry was, possibly Charlie’s age. Her skin was dark tanned, and her hair was thick, dark, and tied back in a ponytail. Even from the distance, Harry could see that she was a very attractive woman.
“Minister Shacklebolt! Minister Shacklebolt! Is it true that Harry Potter is supposed to be here today?” shouted several of the reporters. Their loud shouts echoed off the paneled walls of the Atrium. The Minister gave them a sour look and kept walking.
“Minister, do you think the fight that Harry and his girlfriend had yesterday could be the reason he is not here?” queried one reporter.
“Maybe, they fought over him becoming an Auror?” asked another.
“Maybe, she found out that she wasn’t his only lover,” stated the unmistakable voice of Rita Skeeter.
Kingsley stopped walking and turned so fast that the woman accompanying him took two steps before realizing he wasn’t walking with her. “Look! I know I can’t stop you from hounding Harry but have some decency. He deserves some privacy. If he shows up to become an Auror, we will accept his application.” Several people laughed about that statement. “If he doesn’t than I wish him the best of luck in whatever he decides to do.” He stopped talking and stepped forward and gently grabbed the woman’s elbow and walking towards the Auror candidate area.
Harry watched as the Minister and this mystery woman walked together through the rows of candidates. They seemed to be looking for something or someone. He kept walking and looking back and forth at everyone’s face. She would look at something in her hand then look up at the candidates.
Kingsley looked up at him several times, but the last two times he lingered in his appraisal of Harry. He wasn’t sure, but he thought that he saw the Minister smile briefly.
Harry dropped his head to avoid his stare; he started to listen to the talk around him. The reporters were bickering over rights to the story, or stories. He could hear other candidates discussing the story about him and Ginny. He tried to ignore what he was hearing, but many of the comments were extremely nasty, particularly about Ginny.
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?”
Harry looked up and Kingsley was standing in front of him and pointing to the seat directly beside him. The woman was looking nervously at the two men. Harry could tell that she didn’t want to sit beside this stranger. Harry looked down and saw a picture in her hand. It was a young picture of him. “No, be my guest,” replied Harry as he picked up his edition of the Daily Prophet.
“Pardon me, but what is your name?” asked Kingsley.
Harry opened his mouth for a second and almost said Harry Potter, but stopped when he realized the number of people that could hear him. “James, James Puh,” he had almost said Potter, he silently cursed himself before stating, “Carlyle, James P. Carlyle.”
Kingsley smiled at him and there seemed to be a knowing glint in the Minister’s eyes, but he said nothing. “Well, James P. Carlyle, I would assume you know where Hogsmeade is. Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“Then, I would like to ask you a favor, please take Ms. Carmen Del La Rosa to the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade after the testing today?” The woman turned and gave the Minister a shocked look, before turning to stare at Harry.
Harry realized that Kingsley had recognized him. How he did, Harry had no idea. “Sure, I will escort her there,” he replied. If Kingsley trusted Carmen, then he would have no problem with doing this assignment.
“Minister Shacklebolt, I don’t…”
“It is fine Carmen,” assured Kingsley. “I have a feeling this young lad will make sure you meet Hagrid at the Three Broomsticks.” Kingsley gave her a reassuring smile, before looking at Harry again and walking away.
Carmen stood there for a second and watched him walk away. She looked at Harry and tentatively sat down two chairs away from him.
Harry noticed for the first time that many of the wizards were now eyeing her up. Some were obviously staring while others snuck glances at her. He could understand why, now that she is closer to him. She is a very beautiful woman. Large grey eyes and full lips accented her heart shaped face. Even though she wore no makeup, she had a natural beauty. He found his eyes falling onto her hands and the picture of him. Her hands are what shocked him. They were strong, calloused, and her nails were worn and broken, reminding him of Professor Sprout’s hands. He looked at her again and realized that her entire wardrobe looked like something that Professor Sprout would wear.
Looking around the Atrium again, Harry noticed that Kingsley seemed to be waiting at the entrance of the area. This struck him as strange, but he quickly saw the reason for the Minister’s behaviour. Gawain Robards was approaching from the lifts with a large stack of folders in his arms.
“My brother was quite surprised that Harry ever went out with the Weasley girl,” said a voice from the left of Harry. This made Harry tear his attention from the Minister and look for who said such a thing. “She had dated quite a few blokes at the school.”
“Who’s your brother?” asked someone else from the clump of candidates surrounding this arrogant arse. Harry felt his hand reaching for his wand as he stared at him. “Ernie Macmillian, a close friend of Harry Potter,” he said very loud so that people outside of the clump of listeners could hear also. The reporters heard and they moved in mass closer to him.
“My brother has been fighting with Harry since his fifth year, when he joined a group with Harry that called themselves Dumbledore’s Army. He was never as close as Granger and Ron Weasley, but he was always there supporting him.” Harry had to fight the urge to ask him about his brother’s second year.
“I am Edward Macmillian. I was also at the Battle of Hogwarts. Went there to help fight that evil He-who-must-not-be-named.” Harry almost laughed at hearing this brash fighter still being afraid to say Voldemort’s name. Edward was talking louder, bolder, and was moving around, as he described his part in the final battle.
Harry tuned him out and turned his attention elsewhere. Kingsley had just finished speaking to Gawain, who was arranging the stack of folders in his arms. Carmen to his left had her wand out and taping it impatiently on the picture of him, that she held in her right hand.
“Justin Adderly,” shouted Gawain Robards. A wizard stood up and walked up to him. Gawain handed him a folder, spoke to him, and the candidate walked towards the lifts.
Harry looked on in fear, as Gawain called another name. What will he do when Gawain gets to his name? If he stands up, the mob of reporters will descend on him. If he doesn’t reveal himself, then at the end he would be left sitting here alone. Harry shifted nervously in his seat waiting. Gawain kept calling names and the numbers of candidates were thinning. There was nothing to it; he would have to reveal his identity when Gawain calls his name.
“Edward Macmillian” He stood up, grabbed his folder and walked towards the lifts. There were only ten or fifteen applicants left now, and twice as many reporters.
“Gerald Smythwick,” called Gawain. Harry sat up. Gawain had skipped his name. As Smythwick walked towards the lifts the reporters started to leave, they also noticed that Harry Potters name wasn’t called. This made Harry relax back in his seat, he felt someone looking at him, and turned to see Carmen with a puzzled look on her face. Harry had just realized that she was also skipped.
After the last candidate’s name was called, Gwain walked over to them with two folders left in his arms. “Follow me,” he said with a smile, and turned and started walking towards the lifts.
The three of them stood quietly at the lifts until an empty one appeared. Gawain stepped in followed closely by Harry and Carmen.
As soon as the doors closed Gawain said without looking at Harry, “you can reveal yourself, Harry.”
Carmen started to chuckle and handed him the picture of him. She had changed the hair and eye colour, put horned rimmed glasses, and a wizard’s hat on his disgruntled looking image.
“How did you figure it out?” he asked them, as he turned himself back into the recognizable Harry. “I thought it was an effective disguise.”
“It was,” responded Gawain. “Kingsley noticed you. You were sitting over by yourself trying to be as inconspicuous as a mouse in an Owlery. When he looked directly at you, you met his eyes and didn’t flinch. Most wizards are slightly intimidated by the Minister of Magic, but you weren’t. He also recognized your face in spite of the hair and glasses.
“I think that you definitely are a natural at concealment, but you need to work on your character. A slight flaw like that could undo months’ worth of investigation, by being uncovered.”
Harry turned to Carmen and asked the same question.
“It was your reaction to what those men were saying about Ginny and fighting at the Battle of Hogwarts that made me realizes that it might be you. Or someone else who is in love with your girlfriend.” Carmen smiled at Harry as he turned and glowered at her.
“Why did you have a picture of me?”
“I was told to look for you, when I arrive in Britain. A good friend of mine recommended you and Rubeus Hagrid as two people who I can trust.”
Harry was looking at her more intently, now. “What good friend?”
“My former headmistress, Madame Maxime.”
“You’re from France?” His voice was a little high pitched from the shock that this girl is French but doesn’t have the accent of Fleur or any of her relatives.
“Yes, I grew up southwest of Bayonne in the Pyrenees Mountains. I went to Beauxbaton.” She had a strange expression on her face as she said this. Harry didn’t have time to ask any more questions, because they had arrived in the Auror department. It was filled to capacity with anxious candidates and impatient Aurors.
When Harry, Gawain and Carmen entered the room, everyone stopped talking and stared at them. Harry had changed his hair, eyes, and glasses back to their original state. He wasn’t wearing the Wizard’s hat revealing his unruly hair and his famous scar. Gawain leaned next to Harry’s ear and whispered, “I get that type of reaction all the time.”
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Harry sat in the Aurors office completely knackered. He had never experienced testing like this. Not only had they quizzed him thoroughly on every subject. They also gave him a nearly impossible period to complete it. The closest thing he could relate to these tests would be to take all your OWLs in a morning. The afternoon was saved for the practical exams. He ate the lunch provided by the Ministry, or he tried. He wasn’t hungry after the morning’s written exams.
He spent the entire afternoon casting spells, one after another without a chance to regain his wits. The only bright spot for Harry was when he went one on one dueling with the Aurors. He was able to successfully disarm and detain three in a row, before they stopped testing him in that phase.
As he looked around the room, he didn’t feel so bad. Everyone else looked completely knackered, including the Aurors who did the testing. He looked at his gold watch and saw that it was six-thirty. Ginny should be getting off work in the next hour. He felt a wave of nausea as he thought about her. Any chance he had of her forgiving him was probably ruined once she reads the Daily Prophet. She always hated being stared at; that was the one of the many things that drew them together. Harry stood up quickly to break his present train of thoughts away from her.
He saw Carmen sitting with her head down several chairs from him. He remembered that he had to take her to The Three Broomsticks to meet Hagrid. He didn’t have any time to talk to her today between testing. She had intrigued him. Why would a French woman come to Britain to train to be an Auror?
“Excuse me! Everyone could I have your attention,” shouted Gawain. He was standing on a chair in a corner of the room. “All the candidates have been tested, and we are presently compiling all the results; thanks to many of the fellow Ministry employees. You are all free to go home now. We will Owl you in the next two days to tell you if you made the cut. To all of those who didn’t. We would like to thank you for your interest and cooperation. For those of you who are accepted into this program, you shall report to Hogwarts on the second of September at one-thirty in the afternoon in the Great Hall. Thank you and good night.”
Everyone slowly stood up and started to leave, Harry had only walked a few feet towards the door, when Gawain approached him, “Harry, Minister Shaklebolt wants to see you and Carmen in the Atrium. Have you seen her?”
Harry nodded in the direction that he saw her sitting with her head down. He pushed his way into the horde of humanity trying to exit the Auror department. He was moving at a snail’s pace, as everyone wanted to leave at the exact same second. The lifts were the biggest bottleneck, as only so many people could fit in them at a time. When he finally reached the Atrium, it was empty except for the exiting Auror candidates. He saw the Minister standing and staring into the fountain.
When he finally stepped beside the Minister, Kingsley looked at him and then stared into the fountain once again. “I had the fountain built a week ago. You inspired me. Your speech, at the Wizengamot, how the entire magical community worked together to end Voldemort’s reign. I thought about this design of a fountain one night that I couldn’t sleep, and two days later it was being built.” Kingsley looked at him again. “I want to name it after you Harry.” Harry gave him a pained expression. “Think about it. Okay, that is all I can ask.”
“I appreciate you wanting to name this after me, but I really don’t want the recognition. I am waiting for the day when the entire magical community stops watching every move I make. Putting my name on things like this would only prolong that mess.” He hung his head as the thoughts of even more years of fame. “So please if you must name it. Name for someone or something else, not me!”
“Harry,” Kingsley placed a comforting hand on Harry’s shoulder. “You cannot escape your fame. I am sorry to say that to the British citizen you are more famous than Dumbledore. Grindlewald didn’t have a reign of terror on the islands. His was on the continent. You personally saved these people. They will never forget it.”
Harry stood there slightly depressed at hearing what the Minister said. He had wondered if that might be the truth, and there is nothing to do about it. “Kingsley! Sorry! Minister, I am glad you are the new Minister of Magic. I can’t thank you enough for how decent you have treated me. The past Ministers, Fudge and Scrimgour, would have demanded that I move in next door to them, and visit them every day to make the people feel better.” Harry laughed a sardonic laugh as he realized that that would be the truth. “It wasn’t only my idea for Magical cooperation. Professor Dumbledore championed it. You should name the fountain after him.”
The Minister nodded his head at Harry’s suggestion before speaking again. “Harry, take care of Carmen while the two of you are training. She has been through a great deal and is here by special request. I don’t know if you have talked to her, but she isn’t British.”
“Yeah, we talked. She said that she is French. If that is true, she speaks the best English of any French woman I’ve ever heard.”
Kingsley smiled at Harry’s comment. “She is extremely intelligent, but she doesn’t have field or practical experience.”
“Minister, why is she here, and not in France?”
“All in due time, Harry. All in due time.”
Harry looked at Kingsley trying to figure out what he was hiding. The Minister turned and watched the fountain for several more minutes until Carmen walked up to them.
Harry left with Carmen to the Apparation area of the Atrium. One second they were staring at the ornate Atrium of the Ministry, and the next after a brief compressed feeling the forest surrounding Hogsmeade.
Harry looked over the treetops to see the tops of Hogwarts’ towers. The sight brought back all the memories of the battle and suffering that occurred that night. He stood there fighting back the grief, ignoring Carmen.
“Harry,” said Carmen from beside him. “Are we going to the Three Broomsticks?” she asked and shook his arm.
Carmen’s hand on his forearm brought Harry out of his state and back to the present situation. He looked over at her and saw she was pulling out an old worn robe with a hood. There was a light rain falling, and it was chilly for the second of August. Harry though didn’t pull his hood up. The cold rain matched his mood right now. It felt familiar and in some strange way comforting, as they walked through the streets of Hogsmeade towards the pub.
Harry opened the door into the pub and allowed Carmen to step through into the warmth inside. The pub felt good and comforting as the smell of food and drink filled Harry’s nose. He found Hagrid without any trouble, since his bushy-haired head was above everyone’s.
Carmen seemed to hesitate at the door, so he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards Hagrid. Harry wove his way through the pub, drawing stares from all the patrons. Several of them even stood up to congratulate him, and he just walked past them until he was at Hagrid’s table.
“’arry me boy. Fancy meeting you ‘ere,” shouted the half-giant so that the entire pub could hear. “and who is dat with ya, Ginny.”
Harry stood before the table which Hagrid, Headmistress McGonagall, and Neville sat. They all looked at him with puzzled expressions. “No,” replied Harry slightly confused that they didn’t know that Carmen was coming tonight. “Its Carmen, Hagrid…”
Harry didn’t get a chance to say anymore, because Carmen had removed her hood when her named was said, and Hagrid stood up knocking the table over. “Who the bloody hell is that. ‘arry you shouldn’t be with anyone else but Ginny. It ain’t right, ‘arry.”
“Now Rubeus, please sit down. I am sure there is a perfectly good explanation to Mr. Potter’s actions.” The Headmistress gave Harry a cold hard stare over top of her glasses. Neville looked equally shocked at Harry being with another woman. Neither one of them seemed even a little surprised that Hagrid had just knocked over their dinner table.
“Didn’t Kingsley tell you that I was bringing Carmen here after testing?” Harry was surprised at the looks on his friends’ faces and wondered if they had seen the mornings Daily Prophet. “Carmen,” he had to pull her from behind him to face them. “This is Carmen Del La Rosa; she is here from France to train as an Auror. Hagrid, Madame Maxime told her to find you.”
“Blimey, you dat smart student Olympe told me ‘bout,” shouted Hagrid joyously. “Why didn’t you tell me dat, ‘arry. Come on sit down. Sit down. We were just about to tuck in for dinner.”
It took a couple passes of their wands and the dinner table and its contents were back in order. Within a half and hour everyone was eating and chatting happily amongst themselves. Harry and Carmen talked about the difficulty of the testing. Harry had problems with the written exams and potion making. Carmen had problems with the practical applications particularly the face to face dueling. Harry was enjoying eating and talking with his friends and lost track of the time, until a loud crack made everyone jump.
“Master,” croaked Kreacher as he bowed and kept his eyes towards the floor. “Kreacher is so sorry to disturb you, Master.”
“What is it, Kreacher?”
“Intruders in Grimmauld Place, Master!”
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Ginny Weasley stared at the people waiting outside of the shop staring in through the window at her. She knew there might be something like this happening today. She had the newspaper shoved in front of her by her parents at breakfast. She explained that she and Harry had had a disagreement that might have become a little too loud. She didn’t offer any more information about the incident, and that seemed to satisfy them.
She Apparated into George’s flat and was met by the sight of an overworked nondomestic bachelor’s flat. She will never eat in that place, until he burns that kitchen table. He was using it as a clothes depository, robes, socks and pants laid strewn over it.
“You can take off today if you want, Ginny,” offered George. “You know our best customers are not twenty-year-old females.”
Ginny chuckled at George making light of all the women staring into the shop. They were there for one thing, and that is to see the girlfriend of Harry Potter. “It’s all right George, if they annoy me too much. I’ll use them for product testing.”
Ron, who had just walked up, and George laughed at their little sister’s comment. They looked at her again before walking to the front doors and opening them. The horde of women didn’t come in. Many of them turned and left without a backward glance. It seemed that they only wanted to see her, but the ones that did enter the shop were beyond rude.
Several of them walked up to her and stared at her as though she was a display item. She asked them if she could help them in a sweet voice only to have them turn and walk away. One did say something to her, “What would Harry Potter see in a tart like you.”
Ginny was about to curse her, but Ron grabbed her by the back of the robes and shoved her into the street. He walked over to comfort Ginny, but she said that she was fine. The truth was that she wasn’t. She had often wondered that about Harry. Now that they had that fight, all she wanted to do is talk to him. She wanted him to apologize when she could see his eyes, and to be able to apologize to him. She needed reassurance that he did love her, nothing big or romantic, just to hear him say that he still loved her would be wonderful.
The rest of the morning was less eventful. Curiosity seekers still entered the shop, but they were less offensive than the ones earlier. Ginny kept looking towards the door waiting for Harry to show up. With each hour, she became more nervous about their relationship. By twelve forty-five, she was so nervous that she felt slightly sick. If he didn’t come by at one for their daily lunch date, she may have to take the rest of the day off to find him.
One of the witches that she least wanted to see that day showed up just then, Romilda Vane. “Did you really think Harry would stay with you? Did you?” she laughed at Ginny.
“Shut it Romilda!” hissed Ginny. She had had enough of this treatment. Ron and George were in the backroom, but Ginny didn’t need them to defend her. She can do that on her own.
“He only went with you because you were easy and Ron’s little sister. That’s what everyone thinks at Hogwarts,” Romilda chided.
“He did not go with me because I was easy, because it wasn’t true. You must be thinking of yourself for the easy one,” spat Ginny.
Romilda went for her wand, but Ginny was quicker. Ginny was backing her out of the store, but Romilda didn’t stop talking.
“You think you can keep him. Your wrong! No bloody way is he going to stay with you. I haven’t given up on him yet. Hell, half the women in England hold out hopes for Harry. He will get bored with you, then move on to better more suitable…Owww!”
Romilda never finished what she was going to say, because somebody grabbed her by the back of the hair and pulled her backwards out of the shop.
“Ginny never needed love potion to get Harry to notice her! So, shut up and leave,” shouted Hermione. After Romilda turned and ran down the street, Hermione turned to Ginny and hugged her. “Don’t listen to them. Harry does love you.”
Ginny returned her hug but couldn’t help but feel that maybe Romilda is right. Did Harry think that she had shagged Dean and Michael, and only went with her for that reason? It never seemed like that was his motive, but Ginny still couldn’t push that doubt out of her head.
“Ginny! Look at me,” demanded Hermione. She couldn’t look her best friend in the eyes right now. “Harry loves you,” she assured her in a soft calm voice, all her bossy know-it-all attitude was gone now. “Everyone fights in relationships, look at Ron and me.” Ginny couldn’t help but laugh. “I know he cares. You know he cares, so don’t you fill your head with doubts about him. All right.”
“Thank you, Hermione,” whispered Ginny as she hugged her friend. “Thank you for saying that. I guess that little first year girl was coming out again.”
“Hermione, what are you doing here?” asked Ron as he entered the sales floor from the back. “I thought you were supposed to be at work today?”
“I was,” she said as the two girls let go of their hug. She walked over and kissed her boyfriend, before continuing, “There is Auror testing today and…”
“Auror testing?” shouted Ginny. All three of them suddenly realized that Harry was at the Ministry.
“Yes Ginny, Harry would be there,” stated Hermione cheerfully. “I hear it’s supposed to be a rigorous all-day event. The entire staff of NEWT equivalency testers are being used to check their written exams.”
Ginny smiled now that she realized why he hadn’t been by to see her. He had been at the Ministry. She could push all those thoughts about him being with someone else out of her mind, but that didn’t explain why he wasn’t home last night.
Ginny looked at the time and realized that it was now her lunch hour, but she wasn’t hungry. Without the prospect of Harry showing up, she didn’t care if she ate today. With a sigh, she walked back behind the counter and went back to work. Ron and Hermione looked at her but didn’t say anything. They just walked around the shop talking quietly to each other.
“Oi, is there a Ginny Weasley ‘ere?” asked a large bear of a man. He was standing in the shop’s doorway holding a galvanized bucket filled with flowers.
“I’m Ginny, and who might you be?”
“Me name is Al. Sorry about being late, but the flowers weren’t exactly easy, you know,” he said as he waddled towards her. He was shaped like Hagrid; except he was only as tall as Ron was. His bushy hair and stubbly beard were a reddish-blonde. The robes he wore were rather torn and tattered. He placed the bucket of flowers on the counter in front of Ginny and looked down at her with bloodshot brown eyes. “Well hope ya like ‘em. Not easy work, ya know, finding wildflowers.” He said loudly, then leaned in and whispered, “Ya would have a bit of Firewhiskey on ya, would ya?”
“Ginny let a little giggle escape her lips, as she said, “No, I’m afraid not.” She knew Harry sent her the flowers, and this big old bloke was a little comical. She started looking through the flowers for a note from Harry. There were hyacinths, violets, daisies, and wild roses in the bucket, and they smelled wonderful.
“I was afraid of that,” replied Al dejectedly. He turned and slowly walked towards the door.
“Wait a second, Al,” said Ginny. “Was there a note with these flowers?”
“Blimey, I almost forgot.” He started to search all the pockets in his robes for the note. He finally produced it and handed it to her. It was small envelope with her name written on it in Harry’s handwriting. “Butterbeer?”
“What?” His question caught Ginny by surprise, because she was concentrating on Harry’s note.
“Ya wouldn’t ‘appen to ‘ave a Butterbeer on ya?” He asked hopefully. He stood there with a pleading look on his round face, while slowly rubbing the sides of his stomach with both hands.
“No, I am afraid not.”
“Wonderful, just my bloody luck,” he huffed as he turned and exited the shop.
Ginny stood there for several seconds staring at the note. She looked up and saw Hermione and Ron watching her from a distance. She was glad they were giving her some room, because she was really nervous about this note. Harry must still love her, or maybe he just likes her. There will be only one way to find out, she tore open the envelope and pulled out the parchment inside. His note was a simple single sentence that meant so much to her.
I don’t care about the past, only a future with you!
Love, Harry
She felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her chest. He still wanted her in his life, and he still loved her. Ginny happily went back behind the counter and placed the bucket of flowers behind her so she could look at it. She sat down on a tall stool behind the counter and read and reread his simple one line note over and over the rest of the day.
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“He’s not at home.”
“Here, out of the way, Ginny. I’ll open the bloody door,” grumbled Ron.
“Ron, we shouldn’t just barge into his Harry’s house, like this,” scolded Hermione. She saw Ginny blush slightly and give a guilty smile. “Ginny, have you been here?”
Hermione’s statement made Ron turn and glare at his sister.
“Yesterday evening, after I got off work. He wasn’t home so I left after a bit.”
“How long was a bit?” questioned Ron.
“An hour or two,” Ginny shot back, irritated at her brother, “George said to go and find him. So, I did, or I tried. Oh Bullocks! Alohamora! It is too cold and wet to be standing out here on this stoop. Let’s go inside.”
The three of them walked into the entrance hall. Ron and Hermione gasped at the change in the house. Ginny, who had seen it already, just commented how she felt the same way yesterday. They started to walk through the house looking in the rooms and making comments about each one.
The trio stared at the portrait of the Order of the Phoenix and the DA that replaced Walburga Black’s portrait for almost twenty minutes.
They finally entered the former dining room. Hermione was drawn to the stacks of textbooks and notes, Ginny and Ron started to look at the piles of pictures and the scrapbooks.
“I looked in here last night, but I didn’t enter because he wasn’t in the room. You see all these pictures he has, Ron.”
“Yeah, it looks like he is collecting pictures of dead people.”
“Ron! Don’t be so insensitive,” Hermione yelled at him.
“I’m not. It is just all these pictures are of...,” he stopped talking as he realized exactly what these pictures were of, “Friends who died fighting Voldemort.”
The entire room went a silent, as Ron opened scrapbooks dedicated to Harry’s parents, The Order of Phoenix, and Dumbledore’s Army. He opened the fourth book and looked at Ginny. “This one is of you,” he said directly to her.
She reached out and took it from his hand. She leafed through the pages and saw pictures of her from her first year up and until her fifth year. There were even pictures of her and Harry together at Hogwarts. He had taken the time to find these pictures and place them in a scrapbook. She started to choke up thinking about him doing something as sweet as that, and he never even told her.
“You don’t suppose he’s planning on killing you too, Ginny,” joked Ron.
“Ronald Bilius Weasley, you are an insensitive wart!” shouted Hermione, but Ginny snorted and laughed about Ron’s comment, leaving Hermione confused and slightly hurt, so she went back over to the textbooks, and started to leaf through the notes.
“I am impressed at Harry’s study habits,” commented Hermione. She was looking at the notes and didn’t see Ron’s look of shock. “He must have done all this since I moved out with my parents. I remember him talking about remodeling the house, but I never expected all this.”
“He has been a busy boy,” commented Ron. “I wonder where he found the time.” They all looked at each other. It was then that they realized that none of them had spent much time with him. “I suppose not having all of us around him all day left him with extra time.”
Ron and Ginny went back to looking at the scrapbooks, and Hermione started reading the Level Seven Standard Book of Spells.
“There they are Master!”
They looked up and saw Kreacher pointing a boney finger at them, and Harry was standing beside him staring directly at Ginny. Ron and Hermione stood up looked at each other then at him. Ginny stayed seated where she was on the other side of the dining room table from Harry and Kreacher. She unconsciously pulled the scrapbook of herself to her chest as she returned his gaze.
“Thank you Kreacher,” said Harry. “You have done well.”
“Thank you, Master. Should I make some tea?”
“Does anyone want tea?” he asked without breaking his gaze from Ginny. Ron had moved next to Hermione and they both noticed where his attention was. No one responded quickly, so Harry sent Kreacher off to make tea. The House Elf bowed and exited towards the kitchen.
“How was the testing, Harry?” Hermione asked trying to start a conversation.
“Long, grueling, and tiring,” was his reply, while staring at Ginny.
“Well, you and Ginny have some things to talk about so we will leave you two alone.”
Harry and Ginny broke their gaze and turned to look at Ron, who had said that. Hermione was staring at him with an expression that Ginny never saw before.
“What, why is everyone looking at me? It is the truth. You two need to talk, and Hermione and me would just be an annoyance.”
Harry had a hard time keeping from laughing, “Yes you are spot on there Mate. Mind your manners though.”
“Why’s that Mate.”
“Because, I haven’t seen that look on Hermione’s face since she jumped on you and started snogging you senseless during the battle.”
Hermione’s face turned bright red and she grabbed Ron’s hand and pulled him from the room. Ron stopped her though and closed the door behind him.
After they left, Harry turned and looked at Ginny again. His eyes were warm and loving making her melt. “Did you get my flowers?”
“Yes!”
“And my note?” Harry was walking around the table towards her, while still looking in her eyes.
“Yes, it was…”
“I meant it, Ginny,” he stated firmly. “I want a future with you.”
“Harry…”
“I am sorry about what I said to your brothers,” said Harry as he sat down close enough that their knees touched. “and — about what happened before, us…”
“Harry, I never …” Ginny said with intensity, she didn’t want him to think that she had shagged anyone else.
“Never…” His features seemed to brighten.
“I didn’t love them Harry. I could never — without loving someone. You are the only person I ever loved…”
His lips cut off her words. She felt warmth run through every inch of her. Warmth that she hasn’t felt since the last time they snogged. It filled her up and completed her and made everything else in this world seem insignificant. She felt his fingers move gently across her cheeks enticing and tickling her at the same time. His fingers were in her hair now, and his tongue grazed her lips.
Ginny intensified the kiss this time, allowing their tongues to dance together. Her arms encircled his strong back, and his were now wrapped around hers pulling her ever closer. She repositioned her arms above his shoulder so she could run her fingers through his hair. She could feel their chests press together as his arms tighten around her back. The pressure felt wonderful. She wrapped her legs around him and the chair back to pull him even tighter to her.
His lips left hers, and started to kiss her cheeks, nibble on her ears, and gently kiss down her neck. This made her head spin and her breathing difficult, as it never had before. She tightened the grip with her legs, twisted her fingers in his hair, lifted her chin up exposing her neck, and pulled his lips closer to her neck. He reached the base of her neck, and a sensation shuddered through her; a strong powerful feeling that scared her.
“Harry — please …” she whispered. She was so out of breath that she even doubted he could hear her, but he did stop.
“I am sorry,” he whispered into her neck. He didn’t release his grip on her or lift his head up. “It’s — I was afraid that I had lost you.”
Ginny had relaxed her grip on his hair and let her legs relax, but he still held her tight. She wasn’t sure but her neck felt like it was getting wet. “Harry, look at me.” She tried to lift his head up, but he resisted. “Please look at me. Please.” He finally lifted his face to her and saw that he was crying.
“I’m sorry for crying.”
Ginny wiped his cheeks with her thumbs as she held his face in his hands. “I was so cut up yesterday, because I couldn’t see your eyes.” She had to giggle at his puzzled look. “When I look in your eyes, I can tell what you are feeling. You had your glasses transfigured. Harry, do you remember when I said that I tried very hard to make my relationships work with Dean and Michael?”
“Yes,” his voice seemed bitter.
“What I meant is I tried to forget you and feel love for them.” She said searching his eyes. “I could not love them, like I have always loved you. I just couldn’t do it, and I must be in love with someone before I’d ever shag them.” She rubbed her thumbs across his cheeks as she looked in his eyes. She saw that he understood, and she gently kissed him on the forehead. “I am sorry for what I said. I just said that to hurt you. I am sorry.”
“Forgiven!” he said before she had even stopped speaking. He pulled her into an embrace. His head was beside hers and his arms gently wrapped her body. It felt so comforting to her. She wanted him to hold her like this until the end of time; it was so wonderful.
He pulled out of the hug and smiled at her. Taking his wand out of his robes, he Levitated the stack of textbooks on the table. He looked at her with a wicked smile as they floated across the room to the closed door. He released them causing them to crash to the floor with a loud thud.
A loud screech and a “Bloody Hell” could be heard echoing from down the stairs. Ginny started to giggle as Harry lifted her off his lap and took her hand, so they could go downstairs to have tea with Ron and Hermione.
“I knew they were using Extendable Ears,” Harry said as they left the library.
Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Ginny's Birthday
Author's Notes: Harry has a few surprises form Ginny in this chapter, when she reacts in a strange way.
Harry had received an Owl two days after the testing, informing him that he had been accepted as an Auror trainee. He wasn’t as excited about that as the fact that Ginny and Ron were now getting one day a week off work. George had hired two employees to help at the shop.
On their first day off, the four of them met at the Grangers for a brunch. The Grangers rearranged their schedule so that they could entertain them. They had spent the past two months setting up and getting acquainted with their new practice and patients. This morning, they planned to spend time with the four teens.
The afternoon was spent flying at the Burrow. Ginny had insisted that Harry bring his new Firebolt over to the Burrow. He had realized that she was in his bedroom when she stopped by his house the day of their fight. The broom was on the wall where one could not miss it upon entering the room. He has kept his Nimbus hidden ever since, because Ginny was now coming to his house for lunch, instead of them going out to eat in public.
Since they had the Firebolt and the other brooms were Cleansweeps, The Firebolt was shared by Ron, Ginny, and Harry. Hermione wouldn’t fly, so they decided to play two on one Quidditch; the two Cleansweeps against the Firebolt. Whenever Ginny would get on the Firebolt, her eyes would glow with excitement. She had a hard time controlling it at first, because she never rode a broom that powerful before. Harry would give her and Ron hints and tips that he had learned from flying his Firebolt. Ginny quickly learned them, and by the end of the afternoon handled the broom like a professional. Harry found that watching her flying was almost as much fun as flying himself.
That evening Mrs. Weasley had prepared a big meal for them. She had been excited to have the four teens over for a meal. With Ginny and Ron working all day and Ron staying many nights at the shop, the Burrow was practically empty. She was going stir-crazy after so many years of having seven active children under foot.
When the plans for the day were first decided, Harry was hesitant about going to the Burrow. He was afraid that he would have to go through an interrogation about the fight he had with Ginny. She assured him that she had sorted her parents out on the situation, and her Mum had a ‘talk’ with George and Ron. Harry found that Mrs. Weasley was very gracious, but Mr. Weasley seemed a little distant towards him.
Everyone had just finished pudding and was sitting at the table with a feeling of contentment from such a marvelous home cooked meal. Ginny leaned against Harry while he had his arm around her shoulder. Ron and Hermione were doing the same, while Mr. and Mrs. Weasley looked on from opposite ends of the table. Harry had enjoyed this day tremendously, brunch with the Grangers was fun, flying all afternoon was fabulous, a delicious meal to finish the day, and holding Ginny close in this peaceful setting made this one of the best days that he could remember.
“Ginny, dear, we need to talk about your birthday coming up,” stated Mrs. Weasley.
“I want Harry invited, but beyond that it’s up to you.” Harry gave her shoulders a squeeze, and he kissed her lightly on top of the head in response.
“What we need to sort out is what day do you want it on? Your birthday is on a Tuesday, do you think George would allow you and Ron to take off that day?”
Ginny looked at her thoughtfully for a second before speaking, “He might, because Tuesdays are not very busy and he has more help.”
“It is your seventeenth,” said Mr. Weasley.
“I know Dad, but…”
“It should be celebrated properly!” stated Mr. Weasley rather emphatically. Everyone around the table looked at him, Ron, Hermione, and Harry’s expressions were of surprise, but Ginny and Mrs. Weasley’s seemed to be more of concern. “After all you are…”
“I know Dad. The only girl born in the Weasley family in three generations,” droned Ginny as though she had been hearing this fact daily all of her life. Harry thought that her reaction was a little extreme. It seemed almost as though she was embarrassed by that fact.
“To make it proper, it should be celebrated on your birthday,” insisted Mr. Weasley.
“You didn’t celebrate my birthday on the exact day!” exclaimed Ron. The feeling of being insignificant was evident in his voice.
“You were at school Ron,” replied Mrs. Weasley. “I doubt Professor Dumbledore would have let you, your sister, Hermione, and Harry out of school then.” The realization of the time that Ron turned seventeen caused everyone at the table to become silent. The war was going on. There had been attempts on Dumbledore’s life, and the two couples weren’t even together then.
Harry felt Ginny snuggle closer to him, and gently run her hand up and down his arm resting on the table. Her actions made him forget about the past and think about her. Everyone else in the room was silent. It seemed that no one wanted to say anything, and it was making the mood in the room rather depressing.
“Ginny, what would you like for your birthday present?” asked Harry, attempting to lighten the mood.
“Well you don’t have to get me something big, really…” she said quietly. “…I would be quite happy with something small…” She stopped talking for a second. “…and shiny.” As she finished her statement, she held up her left hand and wiggled her ring finger.
Harry felt the blood drain from his face, when she did this. He was not expecting something like that, an engagement ring. Mr. Weasley stared at her, his face a mix of emotions between shock and anger. Everyone else at the table was speechless, until Harry started to laugh. It was a fake laugh. He just figured Ginny was taking the mickey out on him. Merlin, he hoped so.
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The next day Harry was standing by the kitchen table in his house. There was a large box on the table with a chair in it. He was looking in a spell book, while holding his wand over the box. The fireplace erupted with green flames and Mrs. Weasley stepped out of it. She was holding a basket in her hand.
“Good morning Harry, would like some blueberry muffins for breakfast?”
“No, thank you, I just finished breakfast. What brings you over here this morning, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I was curious, what are you planning to give Ginny for her birthday?”
Harry smiled at the question. He had promised that he and Ginny wouldn’t rush into marriage, but she asked for a ring for her birthday. “The Firebolt. I am still planning to give it to her. She still thinks it is mine so hopefully it will be a surprise.”
“I think that is best,” she said, as she gave a sigh of relief. “Poor Arthur would have a Hippogriff if you would give her a ring.” She hesitated and looked at Harry for a moment. “You are planning to give her a ring, eventually? Aren’t you?”
“Yes, I do want to marry Ginny. I can’t imagine my future without her.” Harry’s face became a little pink to say something like that to Ginny’s mother. “I am thinking about Christmas.”
“For what, dear?” A bit of panic was evident in her voice.
“To ask her to marry me,” he said turning pinker at this proclamation. He had no doubts about proposing to her. It was telling her mother about it that bothered him.
“Harry,” her voice became serious as she spoke. “What do you know about magical weddings?”
“Just what I saw at Bill and Fleur’s.”
“It is not something to enter into lightly dear. I know you love my daughter, and right now, you may want to spend the rest of your life with her, but a magical wedding cannot be easily undone. It isn’t like a Muggle wedding.”
“Mrs. Weasley, I don’t want to get married and have children straight away. I promised that I wouldn’t do that, and I agree with the reasons. Ginny and I need to become more independent. I want to see her as a professional Quidditch player. I think she would be brilliant. However, I don’t want us to grow apart. If we are engaged than she will always know that I am committed to her. If by chance during that time we decide that we are not right for each other than…” Harry found to think of that possibility was painful, as his words faded away. “Well, I will try to make sure THAT doesn’t happen.”
Mrs. Weasley pulled him into a bone-crushing hug, and whispered in his ear, “I think Christmas would be a wonderful time, dear.” She released him and then held him at arms length. He could see that she had tears forming in her eyes. “I’ll tell Arthur, or you should tell Arthur. Wait until Halloween, or November, I’ll work on him, so the shock won’t be so great. When are you planning on shopping for a ring?”
“I should be shopping already. After September, I won’t have any time to do ring shopping.”
“Do you need any help?”
Harry thought about her question for a few seconds before asking, “Actually, yes, do you know her ring size.”
“I can bloody well find out easy enough. She has a couple of rings that she wears. I’m sure I can nick one without her noticing.” Mrs. Weasley chuckled at Harry’s shocked expression. “My children didn’t inherit their mischief only from their father. Well, I need to go. These muffins are for you. Oh, what are you doing with that chair in the box?”
“I’m trying to figure out how to wrap Ginny’s present. I don’t want to lose her Firebolt in a shrunken box, because didn’t get the spell right.”
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
“Where is she,” groused Ron. “Mum, why can’t we just go up and wake her up. I have things to do today.”
“Ronald Weasley, it is your sister’s birthday. If she wants to lie in till noon then let her,” responded Mrs. Weasley. She was moving around the kitchen preparing food for tonight’s celebration. The stove was completely covered with simmering pots and the cake was in the oven baking, making the kitchen unbearably hot. “What do you have to do that is so important? Eat some more breakfast.”
“I’m not hungry,” said Ron as he looked at his watch and hung his head.
Harry, Bill, Fleur, and Mrs. Weasley all stared at Ron in shock. Harry can hardly remember a time when he wasn’t hungry or at least able to eat something more. Whatever has Ron’s wand in a knot must be very important for this to happen. Harry had been here since seven this morning, just in case Ginny woke up at her regular time, but she is having a long lie in.
Hermione had stopped over before going to work at the Ministry, with Percy and Mr. Weasley. Bill had the day off to help prepare the garden for the party tonight. Ron said he would help with the preparations, but he keeps saying he has somewhere to go.
“Maybe if we start making noise she will wake up,” suggested Ron.
“Ron,” Mrs. Weasley growled.
“Mum, Ron has a point. If we don’t start on the preparations soon, we will never get done,” stated Bill looking at his watch. “Ginny needs to…”
“What do I need to do,” said Ginny from the stairs. She had been up long enough to shower and change into light weight robes.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” everyone shouted.
“About time you got…OW!” Ron stopped talking as his mum slapped him across the back of the head.
Harry laughed at Ron getting a swat from his mum and didn’t notice Ginny walking over to him. She grabbed his chin with her hand, turned his face towards her, and gave him a good morning kiss. She pulled back from him and gave him a roguish smile. “I see I have presents to open.” Ginny walked around the table to the far end and looked at her presents. She picked one up and looked at the name, seeing that it wasn’t from Harry she opened it.
She had received a gold watch from her parents, as was a tradition in the Weasley family. Ron and George had given her a supply of goods from the shop, which caused her to roll her eyes. It wasn’t like she couldn’t buy them. Bill and Fleur bought her a new dress robe and a couple of everyday school robes. Percy gave her parchment, quills, and a large supply of ink. Charlie had sent her Swiss chocolates for her sweet tooth. Hermione gave her expensive perfume and a note that made her laugh.
“Ginny,” she read the note aloud. “I am spending a little extra, because I think your brother is planning to give you something from the shop.” Everyone except Ron laughed at the note.
Finally, she had Harry’s present in front of her. It was a rectangular box about the size of a normal textbook and was wrapped with purple paper and gold ribbon. She looked at him with a puzzled expression. Harry sat there as she removed the ribbon, and hoped she wasn’t still expecting an engagement ring. She tore the paper off and lifted the top of the box up. Her expression went blank and everyone else looked towards Harry as if he was daft. In the box was a set of Quidditch goggles with the Firebolt logo stamped across the elastic.
“Try them on Ginny,” squeaked Harry. He hadn’t imagined this type of a reaction. She needed to remove the goggles before the broom would show itself. “They are specially made.” The statement brought a look of disappointment from her, but she complied.
As soon as the goggles cleared the sides of the box, it started to expand. It grew longer and wider until it covered the one end of the table. Ginny reached down and picked up the broom. “Harry isn’t this your Firebolt?” she asked.
“No, actually it has always been yours,” he said with a little more confidence. “You saw it and I couldn’t tell you that it wasn’t mine, so I played along. Now you can really impress Gwenog Jones and get an invite to the Holyhead Harpies.” He finished with a great deal of enthusiasm; but Ginny stood holding the broom looking confused as to what to say. Mrs. Weasley was glancing between her and Harry with a look of concern.
Harry began to feel awkward and didn’t know what to do. He hadn’t expected this type of a reaction. He thought that she would be thrilled to get the broom. The entire kitchen was silent until Ron stood up to leave.
“Well happy birthday Ginny, I must go.” He walked outside to the edge of the wards and Disapparated.
“Ginny,” Harry said hopefully. “If you want, this afternoon we could fly together, I brought my Nimbus.”
“She looked up from the broom and stared at him before saying, “You have a Nimbus?”
“Yeah, I couldn’t tell you before. Well, ah, if you want to fly. Later. I — um — will try to keep up with you. I am going outside to start working on the preparations.” Harry finished speaking and walked quickly out the back door.
Harry walked without thinking where he was going. The present was a failure. She didn’t like it. It wasn’t what she wanted. He thought she would be thrilled with getting a Firebolt. Maybe she thinks that he was showing off, because he could buy that broom and she couldn’t.
He stood by the vegetable patch and stared out over the fence into the fields wondering if that is what she thought. Ron had always been sensitive about his family’s lack of wealth. He started to remember that Tom Riddle talked about how Ginny was embarrassed to go to school with secondhand robes. Maybe she was upset that he bought her a broom that she couldn’t afford. If that was the situation, how can he correct it?
He stood there thinking about that reason and several others as to why Ginny didn’t like his birthday present. When a Gnome ran out in front of him, he grabbed it, spun it around, and threw it over the fencerow into the neighboring field. This act of aggression made him feel better, so he started De-Gnoming the garden. There weren’t many Gnomes in the garden, and he was having a hard time finding them.
“Does that make you feel better?” asked Bill. He stood behind Harry with a look of amusement on his face. “I think I would be frustrated if I was in your situation.”
“What are you getting on about, my present to Ginny.”
“Right you are, Harry. I would have thought she would have jumped up and down and snogged you senseless after getting a Firebolt. Hell, I would have,” Bill said with a smirk on his scarred face. Harry grinned and laughed at his comment. Even through his scars, Bill still had that mischievous look that all Weasley’s, except Percy, had.
“Well, I guess I should scratch that off your Christmas list,” quipped Harry.
Bill let out a loud guffaw and clapped him on the back at his reply. “Would you like to help me set up the marquee? It might help take your mind off things. You can always chase Garden Gnomes later.”
“Sounds good to me,” replied Harry.
The two men walked to the front of the house and started to erect a small marquee. It was not nearly as big as the one used for Bill and Fleur’s wedding. Harry had never done anything like that before, so Bill had to advise him and guide him a little until he was able to work on his own. They worked for an hour setting it up, before taking a break for lunch.
Harry had entered the Burrow, and saw Ginny sitting at the Kitchen table eating with the Firebolt lying in front of her. She held a sandwich in her left hand and her right was gently caressing the handle of the broom. Her head was leaning slightly to her left, and she had her hair tucked behind her right ear. When Harry saw her, she had a happy look on her face, and seemed completely enamored with the broom. She looked up at him, and for a second he saw a blazing look of love in her eyes. Then it was gone. She turned her face and stared at her plate and took her hand off the broom’s handle.
Harry felt Bill push him in the back. When he saw Ginny sitting there, he had stopped walking. He wasn’t sure how long he stood there before Bill gave him a shove. He could feel his face get red as he noticed that Fleur and Mrs. Weasley were also looking at him.
“I am surprised at you Harry. I thought being around this family as much as you have, you would have known not to come between a Weasley and food,” laughed Bill as he stepped around Harry and sat down at the table.
Harry sat down at the only other place setting. It was beside Bill’s and a few chairs from Ginny, who still had her gaze directed towards her plate. Harry started to eat his sandwich and drink his Pumpkin Juice, without staring at her. It was difficult. She was so close to him, yet she seemed so distant. At times, he would look at Fleur and Mrs. Weasley. They would shrug their shoulders at his inquisitive stares.
“Would you still want to go flying this afternoon, Harry?” asked Ginny. Her voice sounded weak and distant. Harry was surprised she spoke to him and didn’t respond until Bill gave him a gentle nudge on the shoulder.
“Yeah,” responded Harry. “Yeah, Ginny, that would be fantastic.”
“I need to change. I’ll be ready in thirty minutes.’ She picked up the broom and went upstairs.
Harry looked at the rest of the family hoping for an answer. He was clueless as to why she was acting this way. She looked happy for a second, but that disappeared quickly.
“Haven’t a clue, Harry,” said Mrs. Weasley, before she stood up and walked to the stove to check on the food for tonight. Fleur joined her a few seconds later, leaving Bill and Harry at the table.
“While she is getting changed, help me get the chairs ready for tonight,” said Bill.
Harry thought that would be something to get his mind off Ginny’s strange behaviour. He followed Bill out into the garden and to a spot by the chicken coup. Bill Levitated several pieces of wood from a pile and dropped them on the ground. He waved his wand at them and one turned into a wooden straight back chair.
“Hold on, we are going to Transfigure all this wood into chairs?” asked Harry.
“Right in one, Harry, we will use this wood, because it is easier to Transfigure things of the same material,” responded Bill, who waved his wand again and another chair appeared.
“How many chairs do we need?”
“Dad is guessing around a hundred give or take fifty. The entire Weasley family, including relatives that I’ve never heard of before, has been invited, so we better get crackin’, eh, Harry.”
The two men started Transfiguring pieces of firewood into chairs as quickly as they could wave their wands. Bill being older and more practiced at this type of spell had Transfigured almost fifty chairs in the time that it took Harry to make thirty. He was having a difficult time at first, because he had never performed the spell before. His first few attempts were unusable. Their legs were uneven and a few even had bark covering the wood.
Harry had just Transfigured his thirtieth chair, when Ginny walked up to him. He was
concentrating so hard that he didn’t notice her approaching.
“You ready to go flying?” asked Ginny. She had changed into a yellow long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans. The Burrow’s orchard was, of course, filled with trees. This caused many a scratch, cut, or bruise, if you happened to fly into a branch unexpectedly. She had her hair in a single braid so it wouldn’t become tangled.
“Yeah, let me get my broom…” Harry never finished his sentence, because Ginny cut him off.
“I’ll wait for you up there.” She stepped over her broom and took off so fast that she kicked up dust from the ground.
Harry watched her fly away disappointed that they didn’t talk more. He stood there by the chicken coup and watched her slowly fly her new broom around the trees. She looked so beautiful when she was happy, and he could tell even from this distance that she was happy. Harry tore his eyes away from her and went into the chicken coup to retrieve his Nimbus. He mounted it and flew into the orchard after her, leaving Bill to finish the chairs on his own.
When he first flew up into the orchard, he flew around a tree to catch Ginny off her guard. When he suddenly appeared around the tree, he surprised her, and she almost wrecked her broom. The look on her face, after the initial shock went away, was one of pure determination. They spent a long time chasing each other around trees. Harry had a better chance while doing this type of flying. Both brooms were just as maneuverable as the other was, but the Firebolt’s high-speed capabilities were useless during this type of flying.
After they tired of that game, Ginny plucked a green apple from one of the trees and threw at Harry. He was able to catch it and throw it back to at her. This game went on for quite some time. Each had scored several direct hits on the other, but the throwing, catching, and dodging were important Quidditch skills.
As they flew, Harry noticed that Ginny would occasionally look at him with her wide beautiful smile. A couple of time, he stopped flying to look at her, and they would stare at each other, before her expression would change and she would fly away. Once they were so close that he tried to kiss her, but she shot off away from him, leaving Harry confused.
The time passed quickly in the orchard. Before they had realized it, Mr. Weasley was home and calling for Ginny. She stopped flying and looked down towards her home. Her father was outside hanging streamers from the trees. Percy was arranging the chairs that Bill and Harry Transfigured into rows. Harry flew up beside her as she watched the activity.
“Ginny,” he said this and grabbed her broom so she couldn’t fly away. “Talk to me, please. What did I do that has you so upset?”
“Harry, please let go of the broom. I need to change into my dress robe for tonight.” She tried to move away from him and refused to look him in the eyes.
“Is it because I didn’t give you a ring? Ginny, I didn’t want to anger your father. Your fathers respect is extremely important to me.”
“It’s nice to know you think so highly of my father, Harry,” she replied icily. “But that isn’t it. It is complicated, Harry.”
“Tell me., Ginny. Talk to me. I want to understand,” Harry said rather emphatically. He had pulled her broom so close that she would have to look at him. He held onto the broom with one hand, reached out, and tried to lift her face up the other. When he touched her, he could hear her take a deep breath, but she turned her head to avoid looking at him. “I love you, Ginny. Please, I want to make our relationship work.”
Ginny pushed his hand away from her face and the other off the broom. “I’m sorry about this, Harry, like I said. It’s complicated. Let’s leave it at that, for now.” She flew away towards the Burrow. He watched as she flew up beside her bedroom window. She hovered outside of it while she lifted the window sash and flew in through the open window. He sat there hovering on his broom looking at her window, wondering what he did to her. Why was she acting this way? He saw her looking out the window at him, for several seconds, before pulling the curtains closed.
Harry sat his broom down and watched the activity around the Burrow. Mr. Weasley was now putting ribbons on the corners of the marquee, trees, and chairs. Bill and Percy were working on arranging tables in a row. He had never seen such a lavish party thrown for a birthday. It reminded him of Bill and Fleur’s wedding. After sitting at the edge of the orchard, Harry walked back down to the chicken coup and put away his Nimbus. He also had his rucksack stuffed with other clothes for tonight. He was sure that he would be getting dirty today, either working or riding the broom.
He didn’t get a chance to change clothes for another hour. Since Ron never returned, he had to help with the preparations for the party. There were banners to be hung, congratulating Ginny on turning seventeen. He had to chase Garden Gnomes when they tried to return to the garden. There was all the food that had to be brought out of the kitchen and placed on the long row of tables. Dishes and flatware were delivered during this time and Harry helped to Scourgify them and put them in their proper place. After an hour of work Harry was sweaty and tired along with all the Weasley’s except Ginny who was still up in her room getting ready. He decided to Apparate home to change instead of waiting in line for the bathroom at the Burrow.
He returned thirty minutes later and was surprised at the appearance of the Burrow. It looked as elegant as when it was decorated for the wedding. He had spent the time arranging things, but his mind was too preoccupied with Ginny to notice what he was doing. Bill and he had placed the marquee at the gate, so the guests would all enter through it. There was a small banner with shiny gold letters across the front of it announcing Ginny’s seventeenth birthday, and several chairs under it. Between the marquee and the house to the left were the tables with the food. The chairs were positioned to the right of the path. There were floating lanterns and the trees had red and gold steamers hanging from them. Another banner with bright pink letters hung over the front door of the house, it had bright pink letters announcing Ginny’s birthday.
Harry opened the gate and started towards the house, when he saw Ginny run out the front door and stare at him. He could tell that she was angry with him, but again he didn’t know why. She stood there with her hands on her hips, her lips drawn tight, her eyes narrowed staring at him, and she still looked beautiful. She had the new dress robe that Bill and Fleur bought her. It was a silky cyan colour with a gauze material over it that made it shimmer as she moved. The robe itself was sleeveless, but the gauze material extended down to her wrists. It was long and it billowed out around her feet to give an appearance of a train. Her hair was curled and hung in waves about her shoulders. She had just enough makeup on to highlight her face. Harry stood there spellbound by how beautiful she was and couldn’t help but think how beautiful she would look in a wedding gown. He suddenly realized that he might be underdressed. The robe he wore wasn’t his best. It was clean and presentable. He began to wonder if he should go home and change. He didn’t have time to leave, because Ginny yelled to him.
“I thought you left?” she barked at him.
“I did,” replied Harry. His voice was a little weak with uncertainty. “I went home to get cleaned up and changed. Is this appropriate? I didn’t think that…”
“It’s fine,’ she said the tension easing in her tone. “I am the one that needs to be all dressed up.” Ginny had walked up to him by this time. She lowered her voice and the anger and tension was gone as she spoke, “Thank you for being here.”
Harry looked at her and could see a flash of love in her eyes. He bent down to kiss her and she turned her cheek to him. He kissed her cheek, but his hurt feelings must have shown.
“I don’t want to smudge my lipstick. Must be presentable tonight.”
“You are gorgeous, Ginny, but why must you…”
“It is my seventeenth birthday,” she said as though that would be enough explanation.
Harry looked at her with a puzzled expression. “I didn’t realize that seventeenth birthdays were such extravagant affairs.”
“It is when you are…”
The only girl in three generations of Weasley’s,” chimed in Harry.
Ginny gave him a reproachful look, before continuing. “When a witch turns seventeen in our world it is a bloody big deal. It used to be more of an affair. Generations ago it was when the family would throw a large party and invite available wizards over to see who would offer to marry the witch.”
Ginny’s last comment gave Harry a start. “Ginny, that isn’t what this is all about? Is it?”
“No,” she giggled. “It is just an old tradition for the family to introduce the witch to the world. Since no one in the Weasley family has done that for so long, it has become a big affair. Merlin, I wish I didn’t have to do this.”
Harry looked at her. He could sympathize with her not wanting to be the centre of attention. His focus fell on a stray lock of hair. It had stretched itself across her shoulder and formed a circlet of red on her upper arm. He reached out and gently brushed it back with the rest of her locks.
As his hand grazed her shoulder, she turned away from him muttering, “Please Harry,” under her breath. His simple act seemed to have caught her off guard and flustered her.
“Sorry, I just wanted to put it back in place. Ginny, is this party and all the fuss about your seventeenth birthday sending you around the twist? Is that the reason you’re upset with me?”
“I’m not upset with you,” she said forcefully. “Like I said it’s complicated. I can’t talk about it, Harry. So please, don’t ask me again tonight. Please I just need to get through this night.” She looked at him and whispered, “please, have patience with me.”
Harry reached out to touch her chin and lift her face to look her in the eyes, but when he touched her, she recoiled from him and gave him a strange look. He could tell that he had overstepped some new boundary in their relationship. He was confused as to what it was, but he was willing to wait to learn this new change, if it included him in her life. “Sorry, I’ll be more patient.”
They walked to the marquee, sat down, and waited for guests to arrive. Shortly after they did, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley joined them. Mr. Weasley walked up and sat beside Ginny. He put his arm around her and whispered something in her ear, which caused her to blush slightly. It wasn’t long before guests arrived.
Bill and Fleur had returned from Shell Cottage where they had changed for the occasion. Ron had not arrived yet, which was causing Mrs. Weasley some concern. He was supposed to have been here to help with the decorations, but he skived off the afternoon. George wasn’t expected until after eight, and Percy seemed to have settled down and was sitting quietly by the house.
As the guests arrived, they would enter the marquee greet Ginny and her parents before going and loading their plates with food. It seemed that the Weasley appetite was inherited with the red hair. Nearly every one of Ginny’s aunts and uncles asked if she had a boyfriend or if she was engaged. He had noticed that some of her more distant relatives even arrived with young wizards that seemed disappointed that she was unavailable.
Once they realized that Harry was there, the guests would linger at the marquee longer to talk to and congratulate him. This caused the line to of guests to grow outside of the gate. Mrs. Weasley suggested that he go and sit down with the other guests, which should help people to enter quicker. Mr. Weasley was preoccupied talking with his relatives about his daughter and didn’t notice anything wrong. Harry glanced over at Ginny to make eye contact, before joining Bill in the seating area.
Bill, Fleur, and Percy were sitting close to the front door of the house. They kept an eye on the food tables in case anything needed to be replenished from the kitchen. Harry pulled a chair from the neat rows and sat down with them. Nobody spoke for some time. They sat there and watched as distant relatives would appear and help themselves to Mrs. Weasley’s good food.
Bill nudged Harry in the ribs and pointed to the queue outside the gate. There standing with the guests were Ron and Hermione. Ron was tall enough to see his face above the crowd, and Hermione’s bushy locks could be seen beside him.
Harry looked at Bill and said, “This should be interesting when your Mum sees him. She was going on about him skiving off work this afternoon.”
“You’re right Harry, this should liven things up a bit.”
They watched as Ron and Hermione walked through the gate. They could hear Mrs. Weasley ask rather loudly, “and where have you been?” The next thing they saw shocked them. Mrs. Weasley pulled Hermione into a hug and then Ron. Harry and Bill looked at each other confused about what just happened, until Hermione walked over to Ginny and held up her left hand. Ginny grabbed her hand, looked at her ring finger, and then pulled Hermione into a hug.
“Bloody hell, my little brother got engaged,” stated Bill in shock.
Harry watched as everyone in the marquee congratulated Ron and Hermione. He started to wonder what Ginny was thinking now. He was happy for his best friends, but why did Ron have to propose to Hermione on Ginny’s birthday. He caught Ginny staring at him for a few seconds before she turned to talk to someone else. He thought he saw regret in her expression, but he couldn’t be sure. He was thinking about Ginny’s state of mind and didn’t notice Ron and Hermione approaching.
“Look Harry,” said Hermione joyously as she thrust her left hand in front of his face. “Ron proposed.”
Harry took her hand stood up and looked at her and asked seriously, “and you said yes?”
“Of course…”
“And I thought you were the brightest witch of your age,” he quipped before breaking out into a large smile. “Congratulations Hermione,” he said and pulled her into a hug. “Oh yes and you too, Ron.” He let go of Hermione and shook his hand.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d be happy about this Harry,” said Ron nervously. “With Ginny — this morning and all. She is the one that made me decide to pluck up the courage and ask Hermione. You know, when she told you what she wanted for her birthday.” Harry’s expression darkened with that statement and Ron noticed because he tried to recover. “I mean a Firebolt. Merlin, that is a bloody fantastic present, Harry,” assured Ron.
Harry’s mood didn’t brighten any with Ron’s assurance. Hermione was now looking at him with her penetrating gaze trying to figure out what was going on inside of his head. Harry didn’t want to talk to them about his present, because he wasn’t in the mood and he wasn’t even sure if Ginny liked it or disliked it.
Hermione broke her gaze to exclaim, “Oh look, there is Luna and Dean.” She stopped suddenly and said, “Oh!”
Harry turned to look, and he could have not picked a worse time, because Dean had just bent down to kiss Ginny on the cheek. In his present state of mind, Harry started to feel jealous. It didn’t matter if Ginny had always said she loved him and not Dean. It didn’t even matter that it was a simple kiss on the cheek. Harry couldn’t take it. With everything, he had been going through today. Ginny’s look of disappointment. With her not looking at him, he was tired of hearing from her that “it’s complicated”. Harry had to leave, so he stood up and walked away from the party. Ignoring everyone calling to him, he walked out into the orchard and sat down.
He sat there sulking and watching Ron and Hermione walking towards him, He felt bad about being such a git when they announced their engagement, but that was one of things bothering him. Why did Ron have to choose today? What would have been wrong with next week?
“Harry, why are you up here?” asked Hermione.
“That is simple; I don’t want to be down there. It is a lovely view from here,” he responded cheekily.
“Mate, are you upset over me asking Hermione to marry me?”
“No! not really.”
“Then you are! Why are you upset, Harry?” questioned Hermione.
“Because! Because, I can’t tell you, because I don’t know. Because Ginny won’t talk to me. Because ever since I gave her that bloody broom she won’t look at me, and she won’t even let me touch her, and every time I try to talk to her about it she says that ‘It’s complicated!’,” he yelled.
Hermione looked at Ron who returned her puzzled look. “Harry, why did you give her the Firebolt, I thought you were going to ask her to marry you? That is what she wanted. Isn’t it? Or aren’t you ready yet?” asked Hermione.
Harry hung his head and grumbled. He didn’t want to talk to them about his relationship with Ginny. It felt strange because they were all close friends. He heaved a great sigh before speaking, “your parents, Ron, were concerned that we would rush into marriage too quickly, so Ginny and I promised that we would wait. That was the day of the attack at Diagon Alley.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that,” stated Hermione. “Why the Firebolt?”
“She wants to play professional Quidditch. She will need a quality broom to do that,” he said with a tone as though anyone who didn’t realize it was daft.
Hermione was speechless and looked at Ron to say something, but he just shrugged his shoulders. They sat there as Hermione tried to figure out what was going through Ginny’s mind. Several times, she would look down at her among the crowd than back at Harry. “Harry, I hate to admit it. I haven’t a clue,” she conceded. “However, I am sure of one thing, and you should be too, Ginny loves you. I know it may not be easy to hear but give her some time to talk to you. I think she will eventually tell you what’s wrong.”
“You mean I’m not being an insensitive git?”
“No, you’re not, that is Ronald’s job.”
“Oi, what was that for? I ask you to marry me, and not six hours later you are insulting me.”
The trio soon was laughing at each other. Ron and Hermione left him sitting in the orchard watching the festivities while he sorted through his feelings. He sat up there until the sun went down. With everything that had happened today, he still couldn’t take his eyes off Ginny. She was walking through the crowd talking, laughing, and entertaining the people around her, she seemed like the personification of happiness tonight, but not when he was around her.
Mrs. Weasley made her way through the crowd with a large cake. Bill, Fleur, and Percy were helping move people out of the way, as she Levitated it. There were seventeen large pink candles placed on it. Harry seeing this came down from orchard. He had just made it into the crowd when Ginny was getting ready to blow out the candles. She stopped and looked at him for a second. She had a strange longing look in her eyes, before she blew out the candles. Mrs. Weasley started to cut the cake and serve it to everyone, and he lost sight of Ginny in the crowd. Harry ignored the cake and looked for her. When he finally saw her, she was standing talking to Luna, Dean, Neville, and Demelza Robbins. He didn’t want to go over and talk right now, so he found a chair and sat down alone.
As he sat there, he saw Hermione and Ron doing something he never imagined. Hermione was sitting on Ron’s lap feeding him forkfuls of cake. All Harry could think about was how Bill and Phlegm acted during his sixth year, and how much they looked like them. A smile formed on Harry’s lips as he stood up and walked into the kitchen. No one was inside so he could hunt for what he wanted. He soon found Ginny’s birthday present from Ron and George. Searching through the merchandise he found the exact thing he wanted a Canary Cream.
He walked to a window where he could see the two lovebirds feeding each other. He waited until Hermione placed a forkful of cake in Ron’s mouth, and he performed a Switching Spell with the Canary Cream. Ron suddenly turned into a large yellow canary. Hermione shrieked and fell on the ground. The canary Ron stood up and started to run around trying to find George while the entire crowd erupted into a cacophony of laughter. Harry slipped back outside during this time and tried to sit back down inconspicuously.
After Ron’s feathers fell out, the crowds of people started to leave, many of them with yellow feathers stuck to their robes. Harry finally had a piece of Ginny’s birthday cake. He sat there eating it, and making sure, he didn’t feel anything materialize inside of his mouth. Soon, the only people who were left were immediate family. Harry had been watching Ginny bid everyone good night. She looked so tired, and all he wanted to do was go up and hold her and kiss her. However, he wanted to give her the space she needed, but she still is his girlfriend.
Harry sat the plate for the cake down and walked up to Ginny. She hadn’t seen him coming because she had just said goodbye to a clump of distant relatives that Bill couldn’t even remember. He reached out and touched her shoulder, and she jumped slightly at his touch.
“Harry,” she said without turning around or moving away from his touch.
“I’m going home now. Lunch tomorrow, at one?”
She turned to look at him. Her brown eyes looked beautiful as they reflected the lights from the floating lanterns. Her hair had lost much of its curl but flowed gracefully around her shoulders. What little make up she had left on accentuated her face to make it even more beautiful to him. Harry had to fight the urge to pull her into a passionate kiss. She placed both her hands gently on his chest and looked in his eyes.
“Thank you, for everything,” she said quietly. She quickly grabbed his face. Her lips collided with his in a deep passionate kiss. It was so sudden that he didn’t even have a chance to react before it was over. She pulled away from him and she placed her hands on his chest again. This time he could feel her pushing him away. “I love you, Harry,” she said before walking back into the house. Harry watched her enter her home, before he walked outside of the wards and Apparated home.
An hour later, Harry was in the old formal dining room of his house. He had Ginny’s scrapbook out looking at the pictures of her. He had gone to the Creevey’s to pay his respects to Colin and talk with his father and Dennis. They had spent the afternoon talking and Harry ended up getting copies of Colin’s pictures. With these, he was able to put together a scrapbook of Ginny as she grew up. He still can’t understand why he didn’t notice how beautiful she was before his sixth year.
He took a sip of Butterbeer and put the scrapbook down. He picked up a small green velvet box. Opening it, he looked at the ring that he had bought Ginny. It wasn’t even supposed to be an engagement ring, but he thought it was perfect. It was a yellow gold band with a solitary heart-shaped ruby. Inside of the band, he had the jeweler engrave, Harry’s Heart. He had it with him today in his Moke-skin bag. He had almost given it to her a couple times, but he didn’t. Merlin, he hoped that wasn’t a mistake.
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Ginny ran through the Burrow’s kitchen and up the stairs to her room. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. She could tell everyone was looking at her today. She couldn’t help it. She couldn’t be around Harry. When she told him, she wanted an engagement ring, she was half joking but all in earnest. She wants to be engaged to him. Maybe then, she wouldn’t feel so guilty for wanting to shag him.
Walking to her window, she looked out at her family cleaning up the party. She watched her father walk around the yard and she remembered the promise she made him and her Mum. When she was just ten years old, they had explained the facts of life to her, and asked her to promise to wait until she gets married to have sex.
Why does a promise made seven years ago still bother her so much? Why did she even make that promise?
Because she has always kept her promises, rules are one thing, but promises are her word. She walked away from the window and shrugged her Dress Robe off. Sliding her nightgown on, she lay down on her bed, and picked up the Firebolt. She couldn’t tell Harry today how much this broom means to her. He gave it to her so she could pursue her own dreams.
Cradling the broom in her arms, she stared at the ceiling. She needs to talk to him, but she can’t tell him everything. She wants him to propose to her, but because he truly wants to marry her, not because he could shag her. Being engaged would be almost like being married, so she really wouldn’t be breaking any promises.
Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Promises
Author's Notes: Ginny tells Harry about her promise to her parents.
Harry sat on Andromeda’s sofa feeding Teddy his noontime bottle. He had come over this morning to take his mind off lunch with Ginny. He also realized that as soon as he starts Auror training he would not be able to see Teddy as often as he would like. He had promised himself to be a good godfather to Remus and Dora’s son, and he was determined to do his very best.
Teddy was just about finished with his bottle, and his eyes were getting very heavy. Harry, looking at him, decided to burp him. Andromeda had told him to burp Teddy before he finishes the bottle. Teddy sleeps best when his stomach is full. If Harry waits until Teddy finished the bottle then he will wake up during the burping and will be difficult to get to go down for his kip.
After pulling the bottle out of the baby’s mouth causing him to fuss, Harry calmly lifted him up and threw a towel over his shoulder, lifted Teddy, and placed his face on the towel. Harry smiled as he remembered the first couple of times that he burped the baby. It didn’t take long for Harry to learn to be prepared for more than air coming out of a baby’s mouth. Patting and rubbing Teddy’s back, Harry heard a couple of burps. Satisfied that he won’t wake up from his kip with a stomach-ache, Harry leaned Teddy against his left side and placed the bottle back into Teddy’s mouth.
Harry looked around the room as Teddy finished his bottle. He has enjoyed learning how to be a father to a baby. It actually wasn’t all that difficult and can even be boring at times. Teddy has mainly been hungry, sleeping, or needing his nappy changed. He would only stay awake and play for an hour or two at a time. What made Harry the happiest was realizing how easy it was to make a difference in this baby’s life. He didn’t need to do anything heroic or dangerous to help this baby grow up safely. All he needed to do was be good, patient, and loving to satisfy Teddy’s needs.
Thinking about the possibility of becoming a father, Harry looked down at Teddy. He now has black hair like Harry’s, so he could be his and Ginny’s. Harry looked away from the baby, as the thought of marrying Ginny brought him pain. Pain, not from the possibility of marrying her, but from the possibility that he won’t. They have only been dating again for two and a half months, or ten weeks. In that time, Ginny has become so important in his life that he doesn’t want to think about his life without her. Before Ginny, his life was relatively empty. Ron and Hermione kept him going, and he would never trade their friendship and support for anything, but it wasn’t the same as what Ginny made him feel. Since she came into his life, he truly feels happy and hopeful.
Sighing at his present dilemma, Harry looked at Teddy and discovered that he was fast asleep. He didn’t finish the bottle. Pulling the bottle gently out of his mouth, Harry wiped the mixture of drool and milk off the baby’s mouth with the towel he had over his shoulder and placed a dummy in its place. Teddy took two or three quick hard sucks on the dummy before relaxing into a deep sleep. Cradling the baby in his arms, Harry stood up to see Andromeda staring at him from the hallway.
“You’re a natural, Harry.”
He ignored her as he carried Teddy back to his room, placed him in the cot, laid the stuffed koala bear beside him, covered him up, and kissed him good-bye. After he closed the door, he returned to the sitting room to find Andromeda in her favourite chair.
“What do you mean I’m a natural?” asked Harry.
“You are very good with children; most men can’t take care of young ones,” she replied.
“It isn’t that much of a challenge. It’s not like he is up and running around all over the place. He sits in one spot or wants to be held.” Harry sat down across from her on the sofa. “I am only trying to be a good godfather.”
Andromeda laughed at his last statement. “Harry, most godfathers only show up on Christmas and birthdays with some outrageous present that will drive the parents mental.” She looked at him for second, before continuing, “You have done much too much. You are here at least once a week to watch him. The last two weeks it has been every other day. You send Kreacher over to work around the place every day. Don’t misunderstand me. I appreciate all you have done, but it really isn’t necessary. You must truly love children.”
Harry blushed slightly at her praise. “I have always wanted a family,” he said quietly. “The Weasleys have been the closest thing I have ever had to a normal loving family. Remus was the closest link I had to my parents. Teddy is important to me.” He stopped talking and sat there quietly.
“Well, I think when you and Ginny get married, you will be one fantastic father to your children,” Andromeda said enthusiastically. Harry shifted around on the sofa at the mention of Ginny and him getting married. Unconsciously, he looked at his watch and saw that he had forty-five minutes to get home and get lunch prepared for them. “Is something wrong?” asked Andromeda.
“What do you mean?”
“I mention you and Ginny getting married and suddenly you start to fidget and look at your watch apprehensively. Did you two have a row?”
“No! I don’t think we did.”
“You don’t think you did? Harry, if you had a row with Ginny, I am sure you would know. She is too much like her mother.”
Harry sat there and considered asking her about Ginny’s actions yesterday. Maybe she had a clue to why she was acting that way. “Ginny barely spoke to me yesterday at her birthday party. She had asked for an engagement ring about a week earlier. I didn’t get her one because we had promised her father that we wouldn’t rush our relationship. He was worried we would run off and get married.” He felt a bit queasy telling this woman, whom he has known for only a few months about his and Ginny’s problems.
“What did you get her?”
“A Firebolt.”
“A what?”
“One of the best brooms money can buy. She wants to be a professional Quidditch player after school. She is working at her brother’s shop to get money to buy a broom. She would never have been able to earn enough to buy a Firebolt,” said Harry rather quickly.
Andromeda looked at him for a little bit before responding. “Harry, what do you know about the customs of our world? Specifically, the magical world, and a witch turning seventeen.”
“Ginny told me that when a witch turned seventeen it was a big event,” he said, and then chuckled about the next part. “She also said that generations ago the parents had parties to show their daughter off to prospective future husbands.”
“It wasn’t generations ago Harry,” she stated matter-of-factly. “Both of my sisters had prearranged marriages. Their seventeenth birthday was used to announce the engagement to their chosen husband.” Harry stared at her. He couldn’t imagine parents deciding who their children married. “I also had a husband chosen for me, Rabastan Lestrange. It was supposed to be two pureblood sisters marrying two pureblood brothers. Meeting Ted threw a Kneazel in those plans. Harry, our society is still hundreds of years behind the Muggle community in many areas, and many times, by our own choosing. Ted used to tell me that Hogwarts should have had classes to teach the culture of the magical community to the Muggle-born. There are so many things that are known and accepted in the Magical world that Muggle-born have no clue about.” Andromeda stopped talking and tried to blink back tears that were forming in her eyes.
Harry sat there without speaking. He was shocked that she was supposed to have married Rabastan. He wondered whether, if she had, she would have ended up in Azkaban, or dead like Bellatrix.
“You probably ruined Ginny’s dream birthday Harry.”
Andromeda’s voice brought him out of his thoughts. “What? How did I do that?” He responded to her.
“She probably has dreamed of you proposing to her on her seventeenth birthday since she was a little girl. You were there. She was there. You two are a couple. She has been raised a pureblood, Harry. To you that may not mean much, but to her, many of these things are major events in her life.”
Harry sat there depressed. It made sense what Andromeda said. Harry hadn’t done anything particularly wrong. He just didn’t do the ideal thing, the preferred thing, the thing she truly wanted. He ran his fingers through his hair and stood up. He needed to get back to his house, because he is running out of time. “I will see you tomorrow. If that is all right by you?”
“Fine with me, just make sure Ginny is happy about it.”
“Yeah, I will — ah — try to do that,” he stammered. Reaching in his jeans pocket, he pulled out a little gold key and handed it to Andromeda. “Here, this is for you.”
“Harry, what is that key for?”
“It is the key for Teddy’s trust fund.”
“Trust fund? I didn’t know Remus and Dora set up a trust fund for him?”
“I set this one up. I want to help with Teddy’s care, with me going off to be an Auror. Please take the key; I don’t need the gold, so please take it.” Harry held the key out for Andromeda to take, but she sat there with her arms crossed across her chest. Harry laid the key down on the coffee table and spoke as he walked to the door. “The money is in the vault for him. I will not take it back, so you might as well use it.”
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Harry moved skillfully around his kitchen preparing lunch for him and Ginny, if she shows up today. He planned a simple meal of sandwiches, crisps, and pumpkin juice. The sandwich recipe is one he read in one of Lockhart’s books. The wizard may have been a fake and stolen all the information from others, but at least he stole good information from smart wizards and witches. Harry smiled at the irony of the situation. He was a thief, but one with impeccable taste.
Harry placed the food on the table as the clock struck one. The sound of the brass chime reverberated through the house. He had purchased the clock last week at a Muggle furniture store. It was expensive, but the sound of the clock chiming the hours made the house feel more like a home. The sound of the chime dissipated, and a knock sounded at the front door. Harry took a deep breath and walked quickly to the door. He kept wondering why Ginny didn’t just come in. She has access to his home. She has always just walked in and announced her arrival. Opening the door, he saw Ginny standing there with downcast eyes.
“Can I come in?” she asked without looking at him.
“Yes, of course, come in,” he said, stepping out of the way. “Lunch is ready.” Ginny walked through the door and straight to the basement kitchen. Harry, taken back, by her attitude followed her in silence. He wanted to grab her, turn her around, and soundly snog her, before making her explain her actions. However, he knew how that would end up, so he swallowed those feelings and followed her into the kitchen.
Ginny sat at her usual place setting, across from Harry. They preferred to look at each other when they talked during lunch. Ron’s off-colour comment about the two of them spending an hour alone every day had angered Harry. He and Ginny would just sit, eat, and talk most of the time, before they snogged a little. For Harry this was a perfect arrangement, they were in private where they could talk and have fun without being disturbed by reporters and other annoying gits. It was all he wanted from the relationship right now.
Ginny took a bite of the sandwich. “This is really good Harry.”
Her voice sounded sweet to him. She liked the sandwich. “I got the idea from one of Lockhart’s books,” he said while trying to restrain his emotions. He was afraid she might have noticed a quiver in his voice. He was so nervous about talking to her. He has been waiting for what seems to him an eternity, but actually only sixteen hours.
“I thought you and Ron called him a fraud?”
“He is. He stole all the information for his books from others before Obliviating them, but he stole good information.” Harry couldn’t tell for sure, but it looked like Ginny had just smiled. Ginny took another bite of her sandwich and a drink of pumpkin juice. He decided that the conversation was over and stuffed some crisps in his mouth.
“Ron and George wanted to know how you did it?” she asked with a quirky smile.
“Did what?” replied Harry, while trying not to spit crisps all over the table.
“How you got Ron to eat that Canary Cream.” Ginny started to giggle as she spoke.
Harry sat enchanted by her happiness. It sounded so good to him. He almost forgot to answer her until she gave him a pointed stare. “Oh right, I used a Switching Spell. Ron was so preoccupied that he didn’t notice. You aren’t upset about me doing that?”
“No, it was bloody brilliant. A simple Switching Spell, we’ve been guessing all morning how you did it. I’ll have to tell them when I get back.”
“How did you know it was me?”
“Oh Harry, that is easy. Nobody claimed doing the prank. In my family, that is a sure give away it wasn’t one of them. They would have all admitted to doing it and describe how they accomplished it.”
They both laughed about the prank before Ginny became solemn again, causing an uncomfortable silence to fill the kitchen. Ginny took a couple more bites of the sandwich before setting it on her plate. She took a sip of pumpkin juice without making eye contact with Harry. He saw all this because he couldn’t keep his eyes off her. She had become anxious and nervous. Harry was wondering if she was waiting for him to talk more about yesterday, or if she wasn’t ready to tell him about the “complication” that was bothering her.
“Thank you for the broom.”
The simple statement caught Harry off guard. It took several seconds to sink into his brain. “You’re welcome, Ginny. I — ah — wasn’t sure if you liked it.”
“I am sorry about how I was acting yesterday. I loved the broom,” she said, while looking at him with a beautiful wide smile.
Harry was so enamored with her smile and confession that she loved the broom. He sat there with his sandwich halfway to his mouth staring at her.
“I told you that there were reasons for the way I was treating you yesterday, and they were complicated. Harry, do you remember the promise that we made my father in the joke shop?” She let out a little laugh. “Of course you do, you said that is the reason you wouldn’t give me an engagement ring. Isn’t it?” She looked at Harry, who was still holding the sandwich near his partially opened mouth, frozen there as if someone had hexed him in place. “Harry, are you all right?”
“Yeah, yeah, I am,” he said as he set the sandwich down. He felt himself getting a little warm around the neck as Ginny smiled at him. “I — ah — I, yeah that is the reason.” Harry’s face became even warmer as his blush increased.
Ginny, however, didn’t seem to react to his embarrassment. Her face became even more intent and serious. “Do you remember that I was hesitant to agree to that promise?”
“You were?”
“Yes!”
“I don’t remember exactly what happened, but I remember you promising. Why would you be hesitant?” Ginny’s statement seemed peculiar to him.
“Because, that isn’t the only promise my father ever had me make.” Ginny stopped talking and looking at Harry. He could see that she was more nervous then yesterday, but he couldn’t understand why.
“HemademepromisenottohavesexuntilImarried.”
“Come again?” Harry almost laughed at her, but he swallowed it to keep from embarrassing her.
She sat up straighter and looked at him with an intense stare. “I said, HE MADE ME PROMISE NOT TO HAVE SEX UNTIL I GET MARRIED.” She shouted at him then started talking extremely fast. “I know. Why would that bother me? After all, I am a Weasley and we have always broken the rules. Harry, this is different. I MADE A PROMISE! I GAVE HIM MY WORD! Harry! That is different from obeying some stupid school rule or sneaking into the broom shed to ride my brothers’ brooms. This is important to me! Very important!”
“Ginny…” Harry tried to catch her attention as she had stood up and started to pace in front of him.
“I know you have your needs, but, Harry, I beg of you to understand how I feel about this. You and my father are the two most important people in my life. Oh, I love my mother, but it is different with her.”
“Ginny!”
“I know I should have told you this earlier, but I was so afraid you would want someone who hadn’t made such a promise. Harry, being with you is so wonderful, but I really want to do this. I know that is so provincial, but it is important to me. Then you give me that broom, to help me pursue my dreams of being a professional Quidditch player. Oh Harry, you have no idea how important that made me feel that I wanted to shag you right there in the bloody orchard.” Harry had been listening carefully to her ranting about this. When she said that she wanted to shag him yesterday, his eyes widened in shock. “But, I couldn’t. I couldn’t break that promise. Being the only girl in the Weasley family, my father had always treated me special. He couldn’t give me material things, so he always showered me with love and attention growing up. But, I love you so much Harry! I don’t know what to do.” She stopped talking and hung her head. “The last thing you need is a mental witch like me.” She started to walk to the door.
Harry jumped up, blocked her path, and grabbed her arms, but she pulled away from him. Harry, shocked at her reaction, yelled, “I do need you! Ginny, don’t leave.”
“Harry, have you heard anything I’ve said?”
“Yeah, I’ve heard it,” he stated calmly. “I have no problems with it.”
“You have no problems with that promise?”
“Yeah, that is correct,” he calmly assured her. He was close enough to hold her. He couldn’t help himself. He reached out and gently cupped her face with his hands so that he could look in her eyes. The softness of her skin always sent tingles through him, and he looked deep into her soft brown eyes. “Ever since I discovered I was a wizard, I have been forced to grow up so fast. I don’t want to rush our relationship. I want to take things slow.” He leaned his head forward, so he was inches away from her face and whispered, “I am not ready for that, yet. I had always been afraid that you wouldn’t understand if I had told you.”
Harry bent the rest of the way so that he could gently kiss her. He slid his hands across her cheeks so that his fingers were in her flowing hair. He could feel her arms wrap around his neck and pull him closer to her. As the kiss lingered, he let his hands and arms surround her and pull her tight to him. The kiss had intensified now as they clung to each other. He was so entranced by the passion of the kiss that he didn’t notice that Ginny had pulled herself up with her arms around his neck and had wrapped her legs around his waist. He was lost in the feel of her body pressed to his, her long silky hair flowing over his arms wrapped around her back. It wasn’t until she pulled away, lifted her head up, and pulled his face down to her neck that he realized that she wasn’t standing on the ground. As he gently kissed down her neck, he let one hand slide down and cup one of her other cheeks that he loved so much. She let out a loud moan and clamped her legs tighter around him.
Suddenly, she released her grip and pushed him away. She turned and walked to the other side of the kitchen. Her hair flowed wildly around her as she quickly paced on the other side of the room. “I don’t believe this. What are we going to do, Harry?”
Harry stood there; his brain foggy from the intense snogging.
“Harry, what are we going to do? When we snog it is so difficult to stop...”
“Cold showers.”
“What?”
“Cold showers.” He continued rather cautiously. “I’ve heard that they will stop the urge when you get too randy.”
Ginny had stopped pacing and looked at him with a peculiar look on her face. “Did you learn about this with Cho?” she asked hesitantly.
“No! No, I never needed to do that.”
“Oh Merlin, not Won-Won and Lavender?” she said, with utter disgust in her voice.
“No!” Harry couldn’t help but laugh at her reaction.
“Who then? How did you find this out?” she pressed him for an answer.
He didn’t want to say anything. He wasn’t sure Ginny would want to hear his answer, but she didn’t look as though she was going to stop questioning him until he told her. “Dean!”
“Dean? When did he tell you that?” She looked worried as she spoke.
“He didn’t tell me directly. I used to hear him talk to Seamus after he would come out of the bathrooms in the dorm late at night.” Harry stopped talking, not wanting to reveal any more information.
“When did this happen?”
“Sixth year,” he muttered almost under his breath.
Ginny stood and looked at him for a second before responding, “That should have proven to you that I never shagged him.”
“He stopped taking them after Christmas,” he blurted out. No sooner had the words escaped his lips than he wanted to take them back. Ginny looked like Ron when he had cursed himself to “eat slugs”. She seemed to waver as she stood by the counter.
“You actually thought that I had shagged Dean. Didn’t you?”
“Ginny, I meant what I wrote in that note with the flowers. I don’t care about the past.” She walked towards him as he stood there, uncertain as to what she had in mind. Was she going to punch him or snog him? He couldn’t be sure.
“Harry, let me reassure you that Dean and I never shagged.” She said as she searched his eyes with hers. “We hardly snogged after Christmas. Before, he had always tried to ‘deepen our relationship’. His term for letting his hands wander, and a lot more.” She reached up and gently stroked his face. “I want to assure you Harry. No one has made me feel like you have. Before you, no one has ever made me want to do more than simply snog. Before I kissed you, a kiss was just two sets of lips touching; with you it is so much more.”
Harry stood there Gobsmacked at her announcement. He had always thought of himself as a prat at romance. Everything he tried to do with Cho seemed all wrong, and she never seemed to be too impressed. Ginny telling him how he makes her feel left his head spinning. He had always marveled at the way her passion and love had overpowered him. Now she tells him that he makes her feel the same way. Harry looked at her. She is so bloody beautiful. Without warning, he grabbed her and pulled her into him. His lips collided with hers as he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off her feet. As he attacked her lips and tongue with his own, she responded with the same aggression. He turned and walked towards the table and set her down on it. Pulling away from her lips, he started kissing and nibbling down her neck, as she ran her fingers through his hair. His heart started pounding loudly in his chest as he heard and felt her low throaty moan. Suddenly he felt icy-cold water collide with his chest.
“Bloody hell! Where did that come from?” yelled Harry. He looked at Ginny, and she was soaked and holding her wand. Her face was still flushed, eyes glazed, her breathing heavy, but she looked angry.
“Were you trying to get me to break my promise, Harry?” she hissed at him.
“No, that wasn’t my intent,” he replied sheepishly. “I just really enjoy hearing you moan.” Harry could feel his face become warm from embarrassment. “I would have stopped.”
“Harry, you have no idea what you do to me.” She shot another burst of cold water on herself after speaking. She shivered as her eyes became clear and the flush disappeared from her face. “At least we know the cold water works,” she laughed as she shot a stream at Harry.
“Hey, I’m sorry! You don’t need to be blasting me with water!” he shouted as he tried to avoid the icy water.
“Better than a Bat-Bogey Hex, don’t you think?” she laughed at him.
“Would you really hex me over something like this?”
“That is why my father taught it to me. To ward off any unwanted advances.” Ginny started laughing at Harry’s confused look.
“Your father taught you the Bat-Bogey Hex? Why would he do that?”
“It isn’t considered Dark Magic. It is a very effective way to distract someone so that you could make a hasty retreat. He told me that I was allowed to use it on any boys who tried to take advantage of me. What can I say, my father is very protective of me,” she said with a chuckle.
Harry stood there staring at her, trying to wrap his brain around the idea of Mr. Weasley teaching his daughter the hex to protect her. He had to admit, it is a very effective way of distracting someone.
“So, which would you prefer, the Bat-Bogey’s or ice water?”
“The water! No doubt! The water!” Harry confirmed as he pulled out his wand and dried his robes. “I am sorry about losing control there. I never intended on things going any further, Ginny. I hope you don’t lose trust in me.”
“I understand Harry. It isn’t as though I have never lost control around you before.” She jumped off the table and dried her robe before sitting down to finish her lunch.
Harry sat across from her before asking her, “Are you talking about Australia?”
She turned slightly red before responding, “Yes, there and on your birthday.”
“My birthday? You were busy making preparations and setting up the party, and then I left for the pubs?”
“Not that birthday. Your seventeenth.” She set her sandwich down and looked at him. “On your seventeenth birthday, I knew then that you were going to face Voldemort. I was afraid that I would never see you again. I knew you didn’t want me to accompany you.” She stopped talking to look in his eyes. She looked nervous. “I didn’t want to lose you forever, and I didn’t know if you were coming back. Now that I think about it, I am glad Ron came in and stopped us. You may not have wanted to shag me and everything else. It would have been a horribly awkward situation.”
Harry sat there and thought about what she had said. He had no idea she had wanted the birthday present to go that far. “Ginny, what exactly did you mean by ‘you didn’t want to lose me forever’?”
Ginny shifted uncomfortably at the question. “Please don’t be mad at me, but I was hoping to get pregnant.” She suddenly started to speak with panic in her voice. “I am sorry that I planned that. I am glad that didn’t happen now that you are here. Harry, I was so desperate to have you in my life that I was willing to do anything. I am sorry. Can you forgive me?”
“Yeah. I forgive you Ginny.” Harry whispered. The idea of coming back from the Horcrux hunt to discover he had a child would have sent him around the twist. “Is that why you wanted to make love in Australia?”
“No!” she said laughing. “That wasn’t it at all. Harry, I have always felt inadequate around you.”
“I never tried to make you feel that way,” he shot back at her.
“It wasn’t deliberate on your part. There were you, Ron, and Hermione and the three of you went off to fight Voldemort, leaving me behind. I had figured that you didn’t think I was good enough to fight beside you. After all, you had to save me from the Chamber of Secrets and protect me in the Department of Mysteries. I had figured that in some ways you saw me as a foolish little girl...”
“Don’t say that about yourself!” shouted Harry. His mind was on fire. That phrase had come back to him as soon as she had said it. It was what Tom had called her in the Chamber, even hearing her say that disgusted him.
Ginny jumped back at the fierceness of his voice. “Why?”
Seeing the look of shock on her face, Harry felt embarrassed by what he said. “Just don’t say that about yourself. You are not foolish. Ginny, the only reason I didn’t want you along was I wanted you to be safe. It wasn’t because I thought you weren’t good enough. It was never that. I just wanted to protect you.”
“I know that now,” she said quietly. “When you fought with my parents about my role in the attack on the Goblins, you made me feel equal to you. I was able to stand beside you in battle, without you trying to protect me. You destroyed one of the greatest questions I ever had; Would I be good enough for you?”
“You have always been good enough, Ginny.”
“I wanted to prove it to myself though, Harry,” she stressed to him. “It wasn’t just you, but me that I needed to prove it to. You gave me the perfect opportunity. I was also pretty worked up about you nearly dying three times within two weeks. I am surprised you have gone this long without nearly being killed. I just reacted without thinking.
“I need to eat and get back to work”
They sat there and ate without saying anything to each other. Harry enjoyed quiet moments like this with her. It was strange when he was with Ginny; he had no desire to do anything adventurous. Being in the same room with her was enough to make him completely happy. They finished the lunch just as the grandfather clock struck two.
‘Well, I must get back to work. The boss will fire or disown me if I am late,” quipped Ginny.
Harry walked her to the door. He noticed that as they walked, she seemed to become distant. Opening the door and stepping out on the stoop, he hugged her and kissed her goodbye. One of the advantages of the Fidelius Charm is none of the neighbors can see them doing this. “Ginny, thank you for telling me about the promise you made your parents. I promise you, with all my heart, that I will never force you to break it.” Harry noticed that she seemed to react to his promise.
“Harry, you may think me mental, but I would rather break that promise than lose you to someone else. I could not stand the sight of you in another woman’s arms. It would destroy me.”
Ginny’s voice had a pleading sound to it. Harry looked at her and suddenly she seemed so frail and vulnerable. It was as if she had suddenly become weak. He realized that she truly meant what she said.
“Ginny, I would be a right foul git to put you in that position. Besides, you are the only woman I want. I would NEVER do that to you.”
Chapter 15: Chapter 15 End of Summer
“A little to the left, Harry,” murmured Ginny. “Hmm, that’s better.”“Is that better for you?”
“Umm, loads better,”
“I’m glad. I didn’t realize I’d hurt you so badly. When you said to try to knock you off your broom…” Harry and Ginny had spent the day flying in the orchard. He was trying to push her to improve her flying. They had been practicing for Quidditch all day. The last hour they had tried to knock each other off their brooms. The collisions had been violent at times, each one nearly unseating the other. Everything was to prepare Ginny for the violent game of Quidditch.
“I know, I know, it was that second to last hit that hurt my shoulder. Oh, that spot, right there, Harry.”
Harry moved his hands to the spot Ginny had indicated and gently rubbed her shoulder. She was sitting and leaning forward onto the kitchen table at the Burrow, while he massaged her shoulders. Her hair was pulled to one side, so her neck and shoulders were easy for him to massage. Mrs. Weasley and Andromeda Tonks sat at the other end of the table conversing while keeping an eye on the two teens.
“A person would think, by this time your shoulder might be getting sore because Harry has rubbed all the skin off,” commented Mrs. Weasley. Her voice sounded stern, but her eyes betrayed her. She seemed to be enjoying the little scene in front of her.
“Should I lower my robes, so Harry can check?” asked Ginny.
“Don’t get cheeky with me, young lady,” retorted her mother.
“Maybe, I should stop for now?” offered Harry, obviously not wanting to be responsible for starting a row between these two redheads. He stopped massaging her shoulders and flexed his hands.
Ginny straightened up in her chair and worked her right arm in a circular motion. She turned to face Harry, who was standing behind and to the right of her. Her thick hair draped over her left shoulder so that her neck and face was exposed to him. “Thank you, I feel much better now.”
She leaned back, reached up, and grabbed his collar. Tugging on his collar, she pulled his face down to her where she placed a soft seductive kiss on his lips. She almost giggled at his nervousness. He kept glancing at her mother. She could feel and hear her mother fidgeting at the other end of the table.
“Do you know what I would really love right now…,” she asked in a low husky voice. Harry glanced at her mother again who shifted on her chair and cleared her throat loudly. “…a Butterbeer.”
“A what?”
“Butterbeer, honestly Harry, you know what they are,” she said mockingly.
“Yeah, I do, but…”
“But what, Harry?”
“Oh nothing — ah — Mrs. Weasley do you have any…”
“No dear, I don’t have any here.” She responded rather harshly.
“Well. I guess. I shall go find some, because I’m out at home.” Harry said nervously, as he looked at Ginny.
“Please don’t take too long, love,” chimed Ginny, as she waved goodbye to him. Harry walked out into the garden and disappeared with a distinct pop.
“You shouldn’t wind that poor boy up so much, Ginny,” scolded Mrs. Weasley. “Your shoulder wasn’t hurt at all was it?”
“No. Don’t worry about Harry. I’ll make it up to him later,” responded Ginny. She didn’t realize that her lips were formed in that wicked Weasley smile.
“What do you mean by that!” whispered her mother harshly, before looking into the sitting room to see if her husband was still asleep in his chair. “You better not let your father hear you say things like that.”
“I didn’t say I was going to shag him, Mum,” shouted Ginny.
“Be quiet! You’ll wake your father. Apologize to Mrs. Tonks for talking like that.”
Ginny looked at Mrs. Tonks, who was sitting beside her mother trying to keep from laughing aloud. “I am truly sorry, if I have offended you, Mrs. Tonks. After all, I was acting like a scarlet woman there,” she said sardonically.
“Go ahead Ginny! Be cheeky. Getting a reputation like THAT, isn’t a laughing matter. You are in the public eye, now. Everyone will want to know what you are doing whether it is their business or not,” argued Mrs. Weasley.
“It isn’t anyone’s business what I do!” she replied just as hotly.
“Besides, I told Harry about the promise I made you and Father.” She stopped talking to make sure her mother realized what she was referring to, when she saw her mother’s eyebrows rise in surprise she continued.
“He is fine with it.” Her mother’s face went from concern to happiness.
Mrs. Tonks was looking at the two of them trying to decipher what all the talk meant. “So, Mum, when did you and Dad first consummate your relationship?”
Mrs. Tonks snorted loudly and tried to pretend she choked on something, while her mum turned bright red. It wasn’t the type of red associated with anger, but embarrassment. “Never you mind, young lady!” she stated with a deadly whisper.
The conversation was cut short by three Apparation cracks in the garden. The three women grabbed their wands and were standing up with them at the ready, in a second. They looked at each other questioningly. Harry should be returning. If he was one of the Apparations, then who were the other two practically at the same time. They all relaxed as they heard Ron, Hermione, and Harry conversing.
“All right there Mate?” asked the unmistakable voice of Ron.
“All right here. How about the two of you?” responded Harry’s voice.
“Better now,” said Ron.
“Ron, you can’t just take a Butterbeer without asking first,” scolded Hermione.
“Yeah, I am sorry…” There was a slight pause before he spoke again. “…mind if I have one?”
“Not at all, especially since you already drank from it,” laughed Harry.
Hermione walked into the kitchen first, shaking her head. She had a look on her face as if she was trying not to get into a huge row with Ron about his manners. When she walked in and saw Mrs. Tonks, Mrs. Weasley, and Ginny standing there staring at her, she quickly recomposed herself. The two boys entered right after her. Ron carrying a single bottle of Butterbeer, and Harry had a box with seven bottles in. Harry placed the box on the counter and pulled three bottles out of it. He handed one to Hermione then offered the other two to Mrs. Tonks and Mrs. Weasley who declined, because they were having tea. He then went and sat down beside Ginny and opened a bottle for her.
“Do you want something to eat, dinner has been over for some time, but I could warm you up something?” asked Mrs. Weasley, as she moved towards the icebox.
“No thank you, Mum. Hermione and I already ate. We came here…” He looked nervously at his fiancé who returned the gaze. “…we came here to tell you we’ve found a flat.”
Ginny had a mouthful of Butterbeer at this time and nearly choked on it when Ron stated, “we’ve found a flat”. That statement didn’t go unnoticed by anyone else in the room either. Harry was looking at them with a hurt look on his face. Mrs. Weasley stood there stunned by the revelation for several seconds, before she finally spoke. “Are you moving in with George for now?”
“No! Mum...” responded Ron.
“Why do you want to get a flat with Harry? He already has a house, and you will be going back to Hogwarts within the week?” Mrs. Weasley said looking confused.
Ron and Hermione became even more nervous at this question. Ginny couldn’t help but smile at his pluck for trying to do this. To her knowledge, no member of the Weasley family had ever lived with someone without being married. Bill and Fleur didn’t count, because she was living in the Burrow.
“I meant us...” stated Ron while pointing at him and Hermione.
“No! Absolutely not!” shouted Mrs. Weasley. She was standing with her hands on her hips and a resolute look on her face.
“We are of age, and you can’t stop us,” yelled Ron.
“I forbid it. You will not be living with your fiancé alone. IT JUST ISN’T PROPER!” shouted Mrs. Weasley so loud that the Ginny could hear the dishes rattle in the cupboards. The shouting had awakened her father who was now standing in the kitchen doorway looking confused while holding a crumpled edition of the Daily Prophet.
“We practically lived together last year with Harry, Mum,” retorted Ron. His voice was loud, but not nearly as loud as his mother’s was. “And, we are not going back to Hogwarts.”
“If I could have, I would have stopped what happened last year! Besides, Harry was with you!” she shot back at him. She turned and glared at Harry, who seemed to cringe at Ron bringing him into this fight. “No one in this family has ever lived like that before, and I won’t permit it now! You will also go back to Hogwarts to finish your education. I knew George would be a bad influence on you. You need an education. No! I insist that you finish your education.”
Hermione suddenly spoke. He voice was weak, and it cracked and squeaked as she tried to calm the Weasley matron. “Mrs. Weasley, Ron and I are going to be sleeping in separate rooms. We are going to finish our education, just not at Hogwarts. Oh, we will need to go back for Potions and Herbology, but the rest we will be learning on our own.”
“And how are you going to do that and pay for the flat?” she asked.
“Ron will work at the shop, and I will keep my job at the Ministry. We can spend nights studying and go to Hogwarts once or twice a week to take the other two courses. Headmistress McGonagall already approved of the idea,” Hermione finished hopefully.
“Arthur! Are you going to say something?” questioned Mrs. Weasley.
Mr. Weasley looked confused for a second, before speaking. “Well Molly, they are of age so there isn’t really much we can do to stop them.”
Mrs. Weasley immediately rounded on him, “Is that so, dear!” came her sardonic reply. “So, you see nothing wrong with this? I suppose, if next summer when Ginny turns eighteen, you won’t mind at all if she moves in with Harry?”
Mr. Weasley’s face suddenly became contorted and he glared at Harry and Ginny. “Ronald! Come in here! We need to talk!” he said forcefully as he pointed at the sitting room.
Ginny felt betrayed that her mother would say such a thing. It wasn’t like Harry and her had ever planned to do this, and besides Ron and Hermione are engaged, and her and Harry are not.
“It isn’t like Ginny hasn’t been spending time alone with Harry at his house,” muttered Ron as he walked into the sitting room.
Mrs. Weasley glared at Ginny and Harry with her hands back on her hips. “What does he mean by that?”
“I have been going to Harry’s for lunch, Mum.”
“What is wrong with meeting here for lunch?”
“Because we can’t talk alone. That’s why! That is all we have done! I am so tired of my own parents not trusting me,” she yelled as she stood up and stomped towards the backdoor.
“You won’t be going there for the rest of the summer, young lady!” her mother shouted as Ginny walked past her.
Ginny ran out into the garden to get away from her parents. She was so frustrated with their attitude towards her. They treat her as if she is some randy slag. She and Harry have always been able to control themselves while alone in his house, except last week on the day after her birthday. She smiled slightly at the memory of that day. She had never felt such strong feelings before in her life. It had almost scared her. The way she felt when Harry assured her of his devotion to her, but they still were able to control themselves.
She shivered as the cool evening mist penetrated her thin robe. The day had been hot and humid, but the temperature dropped quickly when the sun had set. There was a cool mist hanging in the air, drenching everything it touched. The waxing moon cast eerie shadows in the fog with its silvery light. She wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm as she stared out into the orchard. The memories of her and Harry flying out there this afternoon, pushed the thoughts of what just happened out of her mind. He has been so wonderful to her, buying her the broom, training with her, tolerating her mental parents and brother, and he never seems to complain about them. She has one week left, until she goes back to Hogwarts with Harry. It sounds as if she won’t be able to go to his house anymore, but he can still come here. Charlie is coming home in three days, to go to the memorial service at Hogwarts. She will want to be around home with the rest of her family, so it may not be that terrible after all.
Ginny heard the back door open and someone step out. She didn’t want to talk to anyone, except maybe Harry. She listened to the soft sound of feet on grass get closer.
“Ginny are you all right?” whispered Harry. She could hear the genuine concern in his voice.
“I just needed to get away from my family, Harry,” she responded quietly to him. She felt him step up behind her and place his hands on her shoulders. Sliding his hands down her arms, he wrapped his arms over hers and pulled her back into him. Ginny warmed up in his embrace. She laid her head back against the side of his face. She loved how they fit together so comfortably. Harry placed a soft kiss on the temple area of her head, without speaking. They stood there for several minutes without saying anything, just enjoying the closeness.
“Harry, days like this make me want to run away to some place far far away. My bloody family is making me mental with their interfering. I would love to be able to live somewhere where I am not the youngest Weasley, but just Ginny.”
“After my fifth year, I had thought about separating myself from everyone. However, something happened to change my mind,” whispered Harry.
“What happened?”
“You did, or I should say I finally saw you for the person you are,” he whispered softly into her ear.
“Liar. You broke up with me to run away.”
“I broke up with you to save you from Voldemort,” stated Harry with a little more force in his voice.
They both stood there quiet for some time, before Ginny spoke again. “You know this is all backwards.”
“What is backwards?”
“You are the one comforting me. I had figured that I would be the one always calming you down,” she said with a smile.
“You do,” he whispered again next to her ear.
His breath tickled her ear and made her shiver in his arms. She tried to snuggle herself closer to him, turning and gently twisting as though she was getting comfortable under a blanket. He responded by tightening his arms around her. Ginny started to think how wonderful it would be to spend the night out here like this when their private time was interrupted, by the slamming of the backdoor, and Ron’s disgruntled voice.
“Look there they are. Hey Potter, why is it I am always seeing you groping my sister?”
Ginny exploded out of Harry’s arms, and pulled her wand and pointed it at Ron. “Why don’t you sod off, Ronald!” she growled at him. “Harry and I were just having a quiet moment together. If you don’t like it then don’t look!”
Harry stepped in front of her wand point. “Please! Ginny, calm down, I am sure Ron didn’t really mean anything by it. Did you?”
Ron shifted back and forth on his feet as he looked at Harry standing between him and Ginny’s wand. “Don’t you two have a sense of humor? I am all wound up about Mum and Dad,” he groaned.
Ginny dropped her wand and stepped beside Harry. “What is wrong? Didn’t they approve of your sleeping arrangements?”
“No!” spat Ron.
“The apartment has two bedrooms, Ginny,” responded Hermione. “We are just trying to find a small place where we can live while saving up money, until we can afford to buy our own house.”
“Why don’t the two of you move in with me?” asked Harry with pain in his voice.
Ron and Hermione looked at each other nervously. “We — um — didn’t want to disturb you.”
“Ha! You didn’t want Harry interrupting the two of you in your new place,” laughed Ginny. “Planning on breaking in every room, eh!”
Ron looked furious again, but Hermione was blushing so bright that one could easily see it in the moonlight.
“How do you parents feel about this Hermione?” asked Harry.
“We haven’t told them yet,” mumbled Hermione.
Ginny smirked at her brother and fiancé. “You are still going to get the flat?”
“Yes. We are,” confirmed Hermione. “We had hoped that you two would be able to help us move in. It is in a Muggle neighborhood so we can’t use magic.”
“Yeah. Sure, I will,” said Harry. “When are you moving in?”
“In two days, we are going to my parent’s house tomorrow,” said Hermione nervously
“I’ll help also,” said Ginny. “If my parents will allow me,” she continued sardonically. “They might think you two are a bad influence.”
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Harry sat at his kitchen table sipping tea and finishing his breakfast. He couldn’t believe that it was August twenty-ninth. In two days, he will be returning to Hogwarts to complete his final year and start his first year of Auror training. He will be returning with Ginny, which makes the situation almost surreal to him. He will be just a normal student with a girlfriend. There is no prophecy to fulfill, and the Death Eaters still at large have been hiding. He might get to have a normal school year.
He started to smile at the humour of that statement. Things will never be normal for him; he was the Chosen One, The-Boy-That-Lived, and the Saviour of the British magical community. Nothing will ever be normal for him.
Harry opened his Moke skin bag that he keeps around his neck. Pulling out the ring case, he opened it and gazed at the ring again. This has become a morning routine for him. He has wanted to give Ginny the ring, but he promised Mrs. Weasley to wait until Christmas. They have had a few rows this summer, but each time they had worked out their problems. One of his reoccurring dreams has been watching Ginny walk down the aisle to him in a white wedding dress. He snapped the box closed with a sigh. He shouldn’t think about those things, because they are years away. The one thing he was positive about; was he and Ginny could never live together before getting married. Ron has practically been disowned because he and Hermione moved in together. He hasn’t seen Mrs. Weasley this upset since Fred and George left school to open the joke shop.
When Harry and Ginny went to help Ron and Hermione move into their apartment, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley refused to help. It might have been because they couldn’t use magic, but it was most likely the fact that they moved in together before getting married. The Grangers weren’t very happy about the situation, but they, at least, helped with the move.
Harry, Ron, and Ginny moved most of the boxes and items up the stairs to the flat. It was a third floor flat in a converted old Victorian home. Each floor was its own flat. The other floors seemed to be filled with young women who were going to the local university. Ginny and Hermione weren’t thrilled with this situation. There were girls lying in the small garden, trying to get a tan, eyeing the two boys as they carried box after box of Hermione’s effects up the stairs. They had figured out a system that they could use magic to help with the move. Once in the stairwell, they would levitate the boxes, but keep their hands on them. They held their wand in their hand, but under the box so that it looked as if they were carrying it.
Hermione’s parents stayed in the flat and made sure that nothing of Hermione’s ended up in Ron’s bedroom and vice versa. They were quite adamant about them having two separate bedrooms. This made Harry and Ginny smile throughout most of the day. Finally, after everything was moved in, Hermione’s parents went home. The bedrooms had been set up and everything unpacked. The only thing left to do was unpack Hermione’s books and set up her and Ron’s study area. She had decided to use the sitting room as the study area.
She didn’t have much of a choice, since she couldn’t use her bedroom with her and Ron studying together. Ginny had laughed aloud at her, when she said that. The flat had two bedrooms, a loo, a kitchen area and the rest were sitting/study room. There was a fireplace in the sitting room area, but it was rather small, and no one knew if it could be attached to the Floo network.
Hermione had invited Harry over to study with them this year, but he reminded her that he would be attending Hogwarts. When he said that, a sad look appeared on her face, it seemed as if she finally realized that the three of them were not going to be spending much time together. During the holiday, it would seem normal not to spend all their time together, but now that the school year was going to start, it made the separation even more pronounced. Harry could see in his friends’ eyes that they would miss being with him, almost as much as he will miss them.
Harry broke from his thoughts, looked at his watch, and jumped up from the table. He had to go to the Burrow to help the Weasley’s get ready for today’s End-of-Summer party. Charlie had returned from Romania for the memorial service that is to be held at Hogwarts in three days. The party was being held in the same valley as Fred, Remus, and Dora’s memorial service was held. Mrs. Weasley had argued to hold it at the Burrow, but Charlie wanted to play full out Quidditch. The Burrow was too close to Muggles to allow that to happen. The valley was large and secluded so with just minor wards they could play full team Quidditch and not worry about being seen. Charlie wanted to challenge Ginny and Harry to see who the best seeker was. He had Owled most of his mates from Hogwarts, and they were all planning to play too.
Charlie came home yesterday, but Harry didn’t get to see much of him, except for about an hour when he first returned. He brought a surprise with him that sent Mrs. Weasley over the moon. A girlfriend, her name was Theresa. She doesn’t work with dragons, but she helps with many of the administrative aspects of the compound where Charlie works. She has shoulder length black hair and hazel eyes. She is pretty, but not nearly as pretty as Ginny or Fleur. Her English has a noticeable accent when she speaks, but everyone seemed to understand her easily. She came from a small peaceful Italian family. She has one brother who works with her parents in the Apothecary trade. Whenever she talked about her family, everyone present smiled at each other, knowing that she might be in for a rude awakening at Burrow.
Charlie also brought a coworker with him, Dimitri Grozenov or was it Gorvenoz. Harry cannot remember. He was Georgian and spoke English with a heavy accent. When Harry was first introduced to him, Dimitri’s eyes sparkled with humor, and his lips seemed to twitch as though he was suppressing a smile. After about a minute, he could no longer suppress his humor, and he laughed at Harry. It seemed that Charlie had told everyone at the dragon reserve about Ginny beating Harry with the roses he gave her and cursing him with a Bat-Bogey hex to top it off. After Dimitri finally was able to contain his laughter, he did say something that left an impression with Harry.
“Family is to lift you up, when you are down. And, to bring you down to earth when you are too high. No?”
When he first said that, Harry didn’t give it much thought, but the longer he thinks about that simple statement, the more accurate and truer it gets. The little statement describes the Weasley’s perfectly. They are always there to help each other when they need it, and they will gladly let you know when you start thinking too highly of yourself. The way Fred and George treated Percy while at Hogwarts, kept him, or tried to keep him levelheaded, but when he came back to the family, they both supported him and welcomed him back without any animosity. That was something that he never experienced at the Dursley’s. They always seemed to focus only on the negatives of others, particularly him.
Harry grabbed his broom from its hanger on the wall. As he grabbed it, he remembered Ginny yesterday. Charlie showed up with a brand-new broom, a Nimbus like his. He and the rest of the family had been out in the orchard flying around warming up for today. Ginny didn’t use her Firebolt. She flew on one of the Cleansweeps. Harry had almost said something about it, but Ginny gave him a glare that told him to shut up.
He stepped into the Fireplace and held his broom vertically against him, before dropping the Floo powder and calling out “the Burrow”.
He stepped out into the Burrow’s kitchen, to the surprised looks of Ginny and Mrs. Weasley. Their hands were going towards their wands before they saw it was he. Even months after the war ended and Kingsley’s assurances that the only incoming Floos allowed at their chimney were from Grimmauld Place, they were still jumpy. After the two women relaxed, Ginny came over to kiss him good morning, but Mrs. Weasley was in her captain-of-the-house mode and started giving orders.
“You two have plenty of time for that later,” ordered Mrs. Weasley. “I need you to Apparate these baskets out to the valley and return for more. What are you waiting for an engraved invitation? Let’s get on with it!”
Harry and Ginny looked at each other and did what she ordered. She had been a bit put out, because this event wasn’t at the Burrow. She had wanted to have everyone at home and cook for them, but she will have to settle for just providing the food today. The couple grabbed the baskets with one hand and started walking out the front door.
“Harry, leave the broom!” commanded Mrs. Weasley. She had her back to them, while pulling fresh baked rolls out of the oven. “I need you to make several more trips before you can relax and play.”
Harry looked at Ginny who rolled her eyes at her mother’s ability to see behind her. Harry walked back to the table and laid the broom on it, before continuing towards the door holding Ginny’s hand.
“Thank you dear,” said Mrs. Weasley, while attending to something on top of the stove.
They walked to the border of the anti-Apparition wards and disappeared. When the valley appeared to them, Harry was shocked at the activity. Mr. Weasley was there, along with Bill, Percy, and many of the former Gryffindor Quidditch team: Oliver Wood, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and some faces that Harry had never seen before. They were all in the process of creating the Quidditch pitch. The goals were up at both ends of the field, and everyone was walking across the area that would be the pitch’s grass surface casting charms of some type. Harry looked for a place to put the food, but there wasn’t any type of tables sitting around.
Mr. Weasley left the group and walked over to them. “Good Morning Harry, Ginny!” he said enthusiastically. His eyes sparkled with excitement. He seemed to be enjoying all his children being around as much as Mrs. Weasley is. “I see Molly has started to send the food over. We need to conjure up some tables.” He stopped talking, looked around the field, and pointed to a spot. “That place looks good! Why don’t you two Transfigure them? Just work it the same as the chairs at the birthday party.”
Harry looked around for some wood but didn’t see any. He raised his arm up. “Acc...”
Mr. Weasley clamped his hand over Harry’s mouth. “Blimey Harry! You weren’t going to summon wood were you? Look around you son, we are surrounded by forests. You could have been crushed if all the loose wood in there came out at you.”
Harry felt his face get warm, when he realized how gormless he was acting. “Sorry about that. I didn’t really think about what could have happened.”
“It’s fine Harry. No harm done. Why don’t the two of you go find some wood, the Muggle way,” laughed Mr. Weasley. “I need to get back and help with the Cushioning Charms.”
Harry watched as he walked back to the pitch. Ginny grabbed his hand and gave it a tug. “Come on! Let’s get this over with so we can get to flying.”
They walked towards the nearest patch of woods. It was a pleasant walk; the air was still cool, and the sky was filled with large puffy clouds moving across it at a lazy pace. Harry kept looking over at Ginny as they walked hand in hand. She had a smile on her face and her eyes sparkled with mischief. He was wondering if this look was because of what she had planned for Charlie.
“Does Charlie know about the Firebolt yet?”
“No!” Ginny’s face beamed as she replied. “I can’t believe that my entire family is going along with this. They are all hoping that I embarrass him, with the way he has been bragging about being such a good flyer.”
“Oliver told me that I was the best Gryffindor Seeker since Charlie was at the school.”
“Harry, Charlie was good, but he was never as good as you. He didn’t catch the Snitch in every match,” she said with obvious pride in her voice.
He looked over at her, hearing her speak so highly of him made him feel proud. “I didn’t always catch it. I fell from my broom once,” he replied teasingly.
Ginny let out a sigh. “Oh, sod off Potter. You just want me to brag you up some more. Don’t you?”
“No!” he laughed in response. “I just think that now you’re the better flyer, that’s all.”
Ginny stopped and looked at him for a second. She seemed to be looking to see if he was winding her up as some prank or if he was being honest.
“I’m serious, Ginny,” said Harry. He saw her suddenly blush and a blazing look appeared in her eyes, before she turned her face away from him and looked down at the ground.
“I think we should concentrate on finding wood,” she said in a husky whisper, before she started walking towards the nearest tree.
Harry watched her take a couple of steps and realized that it would be best if they avoided getting too close for a while. If his guess is correct, he just told her something that made her a little randy. Yes. It would be good to search on his own as he watched her hips sway as she walked away from him.
Fifteen minutes later, they met at the area that Mr. Weasley had decided for the tables with various pieces of dead wood. Harry tried to Transfigure the first table using a variation of the spell that Bill had taught him for the chairs. To his amazement, it worked the first time. He taught Ginny the spell and she spent the rest of the time trying to make a single table while Harry made five more. They placed the baskets filled with food on the tables, before returning to the Burrow for another load.
Over the next twenty minutes, they made five more trips from the Burrow to the valley. Each time they appeared at either place the amount of people increased. On their third trip, Charlie had finally awakened and was sitting at the kitchen table drinking some potion that probably was for hangovers. He had pitched a tent up in the orchard the first day. Theresa slept inside in the twin’s old room, so that wasn’t the reason for the tent. Charlie had been planning this trip ever since he was here for the battle. He had been going all over the British Isles reconnecting with his old school friends. He has returned home to the tent the past two nights completely bladdered with several of his classmates. After the first night, his parents stopped trying to convince him to sleep inside in his old bedroom.
During their second trip taking food to the valley, Ginny had been able to sneak her Firebolt along with her. She gave it to her father to watch until she was done bringing things from home. Finally, after bringing ten baskets of food and drinks from the Burrow, Harry and Ginny were finished with their chores, and he had brought his broom. They immediately hopped on their brooms and took off around the valley. They were flying at top speed and Ginny quickly outstripped Harry. She had become so instinctive while flying. She was able to make turns and adjustments to her flight path without exerting any effort. It was almost as though the broom knew where she wanted to go. Harry, having become parched from the work and flying, sat his broom down by the food tables to get some pumpkin juice.
He was standing there watching her fly laps around the valley at top speed, when Charlie Apparated into the valley. Ginny flew over his head causing him to snap his head around and stare. He looked at her as she flew away and Harry could tell that he realized that she wasn’t flying a Cleansweep. He immediately went over to George and started arguing with him about something. Harry could only guess that some gold had been wagered on this day’s performance.
Ron, Hermione, and her parents appeared in the valley some distance away. Ron was dressed in Quidditch gear ready to play Keeper. Hermione seemed to be talking frantically to her parents about something as they looked around the valley and at each other. Harry went over to them to see if there was anything, he could do. As he approached them, he could hear Hermione telling them there is nothing that they needed to do today.
“Harry! Do you know if they cast any Muggle Repelling charms on this valley today? Mum and Dad insist that they both have an emergency root canal to perform,” questioned Hermione.
“I have no idea, Hermione. Why don’t we find Mr. Weasley and ask?”
The four of them started walking across the valley towards Mr. and Mrs. Weasley who were busy loading up the food tables with the supplies that Harry and Ginny had brought over. The entire time walking Mr. and Mrs. Granger kept insisting that they had to leave. The crowd had swollen to at least fifty people by this time. Most of them were Gryffindors, Luna was about the lone exception. She had been invited by Ginny and brought Dean who didn’t have a broom so was resigned to watch. Lee Jordan was there with several other Gryffindors from George’s year. It wasn’t even ten o’clock yet and the party seemed to be in full swing, with at least fifteen people flying around the makeshift pitch. George, Ron, Charlie and Ginny were all flying. Ron was warming up by one set of rings, while Oliver Wood was guarding the other. George was talking to Dimitri about something while they were both holding Beater’s Bats, even though the Bludgers hadn’t been released yet. There were two other people with bats, who Harry remembered Charlie introducing as beaters from his seventh-year team.
“Mr. Weasley,” shouted Hermione, to get his attention over the din of conversation that surrounded them. “Did you cast any Muggle Repelling charms over this valley today?”
“No, we didn’t why?” he asked then looked at her parents looking nervous and fidgeting. “Merlin, it looks like there are some in place. Doesn’t dear?” He looked around the crowd and found Bill. “Bill! A word with you?” he shouted. When Bill had worked his way through the crowd, Mr. Weasley asked. “Can you determine if there are any Muggle Repelling Charms in place, and if we can lower them for the Grangers.”
Bill walked away from everyone, started turning in a circle while rising, lowering his wand, and muttering some incantation. After several rotations, he dropped his wand arm and walked back towards the group. “There are Wards in place, but I can’t lower them. They aren’t the normal charms that wizards use,” said Bill.
Everyone looked at Hermione with sympathy for her dilemma with her parents. Mr. Weasley suggested a Cheering or Calming Charm, but she refused to cast any more magic on her parents. Mr. Weasley helped by engaging the Grangers in conversation about Muggle habits.
“What is wrong, Kreacher?” asked Mrs. Tonks.
Harry turned to where the voice came from. There stood Mrs. Tonks holding Teddy, while Kreacher stood holding onto the locket around his neck and staring wistfully around the valley.
“It is Master Regulus’ practice field, Madame,” croaked the House Elf.
Harry suddenly realized who had cast the Wards. “Kreacher!” The House Elf ran towards Harry and bowed. “Did you just say that this was Master Regulus’ practice field?”
“Yes, Master,”
“Did you cast the protective charms over this valley?”
“Yes, Master?”
“Please wait here, I need your assistance,” ordered Harry. His conversation had attracted the attention of Hermione, Mr. Weasley, and Bill. He turned to find them staring at them. “Bill, did you hear what he said about the wards?”
“Yes, I did. I can put some Wards in place that would allow Hermione’s parents to stay here comfortably, while keeping other Muggles from finding this place,” said Bill enthusiastically.
Within minutes, Bill had cast new protective charms over the valley and Kreacher had lowered the ones he had cast many years ago. The Grangers suddenly relaxed and seemed confused as to why they were so nervous before. Harry watched Kreacher as he walked back to Mrs. Tonks to help attend to Teddy. The House Elf still held onto the locket that he and Hermione had given him a year ago. Harry suddenly realized that if this was Regulus’s practice field than it was now his. This realization caught him off guard, and he stood there shaking his head.
“What’s wrong, Harry?” asked Hermione.
“This valley is mine,” he replied. “What am I going to do with a place like this?”
“Actually, Harry, I don’t see what the dilemma is. I can think of at least one redhead who would love keeping this place as it is now,” laughed Hermione, as she pointed at Ginny flying around the makeshift pitch.
Harry laughed, “I guess I’m pretty thick. Yeah, this might not be such a bad place, after all.”
“Maybe you and Ginny could start your own Burrow, here,”
Harry was still looking at Ginny and imagined her spending afternoons outside with their children teaching them the finer points of Quidditch. Hermione’s voice broke him out of his daydreams.
“I’m sorry if that was little bold, Harry. I — I just figured...”
“I would want to marry Ginny and raise a family?” He said cutting her off. “More than anything else in the world, I am just a little nervous about it though.”
“Why’s that. You will have a good job. You are financially set even if you don’t get the job. I don’t think that Ginny would ever let you get away...” She suddenly stopped talking and looked at him. “Oh cricket, Harry, you are not having second thoughts about Ginny, are you?”
“No. No bloody way! I am not sure if I know how to be a father and a husband. I didn’t have a very good example growing up. The only thing the Dursleys loved was making other people miserable. I’m afraid that I will end up like them.” He finished talking and looked at her waiting for her to respond.
Hermione looked at him for a few seconds, before breaking out into wide smile. “I think you will do just fine, as long as you want to be a good father and husband you will succeed.”
“Oi, Harry! Quit talking up my girlfriend and play some Quidditch. We are getting ready to start a game,” yelled Ron, from his broom.
“I am going to sit the first game out.”
What’s wrong?” jested Ginny, who had flown up to him. “Afraid of embarrassing yourself?”
“No.” laughed Harry. “I just want to watch you do that to Charlie.” Ginny smiled back him, before flying back to the rest of the people on brooms.
“Never thought I would see the day when you wouldn’t want to be on a broom,” Ron said shaking his head. He also flew back to the other flyers that were waiting for the sides to be picked.
Ginny and Charlie were captains of their teams. Charlie picked first and chose Oliver Wood. Ginny didn’t seem disappointed and chose Ron as her keeper. Ron looked a little disappointed that Charlie chose Oliver over him. The teams were soon picked George was on Charlie’s team. Ginny had chosen Angelina and Alicia for her team.
Lee Jordan acted as an announcer and the referee. He had released the Golden Snitch, Bludgers, and then tossed the Quaffle into the air for the game to begin. Harry was amazed at the skill all these people were able to play, after being away from the game for so long. Angelina and Alicia had teamed up and scored a couple of goals against Wood. Ron had made a couple of brilliant saves before Charlie’s chasers scored on him. George, Dimitri, and the other two beaters were sending the Bludgers all over the pitch with great accuracy. They had already broken up at least four scoring attempts. The players were playing a very clean game, and Lee had called no fouls yet.
As Harry watched the game, Hermione kept talking to him. He would half listen to her and responded to her questions, but he was enjoying the game in front of him. Hermione had asked if he was still studying as hard as he had earlier this summer, if his spell casting was still improving, and if he had talked to his relatives. Harry gave quick answers to the questions until the subject of his relatives came up. He hadn’t plucked up the courage to see his aunt, uncle, and cousin. It wasn’t as if they held any power over him. He just felt uncomfortable around them because of everything that had happened to him while living with them.
As he was thinking about them, a roar rose from the spectators. Ginny took off after something. It appeared that she had spotted the Snitch. She was flying fast and high above the others with Charlie in hot pursuit. She suddenly swooped down towards the other players who were flying fast in the same direction she was going. One of the Chasers on Charlie’s team had the Quaffle under his arm and was flying unabated towards the goals. Ginny flew right past the chaser, and Charlie who appeared to be following her blindly collided with his own player, almost knocking him from his broom and causing him to drop the Quaffle. Ginny stopped in midair and smiled back at Charlie. It had all been a ruse to get him to collide with his own player. Charlie suddenly realized this and took off after her.
Harry stood there on the ground laughing at Ginny’s antics. Merlin, he loved her attitude. She was so brave and tenacious. She would never quail in the face of fear. While he was standing there, a voice brought him out of his daydreams about Ginny.
“Kreacher! Get me Teddy’s bottle. Now!” Mrs. Tonks yelled at the House Elf. Harry looked over at Hermione who had heard the shouting too. They looked at each other for a second when Andromeda gave Kreacher another order, after snatching the bottle out of his hand. “Stay here in case I need you.” Her tone was gruff and degrading.
Harry swallowed the lump in his throat as he walked towards her. He must say something to her, about how she was treating Kreacher. He had always admired how different she was from her other two sisters. However, she was a pureblood, and to her, talking to a House Elf, that way was probably just a natural state of things.
“Mrs. Tonks,” said Harry shakily. His voice seemed to be caught in his throat. She turned to look at him with a warm smile on her face.
“Yes, Harry. Do you want Teddy now?” she asked with a laugh, and then looked at the baby presently being held by Mrs. Weasley while he ate. “If you do you are going to have to wait your turn.”
“No, I — I wanted to talk to you about Kreacher,” he practically whispered trying not to reprimand her in front of other people.
“Excuse me?”
He evidently didn’t speak loud enough for her to hear. “I said,” he started a little louder than looked around before stepping very close to her. She seemed to become a little uncomfortable with his close proximity as she started to back away. “I wanted to talk to you about Kreacher.”
“Harry, I really appreciate you loaning him to me. He is such a help when Teddy is having a bad day...”
“He is? It sounded as if you were upset with him. The way you were yelling at him,” responded Harry. His tone was a little more condescending then he would have wanted it to be, and Mrs. Tonks appeared offended by it.
“He is a House Elf, Harry. I was just treating him as one is supposed to treat a House Elf.” Her tone was a little haughty at being reprimanded by this young man.
“He still has feelings, you know,” was Harry’s heated response. “He also fought against Voldemort in several different ways. So please, while he is with you, treat him with respect.” Mrs. Tonks looked as though she had been slapped. Harry felt sorry for talking to her this way, but he also didn’t want her treating Kreacher like she had. He had grown fond of that old House Elf. “At least don’t shout at him and say, ‘thank you’ when he does something for you, all right.”
Mrs. Tonks nodded her head in agreement. “I was only treating him, as I have been taught.” It seemed that those words finally made her realize that she was acting like her family towards the House Elf. Her face became a little pink. “I’m sorry. I’ll try, Harry, but after so many years...”
“I know. It is hard to change one’s attitudes about things they have believed for so long. Thank you for listening.” Harry turned to leave, but her next words stopped him.
“Why didn’t you just take him back from me?”
He smiled at her. “Because I truly want to help you and Teddy in any way I can. You have suffered enough,” Harry looked away from her to control his emotions at the thoughts of her losses. He turned and walked back to Hermione, who was watching the game.
Hermione looked at him, offered him a warm smile, and mouthed ‘thank you’. Harry stood there waiting for her to pull out a S.P.E.W. badge and stick on his chest, but Hermione just started to clap and yell in response to the game. He had been in such a sullen mood from talking to Mrs. Tonks that he had forgotten about the game. Looking back at the Pitch, he saw Ginny chasing the Snitch. This wasn’t an attempt at faking Charlie out, he hadn’t even noticed her yet. Harry could see a glimmer of gold just inches from her hand and suddenly it was gone. Ginny pulled her broom up and held the snitch high for everyone to see. Her team had won by exactly one hundred fifty points.
Charlie sat hovering on his broom with a glum expression on his face, while George gleefully flew over to him and held out his hand. Charlie slapped it away, flew over to Ginny, and got into heated exchange. The conversation stopped and Ginny yelled out to everyone. “The sore loser here wants a bloody rematch!”
“I want it to be best out of three,” screamed Charlie so everyone could hear him. “It is only fair!”
All the players agreed to play at least two more games. The first one had barely lasted an hour, and for Quidditch that is very quick. Lee took the snitch from Ginny and the Quaffle from Angelina. He walked to the center of the pitch and released the snitch. Waiting several seconds until the snitch could hide itself, he tossed the Quaffle up into the air and the second game began. It was just as spirited as the first, with everyone flying as though the world Quidditch championship was on the line. While no one was taking any cheap shots at each other, the beaters were becoming increasingly accurate with the Bludgers. There had been several hits on the chasers, but they seemed to be leaving Charlie and Ginny alone. The two of them were flying slow lazy circles around the pitch, trying to pick up a gleam of gold. It would seem like an easy thing to do on a relatively sunny day like this, but Harry knew from experience how good the Snitch is at hiding.
Charlie suddenly took off at full speed towards something. Harry looked and could see the glittering gold ball flying several metres in front of him. Ginny also saw him. She was at the exact opposite end of the pitch going the wrong direction. She suddenly pulled the nose of the broom straight up and over on top of her, without decreasing speed, so she was flying in the direction of the Snitch while upside down on the broom. Quickly accelerating to top speed, she rolled herself over so that she was now on top of the broom. She was bearing down on the snitch from the opposite direction. It appeared as though; she might be able to reach it before Charlie, because he was now chasing it in her direction.
Harry heard the loud crack of a Beater’s Bat, and he saw a Bludger flying in Ginny’s direction. It was on course to hit her just before she could capture the Snitch. Harry felt his breath tighten in his chest, it appeared as though Ginny didn’t see the Bludger flying straight for her. At the speed that she was going and the angle of the Bludger, it could do some serious damage if it hit her solidly. At the last second, Ginny rolled on her broom, and the Bludger passed over the broomstick while she was hanging on underneath it. She was able to maintain her speed and trajectory so when she rotated back over her broom the snitch was within her grasp. She captured it a metre in front of Charlie’s hands.
Harry jumped up and down while cheering Ginny’s capture of the Snitch. It was probably the best flying he has ever seen in his life. The rest of the crowd and players from both teams also congratulated her. Even though Charlie lost both games, he gave her a hug. It was obvious that he was proud of his little sister. As the celebration was calming down, Mrs. Weasley yelled out that lunch was ready.
Harry and Hermione turned to walk towards the tables, as four redheads flew by them on brooms. Ron, George, Charlie, and Ginny landed beside the tables only to have Bill try to cut in front of them. They laughed at the playful antics of the family, which were trying to be first in line while pushing the other family members out of line. The men were using their size and bulk to win while Ginny was darting around them and grabbing things off serving platters. Ron won, as he was the first away from the table, with his plate filled and probably two sandwiches stuffed in his mouth. The entire time this was happening, everyone else stopped, watched them, and laughed. To see this natural interaction between siblings, it seemed as though the war had never happened.
“You really want to join this family?” asked Harry of Hermione.
“Yeah! I do! What about you?”
“More than anything in the world, it sure beats spending life alone.” Harry looked at her and she had a glazed look in her eyes, as she stared at the laughing face of Ron.
“You’re are so right, Harry.”
They filled their plates and sat with the Weasley’s to eat. Harry hadn’t even sat down, when Ginny challenged him to a match. “Do you want a best of three also, Potter?”
Harry smiled at her. “Sure, give me the Firebolt.”
“What, are you mental, or do you think I am. It’s mine,” she playfully retorted.
“What don’t you love me?” he said, while trying to give her puppy dog eyes.
“What does that have anything to do with it? This is Quidditch!”
An hour later, Harry was hovering above the pitch beside Ginny. The sun beat down from the cloudless sky, as Lee Jordan released the Snitch. It had disappeared almost instantly. Oliver Wood had put a speed charm on it to make it harder to catch. After a Snitch gets caught several times it loses its quickness and makes it easier to catch. Harry could feel his heart pound in his chest as his adrenalin increased with the excitement of a game. Playing Quidditch like this must be one of the most enjoyable and exciting ways to spend a day, except for snogging Ginny. Lee released the Quaffle and the game officially began.
“Good Luck there,” called Ginny.
Harry turned to answer her but had to rotate on his broom because she had flown right through the spot where his shoulders had been. She looked back at him with a smile on her face and mouthed the words “it’s Quidditch”.
Two hours later, the game was still going on. Neither seeker had captured the Snitch. They both had had attempts, but the other always intercepted them. The score was in Harry’s favor. It seems that Ron had been getting tired, as opposed to Oliver Wood, who plays professional Quidditch. Ron was moving slower and couldn’t keep the opposing Chasers from scoring. Harry and Ginny were hovering above the rest of the players now as they hunted for the Snitch. Harry suddenly saw it flying amongst the other players. He went into a nosedive to get it. As he approached it, Ginny pulled up beside him, trying to pass him. He turned his broom into her so that she had to fly off course. He wheeled his broom around in a circle looking for the Snitch again. He saw it near the grass below. Shooting downward again, he aimed his broom at the golden ball. Suddenly Ginny pulled in front of him, she had cut him off from the Snitch. They flew down to the grass surface and skimmed along it in pursuit of the Snitch, which kept weaving from side to side. This maneuver had helped Harry keep up with the faster broom.
Suddenly the Snitch shot skyward. Ginny and Harry were flying straight up into the sky, and the bright sun. Harry had to squint to keep the Snitch in sight, as it was trying to use the sun as camouflage. Ginny on her Firebolt was steadily pulling away from him.
The Snitch changed directions again. It turned and flew around to the left and in a large spiral pattern. Ginny was less than a metre from it with her right hand extended trying to grab it, while flying in this large spiral. Ginny and Harry had to lean hard to the left of the inside of the spiral to keep from being thrown off their brooms due to the centrifugal forces. Harry happened to notice that they were so high above the pitch that he could barely make out the people on the ground. Every second he was getting further behind, he had to do something.
He turned his broom hard to the left and straight down towards the ground. This caused him to accelerate, and then a split second later he took a hard right. The force of the two maneuvers nearly ripped him from his broom, as he tried to gain an advantage. If his guess was correct this should put him in front of Ginny, if the Snitch was still flying in its downwards spiral to the left. Sticking his right hand out he felt the golden ball collide with his palm, then he felt the tip of her Firebolt crash into his ribs.
He was pushed violently to the side as he felt his ribs break. Looking around as he clung to his broom, he saw Ginny flipping end over end on the Firebolt, while trying to maintain control. He couldn’t breathe so he started towards the ground as soon as he saw Ginny right herself. He had just touched down when she landed and started shouting at him.
“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING? TRYING TO GET US BOTH KILLED! YOU STUPID WANKER!” She stood there breathing heavily while staring daggers at him.
He could hear people surrounding them. Everyone was talking excitedly. Mrs. Weasley and Tonks were feeling his side and casting healing charms on his ribs. The entire time he didn’t say anything. He just sat there on the ground and stared back at Ginny’s death glare with a look of mirth.
He lifted his right hand and opened it revealing the little gold ball. “I was just winning, after all its Quidditch!”
Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Return to Hogwarts
Harry entered Kings Cross station at ten-fifteen on September first. He walked through the concourses looking around at the people and various other sights. It felt strange to be walking towards the Hogwarts Express for the last time. This is the place where his future truly changed. Finding out he was a wizard from Hagrid was a shock, but his life truly didn’t change for the better until he entered this building. It was during his search for platform nine and three-quarters that he met the Weasley’s.He watched the people passing by as he stood by a brick archway between platforms nine and ten. He could easily tell the Muggles from the magical folk. The Muggles never paid attention to him. They just went about their daily business ignoring what is going on around them. The magical families would do a double take at him, and some would even stare outright at him. It was a bit annoying, but he could tolerate it here, since they couldn’t do anything for fear of revealing the magical world.
He stood here waiting for Ginny and her family to show up. They should be along any time, because she was Head Girl and needs to get on the train early. Dean, Luna, Lavender, and Seamus all walked up to him. Even though they weren’t holding hands, he could tell they were two couples, by the way they paired off together as they walked.
“All right there Harry?” asked Seamus as he walked up and extended his hand to him. Harry shook it and Deans. “What are you doing out here?”
“Waiting for Ginny,” he replied while looking around the station for her.
“What about Hermione and Ron?” asked Lavender.
Harry hesitated, as he wasn’t sure why Lavender asked that. “They are only going to Hogwarts for Potions and Herbology.”
“Oh, I wanted to thank her...” Lavender looked down at the pavement as she struggled to say something. Harry stood there for several seconds wondering why she wanted to thank Hermione. “I was told that she saved me from Fenrir Greyback.”
“Yes, she did,” he replied as he remembered the incident from the final battle. Lavender seemed very different to him. She was quieter and somewhat reserved. “Hermione will be there tomorrow for the memorial service. You can talk to her then.”
“Why don’t you join us?” asked Dean. “You can wait for Ginny by the train the same as here.”
Harry smiled at the thoughts of what might be awaiting him on the other side of the barrier. “I want to meet her here. Thanks, just the same. Could you find a compartment and save Ginny and I seats? That would be fantastic, if you could do that for us?”
The other four looked at each other and nodded their heads in agreement. After they disappeared through the brick wall, Harry was left standing by himself on the platform. He was starting to get nervous. He thought Ginny would be here by now. He spent yesterday getting organized for this upcoming school year. He went to the Burrow for supper. She was still only half-way packed when he left for Grimmauld Place at ten last night.
He couldn’t help but laugh to himself as he reminisced about the times Ron, Hermione, the twins, Ginny, and himself would try to get packed up to go to Hogwarts. The Burrow must feel empty now that there is only Ginny and her parents banging around in the house.
He could have gone through with his friends, but he wanted to wait for her here. Not because he was sure that he would be mobbed on the other side of the barrier, but he wanted to meet her at this exact spot. She told him that she first fell in love with him here. The reason the statement impacted Harry so deeply was that Ginny had no idea who he was then. The fact that she liked him so much without knowing that he was Harry Potter eliminated a deep lingering question he always had. How would someone feel about him, if he wasn’t famous?
Finally, at ten minutes until eleven, a pretty redhead appeared out of the crowd. Ginny walked up to Harry and gave him a quizzical look. Mrs. Weasley, Charlie, Theresa, and Dimitri also stopped behind her and looked at him wondering why he was just standing there.
“Excuse me, could you tell me how to find platform nine and three quarters?” asked Harry. He smiled at Ginny when he asked the question.
She didn’t say anything. Her eyes became misty as she locked her arms around his neck and pulled him into a very passionate kiss. Her mother and brother stood there between embarrassment and shock clearing their throats.
Ginny released Harry and stared him in the eyes. “You remembered.”
“How could I forget the place where you first fell in love with me?” he whispered.
Harry grabbed her hand and they walked through the barrier together. As soon as they appeared on the other side, reporters and photographers assaulted them. Harry could feel Ginny pull back slightly in surprise, but he had suspected that something like this would be here. He had been avoiding the public eye most of the summer, and the desire to see him and report on his activities has been steadily growing.
Four members of the Ministry’s MLE division were ready for the madness and intercepted the reporters before they could surround Harry. He felt someone push him from behind and realized that they had stopped walking, so Mrs. Weasley and company were probably standing directly behind him. Ginny had recovered from her initial shock and pulled him forward so that they could push through the reporters and towards the train.
After pushing through the crowd, they emerged onto the platform by the front of the train. The MLE employees were keeping the mob retained so they couldn’t come onto the actual platform. As they walked away from the crowd, Harry got a devilish idea. He grabbed Ginny, swung her around in his arms, and kissed her as they spun on the spot. Camera flashes lit up the platform, as everyone was taking pictures of the scene. Harry placed her back onto her feet and continued to walk, but Ginny pulled back on his hand.
“Did you do that for publicity?” she hissed. She was glaring at him. It appeared to him that he had truly offended her.
“Ah — yes! I figured they have pictures of us f-fighting so why not s-snogging. I h-hope you don’t mind?” stuttered Harry.
Ginny looked at him before breaking into a wide smile. The next thing he knew she had grabbed his head and pulled him into a passionate kiss like the one on the other side of the barrier. Again, the air was filled with the sound of camera flashes, as all the photographers seemed to snapping pictures of the couple. Ginny pulled away from Harry and whispered to him. “That is how we snog, Harry. That other was way too overdone, dear.”
“Will you two stop that and get on the train,” ordered Mrs. Weasley.
Ginny turned to her mother and brother and hugged them goodbye, leaving her trunk with Harry. He said goodbye to Charlie, who was starting to tell Theresa and Dimitri stories about the Hogwarts express. Harry received one of Mrs. Weasley’s motherly hugs before grabbing Ginny’s trunk, stepping onto the train, and trying to find a compartment. Ginny took off in the other directions to attend to her Head Girl responsibilities.
As Harry walked through the train’s hallway, students turned and stared at him. The younger ones seemed intimidated by him. One first year boy almost jumped out of his trainers when Harry said, “excuse me” after the boy bumped into him.
Harry kept moving through the train until he found the compartment with Luna, Dean, Lavender and Seamus. He stepped inside and placed Ginny’s trunk in the overhead before sitting down. He thanked them for saving him and Ginny a seat. They asked if she had showed up, and he told them that was her trunk he had place in the overhead. When everyone looked at him, he explained that Kreacher, his House Elf, had taken his trunk to Hogwarts already.
After Harry had settled in and started to relax, he noticed Seamus was chuckling about something. He looked up and there at the windows were several younger students staring at them, or more precisely, at Harry. Either they didn’t care that he saw them, or they thought he couldn’t see them because of the glass.
Harry and everyone tried to ignore them. The train even started to move, but there were still people staring in at him. It wasn’t the same ones as before, but every time Harry glanced over at least five sets of eyes were staring at him.
He turned and bellowed at them. “Go away!” The ones at the window quickly disappeared, but soon more showed up.
“Has it always been like this?” asked Lavender.
“No. I haven’t always been this popular,” said Luna as she looked at Harry with a friendly smile, from behind the first post war edition of the Quibbler.
After everyone laughed at her statement, they relaxed and talked about the school and what it would look like. How the classes and dorms would be arranged now that there are eight years of Hogwarts’ students instead seven.
Harry told them that he was going back for Auror training. He also said that Neville had been offered a position as an Assistant Professor of Herbology, since Professor Sprout is now the Deputy Headmistress.
Harry had been enjoying the conversation in the compartment, but eventually he started to miss Ron and Hermione. He had laughed at Seamus’ jokes and Luna’s comments, but it wasn’t the same. There had always been a comfort level with Ron and Hermione that he doesn’t now feel. Maybe he missed their bickering, but whatever it was, Harry found himself sitting back and listening to the others rather than talking.
About an hour after the lunch trolley passed, they heard a commotion in the hallway. It sounded like several students were shoving someone down the hall.
“You don’t know him.”
“Yes I do! I was an original member of Dumbledore’s Army.”
“No way! You prat! You weren’t there last year. Here I think this is his compartment.”
Everyone in the compartment sat up and looked at each other when they heard “Dumbledore’s Army” mentioned. The group of students appeared in front of the doors. Four large students that Harry thought were either Ravenclaw’s or Hufflepuff’s were pushing the slight built Dennis Creavey in front of them. Harry stood up, pulled his wand out, and tapped it on the side of his leg. The four boys let go of Dennis and looked nervously at him.
“Hi Dennis!” stated Harry. The other boys suddenly seemed very nervous, as they stepped further away from Dennis. “We don’t like it when fellow Army members are getting pushed around.” Harry stated this in a threatening way to the four antagonists.
They looked at the Harry and his wand nervously tapping against his leg, and backed away from Dennis.
Harry politely said. “Dennis, please come in and have a seat.” As the young wizard walked into the compartment, his four antagonists scurried up the hallway and out of sight.
“Thanks Harry and the rest of you, too,” said Dennis. Everyone muttered a welcome and that it was no problem.
“Harry. Thank you for stopping by this summer and asking about Colin.” Everyone looked at Harry with puzzled expressions. “My dad really appreciated you dropping in. He almost didn’t want me to come back after Colin died, but you made him feel better about wizards. They thought it was nice that you wanted pictures of friends for a scrap book.” Harry’s face became a little pink with that last statement. “Well I should probably find another compartment...”
“No need, you can sit here. When we arrive, I’ll go with you to get your luggage,” offered Harry. “How does that sound?”
Dennis relaxed and started asking everyone how he or she had faired over the past year. The question had increased the tension in the compartment, but after Dean and Luna told their stories. Seamus and then finally Lavender also told about their experiences. Harry was sitting there thinking about what to do, when they all looked towards him with inquiring expressions. No one directly asked him to reveal his adventures from last year, but he could tell that they all were wanting to hear about it.
Harry told an abbreviated version of his adventures. He left out the mention of Horcruxes and Deathly Hallows but did include the escape from Malfoy Manor. He noticed Lavender blanched as he told about Bellatrix offering Hermione to Greyback after she was done torturing her.
He had finished and everyone was sitting there absorbing what he had said when Ginny walked in. She looked exhausted as she looked at Harry, and then saw Dennis sitting beside him. She made a bit of a face, which made Dennis fidget then start to stand up.
“No. Dennis sit down. I see a seat.” She walked over and sat on Harry’s lap, and laid her head on his shoulder. Harry shifted to accommodate her better. She curled up on his lap and seemed unusually quiet. She would talk to people, but she didn’t seem to be the boisterous girl from a few hours ago. She would often ignore what was going on inside of the compartment and look out the window at the passing scenery.
Harry had several times tried to whisper something to her, but she wouldn’t respond to his questions.
As the daylight faded, Ginny stood up to leave. She told everyone that she would see them at the feast, before walking out of the compartment door.
Harry jumped out of his seat and followed her. “Ginny, love, what is wrong?”
She looked away from him and didn’t respond.
Reaching out and gently turning her face towards him, he searched her eyes for answers. She looked so tired and frail. “What is bothering you?” he inquired.
“I am afraid,” she responded. “This will be the first time back. When we left so soon after the big celebration, I was happy because I didn’t want to be in that place any longer. Now, I have to return to the place where F-Fred d-died.”
He pulled her into a gentle hug and felt her lean her head against his shoulder. He had been feeling many of the same things as she had, but it had been different with him. He had been back to Hogwarts over the summer, while visiting Neville and Hagrid. He saw the castle on several occasions, but this is her first time back. The pain and nervousness of what possible memories are going to resurface must be agonizing for her.
“Harry, I need you to be strong for me,” she whispered into his chest.
He kissed her on the top of her head, as she pulled away from him. He didn’t say anything to her, because he would always be there for her. She smiled at him as she walked to the front of the train.
Harry went back into the compartment and waited for the train to pull into Hogsmeade station. When it did, everyone in the compartment jumped up and grabbed their luggage. Harry had grabbed Ginny’s and offered to go with Dennis to get his from the other compartment, when he heard Dean and Seamus sniggering. He turned around and realized they were laughing at him.
“What?”
“You two have been going out for what? Three months? She already has you trained to fetch her luggage. Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley’s House Elf,” teased Seamus, this caused everyone in the compartment to laugh, including Harry.
Everyone left the train, and they were filing into the carts pulled by Thestrals. Ginny had found Harry again, after leading the first years to Hagrid. She seemed to be more reserved and wanting strength and support from him.
“Merlin, is that them?” she whispered.
Harry looked at her and noticed that she was staring at the Thestrals. He looked up and noticed several other older students staring awestruck at the fronts of the carts. “Yeah, Ginny, that is what you rode to the Ministry. They might be spooky looking, but they are actually fairly tame,” assured Harry. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her gently on the side of the head.
“I can see them now, because I-I’ve seen people die,” she said quietly. Her voice quavered as she spoke, and Harry could feel her pull in tighter to him.
“Yes, I am afraid so. Let’s go and find a cart, dear.” She allowed him to steer her towards the cart with Luna, Dean, Seamus, and Lavender. When she sat down, no one looked her way except Luna. Everyone else was still staring at the Thestrals.
“Isn’t this exciting? I wonder what they have done since the battle.” Luna stated this with excited curiosity, as the carts jerked forward. Ginny gripped Harry’s hand tightly when Luna said this. She wasn’t the only one to be dreading the return. Everyone had looks on their faces as if they were reliving that terrible night.
When the carts passed through the gates, he noticed that they were looking at various places that were now empty or repaired with grave expressions on their faces. Ginny pulled herself close to Harry again, and her grip on his hand was painful. She seemed to be fighting back tears. This was keeping Harry focused entirely on her, so that the gravity of the situation didn’t affect him as much. Supporting and comforting her was his sole purpose and mission, now. When they started to enter the castle, Ginny seemed to have regained some of her composure. She was able to walk holding Harry’s hand without nearly crushing it.
As they walked through the entrance hall and towards the great hall, Ginny stopped walking. She pulled back and wouldn’t enter it. Harry stood there and held her. He understood what she saw when she first looked into the hall. She saw Fred, Remus, and Tonks lying dead along with so many more. Many of the other older students were also hesitating before entering, but this seemed to be affecting Ginny more than the rest.
“Are you, alright Miss Weasley?” Professor McGonagall had seen their reaction to entering the great hall and walked to them from her seat at the head table, followed closely by Hagrid.
“I’ll — I’ll — be alright. It is just — just so hard seeing it again.” Ginny said this while fighting back tears. She was not alone; those who had fought in the battle had the same look on their face. Professor McGonagall told them she understood. She checked to make sure everyone was fine before returning to the head table.
Hagrid didn’t leave. He leaned down to look at her. “Ya all right there, Ginny?” he said with concern filling his voice.
“Yes, Hagrid, I have Harry with me,” she replied.
Hagrid looked at him then smiled at her and placed one of his huge hands gently on her shoulder covering it and Harry’s arm. He turned to look Harry in the eye, “Ya take good care of her, ‘arry,” he said, before returning to the head table.
Harry stood there holding Ginny slightly shocked at Hagrid’s comment. He looked at Ginny who had started to compose herself. He decided to ask her about Hagrid later. Every time he met Hagrid this summer, he would always ask about Ginny. He hadn’t thought anything about it before tonight, but now he was curious if Hagrid had always felt this way.
“I’m fine to go in,” said Ginny. She smiled at him and started to walk towards the Gryffindor table. The Great Hall seemed to be filled with more students than usual, since finding a seat at the table was difficult, and the first years hadn’t even been sorted yet. The only exception was the Slytherin table, where none of the students in Harry’s year had returned and it appeared that other years were sparsely represented.
Ginny’s composure returned as the evening progressed. The sorting ceremony finished with an inordinate number of students going to Gryffindor and very few going to Slytherin. The feast was wonderful as usual. Professor McGonagall gave a greeting to all students and told about the various events and activities happening tomorrow and the rest of the year.
She introduced the new professors to the students. Madam Zabini, Blaise’s mother, was the new Potions Professor and the new head of Slytherin. She was a very striking witch, tall, shapely with abundant dark hair complimenting her chocolate brown skin. No wonder she has had so many husbands, but then she is an expert at Potions. The new DADA professor was Zebulon Jones. He was a slight built man. A Percy Weasley with wire rimmed glasses and mousy brown hair. He looked like someone that should be behind a desk shuffling papers instead of fighting dark wizards. The Transfiguration professor was an American, named Willie Pratt. The entire student body sniggered at his name. The Head Mistress quickly quieted everyone with one of her cold steely stares. The students and other professors all gave the new members of the faculty a round of applause before they sat back down.
She said that with the large number of students attending this year, special arrangements would need to be made with the older students. No students who should have completed their seventh-year last year will be able to live at Hogwarts. Ginny turned and looked at Harry with disappointment in her eyes. They will be allowed to stay tonight if they already brought their trunks and possessions with them.
The students were dismissed, and everyone migrated to their common rooms. Ginny turned and started walking away from the Gryffindor crowd and Harry.
“Ginny, where are you going?” asked Harry after she had dropped his hand.
“I need to meet with Professor McGonagall,” she responded while tapping her Head Girl badge. “I’ll meet you in the common room later.” She kissed him lightly on the lips before walking briskly away.
Harry’s trunk was sitting in the Gryffindor common room. It appeared that he finally lost his four-poster bed. He sat down in the common room and waited for Ginny. He had friends there: Parvati, Lavender, Dean, Seamus, but the three most important Gryffindors were missing Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. He felt a little lonely in this crowded room, even though everyone was speaking to him. It was so different, almost as though he didn’t belong anymore. As if this wasn’t his home and refuge, like it had been for six years.
Several hours later, an exhausted Ginny had walked through the portrait hole. She looked emotionally and physically drained. Harry quietly walked over to her and gave her a hug. It was nearly two in the morning and he was the only one awake in the common room. The other students who didn’t have dormitory rooms were sleeping on camp beds in the common room. Therefore, he was trying to be as quiet as possible.
“Let’s sit down for a second, love,” he whispered.
“I’m so knackered, Harry. I might just go to bed,” she wearily replied to him.
He lifted her chin and kissed her goodnight. “Pleasant dreams, love.”
Harry watched her wearily plod up the stairs to the dormitories. He was concerned for her. She had never looked this tired and defeated before. It bothered him, because he had always looked at her as being so strong and confident. Harry took off his glasses and trainers and crawled into his camp bed with his clothes on. He laid there watching the fire embers glow and dance. He had just fallen to sleep when he felt someone staring at him. He opened his eyes to see the fuzzy outline of Ginny standing over top of him.
“Hi, I…I….don’t want to be alone,” Ginny whispered.
“Sure, crawl in.” Harry pulled back the blanket to her unasked request. She lay down beside him, buried her face in his chest, and started to sob. “Ginny what’s wrong?” he whispered in her ear. She didn’t answer but continued to silently sob. Her tears were soaking through Harry’s shirt. She was crying so hard that she shook the bed even though she did not make a sound.
Harry felt lost. He held her close to him and kissed the top of her head. He lay there hugging and trying to comfort her not sure what to do. He wondered how she could cry so hard and not make a single sound. Has she learned to do this so that no one else could hear her in the dorms or at home?
“Ginny, I am here for you,” he whispered. “I promise you! I’ll always be here for you from now on.” Harry barely finished saying this when she looked up at him.
“Thank you, that is so…” She never finished talking she pulled Harry’s face to hers and gave him a very salty kiss. She laid her head back on his chest. She was still crying, but not as violently.
Harry felt something that he had never felt before. A type of love that he never knew existed. It was almost like how he felt watching and caring for Teddy, but in a very different way. He realized that with Teddy his love was to help Teddy grow up and become his own person. With Ginny, his love was to help bring the two of them closer together. Forever! He realized that he didn’t need to be a hero. All that he needed to do was be kind, understanding, and supportive to her.
He moved his hands gently up and down the back of her nightshirt rubbing her back to comfort her. It wasn’t sensual in action but comforting. If it was possible, Ginny seemed to wiggle in closer to him. He had the women of his dreams in bed with him. He didn’t feel the desire to shag her, but he felt as if he couldn’t love her anymore if he tried.
She fell asleep with her head on his chest. Harry lay there until he finally fell asleep stoking her hair and enjoying the wonderful feeling that had formed in his heart.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
The morning sunshine filled the common room with a golden glow. Harry opened his eyes to see the fuzzy outline of Ginny staring at him. Her fingers were tracing the contours of his face. She gently kissed him good morning.
“Thank you for being here for me. You are so wonderful,” she whispered to him, as she gave him his glasses. “We have an audience.”
He looked around the common room and there were several students sitting staring at the two of them. Most were nervous first years, a smattering of older students, and Dennis Creavey. It appeared he was keeping the others at a distance from Harry and Ginny.
“I need to get up and get ready for this big day. Love you!” he said. He threw back the bed sheets and stood up. He heard several gasps by the girls in the room, until they saw he was still fully clothed.
Ginny stood up and walked past the giggling students to her dorm room. He collected his dress robes and the clothes that he will need for the day before departing for the Prefects bathroom. The students without dorm rooms were given passwords so they could get showered and dressed this morning.
When he returned from the Prefect’s bathroom, he met Professor McGonagall outside of the portrait hole. She gave him a very stern look as she walked by him. He entered the common room to find a sheepish looking Ginny.
“Evidently she found out about last night’s sleeping arrangements.” Ginny said solemnly. “She told me that as Head Girl I’m to set a good example. She took ten points from Gryffindor.” Harry gasped and started to apologize. “That’s alright! I really needed you to help me through the night.” She gave Harry a smile that told him it was all right.
Harry packed up his things and left them for Kreacher to take back to his house. Taking Ginny’s hand, they left for the great hall and breakfast.
Ginny seemed to have made peace with her memories so that she was able to enter the hall without hesitating. They sat down at the Gryffindor table to have some breakfast. He noticed many people staring at them and whispering to each other. He forgot how fast rumors and gossip moved through the school.
Ron and Hermione showed up at eight-thirty followed closely by the rest of the Weasley family. They all hesitated when entering the hall. Mrs. Weasley walked in only briefly to hug Ginny and Harry good morning before leaving again. The four of them sat there in silence unable to think of anything appropriate to say. Neville, Seamus, Dean, the Patil twins, Luna, and the rest of Dumbledore’s Army regardless of House affiliation, joined them. They all seemed to be at a loss for words as the memories of what had happened here weighed on them.
At nine o’clock Kingsley came into the hall to get Harry. The rest of the guests were told to leave for the ceremonies, as the students would need to get organized. Harry followed Kingsley out the front doors of the castle down to Dumbledore’s tomb. He noticed that two tall pillars of white marble were placed on each side of the tomb. There was a platform and a podium erected twenty meters to the right of the monuments with chairs arranged in front of it.
“You will be sitting up there with the other speakers Harry.” Kingsley indicated the platform. Harry looked over and saw where the Weasley’s sat with Theresa and the rest of Charlie’s friends. He waved to them before stepping up onto the platform and sitting in his assigned seat.
Harry watched from his seat the various guests entering from the main entrance. The other students from his year were leaving the castle and finding seats among the guest seating. He enjoyed seeing that all the members of Dumbledore’s Army sat together with Neville.
All the seats for guests were quickly filled, and more people were still arriving. The sight of Centaurs leaving the forest caused many of the guests to shift nervously in their seats. Grawp’s arrival caused even more of them to fidget. Finally, the students filed out of the school. Harry could see Ginny’s red hair at front. When they sat down, she was sitting close enough that Harry could see her wink at him. All the speakers had finally sat down on the platform. The crowd had become so large that there were probably a hundred witches and wizards standing, the students from Hogwarts, and another five hundred filled the guest section.
Kingsley walked up to the podium and welcomed all to this dedication and memorial service. He spoke about sacrifice, dedication, and loyalty. He asked all people to put the past behind them and move forward in peace and cooperation. After Kingsley sat down several distinguished leaders of the Wizangamot spoke for what seemed like hours each. They would drone on about the historical ramifications of this great and noble event. It seemed, as though, these wizards had Professor Binns write their speeches. Harry looked out several times at Ginny who would mime a yawn. He quickly turned away so that he didn’t start laughing during such a somber and historic event.
After the distinguished leaders had finally finished speaking, Harry was introduced as the hero of the war against The Dark Lord. He walked up to the podium and looked out on the sight of the crowd before him. It was a magnificent morning. The golden sun was shining off Hogwarts towers. The grass was a deep verdant green, and the air had a sweet smell of summer to it.
“It is…,” he started to say. Suddenly the memories of that night came crashing down on him. He saw the lawn not filled with chairs and people celebrating, but bodies of the dead and wounded. He saw Neville and Oliver carrying the body of Colin. Tears filled his eyes and his mouth didn’t seem to want to work.
“It is — with great — great — difficulty that — that I stand before — y-you and talk about the memory of the battle….” He stopped talking and tried to wipe the tears from his face. “…the battle and the war against Voldemort. The pain of all who died and were injured here and around our community is still fresh in my memory.” He tried looking away from the crowd. He looked up to the castle to the first place that he felt he belonged. However, the memory of Dumbledore lying at the bottom of the Astronomy Tower filled his mind. A loud sob escaped him, as he looked down at the podium to regain his composure and control his tears.
“Many will talk about noble deeds — and — fighting for the greater good, but — t-that is not why I think many fought.” His voice quavered as the remorse shook him. “It was for love — love of family and friends. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to sacrifice themselves for the greater good...” He stopped speaking and looked out at Ginny and then at the Weasley’s. “...but to save a loved one.” He stopped talking again as he took a deep breath. “That! I can understand. We, as the surviving loved ones, must never forget those who suffered and died for us.
“Many people refer to me as the hero. This war had no single hero,” he stressed. “No righteous cause can, because all righteous causes must be won by all. If it isn’t then it is just one man’s victory. This victory belongs to the entire magical community, not me.
“I would like to close by saying thank you. Thank you to those of you who fought against Voldemort and the Death Eaters in some way.” He took a deep breath and was finally able to control his tears. “Whether you were here or at home protecting your family and neighbors, you helped win this war. Thank you to the Centaurs and house elves. Thank you, Grawp. Thank you to all who died for giving the ultimate sacrifice to protect us.”
Harry staggered back to his seat and sat down while wiping the remainder of tears from his face. He felt embarrassed that he couldn’t control his emotions. The next speaker stood up and started to recite the names of all who fought at Hogwarts. As he read the names, the people were to stand up. After the speaker finished, Harry looked around and Ginny and Luna were the only two students not in Harry’s year standing. All the other students were staring at them. The speaker told them that they have
all received a special award from the ministry called The Order of the Phoenix. Harry turned and smiled at Kingsley when he heard this.
The speaker next read off the names of the deceased. He looked at Ginny when Fred’s name was mentioned. She was teary but kept her composure. Many people were surprised when Severus Snape’s name was mentioned. They were all given Order of Merlin’s Third Class.
Finally, the speaker asked that the following people please come to the main stage. He called up Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Professor McGonagall. They were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the defeat of the Dark Lord. They were all rewarded with the Order of Merlin First Class. As Kingsley pinned the golden pin on everyone’s robes, the entire audience stood up and applauded. The speaker announced that everyone was invited to inspect the monuments. The repairs to the castle and enjoy a special buffet brunch prepared by the Hogwarts kitchens. Harry was sure he heard Hermione mutter something about slave labor.
When the ceremony finished, reporters and photographers surrounded everyone on the platform. They appeared so fast that Harry thought they must have Apparated there. They were asking for personal interviews and comments about what they did and saw. They formed a human wall around the five of them. No one could escape from these pests.
“Harry! Harry, dear. It’s Rita Skeeter. Your old friend. Let’s Talk!”
Harry, Ron, and Hermione stopped and stared at her audacity to call Harry an “old friend”.
“Rita, you are right.” Ron and Hermione turned to look at Harry when he said this. “Not about us being friends, but you are old.” Harry couldn’t tell who laughed louder his friends or the other reporters. She stood there dumbfounded by his insult. “Now why don’t you and all your associates leave us alone!” he shouted at them. “We have already told the Wizangamot about what happened last year. Talk to them about it!”
Harry turned to look for a way out of this phalanx of questioners, when Ginny suddenly appeared at his side. She had somehow fought her way through the throng. Professor McGonagall started to shout at them to move aside when a great commotion erupted causing them all to leave.
“Ya ‘eard the ‘eadmistress get the bloody ‘ell out of ‘ere!” Hagrid yelled as he walked through the crowd pushing people out of the way to let his friends get out. The reporters finally got the message and left to find someone else to annoy.
Hagrid pulled Harry into a bone-crushing hug. “That wuz a wunderful speech ya made ‘arry. Wunderful.” He hugged Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Ginny. He looked at Professor McGonagall. “Sorry, ‘eadmistress I guess I got carried away.”
“That’s fine Hagrid. Thank you for dispersing those irritating people.” She gave him a warm smile, before leaving to go to the castle.
Hagrid stood there and asked Ron and Hermione how they are doing. He was happy to hear that they were engaged. He picked them both up at once to hug them. Hagrid left saying something about getting his brother back home.
Ron stated that he was hungry and wanted to go up to the buffet. Harry wanted to go to see the memorials. Neville, Hermione, and Ginny also wanted to look at the monuments. The five of them started to walk over towards the monuments, but the crowds were twenty people deep around them.
“I’m hungry. Why don’t we go and get something to eat then come back down?” Ron moaned. The problem was that the crowds around the food were even larger than the monument.
“Kreacher” Harry said hoping for some help from the House Elf.
“Yes, Master and Mistress” Kreature appeared suddenly and bowed to both Harry and Ginny. Ginny blushed at being called mistress.
“Kreacher, I am not your mistress.” Ginny said, while enjoying that the house elf recognized her as Harry’s wife.
“Maybe not yet, but soon,” he croaked softly. Ginny turned a deeper shade of pink when Kreacher said this with a smile.
“Kreacher, could you bring us some sandwiches and pumpkin juice?” asked Harry courteously. “We are hungry and don’t want to fight that crowd.” Hermione glared at Harry for asking the House Elf to do this.
“Kreacher will be happy to, Master.” He disappeared with a pop.
“Harry, I don’t believe you are so lazy as to force him to bring food to you so you don’t have to walk up the hill…” Hermione never finished her rant because suddenly there were six House Elves each with a tray full of food and drinks for them.
“This is Kreacher’s master you should not be here,” shouted Kreature at the other House Elves. “Master, Kreacher is sorry. When I said that I was getting food for Harry Potter and his friends, they all insisted on coming along.”
“That is fine Kreacher. Thank you very much for bringing the food. You are a wonderful servant. Thank you.” Kreacher beamed with pride when Harry said this to him. Everyone else thanked the House Elves as they took food from the various trays. Finally, when everyone had something to eat and drink the Elves returned to the kitchen.
“Hermione, to a House Elf a compliment is more valuable than gold,” laughed Harry. “Good luck trying to get them to accept pay.”
“Yes, but many of the families would rather pay them than compliment them, Harry.” Harry looked at his friend and nodded his head in agreement.
The crowds were thinning around the monuments. Harry noticed a group of redheads standing by the one monument. They went over to see how everyone was feeling.
One monument had the names of all the people who had fought at Hogwarts. The other monument had the names of the people who had died fighting Voldemort. Mrs. Weasley and George were kneeling and crying, while looking at Fred’s name. Everyone else had gathered around them to support them. Harry and Ginny joined the group offering support. Harry started looking for Remus and Tonks’ names. As he scanned the monument, two names stuck out to him. James and Lily Potter were also listed. He looked around and noticed other names. Sirius Black, Alastor Moody, all the Bones’s, Fabian and Gideon Prewett, and McKinnons were all there.
Mrs. Weasley and George stood up and everyone started walking to the other monument. They looked to see the long list of Weasley’s that fought; ten when you include Fleur.
“Hello Harry, that was a nice speech,” stated a voice from behind him. He turned away from the monument and saw Carmen standing there. At first, he didn’t recognize her. She was wearing her old Beauxbaton’s silk dress robes. Her hair wasn’t in a plait but hung freely about her face and shoulders. She was quite beautiful in the silk clothes and her hair like that he thought.
“H-Hi, Carmen, are you here for the service or just the start of training?” stammered Harry.
“I came with Hagrid for the service. Madame Maxime was right. He is a very charming man.” When she mentioned Madame Maxime, Fleur turned her head to look. Upon seeing Carmen, Fleur seemed turn on her Veela charms. She seemed to glow with sexuality and clung very tight to Bill’s arm.
Fleur and Carmen immediately started to talk in French. They conversed rapidly; the rest of the Weasley’s turned to see who this person was speaking to Fleur. Harry noticed everyone gave Carmen a once over with their eyes. Ron and George’s gaze, however, lingered on her chest. She had grown since she was at school. The fabric across her chest was looking very strained.
“Fleur, it is rude to talk without anyone else being able to understand. Besides, I came down here to talk to Harry about the Auror training. Did you hear that we are going to be study partners?” she said with great enthusiasm. “I am so pleased. After all the things, I’ve heard about you from Hagrid. I could use your expertise in dueling and Defense Against the Dark Arts.”
Harry looked a little embarrassed when she said this, and he noticed Ginny seemed to be clearing her throat. “Ah — no — that’s great. I should introduce my friends to you,” he nervously replied. “I guess I — um — should’ve done that earlier.”
“Oh, I think I know everyone here from Hagrid’s descriptions, and also you were all introduced earlier.” She proceeded to introduce herself to everyone and she had everyone’s name correct. “You are Ginny; Harry’s girlfriend. Hagrid told me how pretty and brave you are.” Ginny seemed to become increasingly irritated at her last statement. “I should be getting back to the castle and get ready for our first meeting today. It is one-thirty. Am I correct, Harry?”
“Yea, I think that’s the time, see you then,” replied a nervous Harry.
Carmen waved at everyone then turned and walked away while George and Ron watched intently with glazed over eyes.
George leaned over and whispered something in Ron’s ear, which made his face become pink. Harry heard Hermione huff “men” before she took off at a fast pace towards the main gate with her fists clenched. Ron stood there and stared at Carmen walking away until his mother slapped his shoulder and pointed towards Hermione, who was almost to the front gate. He quickly snapped out of his trance and chased after her.
“Zat Carmeen, she ‘az always been a ‘omewrecker,” snorted Fleur as she kissed Bill’s cheek.
“I think it was strange that she was so excited to be your study partner Harry. I mean she hardly knows you. Is that correct?” questioned Ginny.
“Yes. I guess. We talked occasionally the day when we were taking the preliminary tests, and then I took her to dinner...”
“YOU DID WHAT?” snapped Ginny. Harry could feel everyone’s eyes on him.
“Kingsley wanted me to take her to the Three Broomsticks to meet Hagrid,” pleaded Harry.
“Oh really!” Ginny’s voice became sharp and accusing. “You spent almost the entire day talking to each other. That is very interesting. Why is it that Hagrid was the one that told her I WAS YOUR GIRLFRIEND?” Ginny shouted the last four words before she took off toward the castle.
“Ginny, she knew about you. Hagrid was the one that spoke about you the most,” shouted Harry.
Ginny stopped and turned towards Harry with a look that could kill. “That is supposed to make me feel better?” She yelled back at him before walking towards the castle again.
Harry started to follow Ginny, and as he walked away from the Weasley’s he could hear George say. “There goes Harry Potter the Gormless One.”
Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Classes, Classes and Homework
“Ginny don’t you trust me?”“What was I supposed to think!” she shouted at him. They were standing around the side of the castle virtually hidden from everyone else. “I haven’t forgotten what happened the day before your testing, Harry. Maybe you decided to give her a go to see if she would...”
“No! Ginny it wasn’t like that.” Harry looked as if she had just slapped him across the face. “She knew who I was because...”
“Because why?” Ginny had calmed her attack down. She saw how hurt Harry had become at the suggestion that he was playing the field on her.
“She saw how angry I had become when some candidates said some lies about you.”
“What did they say, and why would they say it with you sitting right there?”
“I was in disguise. They didn’t realize that it was me.”
“What did they say, Harry?”
He shifted nervously and didn’t answer her.
“Harry, what did they say?”
“They said that you were never right for me, and that you had a reputation because you dated several boys at Hogwarts. I almost cursed them on the spot” His face contorted as though saying this was bringing him physical pain.
Ginny could feel her insides melt that even after they had that terrible fight the day before he still wanted to defend her. She steeled her gaze at him but made a tactical error. She was looking straight into his eyes. Merlin, he has beautiful eyes. She thought to herself. “I am not done being mad at you, Harry Potter,” she growled. “Why is it that you must have the most beautiful woman possible as your Auror partner? Why can’t you work with some homely sod, like Ron?”
Harry snorted and laughed for a second before composing himself. “Because...” he started to say to her while trying to contain his laughter “Well, I don’t have the most beautiful woman, as my Auror partner. You are my girlfriend.”
Ginny felt herself melt even more when he said that. She glanced at his lips thinking about kissing them, and then she saw it. He was smirking at her. You can’t manipulate me like that, Potter. I don’t care how damn good looking you are. She thought to herself before telling him. “Nice try, Potter. Stop smirking at me, or I’ll slap it off your face.
“What?” Harry said, as he stepped back a little from her. “I am not smirking at you.”
“Yes, you are.”
“I don’t smirk!” he exclaimed.
“You do it every time you think you have pulled one over on someone. Like when you fed Ron the Canary Cream.” When you know, I am begging you to kiss me right now.
Harry reached up and touched his lips as though he couldn’t feel the shape that they were in. “I’m sorry. I never realized,” he said in a sad voice. “Ginny, why don’t you trust me? It shouldn’t matter who I study with. You are the only person I want.”
“I trust you, love. I don’t trust all those slags out there,” she said with slightly less anger in her voice.
“That doesn’t make any sense!” he stated. “What does it matter what they think. I’ll just turn them down.”
“Harry, stop being so naïve! You think that all the women in this world will leave you alone because you are going out with me. There are plenty of them, that will use any means possible, to get their hooks into you.” Ginny stepped closer to him and stressed her points by poking a finger into Harry’s chest. “You are famous, wealthy, and so bloody handsome.” Harry smiled at this last statement. “That scar on your head isn’t the only thing that people are looking at. You just never turn around to see them stare.” His face turned a deep shade of pink. “I remember Romilda Vane sent you love potion in Chocolate Cauldrons. There are more witches out there, who are even more conniving. I’m not Fleur. I can’t turn on my Veela charms and control your heart ….”
Harry placed a finger on Ginny’s lips to stop her from talking. She looked at him with surprise. “All you have to do is look in my eyes with your beautiful brown eyes and tell me that you love me. You will always take control of my heart.”
Ginny stood there and stared in Harry’s eyes. How dare you say that to me? I am not done being angry with him. I love his gorgeous green eyes. I need to put him in his place. Oh, I love his touch. I have so many things to say to you, Harry Potter … He has the most beautiful smile… Did I have something to say to him… oh yes? “I love you Harry. I love you so very much I can’t stand it.” She reached out and pulled him to her for a kiss.
“There you have captured my heart,” he whispered to her after they broke apart. “That wasn’t too difficult.” Harry looked at her and smiled.
“Don’t smirk at me! Potter.”
“What — I didn’t,” he said while backing away from Ginny and placing a hand over his mouth.
“I have a better way to take that smirk off your face.” She pulled his hand down, stretched up on her toes, and gently kissed him. “I love you! Harry.” They pulled each other into a loving embrace and kissed more passionately. They had lost track of the time, and Harry nearly missed the Aurors meeting because they were too busy snogging.
Harry and Ginny appeared outside the great hall with two minutes to spare having run there from around the side of the castle. She stopped him in the doorway and purposely kissed him so that everyone in the hall could see. “There, I hope that will keep your attention,” she said to him.
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Harry walked into the Great Hall with everyone’s eyes upon him. He could feel his face get warm from embarrassment. He has problems with people staring at him and his private life being on public display. However, if Ginny kissing him in front of twenty Auror trainee’s and the entire student population made her trust him more. Then he was all for it. He saw Carmen and she was almost laughing at him. He sat down by her and waited for Gawain to start the meeting.
“I see Ginny has marked her property,” Carmen said with a smile. “I take it she didn’t like me being your study partner?”
“That was part of it. She seems to be nervous about other women. She has the impression there are hundreds of women who will do anything to get me.” Harry laughed when he said the last sentence.
“Smart girl!” Harry turned to look at Carmen when she said that. “No! I don’t take other women’s men. Some will. Meeting is starting,” she said as Gawain appeared from behind the head table.
Gawain walked into the hall and stood in front of all the tables where the trainees sat. “Hello to you all. I am Gawain Robards. I am the head of the Auror department, as you should already know. Everyone here has already passed the preliminary testing required by the Ministry.
“So, I have a simple question for all of you, since you want to be Aurors. What is the thing you will be doing the most, if you become a fully qualified Auror?”
Several hands shot in the air. The first person said training. Gawain said yes you will train a lot, but that isn’t it. Another person said dueling; this brought a chuckle to Gawain’s stern continence. He told them if they spend twenty hours or more a week dueling people then they will probably be fired, for excessive use of force.
“Harry! What do you think?” asked Gawain. The room immediately went silent, and everyone stared at Harry.
He felt the weight of their stares and became nervous. This type of situation has always bothered him; everyone probably thinks that he should know the answer. “Investigating and researching,” he mumbled out just loud enough to be heard.
“Close, but wrong,” chimed Gawain. “On the average, an Auror spends about thirty hours a week doing paperwork, which includes filling out reports.” Several trainees moaned at his statement. “Everything you do will be recorded,” he stressed. “Other members of the Auror and the Magical Law Enforcement Department will need to be able to understand your reports. These reports will be vital in the conviction and proper sentencing of the dark wizards. Not all wizards involved in the investigation will be entirely culpable for their actions. Some will be coerced by threats, black mail, and Imperious curses. Those individuals should not be treated as harshly as the ones who placed them in that situation.”
Gawain stopped talking and looked at the room of trainees. He walked back and forth in front of them as though he was comparing or sizing them up. “I am guessing that three out of ten of you will not complete this training for various reasons. It will be either: too difficult, demand to much of your time, you will object to the methods that we will teach you, or this job just isn’t exciting enough for you. The truth is this job isn’t that exciting for ninety percent of the time. You investigate, analyze the data collected, and then you go and make an arrest, which should take a few minutes. If any of you wanted to work this job because you wanted to go out and duel Dark wizards on a daily basis. You do not need return after today.
“Your studying this year will be split up as follows. Fifty percent will be learning how to write, read, and analyze investigation reports. Ten percent will be Defense Against Dark Art training. Ten percent will be dueling. Ten percent will be studying beneficial charms that can be used. Ten percent will be studying various Potions that you will need to know how to make and identify. The final ten percent will be concealment and stealth training. You won’t be much help trying to watch a suspect if you stick out like a sore thumb, now will you.
“During this year, various members of the Auror department will be showing up to teach you. I will be seeing you more than anyone else will. The Professors here at Hogwarts will also be teaching you in their own specialties. Get used to working with various people on a daily basis. Finally, you will need to have a partner. We do not send someone out alone unless we have absolutely no choice. You will need to get used to working with another Auror. Besides, if you make it through this part of the course, the next stage will be working alongside actual Aurors on cases. As you know, all of the Aurors are presently tutoring apprentices, but by this time next year. We look to have twenty Aurors available to take on apprenticeships.
“One last item for discussion, this may make some of you want to quit now, but, since the Dementors are no longer guarding Azkaban. It is now the responsibility of the MLE. The Aurors work twenty-four weeks in the field and twelve weeks at Azkaban. You will be assigned to a group rotation along with your tutor. If any of you have been to Azkaban you will know that it is a bleak and terrible place. However, we must make sure that no one escapes.
“Now that everyone knows what they have signed up for. Auror training will be held here three days a week Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. I will expect to see you tomorrow for your first actual day of training.” He stopped talking and smiled at everyone. “I am sure you will enjoy it and it will definitely catch your attention. Good day to you all.”
Harry could feel the tension rise in the room as everyone stood up from the benches. He had never thought of the fact that he would have to go to Azkaban, but if that is what the job required, then he would do it.
As Harry started towards the door, Edward Macmillan approached him, and stuck out his hand to shake. “Harry, it would be a great honour if we could partner up together.”
Harry grabbed Edwards hand and resisted the urge to try to break every bone in it. “Sorry, but I have a partner already,” he said. “I am working with Carmen.” He let go of his hand, swung his hand around, and gestured towards her. Edward seemed shocked at her appearance. She was still wearing her thin silk Beauxbaton dress robes. Edward and the other males stared at her, and the women seemed to sneer at her. Harry noticed their reaction to her, grabbed her arm, and walked away from those wankers.
“Let’s go find Ginny so I can talk to her,” said Carmen as they stepped out of the great hall. Harry’s jaw almost dropped to the floor when Carmen said this. He thought this could be a real recipe for disaster. Carmen saw the reaction and couldn’t help but laugh at him. “I want to tell her that I am not going to steal you. I also would like to find a place to study that she could come along, as long as she doesn’t become a distraction.” Harry relaxed when she finished the last statement. That offer might just instill enough confidence in Ginny to avoid major fight every time he went to study with Carmen.
They looked around the entrance hall for Ginny. They asked several students if they had seen her recently. The best answer they received was someone noticed her going outside after she left Harry. Walking around outside Harry spotted her by the main gate. She appeared to be saying goodbye to her family. Everyone turned and stared at Harry and Carmen as they approached the group.
“Ginny, we need to talk. Right here in front of your family is fine,” stated Carmen confidently. The Weasley’s were all staring at her with suspicious looks in their eyes. “I’m not out to steal Harry from you. I just want to study with him.” Harry could feel the tension heighten between the Weasley’s and him as Carmen spoke. “One of the reason’s I want Harry as a study partner is because he has never stared at my chest or posterior like most men.” She stopped to look at George. Harry noticed that George never even blushed when she did this. “Harry is just another trainee to me nothing else. He treats me like a person. I realize that you may not believe me. I will promise that you will always be allowed to study with us. I won’t take Harry off somewhere private to study. Does that sound reasonable?”
Ginny stared at Carmen and Harry for what seemed an eternity. “Fine. Doesn’t seem like I have a choice in this,” she icily responded.
Harry felt the chill in her voice, and she avoided looking at him. Carmen nodded in agreement before leaving through the gate and walking towards Hogsmeade.
“Ginny, we need to be leaving and you need to get back up to the school to be with your friends,” stated Mrs. Weasley in her motherly take-charge tone. “Harry, Ginny tells me that you won’t be staying at the school. You can always stay at the Burrow. That way you won’t be so lonely at night!”
“Thanks, but I’ll just stay at my house.” Harry could tell that Mrs. Weasley didn’t like the idea of him being unaccounted for at night now that Carmen is around. The rest of the family seemed to be glaring at him with venom in their eyes. He couldn’t figure this out. It would seem to him that what Carmen had said about Ginny studying with them would ease the tension, but it didn’t. They all said goodbye and walked out of the gate and Disapparated.
Ginny turned and started walking quickly up to the school. “Why? Why are you doing this to me? Are you testing me or something?” She said, obviously frustrated rather than angry. “You couldn’t find a wizard to work with, or even an ugly witch…”
“Sorry, all the hags were taken. Don’t forget I am also going to be taking NEWT classes. I’ll need someone to study with for those. I figured we will be spending plenty of time together…”
“With you leaving everyday and returning when; the morning, afternoon, or maybe not at all. You think I should be happy? You really need to get a grip on reality Harry.”
“Ginny, I wish I could stay here instead of leaving every day. Yes, I will be here every single day, because I will want to see you every single day! The fact is I will have a tremendous amount of work to do, and the private time we get to spend together will be minimal. Sorry! It will go better though if we can spend the time pleasantly instead of fighting all the time.”
“Fine!” Ginny had stopped and looked at Harry. “I’ll try to be positive and happy. Have you seen your NEWT class schedule yet? I bet you have a different schedule than mine.”
“That was a real blast of sunshine!” Ginny smiled at Harry’s comment. “I guess I’ll have to find McGonagall for my schedule.”
“No. Harry. You need to find Hagrid. He is the head of Gryffindor House now. Ever since Dumbledore… you know.”
They left to find Hagrid. Harry took several steps before he felt a little hand slide into his. He turned to look at Ginny and she just looked up at him and smiled.
They found Hagrid and spent the rest of the afternoon talking to him. Hagrid also talked about Carmen to Ginny. He was happy that she will be working with Harry. She wasn’t very good at Defense Against Dark Arts. Harry was an excellent teacher look what he did with the DA. Ginny became a little more at ease with the arrangement. The thing that made Ginny the happiest was that Harry and she had identical class schedules. She wasn’t happy about him having training on Saturdays as this would interfere with Hogsmeade weekends.
The sun was starting to set, and Hagrid offered to cook a meal for everyone when Harry and Ginny decided to go back up to the castle. They strolled leisurely across the grounds holding hands. The crowds from the ceremony were gone, and the yard was cleaned up. It was as peaceful as two years ago when they would slip away and spend quiet moments together. They stopped in the shadows of the castle to snuggle with each other.
“When are you leaving tonight?”
“I am not sure. I need to check to see how late I can stay. I will be here around eight every morning. My first class is never before nine so that will give us an hour to eat and — talk.” Harry smirked at the last part of this statement.
“Talk? Is that what you call snogging now? Harry.”
They went into the great hall to eat dinner. During dinner Professor McGonagall called all the students who weren’t sleeping at the castle to meet her immediately after in the entrance hall. When everyone had assembled, she told them that the main gate has been charmed to let them out when they speak a password. Their passing through the gate will then be recorded on a piece of parchment in her office. The passwords only work to let a person leave the grounds. They will not let someone reenter the grounds. The gates will be open and monitored from seven o’clock in the morning until three o’clock in the afternoon. During that time, they will not need to use the passwords. She handed everyone a slip of paper with his or her password. Harry’s was Flobberworm.
Harry and Ginny spent the rest of the evening curled up in one of the common room’s squishy chairs. Harry’s trunk had been returned to Grimmauld Place. Kreature had sent it back earlier in the evening. Ginny had threatened to tell Hermione about how hard he has been working his House Elf.
They walked down to the main gate together and there under the stars spent several minutes saying good-bye and giving each other reasons to want to stay. When they finally broke apart from the intense snogging session, they were breathing as though they had just run here from London. Harry turned, walked through the gate, stood on the other side, and waved good-bye before he turned and Apparated home.
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Ginny flew out of the portrait hole a seven forty-five the next morning. She wanted to get to the main gate to greet Harry when he returned.
“Excuse me are you looking for someone?” Ginny turned when she heard the familiar voice. Harry was standing beside the portrait hole waiting for her to come out.
“What has happened to you? You were never on time before, but this past summer you have become so Percy-like.” Harry looked offended to be compared to Mr. Upright and Uptight Percy Weasley. She did have a point; this past summer Harry had changed and was becoming increasingly punctual and responsible. They kissed before walking to the great hall.
They sat together at the Gryffindor table for a few minutes before Carmen showed up and sat across the table from Ginny and Harry. She was dressed as she had been for the testing at the Ministry in rugged looking clothes and her hair pulled back in a plait.
“Are you ready for the first session?” she asked Harry. She seemed to be very excited about the upcoming classes. She had a gleam in her eye like Hermione when she became excited about a class. Harry thought he could hear Ginny mumble something about “not another one”, and he had to choke back a laugh.
The hour until classes started flew by in a heartbeat. Harry leaned over to give Ginny a kiss at the table. He felt her pull away from him, and he noticed she was looking towards the head table. When he looked up, Professor McGonagall was staring at them.
“She told me, that she doesn’t want any Public Display’s of Affection,” said Ginny with a sad tone. “Sorry, but we will need to stop doing that openly. You know! Head Girl. Good example and every-bloody-thing.”
Harry looked at the sad expression on her face, before whispering. “We will definitely need to find someplace more private then.” As he stood up to leave, he watched as Ginny’s face flushed.
Gawain started the first session, by handing out Auror handbooks. These books had the standard procedures that fully qualified Aurors used in the field. The trainees were to read these books cover to cover as soon as possible. They will not be tested on the contents of the book, but the information will constantly be referenced in their other classes.
He then handed out two cases to each trainee that the Auror department had worked on in the past. The names and addresses have been removed to protect the victims’ privacy. Everyone will look over these cases with your partner and determine if the proper procedures were followed, and to suggest any improvements or changes in the investigation. He had everyone look at the one common case they had. The other cases were different so everyone would be working on their own unique case. He stressed how important this was. It would start them thinking like an actual Auror, which is a major hurdle to overcome in the training process.
After reviewing the common case with the trainees, He handed out a list of textbooks that everyone will need to purchase. Other items on this list need to be purchased. Those items were various changes of clothing and things for tracking and concealment. Harry noticed Carmen seemed to wince when she looked at the list.
As everyone was looking at the lists, Kingsley entered the room. He stood up front talking to Gawain. Harry had noticed a smile on their faces as they spoke. It was probably nothing but a joke about the trainees.
“Hello!” said Kingsley. His deep resonate voice filled the room. “I am Kingsley Shacklebolt, the new Minister of Magic. I am here today though not as a Minister of Magic, but as a former Auror. I had at one time headed this department. So, it would be natural for me to be one of your instructors.”
Harry smiled at this statement. He couldn’t think of a better more experienced living Auror than Kingsley. He looked around the room and noticed the awe in everyone’s face as he spoke.
“I will be teaching dueling techniques,” he proclaimed as a murmur of excitement filled the room. “Does everyone have their wands?” Kingsley watched as everyone pulled out their wands. “Good! That is good. How many of you have ever been in a duel with a dark wizard before?”
No one raised his or her hand including Harry. He sat there trying to be inconspicuous. Kingsley looked directly at him, raised an eyebrow, and cleared his throat.
‘Well, I do know somebody here is lying,” he jovially said. Everyone laughed at his statement. He turned to talk to the other trainees. “Dueling with dark wizards is actually an oxymoron. Dark wizards don’t duel. They fight on their terms. They will attack you when you are unprepared or too exhausted to fight back. As you study these cases, you will see many instances of this. Dark wizards are not interested in seeing who is better. They want to win.” He stopped and looked over the room again. “What? Are all of you good enough that you are not going to take notes?” he chided the entire class. There was a shuffling of parchment and the sound of quills being dipped in ink, before he spoke again. “As, I was saying Dark wizards will almost always tilt the balance of power in their favour before attacking. There isn’t anything you will be able to do stop that from happening. You must always keep, as my tutor told me, Constant Vigilance!” Kingsley shouted. “Why aren’t you all writing that down? I want to make sure that everyone of you understands the meaning of constant vigilance.”
Harry was writing on his parchment, until Kingsley said, “understand the meaning”. He looked up as Kingsley drew his wand and pointed it at him. Harry had laid his wand on the table beside him earlier. He grabbed for it, but Kingsley was too quick. Harry jerked backwards off the chair to avoid the Stunner flying at him. He could feel the curse pass over top of his nose as he fell backwards.
The room broke out in mayhem. As Harry fell, he reached out for his wand, and noticed it seemed to curve into his hand as it fell off the table. He closed his fingers around it as his back smacked on the stone floor, knocking the wind out of him.
He felt a thump beside him and looked over to see Carmen landing on the floor while covering her head with her arms. The table had fallen also. It landed on his leg shooting pain through it, but Harry ignored it. The table was now acting as a shield. He crawled over to Carmen and shook her.
She looked up at him with fear in her eyes. She was shaking from fear. All around the room curses were being fired. It sounded as if Kingsley and Gawain were the only ones casting spells. He kept hearing them goading the trainees to fight.
“Why aren’t you fighting me? I may not even be the Minister of Magic. What if I was a rogue Death Eater under the influence of Polyjuice Potion? Come on fight me!”
“Carmen,” Harry whispered.
“What? Sorry Harry. I’m scared!” she muttered to him.
“Everyone gets scared, Carmen. We need to work together. Go around the end of the table and I’ll draw their fire. When they are preoccupied with me, curse them.”
“What should I use?”
“Expelliarmus, Rictusempra, Jelly-Legs, Stupefy, any of them. It doesn’t matter. You will catch them off guard and I’ll finish them. All right?”
She nodded yes and crawled towards the end of the table. Harry watched her until she was almost completely around the end on the table. He turned and listened to Kingsley and Gawain casting spells at the other trainees. It sounded as if no one had tried to confront them. Everyone should know that neither one of them would be casting anything dark at them.
He jumped from behind the table and simultaneously cast a Shield Charm in front of him. He felt two spells bounce off it. He quickly dropped it and sent a Stunner towards Kingsley. He jumped out of the way of the spell, and while he was moving, Harry pointed his wand at Gawain and thought Levicorpus. He heard Gawain’s startled cry, and he thought Liberacorpus, which was followed by a thump.
Kingsley had recovered and shot a Stunner at Harry, who had been moving the entire time he had been attacking Gawain. The Stunner went wide of him, and he returned fire at the Minister. Kingsley moved to Harry’s left. Harry stepped between Kingsley and Gawain while moving frantically about while casting Shielding charms and offensive spells. On several occasions, the spell meant for Harry had almost hit the other assailant.
Suddenly, Kingsley’s wand flew out of his hand. Harry bound him with ropes before he could grab the wand out of the air. He turned towards Gawain and seeing him standing in front of a chair lying on the ground. Harry dodged his spells and summoned the chair. It collided with Gawain’s legs and flipped him onto his back. As he fell, Harry disarmed him and bound him.
He heard Kingsley laughing, and turned to look at him. He had rolled over so he could look at Carmen, who was still cowering behind a table.
“Good teamwork, you two, excellent teamwork,” praised Kingsley. “You can release me now Harry. No more dueling, I promise.”
Harry vanished the bonds on him and Gawain. Kingsley stood up and questioned the rest of the class. “There were only two assailants and twenty Auror trainees. The battle should have lasted only two minutes, with Gawain and I incarcerated.” He then continued to compliment Harry and Carmen for working together. It was a sign of his maturity when it comes to dueling.
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Harry burst out of the classroom doors at a very fast pace. Ginny, who had been waiting for him outside in the hallway, tried to follow him through the crowded halls. She wanted to know how everything had gone and what all the noise was coming from the room. She walked close behind him because the halls were so full of students. Even though she was asking him questions, he never answered her. He just kept walking at this very fast pace. Ginny wasn’t paying attention to where he was going, until crowds around them disappeared.
Ginny realized suddenly that she had followed him into the boys’ loo, and so did the twenty or more boys who were in there. She looked at them and they returned her dumbfounded look. It was like neither one was sure what to say or do. Harry seemed to be the last person to realize that she had followed him in the loo.
“Ginny! What are you doing in here?” he shouted at her.
“Ah…Ah…leaving.” She turned and walked out into the hall.
Ginny stood across the hall from the door, waiting for Harry to walk out. As each boy walked out of the loo, they looked at her and smiled. This only worsened her already sour mood. Until finally, Harry walked out and stared at her.
“Why did YOU do that TO ME? Do you know how embarrassing that was?”
“Why did I? You’re the one that followed me in there. I didn’t ask you to come in. Yes, looking at the brilliant shade of red your face was, I could tell how embarrassing that was,” he laughed at this last statement.
“Don’t laugh at me!” Ginny emphasized each statement by punching Harry’s shoulder. “That wasn’t funny! You could have told me!”
“I’m so sorry dear. I forgot to tell you girls aren’t allowed in the boys’ loo. Ouch!” Ginny had taken her largest book out of her book bag and hit Harry with it.
Ginny’s embarrassment didn’t ease up when they walked into the Great Hall for lunch. The rumors had spread quickly and nearly everyone was looking at her and sniggering. Ginny sat down at the Gryffindor table and looked down at her plate, so her hair covered her face. She would periodically kick Harry’s ankles when someone would walk by and make a comment to her about needing glasses or keep her hair out of her face.
That afternoon Harry and Ginny had charms with Professor Flitwick. The class was large because many of Harry’s classmates were also taking it. Ron and Hermione however weren’t there. Harry seemed a little lost without his friends there. Ginny had always been envious of them. She had many friends in the school, but none of them were as close to her as Harry, Ron, and Hermione were to each other.
They left that class with plenty of homework. Harry told Ginny that he was to meet Carmen that night in the library to start on their Auror homework.
When Ginny and Harry walked up to Carmen in the library, she tried her best not to be unpleasant. It didn’t help, because the entire library seemed to be charged with nervous energy. After about thirty minutes, the tension was gone, and they were three students studying at the same table. The skulling session lasted until Madam Pince shooed them away at nearly ten o’clock.
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The following morning, they had Herbology. Ron and Hermione showed up for this class, at the last second. As Harry and she were walking down to the green houses, Ron and Hermione came running across the grounds. He had a scowl on his face and her hair was flying wildly around her shoulders. The entire way she seemed to be whispering something to him, which he only occasionally responded.
Ginny and Harry waited outside of the greenhouse door for them. As they approached, Hermione looked at them and said, “Don’t Ask!” before she walked in and found a spot to stand. Ron shook his head at the two of them, followed her, and stood beside her.
She and Harry found their own spot some distance from them as Professor Sprout started to talk. The entire time during the class, she kept glancing over to Ron and Hermione. They seemed to be continuing their bickering, but it also seemed to be losing some of it venom. Finally, as the class finished, Ginny approached them.
“What’s wrong Hermione? Ron steal the covers last night?” laughed Ginny, as they walked away from the greenhouses.
“No!” was her tart reply. “He had to go to work this morning, and he must return straight away.”
“Inventory,” was all he said.
Hermione and Ron waved good-bye as they walked towards the main gate. She and Harry stood and watched them leave, before going to lunch.
Harry also left after lunch for several hours to pick up the books he would need for Auror training. When he returned Ginny and he found a quiet place by the lake to do homework, eventually. They stayed there until the sun had set.
That evening Ginny had her Firebolt out and was cleaning it for tomorrow. The Quidditch pitch would be open all day for students to practice for the school’s team Quidditch tryouts. Madam Hooch would supervise them. Ginny was practically giddy with anticipation. Harry told her that the only thing she needed to worry about was making enemies after she humiliates the competition.
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The Saturday morning training session for Aurors was almost brutal. Gawain had everyone read his or her critiques of the Auror’s reports. Then he would comment on the trainees’ critiques, and he showed no mercy. Harry was happy that the only thing that Gawain mentioned about his was that he needed to check on the statutes in the magical law library. He told everyone to rethink their critiques and he gave the class an extra one, to be completed by Wednesday. They spent the rest of the time working on Disillusionment and Incarcerous charms.
After class, Harry went to the great hall to find Ginny and eat lunch. She was sitting and talking with a large group of students all dressed in Quidditch robes eating lunch. When she saw Harry, she ran over to him and hugged him then started a fifteen-minute nonstop description of the mornings flying session. Harry wasn’t sure but he didn’t think that she breathed the entire time she was talking. She ended by asking him to watch the afternoons practice to give her some pointers on things that she may need to improve on.
Harry sat in the stands shivering. The day was cold and rainy. He watched Ginny fly around the pitch. She would play either chaser or seeker. Madam Hooch would split the team up by talent so that the sides were evenly matched. Harry noticed that Ginny would be teamed with younger and less experienced players and they would win half the time. Finally, at four o’clock Madam Hooch collected the balls and finished the practices until next week. Ginny walked up to Harry wet and splattered with mud. He was amazed how beautiful she looked while soaked and muddy.
That evening after a hot meal, Harry rested in a settee by the fire in the Gryffindor common room reading with Ginny curled up beside him sleeping. He escorted her to the girls’ stairwell to kiss her good night before leaving for home.
“Thank you! Harry”
“You’re welcome. I think you were going to make the team even without the Firebolt.”
“That’s not why I’m thanking you. Last year we were all worried about being tortured, imprisoned, and murdered. This year all we have to worry about is classes and homework. It is all because of you, and your defeat of Voldemort.”
“But…”
“Don’t tell me it was everyone else. The only reason everyone fought this time was that you made them believe and understand that it was the right thing to do. You made everyone believe. No one else could. Thank you, for that and coming back to me. I would have had a very lonely life without you.” She leaned into him and gently kissed him good night.
Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Tryouts
Ginny woke up in her bed. She had a wonderful night’s sleep, after a long cold and wet day of Quidditch. The bed was warm, dry, and her dreams were of her and Harry together under the stars on some far away beach. She sat up in her bed and looked for her watch. As she put it on her wrist, she noticed that it was almost ten o’clock. Harry had always been there before eight o’clock in the morning. She jumped out of bed and threw her bathrobe around her as she ran through the common room and out the portrait hole. She stopped suddenly when he heard him say “Good Morning”. She felt herself blush as he stared at her in her old bathrobe with her hair sticking wildly in every direction.“Harry, I’m so sorry. I had a bit of a lie in. Come in and find a seat while I get changed.”
“You mean you weren’t planning on wearing those the rest of the day?” Harry stood up and picked up her toast and pumpkin juice. “I thought you might be hungry, when you didn’t show up for breakfast.”
Ginny kissed him and thanked him for breakfast before ushering him inside to the common room. They found a secluded corner of the room where he sat down with her breakfast. He opened his Auror manual and started reading it. Ginny took off at a run for her dorm room. She flew up the steps and threw the door open. She barely slowed down as she grabbed a robe off her trunk on her way to the loo. In five minutes, she was walking back down the stairs dressed for the day. She had tied her hair back in a plait, and didn’t bother with makeup, since Harry never seemed to mind.
“What are your plans for today?” Ginny asked as she picked up the toast and glass of pumpkin juice.
“I need to get some studying done. We still need to work on Charms and Herbology assignments. So that’s pretty much it, nothing exciting.”
“All right Hermione Granger, Why are you taking polyjuice and what have you done with Harry?” They both laughed at her statement.
“I’ve changed. I will admit that. After the past couple of years, I really don’t have any great desire to go out looking for adventure. I probably sound like some old married person right now.”
“If you are an old married person? Does that make me your old wife?” she joked with him. They sat and talked until Ginny finished her breakfast. The two of them sat and studied, until mid-afternoon.
“Harry,” cooed Ginny in his ear. “Maybe we could find a place a little more private, like the Room of Requirement.” She watched as he reacted to her suggestion. She loved how doing something as simple as whispering in his ear can make him breathe heavier and get distracted from whatever he is doing.
Harry turned and looked at her for a second with a look like he was going to attack her and snog her senseless here in the common room, but he shook his head and the look went away. “We can’t.”
Ginny’s emotional state suddenly plummeted when he said that, as if someone had thrown cold water on her. “Don’t you want to?” she tentatively asked.
Harry’s distracted look reappeared as he looked at her. “Yes, but we can’t get into the Room of Requirement. It hasn’t opened since the battle. Neville told me this summer. The House Elves and Neville have all tried to get into it, but the door never appeared.” Harry looked away from her before leaning close to her ear. “Besides even if it would open. I am a little nervous about going in there with you.”
Ginny pulled away from him. “Why!”
Harry looked around and pulled close to Ginny again. “Because, love, I might think about things and the room might create some things that — well, would be awkward.”
“Like what? Love,” replied Ginny. She could feel his nervousness and knew what he was meaning. She watched his face go through a series of emotions and nervous twitches.
“A bed! I’m sorry, but when I am close to you I — I am sorry. I know I promised.”
“It’s fine,” said Ginny. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest as she thought about what Harry said. “So, do you want to study Bubotuber Puss uses?”
“What?” asked a puzzled Harry.
“I think right now I would like to think about that or Flobberworms. That should be safe. Don’t you think?” stated Ginny, trying to get her mind off her and Harry in bed in the safety of the Room of Requirement.
“Yes, I guess it would be,” he responded.
“Does anyone know why the room doesn’t work anymore?”
“We think it was the FiendFyre that Crabbe cast in there during the battle. It can destroy things so that magic can’t repair them. It has either destroyed the room, or it is still burning and the room won’t open up, yet. That seems the most likely possibility.”
“I hope he is still burning in there with it,” mumbled Ginny as she started studying again.
They spent rest of the afternoon studying. Until Harry had to meet with Carmen in the library, so they could work on their Auror assignments. Finally, at ten o’clock they walked down to the main gate hand in hand
“I have had wonderful day, Harry. I can’t wait until we can spend all of our days together like this.”
“That might be rare, if you are playing Quidditch.”
“I won’t play it forever, but I will be with you forever.” She pulled him to her and gave him a final passionate kiss. “Good night Harry. I’ll see you in the morning, and I’ll even set my alarm clock.”
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Harry and Ginny were sitting in the Great Hall eating breakfast. Ron and Hermione came in and sat down across from them. As they were saying their good mornings, Ron grabbed a plate and immediately started to fill it.
“Ron, I can’t believe that you are still hungry. You ate only a half an hour ago.” Ron just looked at Hermione and shrugged since his mouth was already filled with food. “I am amazed that you aren’t as big as Hagrid the way you eat!” hissed Hermione, as she glared at him. He ignored her and continued eating his eggs, kippers, and toast. Harry and Ginny sat there and chuckled at them.
Hermione turned away from Ron as he plowed through his plate of food. She looked at Harry and Ginny. “So, who are all the new Professors this year?” she anxiously asked. “I have been dying to find out, but neither one of you ever Owled me with the information.”
“Sorry, I thought you would have found out about them last Wednesday at the service,” responded Harry. “I thought you would have spent most the day going through the school.”
“If you remember, Harry,” snapped Hermione. “Something happened that made me want to leave early.” As she finished speaking, she turned and glared at Ron, who looked rightfully embarrassed. “So talking about that,” she turned her attention to Harry and Ginny. “Have the two of you sorted things out?”
“Yes, we have,” replied Ginny. “Carmen gets Harry on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I get to have him the rest of the week,” she said calmly. Hermione and Ron stared at her then Harry for a few seconds before Harry finally snorted and started to laugh. “Harry, you mucked it up. We could have had them wound up all day. Hermione, everything is fine. Carmen and I have talked and I sit in with them when they study.”
Hermione relaxed a little and Ron went back to eating. “Well, who are the new Professors?”
“All right, let me remember,” drawled Ginny, as she tapped her chin with her index finger. “For Defense Against the Dark Arts we have Zebulon Jones, a former Auror. For Potions we have Madam Zabini, who is also the Head of the Slytherin house....”
“Madam Zabini, Blaise’s mother?” asked Hermione. She turned around as though to look for him at the Slytherin table.
“Yes, the very same, and he isn’t here this year,” stated Ginny. “None of the Slytherin’s from your year returned. And finally, for Transfiguration we have Willie Pratt.”
Ron choked on the mouthful of food as he started laughing. “What! You’re joking! Willie Pratt,” he said loud enough that several people turned to look at him. “What idiot would name their child that? Bloody Hell!”
“Ronald Weasley!” reprimanded Hermione. “It would be nice if you could grow up a little.”
“He’s American Ron. Maybe the name means nothing over there,” Harry said calmly. He leaned in a little to whisper to him. “But it is still bloody funny,” he added before him, Ginny, and Ron laughed together, while Hermione looked away scandalized.
“Are you ready for Potions with Madam Zabini?” quipped Harry. “I wonder if she will be having us brew love potions and undetectable poisons.”
“Oh Harry, you really don’t believe all those stories about her.” Hermione rolled her eyes at him when she said this.
“Well if we brew any love potions. You’re not permitted to have any Potter,” ordered Ginny.
“Now Ginny, why would she be interested in me?” replied Harry.
“Let us think about that; your good looking and rich, your famous and rich, you’re young and rich. You see a pattern now?” asked Ginny. The other three laughed at her comments, even Harry found them funny.
Suddenly, someone sat on the other side of Ginny from Harry and put an arm around her shoulders. Ginny turned in shock to see who had done this while the other three stared. “Good morning Ginny, I just stopped to see how you were feeling this morning, after being up so late last night.”
Ginny shoved his arm off her shoulders with enough force to almost push him off the bench. “I am doing fine Walden,” she growled. “Don’t go putting your arm around me like that, I don’t appreciate it. All right?”
“Why yes, I am sorry Ginny. I was just making sure you were up for classes today, after making rounds last night,” he sputtered. “It was really exciting walking the halls that late at night. Wasn’t it?” He stood up and offered his hand to Harry. “Mr. Potter, I am Walden Ridgebit. I am the Head Boy this year. I hope you don’t mind me talking to Ginny. I just wanted to check on her,” he assured Harry. “As a friend, I assure you, just fellow Heads, that’s all Mr. Potter.”
Harry shook his hand out of courtesy, when he actual wanted to curse the wanker to bits. The prat was about his height and weight with a round face and coarse brown hair. He looked rather harmless, but he still sat down and put his arm around Ginny. That was something that could get a person cursed into St. Mungo’s.
“Well, I should get back to my table and finish breakfast. See you tomorrow night Ginny,” he cheerfully said before going back to the Ravenclaw table.
Harry watched him leave and walk over to his house’s table and sit by himself. If anyone else was talking right now, he didn’t know it, because his attention was entirely on the Walden Ridgebit. He finally looked back at his friends to see them all watching him.
“Harry,” Ginny said as she placed her hand on his arm. “We walk rounds in the halls at night, and other Head responsibilities. That is all,” she assured him. “You certainly don’t have to worry about Walll-den,” she said, giving his name extra emphasis.
“Why is that?” inquired Harry.
“He is probably the most harmless thing in Hogwarts, except Flobberworms. That’s why. Didn’t you hear him talking about how exciting walking the halls at night was?”
“Well, he was with you,” he commented back to her. Hermione who was listening in intently to the conversation cleared her throat. Harry looked over to her to see why she did that, only to find her slightly embarrassed.
“I am curious too Ginny,” added Ron. “You are my baby sister and I must...”
“Shut up, Ron,” snapped Ginny before returning her attention to Harry. “Walden Ridgebit is probably the biggest bookworm ever in the history of Hogwarts. Even the other Ravenclaws take the mikey out on him because of his obsessive study habits. He has never done anything to have points taken away.” She watched as Ron and Harry sniggered at the memories of all the trouble they have gotten into. Ginny leaned in a little closer to them. “Several of us have wondered if he isn’t gay or a eunuch. He has never spoken to a girl except when it concerned homework.”
“What’s a...” Ron started to say, but Hermione whispered something in his ear that made his face turn ashen. He turned around and stared at Walden sitting at the Ravenclaw table. Harry was watching him also. He was sitting there reading some tome that only Hermione would consider interesting while nibbling on toast. He truly looked harmless, but he still put his arm around Ginny. Ron turned back around and looked at Harry with a smile. “Maybe he is the one that should be called Willie Pratt,” he laughed.
Harry and Ginny laughed at the comment, but Hermione just gathered her books up. “Well, we had better get moving if we want to get seats together in Potions,” stated Hermione.
The four friends left the hall and walked to the Potions room in the dungeons. As they walked Harry felt Ginny take hold of his elbow and direct him to a corner of the hall.
“Are you upset with me?” she asked.
“No. Not with you. I just...”
“I can take care of myself, Harry. If I could deal with the Carrows and Death Eaters last year, Walden won’t present any problems.”
“Well...” Harry started. He suddenly remembered that he has asked Ginny to trust him, so it is only right that he trust her also. “...it’s fine. I trust you, Ginny. But, he is still a bloody wanker, and he had better keep his hands off you,” he said forcefully. “I am the only one with those privileges.”
Ginny shook her head and muttered, “Who’s the wanker now?” before leaving him to catch up with Ron and Hermione.
They found work areas together and started to unload their equipment. They stood there talking to each other as the rest of the students filed in. Ron said that they finished the inventory at the shop and are now getting ready for Halloween and Christmas. Hermione has been enjoying her work in the Regulation of Magical Creatures Department. She already had drawn up study charts for her and Ron. She offered to do the same for Harry and Ginny, but they both declined the offer.
As the room filled up with students, Harry looked over Ginny’s shoulder to see Walden staring at them. Harry couldn’t be sure, but it appeared as though he was staring at Ginny’s back. The sound of a female voice caused him to tear his attention from Walden.
“Good Morning class,” stated Madam Zabini.
Her voice was husky but still very feminine. She was a tall woman. As tall as Harry, but with her stiletto-heeled boots she was nearly as tall as Ron was. She had thick, black, luxurious hair that flowed freely around her face, over her shoulders and down her back. Her face was remarkably young looking, for someone who had a child Harry’s age. She wore red form fitting robes instead of the traditional black robes, which in combination with her brown skin and dark brown eyes gave her a rather exotic look. Her robes were also rather low cut exposing a considerable amount of cleavage.
“I am Madam Zabini, your Potions Professor. You will call me Professor or Madam Zabini. If you do not then I will take points from your house. I have in the past graded NEWT level Potions exams, so I am expertly qualified to teach you. Since there are a large number of students this year, I have an assistant.” She turned and motioned to the open doorway to the right of her. There stood Carmen in old black robes. “This class is Professor Carmen Del la Rosa, she is my assistant and also an expert in potions. She will be assisting you this year. You will show her the same respect as you shall show me.” She stopped talking and looked around the class waiting for someone to say something. “Very well, Professor Del la Rosa, you may proceed.” Madam Zabini walked around the back of her desk and sat down. She turned and looked out at the class. The entire time she had spoken, she had a look of disinterest on her face, but once she came into eye contact with Harry. She smiled at him.
Harry turned away and saw Ginny glaring at him. He leaned over the table and whispered. “You’re prettier.”
“Harry Potter!” sounded Carmen’s voice.
“Sorry, Professor,” responded Harry quickly, thinking he had been caught talking. He looked up at Carmen when others in the class laughed and realized that she was taking role.
“A simple ‘here’ will suffice, Harry,” laughed Carmen, as she went back to taking role.
When Harry looked over at Ginny, she was smiling at him, which made him feel better. Carmen continued to take role and when she finished, she placed the book down in front of Madam Zabini. She then turned to address the class.
“This year we will be working on NEWT level Potions. After looking at your records, you appear to be needing to work on Undetectable Poisons and Control Potions. Who can tell me about these types of Potions?”
Hermione and Walden Ridgebit’s hands shot in the air. Carmen looked at them both before calling on first Hermione to talk about Undetectable Poisons and then Walden for Control Potions. Ginny’s eyes went wide, when he included Love Potions as a Control Potion.
“Very good explanations five points to both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw,” said Carmen. “Before we start brewing today’s potion, I want to talk to you about the instructions in your textbook. They are generic instructions. Many of these directions need to be adapted to your own techniques. The instructions give you the basics, but you will usually not obtain the best results if you follow the instructions word for word.
“Do any of you cook?” she asked and looked around the classroom. Harry almost raised his hand but decided against it. “A few of you, that’s good. Usually a person good at potions is also good at cooking, because they both use an intuitive nature to bring the most out of your ingredients.”
“Except in the case of Hermione,” snorted Ron a little too loudly. Everyone turned to look at him. Hermione glared at him before turning to listen to Carmen.
Carmen tried not laughing at the exchange and started talking again. “I want everyone to team up to do this day’s potion. It will be Veritaserum.” Hermione raised her hand. Carmen looked at her smiled. “Even though it takes Veritaserum a month to cure, we can put together all the ingredients and prepare to the curing stage today. So everyone will work with the person across the table from you.”
Harry looked across at Ginny and smiled at her, while nodding his head towards Ron and Hermione who were across from each other.
“Hermione, you know I was joking. Don’t you? Honey,” pleaded Ron.
“How about this table, we stick to the sides,” said Carmen, pointing at Harry’s table. He groaned at the thoughts of working with Ron. “Also, I will be going around the room and separating the teams at each table. One of the teams will be working strictly in accordance with the directions in your book. The other team I will be giving hints and short cuts that should help you. What you will be doing for homework will be writing these differences down and explaining why they improved upon the written directions. Okay everyone open your books to page 527, one of you will be doing the preparation of reagents the other the actual brewing. Let’s start!”
Carmen went around and picked which group would be using her helpful hints. When she came to Harry’s table, she chose Hermione and Ginny’s team. Harry went and collected the reagents he needed to start his preparations. He was chopping and weighing things as Ron was stirring and adding according to the book’s directions. As he was doing this, he kept thinking about what Carmen said and Slughorn commenting about how instinctive his mother was at Potions. He kept wondering if she was a good cook. If she had lived, would he have had memories of family meals like the ones from Mrs. Weasley.
“Harry,” called Carmen from two tables away. “That isn’t according to the book.” He looked down and realized that he had crushed a Sopophorous bean instead of slicing it. “Toss it and slice one as the book says.”
Harry tossed the crushed bean away. He went to the cupboards and grabbed another bean. He was focusing upon the slicing of the bean and didn’t notice Madam Zabini approaching.
“Harry,” Madam Zabini purred.
He looked up towards the sound of her voice and nearly gasped. She was leaning on their table so that when Harry looked at her he was staring down the front of her robes. He quickly moved his eyes up to her face. This close to her, he could see age lines that seemed to be covered over by some glamour enchantment.
“I hear you want to be an Auror. Potions is an important NEWT to pass. If you need any help with your Potions assignment’s. I will be available to you in my quarters every evening.” She stood up and sauntered back to her desk where she sat down and attended to her nails.
Harry could feel the anger coming off Ginny in waves. He didn’t dare look at her as he was trying to keep his concentration on the potion preparations. He looked over at the cauldron that Ron was stirring and noticed it was almost the proper colour of green. He quickly glanced over at Hermione and Ginny’s and noticed it was the perfect colour and consistency.
“At this time everyone should be ready for the final stage, the purification of the potion,” stated Carmen. “Everyone following the books directions should add the bat bile a drop at a time while slowly stirring. The rest of you stop stirring your cauldrons. Add all the bat bile.” Several of the students looked at her with questioning looks. “Trust me.”
She waited as the students poured the bat bile in the cauldrons. She stood and waited until the students adding the bat bile had completed the process. “Everyone look at your cauldrons.”
Harry looked at his and Ron’s and saw it was almost clear, but it still looked little cloudy instead of perfectly clear.
“Everyone who didn’t follow your book, take your glass stirring rod and tap the bottom of your cauldron.”
Harry watched as Ginny followed her directions. The moment that she tapped the bottom of the cauldron, coloured particles clumped together and settled to the bottom of their cauldron leaving the potion perfectly clear. Carmen went around the room collected the Potions that were perfectly clear. As she came to his table, she collected Ginny and Hermione’s, but walked away tisking at his and Ron’s.
“That is all today. Remember even those who didn’t use the shortcuts must write about them,” Carmen said, at the conclusion of the class.
As everyone stood up and exited the class, Harry tried to catch up with Ginny. She had refused to look at him or speak to him the rest of the class. She was quickly walking among the students when he grabbed her arm. “Ginny….”
She turned and glared at him. Her eyes were filled with anger and hurt. “If you go to her quarters! We are through Harry Potter!” She turned and left him stunned and staring at her and Hermione walking away from him.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Ron smiling at him. “Welcome to the ‘I’m a git of a boyfriend club’ mate.”
“What? I didn’t do anything,” stated a very confused Harry.
Ron chuckled at him. “Like that matters. Look Ginny’s mad at you, so now you are a git. Give her some time and apologize to her...”
“I didn’t do anything wrong!”
“...apologize to her. Say you are sorry for hurting her feelings. It doesn’t matter if you did anything wrong or not. What matters is you won’t get any rest until you apologize.” Ron gently elbowed Harry and lowered his voice. “Besides the make-up se...” He stopped and stared at Harry for a second with anger in his eyes. “You had better not be doing that.” He turned and started walking towards the great hall.
Harry stood there dumbfounded by what just happened, when he realized what Ron was talking about. He suddenly had a vision of Ron and Hermione making up, and he felt nauseous. Ron’s actions also made sense, but he didn’t need to worry. The most he and Ginny will be doing is some intense snogging. With this thought, Harry walked into the great hall with a smile on his face.
He looked at the Gryffindor table and saw that Hermione was sitting between Lavender and Parvarti with Ron across the table from them. There was an open spot beside Ron that he sat down in. Ron grunted at him while filling his face with food. Ginny didn’t even look at him, while everyone else talked to him.
The rest of the lunch was spent with the two Weasley’s not talking to anyone and Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati conversing like old friends. Harry was occasionally brought into the conversation, but otherwise he nibbled at a few things on his plate.
“Well, Ron it is time for us to go back to London,” stated Hermione imperiously. She stood up and stared at Ron until he also stood up. “Harry, Ginny, why don’t you accompany us to the gate?”
Harry looked over at Ginny and saw her staring back at him. As he stood up, he noticed that she didn’t look angry, but sad. He walked to the end of the table where he took her hand. She seemed to relax when he did this and even smiled slightly at him.
They walked behind Ron and Hermione to the gate. When they reached it, Hermione turned and looked directly at Ginny. “I hope the two of you have a nice talk,” she said.
Ron turned to Harry and said with a great deal of force. “Yeah a talk, Mate, just a talk.”
“What are you getting on about, Ron?”
“Don’t ask, Hermione,” stated Harry.
Hermione and Ron bid them farewell and walked through the gate to Apparate home.
Ginny stood there looking at him. He wasn’t sure if he should apologize to her, even though he felt as though he hadn’t done anything wrong.
“I am sorry for getting mad at you, but I mean it about going to her quarters. I don’t trust her. She will slip you something in a drink or something…”
“You needn’t worry Ginny. I have no intentions of going to her for help. If I ask for help it will be either Hermione of Carmen, after all she is the one that taught the class today. So are you ready for Transfiguration with Professor Pratt?”
Ginny chuckled and kissed him. “Do you know that you are the only person to make me mental? No one else gets me wound up so easy. I’m sorry I explode at you so often and slap you. It is just that I am so used to going after anything I want. That I feel out of sorts with you.”
“Why’s that, exactly?”
“It isn’t true love unless you want to love me. Is it?
“So true, and I do love you,” offered Harry. He lifted her chin and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. They stood there for several seconds before Ginny pulled away.
“We need to get to class. Don’t want to be late, and I don’t want to get caught being a naughty Head Girl,” she laughed.
As they walked towards the castle, Ginny looked at Harry. “Why don’t you ever complain about the way I act towards you?”
“All your brothers talked about your fiery temper, Ginny. I figured you getting angry are one of the things that I will need to get use to.”
When they entered the Transfiguration classroom, they found seats at the back of the class. It was relatively uneventful, once everyone quit sniggering at the Professor’s name. He was from America. He said that the words “Willie” and “Pratt” have different connotations than here in Britain. He reassured the class that his parents weren’t being sadistic by giving him these names. After reviewing some the things that the class should be able to do, he gave them a ton of homework. Harry wondered if Professor McGonagall told him to do this.
That evening Ginny had Head Girl responsibilities. She had to patrol the halls from eight until midnight. Harry decided to leave for home at seven and he would do his homework there.
The next morning Ginny met Harry at the gate. As they were walking in the entrance hall Harry noticed a group of students gathered around the announcement board.
“School Quidditch tryouts are the last Saturday of the month,” announced Ginny. “Everyone’s excited because Gwenog Jones will be here.”
“Well Ginny after watching you with the rest of the school, you are guaranteed a spot at either chaser or seeker.”
“Thanks, I want more than just a spot on the school’s team. I want to impress her so much that she invites me to play with the Harpies. I really need to practice hard. Why don’t you bring your broom this Saturday and play in the afternoon after class? It would be fun and possibly help the rest of us get better.”
“Alright I’ll bring my broom as long as Madam Hooch doesn’t mind.”
The rest of the morning was open, so they decided to go to the common room to work on their Transfiguration homework. They had spent about an hour of serious studying before they realized that they were the only two in the room. The next hour was spent snogging in a corner, until some second years started filing in.
Defense against the Dark Arts class was held that afternoon. Harry and Ginny were standing outside of the door, when Harry noticed two boys looking at him and Ginny and laughing about something between them. Harry turned to Ginny to ask her about the two and noticed that her face was flushed. He couldn’t tell if it was from embarrassment or anger.
Professor Jones opened the door to the classroom, and everyone entered to take their seats. As Harry and Ginny sat down, the two boys walked past them and muttered something about “change of robes”. Ginny eyes narrowed and she reached for her wand.
“Ginny, what are you doing?” Harry hissed at her quietly. Ginny released the grip on her wand. “What is going on with those two?”
“Nothing, Harry! Just leave it alone.” Ginny’s reply was terse and left no doubt that she wasn’t going to discuss this point any further. Harry didn’t get a chance to press the issue as the Professor started talking.
“Good afternoon class. This class will be large due to the travesty that occurred here last year. I am sure you are all aware of the circumstances. Being seventh year NEWT students, you are experiencing this in all your other classes as well. This year you will be studying defensive magic that will be required to pass your NEWT level examinations. This will be both practical and theoretical uses and applications of the magic. Being new to this school, I’ve taken the time to look at the various things that you have been taught. Your curriculum has been hit and miss because of the variety of teachers, but overall you’ve received a good base of knowledge.”
Professor Jones stopped looked at Harry as though he was waiting for Harry to say something to him. He kept eye contact with him for a few seconds then continued speaking. “Lets starts with a basic defensive spell called ‘The Shield Charm’…”
The half of the class was spent discussing the Shield Charm’s theoretical applications and how to cast it. The second half, they concentrated on the Disarming Charm, Expelliarmus. Harry was pleased to see everyone who had been in the DA could cast these spells with ease. The other students were having difficulty with producing effective spells. The class went by quickly and soon it was over. Professor Jones wanted them to write one foot of parchment each on the Shielding Charm and another foot on the Disarming Charm. He also wanted them to read the next four chapters and write a two-foot-long summary of them.
At the end of class everyone stood up to leave, Ginny was out the door before Harry could catch up with her. She had been quiet and moody throughout the class, and he wanted to find out what was wrong. Before he had a chance, Professor Jones called his name.
“Mr. Potter, I would like a word with you. Alone.” Harry watched as Ginny disappeared into the hall before walking up to the Professor.
“Yes sir, is there a problem?”
“No, I actually called you up here to thank you. I had reservations about having you in class. I was afraid with your reputation that you would be a distraction. You would try to be the leader instead of me. I see that I am wrong. I just wanted to thank you.”
‘Your — ah — welcome, Professor,” said Harry nervously.
Harry left the classroom looking for Ginny. She wasn’t in the hallways or the Great Hall. Harry stepped into a stall in the closest bathroom and pulled out the Marauders Map. He found Ginny in her dorm room. Harry knew that something those two boys said to her had upset her and he was going to find out. He looked for Luna on the map and noticed that she was in the great hall. Harry stowed the map away and hurried off to find Luna.
“Luna, could I have a word with you alone.” Luna was sitting at the Ravenclaw table no one was within several feet of her so Harry sat down at the table. He started to question her about the two boys that were laughing at Ginny.
“I don’t want to tell you, if Ginny won’t tell you. She would be mad at me.” Luna looked at Harry’s disappointment. “You could ask Neville, he could tell you and Ginny and I would still be friends.” Luna smiled at Harry and went back to reading the Quibbler.
Harry found Neville in Greenhouse #3. He described the incident with Ginny and the two boys and before he finished Neville interrupted him.
“Harry. That happened last year, and it might be best to move on. You know like what the Minister said at the memorial.”
“Neville what did those slime balls do to her. Were they the ones that tortured her?”
Neville’s face registered shock when Harry shouted this at him. “No, they didn’t torture Ginny. How did you know that happened to her?”
“She told me this summer that she had been under the Cruciatus Curse, at school. What happened then that she is so upset?”
Neville was nervous about saying anything to him. “Harry — I don’t know. If I should?” He looked at Harry before continuing. “Ginny was punished for saying that she believed in you.”
Harry let out a noticeable sigh and he felt guilt well up inside of him.
“She was tortured for twenty minutes by Crabbe,” continued Neville. “While being tortured she — ah — lost control of — bodily functions.” Neville looked at Harry hoping that he wouldn’t need to describe in any greater detail what happened. Harry immediately knew what had happened. “The two idiots that you asked me about thought it was funny, and they teased Ginny all last year about it.”
Harry’s eyes blazed with anger at what Neville had just told him. He understood why Ginny didn’t want to tell him about those gits. “Thank you for telling me this. I won’t tell Ginny that you said anything to me.” He turned to walk away.
“Harry, it wouldn’t do any good to curse those two into oblivion. You will just be expelled from training and that whole incident will be brought out. Ginny wouldn’t want that.”
“Don’t worry Neville I won’t do anything like that. I’ll be discreet.” Harry had a wicked smile on his face as he left.
Harry looked on the map for Ginny. She was in the library. He looked at his watch and noticed that it was eight o’clock. He might be able to get a little studying done before he leaves. If Ginny doesn’t want to talk about what was bothering her.
He walked into the library and saw Ginny sitting and reading her DADA book. She saw Harry and gave him a halfhearted smile. He guessed that she didn’t want to talk, so he walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek before sitting down and opening his DADA book. They sat there and studied until it was time for Harry to leave.
Ginny walked him to the main gate. “Harry, thank you for not asking anymore questions about those two slimes from class today. It is something that I want to put in my past. Maybe someday I’ll tell you, but not today.” She kissed him good-bye and returned to the castle.
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The rest of the month flew by. The classes were becoming increasingly more difficult and the Auror training classes gave Harry even more homework than his NEWT classes. All the classes required the students to perform the spells non-verbally. Harry had become very proficient at this, so he had no problems. Ginny though lacked the confidence and she was struggling with it. Harry found that the only way he could keep pace with his assignments was to take books home and study until midnight or later every night.
Madam Hooch had given Harry permission to bring his broom and fly with the other students. She was actually excited to have him join the practices. Every Saturday afternoon he would fly against Ginny trying to improve her game. She was as good as him and getting better every time they flew.
The second Saturday he was playing he irritated her by telling her that she relies on the broom to much. That she needed to use her maneuvering abilities instead of the Firebolt’s superior speed. He made her trade brooms with him, and he easily out flew her at first. By the end of the day, she had become accustomed to his Nimbus and she was now able to keep up with him on her Firebolt.
The last Saturday of the month arrived, and Ginny was so nervous about the tryouts that she couldn’t eat breakfast. Gwenog Jones was sitting at the head table with Madam Hooch and Professor McGonagall. It seemed like the entire student body was looking at her. The tryouts were to start at nine that morning and last until the team was chosen. Ginny was upset that Harry had class and would not be there for moral support. He promised to go to the pitch as soon as he was done with class. Before leaving, he told her to relax that she will easily make the team and then there will be plenty of time to impress Gwenog Jones with her flying abilities.
Harry hurried down to the pitch as soon as class let out. Ginny was flying around above the pitch as if she was the seeker. She saw him in the stands and gave him a wave and a ‘thumbs up’ sign. There seemed to be approximately twenty other students standing with their brooms at the sides of the pitch. They appeared to be trying out for the other places on the team. Harry sat and watched as Gwenog ran the flyers through mock drills and simulated games. Finally, around three o’clock she had chosen fourteen players to be on the team.
Harry walked down the stands to the ground. He noticed that Gwenog Jones was talking to Ginny after everyone else had left. He could see the happiness on her face from a distance. He finally stepped onto the grass and took two or three steps before being hit by a flying body with long red hair. Ginny wrapped both arms around him and kissed him deeply as they tumbled to the ground.
“She said that I was one of the best flyers she has ever seen at my age. I was picked for the team by ten-thirty. Thank you, Harry, thank you for getting me the broom and working with me. Thank you! Thank you!” Ginny was kissing Harry with each thank you while sitting on him. She didn’t let him stand up, and he didn’t want to. He laid there on the grass with Ginny straddled on top him while she described the tryouts that he missed. It was thirty minutes before her excitement abated and allowed Harry to stand up.
Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Carmen Del La Rosa
Ginny’s being accepted on the school’s Quidditch team meant evening and all-day Saturday practices. Head Girl responsibilities also increased. They were spending less and less time with each other. Harry’s homework load for Auror classes had increased leaving him with virtually no free time. What time they spent together was spent studying for the classes they had together or sitting with Carmen in the library working on Auror assignments. About the only time, that Harry and Ginny had time alone was when they walked to the main gate. During the fifteen minutes that they spent together, they held hands as they walked and tried to make up for time lost, snogging at the gate.The Auror classes had intensified their spell work this first week of October. At the end of the month, teams were going to battle one another to determine the best team. Ginny was scheduled to spend Saturday’s at the Quidditch pitch, so Harry wanted to spend the afternoons dueling with Carmen. Ginny, of course, raised a fuss about the situation, until Harry checked with Hagrid about finding a spot in the Forbidden Forest for them to duel.
Harry had noticed that Carmen’s enthusiasm had waned towards the Auror training, as September moved into October. She had recently become unmotivated towards the homework assignments. This was probably the biggest surprise, because she was as obsessive about her studies as Hermione.
He thought Carmen was having trouble buying the items needed for the training. Trainees who worked with aurors were paid. They were not paid since they weren’t working on actual cases. The Ministry’s financial situation was shaky because the Death Eaters who were in charge took what funds they wanted. There were even rumors that the ministry had not met payroll at times. Harry wondered how the Weasley’s were doing. Hopefully without seven children to buy for, his income would stretch further.
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“Experlliarmus! Incarcerous!” shouted Carmen.
Harry dodged those spells and returned a nonverbal spell that had her doubling over with laughter. He stood up and cautiously walked towards her but was ready when she tried to Stun him. He cast a Shield that reflected the curse back at her.
“How did we do, Hagrid,” asked Harry while staring down at Carmen’s unconscious form.
“Purtty good there ‘arry,” offered the half-giant. “Carmen almost had ya there.”
Harry waved his wand and her eyes opened again. She sat upright and crossed her legs under her. “I’m never going to be good at dueling,” she moaned. “Face it, Harry, I am a failure as an Auror.”
“No, you are not,” countered Harry. “You need to think less and react quicker. At times, I can see you thinking about what spells to cast. Fire something at your opponent, the second you wait is the time they need to recover and attack you.”
“Cheer up Carmen,” assured Hagrid. “Consider who you are dueling, ‘arry ‘ere is the greatest dueler of all time.” Hagrid’s last proclamation was shouted into the forest, causing the creature to stir and birds to fly away.
“No, I am not,” countered Harry. His face became warm at his friend’s proclamation. “Albus Dumbledore was the greatest, and Tom Riddle could have easily beaten me, if he hadn’t become so arrogant about the different types of magic.” He looked up at the waning sun as it shone through the trees. “I think we should call it a day.”
“I think you is right, there ‘arry,” said Hagrid as he looked up at the increasing shadows. He stretched his hand out to Carmen who was still sitting on the ground looking miserable. “Cheer up Carmen, you’ll be a wonderful Auror.”
She took his hand, stood up, and brushed leaves and dirt off her old black robes. “No! I am not going to be an Auror,” she responded miserably. The three of them started walking towards the grounds of Hogwarts. They were about a five-minute walk into the forest. “This hasn’t turned out like I thought it would. I might as well quit and go home.”
“No, don’t do that,” Harry said forcefully. Carmen and Hagrid stopped walking and looked at him. “I don’t want to have to deal with any other of those wooden headed trainees. I am getting good grades because of you, and I need your help in Potions.”
“No, you don’t,” she replied. “Harry, you are more than capable of working with anyone and getting good reviews, as for Potions, you are one of the top students.”
Harry looked at her as though she had grown two heads. “I have always been lousy at Potions, besides Hermione and that Walden are the two top students.”
“Yes, they are when you consider their book knowledge, but you have a natural instinct at Potions.”
“That book on the different reagents that you gave me has helped,” said Harry. They walked on reaching the edge of the forest as Hagrid’s hut came into view. Harry was thinking about her quitting and wondered of it was about the money. He cleared his throat nervously. “Carmen, we need to do our assignment for tracking and surveillance this month.”
Harry noticed that she looked away from him. “I don’t think that I will be able to do that. I should have stayed in France,” she moaned.
“If it is a problem with money, I can help you out,” he offered. “I noticed that you seem to be having problems buying things.” Harry felt extremely nervous about saying this to her, and as soon as he had said it, he felt sorry.
“No, Harry, I can’t let you do that,” she bitterly replied. “Why would you do that?” she forcefully asked him. “What would you want in return?”
Hagrid, who had been silent during this exchange, stared at him, and made a strange grunting sound. Harry looked at his large friend and Carmen in shock. He was insulted that she thought he was trying to buy her. “I would be doing it out of friendship,” he responded harshly. “I am not doing this to elicit favors from you. I like doing things for my friends, all right!”
Carmen hesitated for a second before responding. “I am sorry that I accused you. Harry, that is very sweet of you, but I am not sure if I should take you up on your offer. When would we ever be able to find the time to do that?”
“We are supposed to try to blend in with several different places in London. We can add shopping to the list of things we are doing. I mean Muggles shop all the time; why not include that in our activities.”
Carmen looked down at the ground and back up at him. “That makes sense, but I don’t know.”
“It is settled then,” stated Harry. “I shall tell Gawain at Tuesday’s class that we are going into London next weekend after class.”
“Harry, shouldn’t you check with Ginny?” she asked.
“She has practice every Saturday. All day.”
Carmen closed the distance between them and hugged him. The move caught him by surprise, and he stood there stiff as a board. “You really are a wonderful person. Thank you,” she whispered in his ear, before she released him and turned to walk towards the castle.
Harry watched her walk towards the castle. He was still in shock that she would hug him. He didn’t snap out of his trance, until Hagrid spoke.
“’arry, ‘ave you forgotten about Ginny,” he growled. “I won’t have you ‘urting ‘er, again.”
He turned and looked at the gamekeeper with the last statement. “What do you mean hurt her again?”
“You know what I mean,” he growled at him. “The way you broke ‘er ‘eart after Perfessor Dumbledore’s funeral.”
“I did that to keep her safe, Hagrid,” shouted Harry. He was tired of people thinking him a git for trying his best to protect the one he loved.
“Yeah well it didn’t work, now did it?”
“What are you talking about? What happened to her? I am sick of everyone judging me, yet no one will tell me what has happened to her,” shouted Harry.
“She almost got ‘erself killed over you. That’s what. If it wasn’t for Neville, Luna and me she probably would ‘ave,” Hagrid said menacingly. His face suddenly became softer. “Of course, Snape was on our side. So, she probably wouldn’t ‘ave been killed. Unless the Carrow’s ‘ad caught ‘er, then who knows what would ‘ave ‘appened.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” yelled Harry.
“She tried to steal Gryffindor’s sword from Perfessor Dumbledore’s office, she did. Then the night they were all in the forest with me, she wanted to go back and try it again. She sat out there and cried most of the night about you. Told us everything. About you breaking up with ‘er, and how it broke ‘er ‘eart. It did. She told us that Perfessor Dumbledore ‘ad left you the sword, but Scrimgeour refused to let you ‘ave it. She figured it was important for you to defeat V-V-old.. You-Know-Who. She was almost shaking with fear that if you didn’t get the sword then you would die, and never come back to ‘er.”
Harry stood there feeling miserable about what Hagrid had told him. She had tried to help him even though he had broken her heart. Now, he knew why Hagrid has been so protective of her. “Hagrid, I only did those things to protect her,” he said meekly. “I didn’t want her to risk getting killed or tortured over me. Why is it that everyone seems to think I am a foul git for doing that?”
“Cause you broke ‘er ‘eart. That girl has been pining for you all ‘er life and you just dump ‘er at a time like that. Don’t you think she ‘ad enough to deal with; ‘er brother being mauled by Greyback and Perfessor Dumbledore dying? Then you go and break up with ‘er. Fine thing to do, ‘arry. I thought you’d be a better man than that.”
Harry stood there besides Hagrid’s cabin and thought about what he had just heard. No one had ever phrased it that way before. He knew breaking up with Ginny was necessary, but he never thought about the timing of it. It was a time when she needed someone to be there for her, but instead he literally kicked her when she was down. After she helped him cope with Dumbledore’s death, he completely forgot about her feelings at that time, or any time after that. He truly was a right foul git to do that, even though it might have saved her life. If the Carrows had an inkling of knowledge that she was his girlfriend then her life would have been worse, if not over.
“Well, ‘arry, are you going to tell Ginny?” asked Hagrid.
“Yes, I am,” snapped Harry. “Hagrid, what I did last year was necessary. I am sorry if I hurt her, but if the Death Eaters would have had any idea, how I felt about her. Do you really think she would be alive today? Do you?” Harry didn’t wait for his friend to answer. He just wished him “Good day” and stalked off to the castle.
Harry walked with his head down towards the great hall. It was dinnertime and Ginny should be done with Quidditch practices. His temper hadn’t cooled during that short walk from Hagrid’s. It wasn’t what Hagrid had told him. It was the fact that everyone seemed to be reprimanding him for the same thing over and over again.
“Where have you been?” asked Ginny, as soon as Harry stepped through the front doors. You’re usually back by this time. You have any problems?” Ginny was firing these questions at Harry to quickly for him to answer.
“Practicing. Am I. No.” Ginny glared at his flippant response to her questions. “What’s wrong Ginny? You know Carmen and I go out to the Forbidden Forest Saturday afternoons to practice dueling. You’re busy with Quidditch practices then so what are you irritated about.”
“You seem to be enjoying spending so much time with her.”
“We are friends. That is it! Please stop being jealous you should know that I love you and only you.” Ginny blushed at Harry’s statement. “Besides, Hagrid is always with us.”
Her mood improved, and they spent the rest of the mealtime talking about the practices and how hard and demanding they are. She also told him that she had to patrol the halls tonight from eight to midnight. She was anxious to see him since they will only have a couple of hours to spend together today.
They left after dinner to walk towards the main gate. They had stopped down by the Black Lake. The night was cold and raw, even though it wasn’t raining, and the waxing moon was only a pale glow in the cloudy skies. Ginny was sitting on Harry’s lap and they were trying to devour each other’s faces. This had gone on for almost two hours, until Ginny had to leave to walk rounds with Walden.
As they were breaking apart, Harry plucked up the courage to tell her about his plans. “Ginny, next Saturday, after my Auror classes, Carmen and I are going into Muggle London,” he quickly said. “It is part of our testing procedures. We are supposed to mingle with Muggles in many different situations. I am also going to purchase some clothes and things for Carmen, so she can complete the training.”
Harry looked at Ginny sitting on his lap with a facial expression like Professor McGonagall’s. Her lips were pulled into a tight line, her eyes narrowed, and her eyebrows almost touched except for a crease in between them. He sat there not saying anything waiting for her to explode at him.
“I need to walk rounds, Good night, Harry.” Was all she said as she stood up brushed off her robes and walked briskly to the castle.
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Potions classes were not helping with Ginny’s moods. Every class Madam Zabini had inquired as to why Harry hadn’t been to visit her. She finally told him that she wants to see him in her office Tuesday evening at seven, if he wanted to remain in her class. Ginny didn’t speak to Harry, Ron, or Hermione as they left the Potions classroom. She barely spoke to Harry the rest of Monday.
“You have Quidditch practice now until dark then you are walking the halls, aren’t you?” asked Harry as they left the Transfiguration classroom. Ginny nodded an affirmation. “I think I will just go home and study there. I’ll see you in the morning. Love you.” Harry bent down to kiss Ginny good-bye.
She avoided his lips. “Do you still love me, even with me being a horrible bitch?”
“Yes, Ginny I do.”
“You don’t have to go!”
“You are walking rounds, and …”
“I mean to Madam Zabini’s quarters. Tell the Headmistress. She will sort this out, and hopefully chuck that slag out on her bloomin’ arse.”
“Ginny, I have a plan. I will get this all sorted out.” He kissed her gently on the lips. “You need not worry about me eating or drinking anything. As Mad-Eye would say, Constant Vigilence!” shouted Harry. Ginny grinned at his comment and kissed him once more.
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Tuesday morning had Harry in Auror training class. It was another rather boring day. More work on reading and filling out Auror report forms. Then there was a short lesson about various potions that would be necessary to know. Harry already knew about Poly-juice and Veritaserum, but there were about another ten or twelve that he had never heard of.
In the afternoon, he and Ginny studied together. Any time he tried to get intimate with her, she would push him away or tell him that she needed to study. Finally, at four o’clock she had practice. Harry took his books out with him and studied while Ginny was practicing with the team. The entire day neither one mentioned the seven o’clock meeting with Madam Zabini. The thought of it was always there, but it was never mentioned, until six-forty-five that night at dinner.
“You don’t have to go, Harry.” Ginny’s voice was barely above a whisper.
Harry was surprised by the statement and didn’t respond straight away. “Yes, I need to.” He reached for her hand, but she pulled it away and placed it on her lap. Harry’s irritation with her actions grew with that act. “Ginny, look at me,” he said. She didn’t turn her head or acknowledge him.
Without warning, he grabbed her arm and lifted her up off the bench. He ignored her shocked expression and the gasps that were happening all around them. He literally dragged her out of the great hall and into the entrance hall. She went along with him, which surprised him. At the side of the grand staircase, he pulled her to the side. With a half turn and a swish of his arm, he covered them with the invisibility cloak.
Turning, Harry stared into Ginny’s eyes. He saw fear in those beautiful brown eyes. Without saying anything, he grabbed her and slammed his lips into hers. She immediately responded. Her hands grabbed his hair and pulled his face down as she lifted her legs up and wrapped them around his waist. He backed her against the wall under the stairs to help gain balance while his lips moved to her jaw and neck.
She started to moan, and Harry quickly clamped his hand over her mouth. Instead of angering her, it seemed to excite her even more. Trying to maintain his focus, he pulled his wand out of the holder in his sleeve and cast a silencing charm on the cloak. He pulled his hand off her mouth. “I love you Ginny. I know I’ve hurt you in the past, but it was only to protect you. Trust me tonight. I have things sorted out with Madam Zabini.”
“Don’t go Harry. Stay here with me.”
“Let me go and I’ll come back and we can pick up where we left off.”
“Please Harry! Don’t go,” pleaded Ginny. “Make love to me. Here or we’ll find a classroom. Please!”
Harry stopped and stared at her in shock. His reaction made Ginny relax the grip of her legs from around his waist. He stood there unsure what to say. When she asked him this in Australia, it scared him. It didn’t now. It had the exact opposite reaction. He wanted her. He was sure now. He wanted to make love to her.
“Ginny, I — I thought we were going to wait?”
She looked at him and he could see tears forming in her eyes. “I told you that I couldn’t stand the thoughts of you with someone else. Please stay with me.”
She slid her hand into his robes so that her fingers ran over his bare chest. Harry had to close his eyes to try to ignore the feeling that was growing in him. He grabbed her hand and pulled it out of his robes. “You do not need to worry about me, love. I am all yours.”
Harry was about to pull the cloak off them when he saw Professor McGonagall walk past at a brisk pace. He looked back at Ginny. She was standing there with a pleading look in her eyes that melted his heart. Her one leg seemed to be twitching, and her arms were crossed loosely in front of her. Harry sensed that she meant what she said about making love to him, and he almost cursed himself for not taking her up on the offer. It would be wrong wouldn’t it? He leaned in and gently kissed her; trying to pour all his love for her in this gentle kiss. Looking around and seeing no one was looking, he pulled the cloak off him.
He walked towards the dungeons and Madam Zabini’s private quarters. He looked back over his shoulder and saw Ginny still standing in the same spot looking so defeated watching him walk away from her.
Harry stood outside of Madam Zabini’s office door at exactly seven o’clock. He looked nervously to his right for a second before he knocked on the door.
“Who is it?” The voice of Madam Zabini commanded from behind the door.
“It’s Harry Potter, Madam Zabini. I am here for our seven o’clock appointment.”
Harry could hear shuffling from the office and then the door opened. The sight of Madam Zabini surprised him. She wore a bright red silk dressing gown. It hung loosely on her shoulders and was tied around her waist. It exposed a black camisole with red trim, which exposed most of her breasts. She was holding a long stem wine glass in her hand. The room was dimly lit and smelled of an oversweet perfume.
“Harry.” She almost purred his name. “I am so glad you finally took my offer and showed up. Would you like a glass of wine?”
“No, Professor.”
“You can call me Cyd. Why don’t you come in and make yourself comfortable?”
“Well Cyd we shall take you up on your offer and come in and discuss Mr. Potter’s Potions grades.” Professor McGonagall stepped from the right of Harry into the doorway. Madam Zabini immediately grabbed her dressing gown and closed the top of it.
“I would be very interested in hearing about Harry’s Potions class. You see Cyd. Three years ago, I made a promise to Harry that I would do whatever possible to ensure he gets enough NEWTs to be accepted into Auror training. I always keep my promises. So, let us all step inside and get to the bottom of this.” Madam Zabini stepped aside and let the Headmistress inside followed by Harry, whom she scowled at as she closed the door.
An hour later Harry and Professor McGonagall were walking away from the Madam Zabini’s quarters, they both had smirks on their faces.
“Thank you for doing that Professor. I don’t think she will be bothering me anymore this year.”
“Be sure to get high marks on your NEWTs Harry, I think you can guarantee bad grades from her now. I would be amazed if you received anything but a Troll mark in Potions. It was worth it, though, to see the look on her face. It is a shame she is the only applicant that I could get for the position. Other people were qualified for teaching Potions, but she is the only one to accept Head of Slytherin House responsibilities,” she said with a sigh. “I must get back to my paperwork. Take care of yourself Potter.” The headmistress turned and walked towards her office.
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Ginny stood and watched Harry walk away from her. She felt so small right now. He rejected her offer of making love to her. He said it was because of the promise, but even if that is true, it still didn’t help when he said no.
Students were leaving the great hall and going back to their common rooms. She didn’t even notice who was walking past her. She was still replaying Harry walking away from her in her mind.
“All right there Ginny?”
She turned and noticed Walden staring at her. “Yeah, brilliant,” was her sardonic response.
Walden looked in the direction she was and smiled at her. “Harry take Madam Zabini up on her private lessons, did he?” he said with a roguish smile.
“Oh piss off, Walden,” spat Ginny as she turned and ran up the stairs to the Gryffindor tower. She walked through the common room and up the stairs to her four-poster. Flopping down it, she rolled over and stared up at the canopy.
She couldn’t get what had happened in the entrance hall out of her mind. Harry grabbing her and snogging her like that was unexpected. She didn’t even want to, at first, but when he attacked her like that. It made her so damn randy. Even thinking about it was making her breathe heavier.
She truly meant it when she told him to make love to her. At first, she thought he was going to say yes, but he remembered his promise to her; damn, his noble arse. He walked away from her leaving her unsatisfied. She was so worked up that she couldn’t even keep her leg from twitching. Oh, how she wanted to rip his clothes off and shag him.
Ginny rolled over and stared at the other beds in her dorm. They are all empty. She looked a Sylvia’s bed and remembered when she came in one night in their fifth-year bragging about shagging some Ravenclaw. He was two years older than she was, and they did it in a broom cupboard. Ginny thought that was so wrong. There is nothing wrong with a snog here or there, but to shag someone in a place like that.
That was until tonight. Tonight, she would have shagged Harry in a broom cupboard.
She lay there thinking about everything, after a while she started to calm down as the memory of Harry’s lips became fainter. She was actually glad now that he said no. Her first time should be special, not some stolen moment in a cubby.
Now if he can only keep from falling prey to Madam Slagbini.
Ginny sat up in her bed and grabbed her DADA book. She figured that she should make sure her homework was done on time. These Quidditch practices and Head Girl duties are robbing her of all her spare time. As she was walking down the stairs to the common room, the portrait opened up admitting Harry. She almost missed a step as he walked through and looked up at her. She tried to keep her composure, not run to him, and jump in his arms. He was smiling at her, and his eyes were glistening with joy. He pranked Madam Zabini.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, he was waiting for her. He had a hand on each railing so that she couldn’t pass. “Good evening love,” he greeted her. “Would you like to sit and talk about my adventures tonight?”
“Well, you must think I will be happy or you want to be cursed to bits,” she replied.
Harry led her to a settee by the fireplace. It was rather warm in the common room, so most people were sitting away from them in the outer corners. They settled into each other’s arms and fifteen minutes later she was giggling like a first year.
Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Shopping in London
Ginny shivered in the pouring rain. It was almost eight o’clock on Friday morning, and she was standing by the main gate waiting for Harry. Even though it was the second week of October, it felt like late November. If it got any colder, the rain would turn to sleet or snow. She had cast an Impervious charm on her robe and cloak, so the rain didn’t soak through, but the bitter damp wind had cut through her clothes and chilled her to the bone.She could have waited in the school’s entrance hall, but this meant they could have a few minutes alone on the walk back to the room. Ever since Tuesday night, she has been nervous around Harry. They had come close to shagging under the Invisibility Cloak by the main staircase. She has been trying to avoid getting that carried away again. She has noticed that Harry also seemed to be cautious. This was good, because she’s unsure if she could tell him no.
A crack on the other side of the gate indicated someone just Apparated to that spot. She looked through the pouring rain and noticed Harry standing there. He was only a few metres away, but she could barely see him. She walked towards him and noticed he was holding his one arm up as though he had an umbrella. When he stepped up to her, the rain stopped falling on her. She looked up and saw that Harry was casting a Shielding Charm formed in the shape of an umbrella.
“Nice Charm!’ complimented Ginny. She walked to him and wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him.
“You’re all wet,” said Harry as he backed away from her. He leaned forward and kissed her without contacting her rain-covered clothes.
Ginny pulled out her wand and cast a charm that made steam blast from it warming and drying her clothes. “Who taught you that, Harry?”
“No one. I have been developing my Shield Charms. I have found that I can cast all types of unusual Shields now,” he said nonchalantly. “It seems that my abilities have increased quite a bit, since Tom Riddle died.” He tapped his forehead at the end of the statement.
They started to walk towards the school when they heard two more Apparition cracks. Hermione and Ron appeared for Herbology class today, and they took off at a dead run for the castle. Harry tried to catch their attention as they ran past, but Hermione turned her head and glared angrily at them.
Ginny wondered why they were acting that way, and the realization had just occurred to her. She had Owled them Monday night, after Harry had told her that he was going into London with Carmen. They also knew about Madam Zabini’s threat to get Harry into her private quarters. With everything going on at the school, she completely forgot to write them and tell them that everything was fine.
By the time, Harry and Ginny made it to the entrance hall; Ron and Hermione were already seated at the Gryffindor table. Ron was filling his plate while Hermione sipped on tea and glanced through the Daily Prophet. They sat down across from them and started picking things for breakfast.
“Lousy weather isn’t Hermione,” stated Harry.
“Yes, it is,” she replied without even looking up from the paper. “If it is this bad tomorrow it would make shopping in London rather miserable.” With the last statement, she glared over the top of the paper at Harry.
“Yes, I suppose it shall,” he calmly said. Ginny went to say something, but Harry placed a hand on her arm. She looked into his eyes and understood to let him speak. “If it is too miserable, we could always get a room at the Leaky Cauldron and spend the afternoon in there.”
Hermione dropped the paper and glared at him while Ron choked on his porridge. Ginny started giggling at their reactions. She couldn’t believe that they would even think that Harry would do this, let alone announce it.
Hermione noticed her giggling and cast an icy glare at her. “Very funny, Harry. I suppose you never were going shopping with Carmen, then.”
“Yes, I am,” he stated. “We must now. I have already scheduled it with Gawain.” Hermione stared at him with blank expression on her face. Ginny smiled as she thought that Ron had finally started to rub off on her.
“Auror training, tracking and concealment; we must blend in with three different segments of Muggle London.”
“So the entire class is going?”
“No Hermione, just Carmen and I,” he wearily responded.
“You are fine with this?” Hermione pointedly asked Ginny. Ron also stared at her waiting for her response.
“Yes, I trust Harry,” she confidently said. “After what he did to Slagbini, I have learned to trust him.” Ginny leaned over and kissed Harry on the cheek. When she did, her hand slipped down and accidently landed on his thigh. The feel of his leg while kissing him made her breath catch a little. When she pulled away, he was looking at her with glazed eyes.
“What did you do?” asked Ron.
Harry leaned over to tell him, when Ginny saw Madam Zabini walk into the great hall. It was the first time since Tuesday that Ginny had seen her. She was now wearing a basic black robe and her hair was pulled back into a plain plait. Ginny elbowed Harry and heard him groan. “Look, there she is,” whispered Ginny.
Ron and Hermione had their backs to the doorway, so they turned around and the four of them stared at the Professor. She saw them and glared back, if it was possible to cast a wandless nonverbal Cruciatus Curse, then all four of them would be writhing on the floor. They locked eyes for several seconds, before she strutted by the Slytherin table and sat at the head table.
Ginny watched her the entire time and then glanced over at the Headmistress. Ginny wasn’t sure, but it looked like the Headmistress had smiled, ever so briefly. She could hear Harry telling Ron and Hermione about his visit to Slagbini’s private quarters. Her brother and best friend were laughing until they started to tear up.
While Harry was entertaining Ron and Hermione, Ginny looked back at Madam Zabini. With her plain robe and her hair pulled back, she looks like Carmen. Except Carmen’s skin and eyes aren’t as dark, but they are remarkably built the same and have the same facial features.
Without caring if someone was watching, she glanced down at her chest. Her breasts have been getting larger the past several months. Her mother had told her to wait until her seventh year before complaining too much. However, they are nowhere near the size of Madam Zabini or Carmen’s. With a sigh, she reached over and grabbed Harry’s hand. She was pleased to feel him intertwine his fingers with hers. As long as he is happy with her looks, she shouldn’t worry.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Saturday morning’s training was brutal. The witch running the session was from the Magical Law Enforcement Department, but not the Aurors section. She was one of the magical solicitors who prosecuted people the Aurors arrested. She found errors in everyone’s assessment of their case studies. She berated some trainees so badly that Harry thought they would start crying. When she picked up Harry and Carmen’s cases, she looked at them. After what seemed like ten minutes, she dropped them down in front of the two of them and said that there were only about fifteen mistakes. She might be able to prosecute someone with those files.
At eleven, she left and two Aurors took over the training session. They were here to oversee dueling training. All the teams would place their names in a bowl, and they would pick two teams to start dueling. The victor would then duel the next team chosen from the bowl. This would continue until noon, when the session would be over.
Eldred Rostis, the senior Auror, pulled the first teams from the bowl. He handed one slip to his apprentice, Gavin Blythe. As Blythe took the slip of paper, Rostis whispered something to him.
Blythe looked down at the slip of paper and called “Orla Quirke and Dane Hornsby”. The two trainees stood up and walked to the front of the room. Without taking another slip of paper, he called out “Harry Potter and Carmen Del La Rosa”.
Harry watched Rostis place a slip of paper back into the bowl as he and Carmen walked forward. When he reached the front of the room, he noticed Carmen was fidgeting. Leaning over to her, he whispered. “I’ll block and defend. You attack.” Carmen turned and looked at him nervously. “You can do it. Relax and let the spells fly,” he reassured her.
“All right, the rules are simple no Unforgivables or Dark magic, and that is about it. So, attack,” shouted Rostis.
Harry raised his shield immediately. Carmen was taken back by the suddenness of the start and hesitated, when the other team attacked. Their spells bounced harmlessly off Harry’s shields.
Carmen suddenly snapped into action. With a look of determination, she started to fire curses back at Quirke and Hornsby. Harry was dropping his shield whenever he saw she was about to cast a spell. Within five minutes, the other team was disarmed and bound head to toe. They had been so determined to attack all the time that they didn’t deflect any of Carmen’s spells.
After a five-minute critique by Rostis, he picked another team to oppose Harry and Carmen. This team used some defensive techniques and the duel lasted almost ten minutes, with Harry strictly defending and Carmen attacking. He had been working with Carmen long enough to know when she was ready to cast a spell, without looking. He looked over and saw something in her eyes that made him smile, confidence.
Rostis spoke again about the different aspects of both teams’ methods. He seemed not to mention Harry not taking the offensive. The next team was called up. They had learned from the other two. They split up and tried to attack them from two different directions. Harry was still only blocking and shielding while Carmen attacked. Her technique was improving in front of Harry’s eyes. She moved quickly and decisively; firing spells at the opponents at such a pace that Harry never needed to defend against both assailants since she was keeping the other preoccupied. Even with the opponents improved techniques, Harry and Carmen dispatched them within fifteen minutes.
Rostis pulled another team from the bowl Edward Macmillan and Heathcote Bobbin. Harry’s eyes lit up with the chance for revenge. He has been waiting for an opportune time to embarrass that wanker, after what he said about Ginny at the Ministry.
“You take Bobbin, and I’ll take Macmillan,” he whispered to her.
Macmillan and Bobbin were also whispering to each other, as Rostis yelled, “Begin!” Harry hit Macmillan with a tripping jinx sending him down hard on his back. Carmen had started her attack on Bobbin. Harry walked to the left away from Carmen, this seemed to confuse the other team. All the other duels, Harry and Carmen had stood side by side.
Harry had hit Macmillan with a Jelly-Legs hex while he was trying to figure out this new attack plan. Macmillan was wobbling around not even returning fire or breaking the Jelly-Legs spell, when Harry had a brilliant and evil idea. He fired one of his unique Shields at Macmillan. The shield appeared between his legs and spread them out wide as it expanded like a large balloon. Harry’s plan was working. Macmillan’s rubbery legs spread out unnaturally wide, and he was sitting on the expanding shield. Harry pointed his wand at him and whispered Finite Incantatem. The effect was painful. The Shield Charm holding Macmillan up, as it spread his legs to the side, disappeared and his legs were no longer rubbery. Edward Macmillan landed hard on the ground with his legs pointing out to his sides with a scream of pain. He dropped his wand and grabbed at his crotch while writhing in agony.
Macmillan’s scream of agony drew Bobbins attention from Carmen, who quickly disarmed him and bound him.
Harry looked around and saw most men twitching while watching Macmillan whimpering on the ground. He felt Rostis and Blythe looking at him also. Rostis had a stern look, while Blythe seemed to be trying not to laugh.
“Well that was within the rules, Harry, but you might want to be a little more careful. You don’t want to cause any permanent damage to your fellow Aurors,” stated Rostis. He turned to the rest of the class. “I think that should be all for today.” He stopped talking and looked at Edward Macmillan on the ground. “Being physically fit and flexible is also important in dueling. Bobbin you might want to take your partner up to Madam Pomfrey.”
Harry and Carmen turned to leave, but Rostis stopped them.
“Hey, you two, I have places for you to be today.”
“What do you mean?” questioned Harry. “I thought that this was preliminary work today?”
“No! Today you will be graded,” stated Rostis. He had walked up to Harry and was staring him in the eyes. He was an older gentleman with short salt and pepper hair. He was taller than Harry, thin, but broad shouldered. He had a lantern jaw with a large hooked nose separating his blue eyes. “We are running short of Aurors to watch you trainees. Besides, Potter, I am to tell you, unofficially, keep a low profile. There have been a couple of kidnappings and the Minister doesn’t want you to be one of them. You got that?”
“Yeah, I got it,” answered Harry. He felt a little disgusted with being told to be careful and don’t get into any trouble. He had thought those days were over.
“Here, there are locations and times on that piece of parchment. We will be watching for you.”
By this time, the apprentice Gavin Blythe had joined them. He was the type of person who always had a smile on his face, with teeth too large for his face. He was on the short side and a little chunky. He looked like Charlie Weasley with chestnut brown hair but instead of freckles a permanently tanned complexion. “That is right Mr. Potter, we will see you, but you won’t see us,” he laughed.
Harry walked into the great hall with Carmen. He walked towards Ginny, but she stood up and practically ran to him. She grabbed his hand and tugged him towards the entrance hall.
He let her lead him outside to the main gate with Carmen on their heels. It was raining, but not as hard as yesterday. Ginny stopped at the main gate, turned to Harry, grabbed his hair, and pulled him into a passionate kiss right in front of Carmen. When she released it, she kept a hold of Harry’s head and leaned her forehead into his. “Have fun, but not too much now,” she whispered to him. “I’ll see you tonight around six?”
“Yeah,” Harry breathlessly replied. He tried to kiss her again, but she held her hand up to stop him.
“Tonight, love,” she told him, before stepping back and letting go of him. Before he walked very far Ginny called to him. “Don’t forget to transfigure yourself before you go to Diagon Alley.”
Harry mindlessly touched his hair and changed it to a light brown and darkened his glasses. A dazed Harry and a smiling Carmen walked through the main gate and Apparated to Diagon Alley.
They went to Madam Malkin’s first to get Carmen robes that she needs for the training and teaching. While Carmen was being fitted for robes, Harry was browsing and remembered that he had forgotten Hermione’s birthday again. He saw a necklace that she might like. It was an open book with a wand across it. It wasn’t terribly expensive, but she should like its symbolism. He picked it up when he paid for Carmen’s robes.
They next set off for the Apothecary. After buying all the ingredients for all the potions that, they will be required to brew this year. They went to Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes looking for Ron or George. They left after one of the workers told them that the Weasley’s would be back later in the afternoon.
They exited Diagon Alley through the Leaky Cauldron and walked down the street towards the underground station. He wanted to use it to do their shopping. Carmen had sent her purchases to her place while Harry had transfigured his features back to normal before leaving the Leaky Cauldron. They had to be at Covent Garden Market in Kingly Court by three o’clock. That gave them two hours to make it there.
The ride to the Market was relatively uneventful, except Harry kept seeing familiar people in the distance. They had quickly shopped for clothes for Carmen. Harry had noticed that she seemed to prefer loose fitting jumpers and denim jeans to the tight form fitting clothes that the salespeople kept trying to get her to try on.
They had decided to get something to eat; since they missed lunch and still had twenty minutes until their observers were to show up. They had found a little bistro type cafe and ordered two sandwiches and chips. Harry had purchased tea, while Carmen bought a triple espresso and bottled water. They sat at a table and Harry laughed at her as she poured three heaping spoonfuls of sugar into her small cup of coffee.
She took a sip and relaxed back into her chair with an audible sigh. “I missed my espresso,” she murmured.
“Are you sure you have enough sugar in it. I think you might be able to dissolve one more teaspoon in it.”
Carmen laughed at his snide comment. “I love my coffee like my men, strong and sweet. It is a weakness of mine.”
They started eating their sandwiches and looked around at the people passing by the restaurant. After a few minutes, Harry nudged Carmen. “I need to carry your bags.”
“I can take them. Harry, it is enough that you are paying...”
“No! To blend in with the other people,” he forcefully whispered. He pointed outside and Carmen looked around. Most of the time they saw a couple together, the man was carrying the bags for the woman.
Carmen looked back at him with a look of astonishment on her face. “Very perceptive, Harry. You are smarter and more perceptive than most people give you credit. I have heard that you were not good in Potions, but you actually are. The Headmistress has even commented about how good you are at Transfiguration this year. Is there something different about you this year?”
Harry nearly choked when she asked this. Ginny and Hermione are convinced that it is because he no longer has a Horcux in his head, but he can’t tell her that. He believes them, but it seems as if so many things have changed for him in the last year. “Two reasons,” he said. “Ginny is the main one. She is the first person ever to tell me that they loved me. The second reason is just a guess, really, I no longer must worry about some psychopathic murderer and his minions chasing after my friends and me and killing us all. I seem to have such a clear mind now.”
Carmen smiled at him. “I can’t see how that situation would make you distracted at all,” she said with a laugh. Harry looked at her and realized that he had rarely heard her laugh.
They continued to eat their sandwiches and finish their drinks. Harry checked his watch and noticed that it was five minutes after two. They were supposed to be here at two o’clock; what if Rostis and Blythe couldn’t find them. Would they fail their test?
“Maybe we should walk around a bit?” offered Harry. “Give our friends; we are waiting for, a better chance to see us.”
Carmen finished eating and took one final drink before Harry grabbed the bags and they left the little diner. They walked outside by the street. The morning rain had given way to heavy leaden skies, but the air still had a noticeable chill to it.
Carmen shivered. “Does it get colder than this in the winter?”
“At times. Why?”
“I am not used to this cold. It is different here. The air is always damp and cold even when the sun shines.”
“Isn’t there snow where you are from?”
“Yes, but it is different there. It is high up on the mountains...”
Before Carmen could finish Harry felt someone bump into him. He looked and saw no one. However, he heard the voice of Blythe whisper. “You passed, now on to the next place.”
Harry waited for more contact with the Aurors, but none came. Carmen had also heard the whisper and was watching him intently.
“I guess we go to the next place,” he said while staring at the piece of parchment that Rostis had given him this morning. “It is the Burlington Arcade, by the Piccadilly Circus, and we need to be there by four o’clock.” He folded the parchment up and stuffed it in his pocket and announced. “Let’s go by underground. If you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. Harry.”
They started walking to the nearest entrance to the underground. Harry thought he had seen two people following them He was upset when he recognized that it was Ron and Hermione.
As they were walking down the steps leading to the underground, Carmen leaned to him and whispered. “Did you see the two that have been following us?
“Yeah, I’ve noticed. Let’s see if we can give them the slip at the next stop.”
They bought two tickets and stood in line for the train. The next train wasn’t due for ten minutes.
“You need to finish telling me about your home,” urged Harry.
“Alright I’ll tell you. I am from the southwest corner of France near Bayonne. I live with my family and relatives on a section of the Pyrenees Mountains. Those mountains are so high that they look like they hold the sky up. It is always beautiful there, but mainly in the spring when the heavy mountain snows start to melt, and the entire natural world come back to life in all of its magnificence...”
Carmen stopped talking because Harry started to snort. “I am sorry! You sounded like an advertisement for this place. I don’t understand why would want to come here to sodden and cold England.”
Carmen’s facial expression changed and became dark. Harry noticed this and didn’t press the matter anymore. The train came and Harry and Carmen waited until it was ready to close its doors to step through them. They heard a commotion at the other end of the loading area. It sounded like two people had to fight their way onto the train as it was leaving.
As they sped through the underground tunnels, Harry decided to press Carmen for more information. “I could never understand why you came here to England to train as an Auror, when you are most definitely qualified to train anywhere.” Like the last question, that Harry asked she seemed to get nervous and her mood darkened.
“It is not an easy question to answer, Harry. I never was accepted in France. I have always felt like an outcast. The French Ministry would have nothing to do with me.” She stopped talking and stared at the concrete walls passing by the train’s windows.
When the train came to their stop, they stayed on the train until about the last second then jumped off. He noticed that Carmen also smiled when they heard the sounds of two people fighting with the porters to get off the train.
They walked up to street level and followed the map; they had picked up at the first underground station, to Burlington Arcade, an enormous building that housed many different shoppes. It was a Diagon Alley under roof. They wandered through the concourse observing the people as they passed. The both felt a little underdressed, so they bought new clothes to match their new location.
“I am starting to think the French a little mental as a population,” stated Harry as though he was beginning a formal debate.
Carmen chuckled at his comment. “Oh, please tell me. Oh very wise one,” she sardonically replied.
“You are one of the nicest people I have known and also so one of the smartest. Why wouldn’t they want you in their Ministry?”
“I am...” she stopped talking. It seemed she wasn’t sure about saying something. “I was never accepted into the elite of the magical community. I am the only magical person in my family and community, and my family is very poor.”
“What does that have to do with how talented you are?” snapped Harry. His words came out harsh and had a bitter edge to them. He regretted saying them when he noticed Carmen cringing. “I am sorry, Carmen.”
“You don’t need to apologize to me, because of the prejudices of my country.”
“No, but I need to apologize for talking to you in that manner. It isn’t your fault there are so many bloody wankers in your country.”
“Apology accepted. Oh, I forgot to tell you. You look very good in that suit.”
Harry blushed at her comment. The shopping area they were in now was more upscale, so they bought business suites for themselves.
“I must say you look very fit yourself. I can’t believe you are wearing a dress that short...” Carmen had left the last shop with a pinstriped miniskirt suit wearing black high heels. Harry had kept from laughing at her, because she was having a difficult time walking.
“Harry, the dress is bad. However, these damn high heels are murder, but the style consultants said that they are what fashionable women are wearing. What I wouldn’t give for my old leather sandals right now,” she moaned.
Harry checked the time on his watch. They still had ten minutes to go until the Aurors were supposed to find them. He walked to a large plate glass window and stared at the display trying to see crowd movements behind him in its reflection. Carmen followed him. “Are you checking to see if we are still being followed?”
“Yes, and they are still there.”
“Do you think Ginny knows about this?”
He didn’t reply at first as he thought about the question. Ginny seemed to be more trusting, and her main mistrust was with Madam Zabini. “I don’t think so, but it is possible.”
Carmen started to laugh. “They are going to get really suspicious, Harry.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You see the type of store we are staring into?”
He tore his attention away from the reflection in the window and looked through the glass. The display was full of baby clothes and accessories. He had to stifle a loud guffaw, as he thought about Ron and Hermione watching them staring into this store. His mood suddenly became serious again as he felt the presence of someone behind him. He looked in the reflection and didn’t see anyone. “Carmen. I think Rostis or Blythe is behind us.”
“How do you…” She was cut off by a disembodied voice.
“Very good Harry, I just walked up to you,” whispered the voice of Rostis. “I have been observing the two of you from a distance. You both look good together and are barely distinguishable from the other Muggles. However, if you were pretending to be a couple looking at baby clothes, then I would advise you two to at least hold hands and act like you are in love. Come on, during surveillance this may be necessary.”
Harry reached his hand over and took Carmen’s. He hesitantly gripped her hand and stepped closer, dreading the reaction that Ron and Hermione were having. Her hand was surprisingly strong, but her grip was gentle.
She leaned her face towards his ear and whispered. “You have rough hands.”
“Sorry, Herbology and all the Potion ingredients…”
“Now that looks sweet,” chuckled Rostis. “Do you know you have had someone following you?”
“Yes,” they said in unison.
“Good, is that why you are at the window?”
“Yes,” responded Harry nervously. “I think it is my best friends. They are also my girlfriend’s brother and best friend.”
Rostis almost laughed aloud. “They are probably having a bloody fit right now. What do you want to do about this situation? We could ignore them, or we could try a trap?”
An evil grin formed on Harry’s face as he thought about trapping those two supposed friends of his.
“I see from the smile of your face that you want to trap them. At the next location, use technique number seven. I will see how much you have studied. We will wait for your signal. Oh yes, you two look good together.”
Harry felt his face get warm as he suddenly realized that Carmen practically had her head on his shoulder. The realization of her being this close to him and holding hands made him nervous.
“Are you all right, you seem nervous,” she questioned him.
“Yeah I am fine. Just nervous that’s all. Let’s go to the next location.” As they started to walk, he realized that he was still holding her hand. He relaxed his grip and she let go of his hand.
“You have nice hands, Harry.”
He shot her a puzzled look. “I thought you said they were rough?”
“They are and strong. My father was a farmer. His hands were rough and calloused from working in the fields and with the animals all day, but they were so gentle when he used to hold me,” she said with a hint of sadness.
Harry was about to ask her why she referred to her father in the past tense, when a little girl interrupted them.
“Look Mummy, its Harry Potter. Here in this store.” She was maybe six or seven years old and was standing pulling on a women’s dress, while pointing at Harry. The woman was talking to another woman who looked to be the girl’s grandmother.
“Sweety, Harry Potter wouldn’t be in place like this,” stated the girl’s mother.
“Who is this Harry Potter?” asked the eldest woman.
“It’s him. Look! He has the scar,” shouted the little girl while tugging on her mother even harder.
Harry and Carmen quickly turned around and hurried to the most crowded area. They kept walking fast without looking back for fear that the little girl would be dragging her mother along with her. The entire time Harry was cursing himself for being so gormless to not cover his scar somehow. Once outside of the Arcade they slowed their pace. As they walked to the underground station, Harry pulled out a schedule and the parchment with the next location. He studied the schedule and cursed to himself.
“What’s wrong?” asked Carmen.
“We will need to change trains and hop on a bus to get to this place. It is One Canada Square at the Canary Warf. Or is it Canary Warf at One Canada Square. It doesn’t matter. We are going to be tight on time to get there.”
“Do you want to Apparate there?”
No, I want to spring the trap on my friends.”
“Do you remember what method he was talking about?”
“Yes, and also the hand signals. I remember them because I thought it was interesting that the Aurors have techniques like that,” said Harry.
As they walked into the underground station, Carmen quickly glanced over her shoulder. “I don’t see them.”
“If we have lost them, because of that little witch, we can just Apparate to the next place, instead of taking a bus.” Harry’s voice was bitter, and he used the term witch with a nasty edge. He wanted to trap his friends so he could confront them. Even though it may appear that he was cheating on Ginny, he was working. When they bought tickets and got in line to board the train. He saw a familiar redhead above the crowd off in the far corner. He quickly disappeared. Harry turned to Carmen, winked, and said. “They’re here.”
The train and bus rides were uneventful. The sky was clearing up, although it was become increasingly chilly. The Canary Wharf was a converted wharf. It had various shoppes and restaurants filling the sides of the waterways now. They walked slowly through the area looking for a secluded spot to spring the trap. The cold wind whipped between the buildings and chilled Harry, even with his suit jacket on. He noticed that Carmen was shivering. “Do you want my jacket? I can get along without it?”
“The jacket won’t help. My legs are freezing. This skirt is not made to keep you warm.”
“Yes, but it is keeping other people warm,” he teased her. As they walked, men passing by were staring at Carmen. Her jacket and shirt were form fitting along with her tight skirt and high heels. She was looking very fit and wiggled in all the right places.
“Ha Ha, very funny,” retorted Carmen. “You try and wear an outfit like this.”
“I don’t have the legs for it and besides they don’t call me Harry for nothing.”
Carmen groaned at his bad pun. “Isn’t it time for us to finish this day?”
Checking his watch, he saw it was five-thirty. The exact time that they were to be here, it is also the time that Ginny should be finishing with Quidditch practice. He felt a slight bump to his left.
“We are ready,” stated the disembodied voice of Rostis.
Harry looked at Carmen, and she gave him a knowing look that she also heard. They walked little farther away from the crowds and saw exactly what he wanted. An alley that looked deserted. Harry put his arm around Carmen’s shoulders. His other hand was holding onto their purchases. She mimed grabbing something with her one hand and then pointed towards the alley. Just before they reached the alley, he turned to whisper in her ear. He knew this would make Ron mental and careless. “Are you ready?” he asked softly.
“Yeah, let’s get done with this and go some place warm where I can get out of this stupid dress.”
They turned into the alley. It was perfect. A few dustbins lined the walls, and it was completely deserted. Harry let go of Carmen who took a few steps and backed up against the wall, where she Disillusioned herself. Harry ran a little farther down the alley where he did the same. As he stood with his back against the wall, he noticed the trash scattered on the ground shift slightly as though someone had dragged a cloak over it.
Ron and Hermione came running into the alley. They stopped when they couldn’t see anyone.
“Damn it! They either Apparated or are under his Invisibility Cloak” Ron spat this out in disgust. “He has known we’ve been following them all day.”
“Hold on Ron,” gasped a winded Hermione. She walked further into the alley and pulled her wand out. They were now far enough in the alley to pull the trap on them. “Homenum Re…”
“Expelliarmus!” shouted Carmen, and Hermione’s wand jumped out of her hand.
Ron pulled his wand and Harry disarmed him, before they could react, two Impedimenta spells hit them one from the front and one from the back, effectively trapping them in between.
“Harry,” shouted Hermione, as she struggled against the spells. ‘This isn’t funny.”
“Let go of us you bloody wanker,” shouted Ron. His ears and entire face were scarlet with anger. “Why you are playing my sister like this. Sleazing around with some slag…”
Harry lifted his Disillusionment charm after casting a Silencio on Ron and Hermione. He walked up to face them while trying to stay out of the Impedimenta spell’s path. “Don’t you call her that,” he said calmly, as he stared at them. “She is my Auror partner. We have been on a training exercise all day. We were posing to blend in with our surroundings, which I must say you two failed at miserably.” He didn’t need to hear to tell that Ron was swearing at him now.
“You do realize that both of you have violated one of the new Ministry Laws.” He stopped talking and enjoyed the puzzled looks on their faces. “Law 417 section b. states that any person found following an MLE or other high-ranking Ministry Official can be arrested and retained for twenty-four hours until their intentions are determined to be nonviolent.” At this point Ron was staring at Hermione, who was glaring at Harry. “How do I know that you aren’t a couple of Death Eaters using Poly-Juice Potion. It can happen,” he added sarcastically. “Now if you promise to behave yourself. I shall lift the silencing charm and ask you a couple of questions.”
They both nodded and with a wave of his wand, they could speak again. “Harry this isn’t necessary…”
“Quiet,” he ordered them. “If you are Hermione, you will know where we all were last Christmas Eve?”
“Harry, do you mean all of us?”
“Yes!”
She looked at Ron worried and he seemed embarrassed. “You and I were at Godric’s Hollow, and Ron was at Shell Cottage. Now will you release us?”
“No! Ron how did you find us?”
He looked at Harry with a sad look on his face. “Are you trying to embarrass me? I had to use Dumbledore’s Deluminator.”
“It is them you can release them,” said Harry. He watched as Ron and Hermione almost fell when the spells were released at different times. Ron and Hermione picked up their wands off the ground.
“This is some way to treat your best mates, Harry,” grumbled Ron.
“Mates? Best Mates?” he shouted at them. “I hardly see the two of you all summer. You go get engaged and move in together in some flat when I offer you my own house. I barely see you at school and now you are out here following me around like this. I had asked if you wanted to tag along, but you both said no. If you were too busy, then why are you here now?”
“We are here to make sure you don’t play around on my sister…”
“No! You are not. If that were your only concern, you would have come with us. By following me, you wanted to catch me cheating on her, didn’t you? Well? Friends and best mates don’t act that way. They trust each other.”
Harry stared at both Hermione and Ron. They stood there as his words said sank in.
“I’m sorry Harry. I never really thought how this would appear to you. Will you forgive us?” Hermione was almost in tears.
Ron just looked sheepishly. “Yeah mate, sorry.”
Harry walked over and hugged each of them. “Why don’t we go some place to eat, and get Carmen out of the cold? She is freezing over there.” the three friends looked over at Carmen who was shivering. “Oh, besides, Hermione, I have something for your birthday. I am sorry that I keep forgetting it,” said Harry sheepishly. He handed her the necklace that he had bought for her earlier.
“Oh Harry, thank you, it’s so sweet of you,” she gushed then hugged him.
A disembodied voice shouted out. “Crank Rockers!”
“Not Crank Rockers, again, Blythe,” said the invisible Rostis.
“Don’t be such an old man, Rostis.”
“Crank Rockers? I’ve heard of that place. Isn’t that going to be too crowded for you to get through under your cloak?” asked Harry.
“It doesn’t matter. Everyone is either so drunk or stoned that they don’t notice. Besides, you can walk in dressed as a wizard and no one will say anything. If they do just yell “Rock n Roll” and they will leave you alone.”
“Crank Rockers it is.”
As they were walking out of the alley, Harry stopped and pointed his wand into the air, and a small silver streak shot out of it.
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Ginny had just finished getting changed out of her Quidditch clothes and was walking up to the castle when a silver stag appeared in front of her.
“Ginny,” Harry’s voice came from its mouth. “I am going to the Crank Rockers Café with Ron, Hermione, and Carmen. I’ll see you in the morning. Love you.”
As soon as the message stopped, the Patronus dissipated into a silvery mist.
Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Hogsmeade and Halloween
Ginny sat on the edge of her bed. No one had dared to be near her all night. She was in such a bad mood that they all wisely avoided her. Harry-bloody-Potter had gone out with Ron, Hermione, and Carmen to some nightspot and left her sitting at school. She doesn’t even remember Harry planning on meeting Ron and Hermione. She sighed to herself as she lay back, and pulled the curtains closed on her four-poster. She wasn’t even sure if she should be angry with him. He has been out of sorts because Ron and Hermione aren’t always with him.It doesn’t matter!
He was out enjoying himself and she was sitting in this bloody school on a Saturday night. He had damn well better remember that next weekend was a Hogsmeade weekend or else there will be hell to pay. With all these thoughts spinning through her mind, she slipped off to sleep.
Something woke Ginny with a start. She opened her eyes and wondered where she was because the entire area around her was bathed with silvery light. She turned slightly and saw standing over top of her was Harry’s stag Patronus. It was larger than the area inside of her canopy, as its antlers disappeared through the top of the canopy. It seemed to wobble slightly as it looked down at her.
“Ginny, love,” sounded Harry’s voice, although it seemed a little different, slurred. “I just got home. Had a wondererful time. Yes I did. Yes I did. Ron even got Hermione trollied. Can you imagine that? Hee Hee! I wish you were here…”
At that second, the drapes of Ginny’s bed were violently thrown back and standing there were all her roommates pointing their wands at her.
“What the hell…” Sylvia started to say. She stopped talking as they stared at the Patronus.
Ginny turned her attention back to it.
“I love you Ginevra Molly Weasley,” it said.
It stood there wobbling slightly as it stared at her. Ginny was waiting for it to disappear, but instead it started to clumsily drop to its knees then it laid down on her bed. Ginny slid out of its way. She wasn’t sure if it was safe to touch a Patronus. It shouldn’t be since it was created from Harry’s happy memories. It finally lowered its massive head onto her pillow.
“Ginny, what is that?” asked one of her roommates.
Ginny had her back to the girls as she stared at the Patronus. “It is Harry’s Patronus. He sent me a message.” She could hear the girls all sigh and some even gushed how sweet that was. Ginny sat up, grabbed her curtains, and told her roommates “Goodnight”, before she closed them tightly.
The glow of the Patronus filled her canopy with silvery light. She sat there marveling at it, when she heard it emit another sound. It was snoring slightly. She started to smile as she could imagine Harry sound asleep in Grimmauld with his wand still in his hand.
She lay down beside it and decided to touch it to see what would happen. She slowly reached out and was surprised by the feeling when she touched it. She was expecting it to feel cold like steel, but it was warm and soft to the touch. She lay down and allowed her hand pass through the area where she thought the heart should be. Imagining that she had her arm across Harry, she fell asleep.
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Harry walked across the grounds of Hogwarts, holding Ginny’s hand. It was a Hogsmeade weekend and most of the students were already in the town. They were late because Harry had Auror training and Ginny waited for him. It was a cool and windy autumn day and the leaves had changed to a vibrant calico pattern of oranges, yellows, and russets. As they walked the path to the village, the dry leaves tumbled past them adding sound and texture to the beautiful autumnal scene.
Ginny leaned into Harry, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. The past week has been the most peaceful week that Harry could remember since the start of the school year. Sending his Patronus to her last Saturday night overwhelmed Ginny. When she met him at the gate the next morning, they had snogged so long that they had almost missed breakfast. He had promised to take her to the Crank Rockers Café and several other places over Christmas holiday.
They were walking towards the Hogs Head. Neville on Friday had activated the galleons with the message; “Hogs Head- Saturday- ten until dark”. They were curious to find out why he had called a meeting of Dumbledore’s Army for the first Hogsmeade weekend. They had each questioned Neville about it, but he refused to give them an answer. As soon as they saw the bar, they noticed something different. It had always been rather dingy and dark so the silvery glow from inside of it seemed strange.
When they opened the door, a silver swan flew out of it circled above their heads and flew back inside. They stepped in to see Cho’s swan flying about the room, Luna’s rabbit being chased by Ron’s terrier, and Hermione’s otter chasing the terrier. The bar was filled with DA members and they all greeted them enthusiastically. Neville ran over to Harry to greet him.
“Harry and Ginny, we were wondering when you would get here. I hope you don’t mind me calling this meeting. It just seemed like a good thing to do. Getting together to have fun. That’s all right with you isn’t Harry?”
“Why are you asking me Neville?”
“It is your group, Harry.”
“No, it isn’t. Hermione, Ron and I formed it three years ago, but you Ginny and Luna reformed it last year. So that makes it your group now.” Neville’s face turned slightly pink at Harry’s statement. “So, who all is here?” Ginny had left his side to hug Hermione, Ron and George who had also showed up. Looking around the room Harry noticed that Professor Jones was standing in the corner talking to Ab Dumbledore.
“I invited Zeb to see our old group. When he saw the people here, he realized why certain students of his were so advanced, compared to others. The fact several of them had told him that they could cast a Patronus,”
Harry had remembered his shock when he asked in DADA class if anyone had ever tried to cast a Patronus. The next Tuesday’s class was going to cover Patronuses, and their uses in battling dark magic.
Harry walked away from Neville and started to talk to all the members. He looked over to find Ginny was talking to Luna. Cho walked up to him and gave him a hug. Harry’s first thought was to duck in case Ginny saw them hugging. Cho talked for a few minutes before going to talk to Terry Boot and Michael Corner. Harry finally made it to the bar and ordered a Butterbeer for himself and Ginny.
Professor Jones had left Ab Dumbledore and approached Harry at the bar. “I am really impressed with your teaching abilities Harry. You should consider teaching as a career. You have talent to be able to teach such advanced subjects at such a young age.”
“No thank you. I’ll stick with being and Auror. I would rather face dark wizards than some of these students.” He said, thinking about his father’s friends and the Weasley twins.
“I understand that you have a particularly strong Patronus.”
“Yes, he does. It’s a stag.” Ginny had suddenly appeared at his side. “Is that Butterbeer for me?”
Harry handed Ginny her Butterbeer. He looked at her and pulled his wand out. Without saying the incantation, he thought about her and the ring in the Moke skin bag around his neck. A large silver stag appeared in front of him.
“I am impressed Harry. You were able to do that as a nonverbal. Miss Weasley, have you ever cast a full Corporeal Patronus?”
“Yes.” Harry looked at Ginny. She added with a sheepish tone. “I just didn’t want some people seeing it.”
“Why is that Miss Weasley?” asked the Professor.
“Oh, I had my reasons. Expecto Patronum.” A silver mist shot out from her wand and quickly took the form of a doe. She looked up at Harry. “It has always been that, even three years ago.” Harry realized why she had hidden her Patronus from him. He was dating or trying to date Cho at that time. Everyone around the room was now looking at their Patronuses as they were standing with their nuzzles together.
“Oi, Can you two give it a break already.” Ron’s comment made the room explode with laughter. The two Patronuses slowly faded away to mist.
Harry looked at Ginny. He had a sudden urge to snog her. He couldn’t believe that her Patronus had always been a doe. Could he have found someone more perfect for him? She just looked up at him and seemed to read his thoughts. “Later Potter, I want to talk to some more people for now. It’s a shame the Room of Requirement doesn’t work anymore,” she added with a seductive tone. Harry took a long drink of his Butterbeer ignoring Professor Jones as he watched Ginny slowly walk away from him.
Harry spent the rest of the afternoon talking to Ron and Hermione in a booth. Ginny would stop by as she made her rounds around the room talking to everyone there. George was thoroughly enjoying himself. He had brought some items from the shop but kept them hidden until Professor Jones left. After selling his items, he tried to engage Carmen, who had entered the bar about midafternoon, in conversation, which seemed to be centered on her leaving with him. She finally left alone and rolled her eyes at Harry, who was laughing at her predicament, as she walked out the door.
“What plans do the two of you have for Halloween?” Harry asked his friends. “Hogwarts is having a party. The two of you could come, since you are still students. I’ll be there with Ginny.”
“Sorry, Harry, the Ministry is having a party and I was going to take Ron,” responded Hermione.
Harry registered actual regret in their eyes, so he didn’t pursue it any further.
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Ginny walked into the castle from Quidditch practice. She needed to get to her room and change into her costume for tonight. She hadn’t seen Harry yet, but he promised to be changed and ready to meet her by 5:30 tonight. She stopped to look at the great hall as she walked past the entrance to it. It was decorated with floating pumpkins and enchanted bats for Halloween. The long tables were gone, and round ones were in their place. The head table also had disappeared replaced by a stage for the band, which was starting to set up. The Headmistress had certainly pulled out all the stops for this party. She wanted to make this year different from the last. It was to be enjoyed after that terrible year, and so far, it has been very enjoyable. Ginny has certainly been enjoying herself, but that might just be because Harry is here this year.
As she was standing and admiring the decorations, two hands gently grabbed her shoulders. “Good evening, love,” Harry, whispered in her ear.
The sound of his voice, his breath on her hair, and his gentle hands on her shoulders sent chills up and down her spine. She didn’t respond but backed up so that she was pressed firmly against him. He wrapped his arms around her. She looked at his arms and noticed he was wearing his costume. “I see you have changed already,” she said, and stepped out of his arms to look at him. She was disappointed to see him wearing a traveling cloak over his costume. “What’s wrong ashamed to be seen in public?”
“No. Well. It is a little tight and form fitting. I just thought it would be better and warmer if I wore the cloak,” replied Harry.
Ginny could tell he was slightly embarrassed to be wearing the form-fitting outfit. A skintight body suit with gloves and shoes, which had been Transfigured to look like paws. They were going tonight as two black panthers. She smiled at the thought of seeing Harry in it. ‘Come on, love, let’s go up to the dorms so I can change.” She grabbed his hand to lead him.
“Ginny, are you going to be wearing the same type of costume?”
“Of course, dear,” she answered him. She could feel his eyes on her as they walked up the stairs. She enjoyed it when he looked at her with that look of longing. They entered the common room and Harry sat down in a chair to wait while she took his traveling cloak and ran up to her dorm.
A half hour later, Ginny had showered and changed into her panther suit. She was putting the final touches on this outfit. She placed the headband on that looked like large black cat ears, she tapped her nose with her wand causing it change slightly and whiskers to grow, and finally she attached her tail to her suit and activated the charm. She looked as it swished and twitched as a cat’s tail would. She had bought this outfit by Owl-order using the gold she earned this summer at the shop.
Standing back, she looked at herself in the mirror. She smiled at how the suit hugged every curve on her body. What pleased her most is it seemed to make her breasts appear larger. She has finally started to catch up with other girls her age. She turned and looked at the tail swish from side to side. Pleased with how she looked, she grabbed the ears and tail for Harry’s costume, leaving her dorm she started walking down the stairs. The common room was practically empty, except a few first and second years. She stopped halfway down the stairs hoping Harry would look up and see her.
Looking around she finally saw him. He was staring out one of the stained-glass windows. He seemed to be focused on something far away, as he stared blankly out the window while he had his one hand placed gently against it.
With a sigh, she walked to him. He was so lost in thought that he didn’t even notice her approaching him from behind. It wasn’t until she ran her hands over his ribs and across his chest that he even reacted.
“You miss them,” she asked.
“Yes, Ginny, I really do.” His voice was soft and sad. “I just started thinking about them while I was waiting, and I can’t seem to stop now. I am sorry love. I know you wanted this night to be special. I didn’t want to ruin it for you.” Harry said this and then placed his forehead against the window.
Ginny tightened her grip on him. She had always been afraid of this. Ever since, they have gotten back together. Harry has been spending less and less time with Ron and Hermione. They had spent seven years together and now because of her they are no longer the golden trio. “Harry, if you want to go to the Ministry tonight, it is all right,” she whispered. She had to concentrate to keep her voice steady. It tore her up that they wouldn’t have this night, but she must also consider his feelings.
“What are you getting on about? I don’t want to go to the Ministry,” stated Harry. He pulled away from her and turned to see her. When he caught sight of her, he stopped moving and stared at her.
His eyes moved down her body from the tips of her ears to her feet, which looked like cat paws. Ginny stood there and smiled at the look on his face. She watched as his eyes lingered on her hips and chest. She loved the way he looked at her. His eyes weren’t filled with lust, but he seemed to look at her with admiration as though she is some fine work of art. He finally brought his eyes up to meet hers. His cheeks turned pink and he looked away.
“You like my outfit, Harry?” she asked with mock curiosity.
He brought his eyes back up to meet hers. “It’s beautiful, absolutely beautiful,” he calmly said.
She had to resist the urge to pounce on him like a panther. The sincerity of his complement made her heart race. He didn’t even try to hide the true meaning of it. He thought she was absolutely beautiful.
“You need to finish your costume, Harry.” Ginny held up the headband with ears.
“Do I have to wear that?”
“No! I could always try to Transfigure your head into this shape, but I won’t guarantee I’d get it right the first time.”
Harry stared at her with shock. “I’ll wear it!” was his hasty reply.
Ginny placed it on his head with both hands to ensure it was in its proper place. What she hadn’t realized that Harry was taller than her and when she lifted both her arms and stepped close enough to him, her breasts rubbed against his chest. The suit was so form fitting that she had gone bra-less so the lines wouldn’t show. She felt a tingling sensation run through her body, which gave her goose bumps. She couldn’t help herself. She let her hands gently run down both sides of Harry’s face. He gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in tighter to him, intensifying the sensation already running through her body. He was lowering his face to hers.
Then the group of first and second years that weren’t going to the Halloween ball started to giggle, and essentially destroyed the magical moment. They both pulled away from each other and cast a look of disappointment.
“Let me take care of the rest of your costume.” With that statement, she pulled her wand out of the holder on her thigh and tapped his face. His nose also changed to a feline one and whiskers started to grow out of his cheeks.
“I hope this is reversible?” asked Harry.
“Oh, damn I knew I forgot to check on something,” she said with mock sincerity. Harry’s eyes flew open for a second before he realized she was taking the mickey out on him. “Now turn around it is time to put your tail on.”
He turned his back to her. She placed his tail at the proper spot and tapped her wand to it. However, she didn’t remove her hands. She gently ran her hands over his cheeks then his hips and without thinking about it, her hands were working their way forward on him.
“Ginny!” barked Harry, grabbing her hands and pulling them away. “It is difficult enough waiting, without you touching me like that. Love, I am not that strong of a man.”
“Sorry!” escaped Ginny’s lips, but she wasn’t. She enjoyed touching him, and he did stop her before they caused those ruddy midgets any traumas. She wasn’t sorry for making him so randy. Maybe they can’t complete things just yet, and she shouldn’t do things like this all the time. However, it makes her feel special that she can wind him up so easily. “Shall we go to the ball, then my dear,” she said pompously.
“Why, yes my dear, lets,” Harry replied with the same haughty attitude.
The students were milling around the refreshments waiting for the band to start playing, when they entered the great hall. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. The party was a great release for the students and the staff.
The band started to play, and they immediately took to the dance floor. Ginny didn’t give him a choice. She knew he could dance, and contrary to what he believed, he was good. After only three or four songs, Ginny asked to take a break. She had noticed that at times Harry seemed to be distracted, as though he had something important on his mind.
“What’s wrong Harry, you don’t seem to be enjoying yourself?”
“I am enjoying myself. I love dancing with you.”
“Harry don’t lie to me. I can tell there is something on your mind besides dancing. It’s your turn to trust me.”
“Well there is something. It’s just I don’t want to ruin your fun.”
“You want to go to the Ministry with Ron and Hermione?”
“No, Ginny that isn’t it,” he stated firmly.
“What is it?”
“You will think I’ve gone mental or something, if I tell you.”
“Tell me. Please. I am here for you.” Ginny could see deep concern in his eyes.
“I’ve been thinking about Godric’s Hollow and visiting my parent’s graves. I was wondering….”
“If you want to go, I’ll understand,” assured Ginny. She had often worried about his connection with his parents, particularly on the anniversary of the day they were taken from him. “Harry that is something I will never stop you from doing particularly on this day.”
“Ginny, I wanted to take you out there to — ah — meet them. I know it sounds weird taking my girlfriend to my parent’s grave, but it is a part of my life and being Halloween. I’d been thinking of them.”
“Oh.” Ginny’s eyes were glazed over with tears, but none fell down her cheeks.
“I wanted you to meet them. It’s kind of sick isn’t it?” joked Harry.
“No! No, it is really touching. Let’s go.”
“Ginny, you will get into big time trouble if we get caught.”
“Then it’s a definite must. That is what I have been missing all year. Trouble! After all I am a Weasley.” She looked at him with that patented wicked Weasley smile.
They walked out of the great hall and went to the Gryffindor common room. She returned their faces to normal and removed their tails. Harry waited there as Ginny went up to her dorm to get Harry’s cloak.
Ginny walked into her dorm and started to take off her costume. However, she didn’t want to delay Harry anymore than she had to, so she pulled her robe on over top of the costume. She picked up Harry’s traveling cloak and saw his Moke-skin bag stuck in one of the pockets. She remembered that since her birthday he would occasionally reach up and hold the bag, when they were together. It was usually some lovely peaceful time when he would do that. Of course, being Harry, he always refused to acknowledge that he had done anything like that.
A thought just occurred to Ginny, what if he had an engagement ring in here for her. The thought of him proposing to her tonight started to rush through her mind. If he did that, what should she do, besides say yes? Should she shag him?
She slapped her forehead as she realized that she had no Contraceptive Potions. She started walking towards Sylvia’s footlocker. She had potions. Hell, she had enough for every girl in Hogwarts to be safe for one night. Ginny stopped just a few feet away from Sylvia’s footlocker. Shaking her head Ginny realized that Sylvia would probably need every one of those potions before Christmas.
Ginny walked back down to the common room with Harry’s cloak in her hand. He wrapped the cloak around him, removed his Mokeskin bag out of it, and hung it around his neck. He looked inside the bag and hesitated for a second as he looked up at her.
Her breath caught in her chest, until he removed the Marauders Map.
Harry used the map and checked the halls. He also pulled his invisibility cloak from the traveling cloak and tossed it over him and Ginny. She was short enough and when she pulled herself close to him, they could walk upright without exposing their shoes. They quickly walked out of the castle to the main gate. Luckily, it was open, the Ministry had sent over some Hit-Wizards to guard the gate.
They Apparated to Godric’s Hollow under the cloak, and he cast a charm to block their voices. Ginny asked to see his house first.
“My house?” questioned Harry.
Yes, Harry it was your parents house, so now it is yours,” stated Ginny.
“No, Ginny, it is not mine it is the communities.”
Ginny gave him a strange look.
“I had considered moving in here after the battle, but I don’t think I could live with the memories that the place holds. I well, decided to live at Grimmauld Place.” Harry stopped talking.
It seemed to Ginny that he seemed to be fighting back tears. She increased her grip on his hand and hugged his arm as a show of support.
He chuckled slightly and smiled at her before speaking again. “I remember waking up that morning happy, relieved, but clueless what to do. I guess no one thought I was going to survive my fight with Vol....”
“I did, Harry. I believed that you would win,” she nearly yelled at him under the cloak. He leaned into her and gently kissed her. That kiss seemed to placate her and her irritation with him.
“I am saying that because no one thought to prepare me for surviving, not even Professor Dumbledore. When I woke up that following morning, I was suddenly scared, not for my life, but for what I was going to do with that life. I was clueless. I had no place to live...”
“That is not true, Potter. You know you are always welcome at my family’s home.”
“I know that Ginny, but it is their home not mine.” He stopped talking. “I want my own home; I don’t care if it is a piece of junk. I want to have my own home to raise...” He stopped talking and stared at her.
Ginny feigned innocence under his stare, but inside her heart was thudding against her ribcage. She knew he had almost said; Raise a family.
“Certainly,” Ginny stopped talking and cleared her throat. She was having trouble talking. “Don’t you have some pleasant memories of this place?”
“Did I ever tell you what I first used to conjure a Patronus?” She shook her head no. “When a Dementor would get near me, the memories of my parent’s death would come to the surface. I would be able to hear my mum pleading with Voldemort, before he killed her. I wanted to see them so badly, that I drew upon the desire to see them for my happy moment to cast a Patronus. Those are the happiest memories of my time at this house.”
Ginny pulled him to her and hugged him. She never knew that he had gone through that in his third year. “Do you still use the memory?”
Harry laughed at her question. “Not with you in my life,” he said softly to her.
He leaned down and gently kissed her. She had to force herself to control her emotions. She swayed slightly as her head became light, with the realizations that she was such a large part of him.
The streets were full of Muggles dressed up as witches and walking around with them were the real ones. They wove their way through the streets to the house where his parents had died. There was a large crowd of witches and wizards gathered around the fence. Harry and Ginny had to wait until several of them left to see the house. When they stepped up to the fence, the writing became illuminated, but there were a many new messages. There was even a person inside the fence writing as they watched. Most of the messages congratulated Harry on his defeat of Voldemort.
“Harry, they are destroying your property,” stressed Ginny.
“Let them, Ginny. I have no use for this place.” He stopped talking, and they stood there in thought. “I thought about going inside once to see it, but I couldn’t pluck up enough courage.” Ginny wrapped her arms around him and gave him a loving and reassuring hug. He leaned into her embrace. As they stood there hugging, someone walked into them. He stumbled and looked for what he had hit. They quickly left before anyone else ran into them.
They walked towards the graveyard stopping at the monument to “The Potters- the heroes of the first war”.
Ginny looked on in awe as the image of Harry and his parents came into view. They were alone here. She could feel Harry fighting with his emotions. She couldn’t tell you why she knew this, but she did. “Harry, love, I am here for you,” she whispered as she wrapped her arms around him again, supporting him more.
“I have often wondered what we would have been like if it wasn’t for that bloody Prophecy,” he said. “I think that we would have been a lot like your family, Ginny. My Dad and his friends would be getting together to plan pranks, and my Mum would have been as good as a cook as your mum. I wonder how different our own lives would be if it hadn’t been for Voldemort targeting me?”
“I would still love you, Harry!” stated Ginny with fierce determination. “The things I like the least about you is your fame. I fell in love with the man that is in here.” She placed her hand over his heart.
He tightened his embrace and kissed her hair. “Thank you!”
“I would have loved to have met your parents. They were supposed to be the perfect couple. You do realize that Lily and James Potter are as famous as you are, except for different reasons. They are the wizard’s equivalent to the perfect husband and wife.”
Harry snorted at her comment. “That’s ironic! My mum hated my dad when they first met. He was madly in love with her, but she almost wouldn’t talk to him. The perfect husband and wife, you say.”
His voice was harsh, and it caught Ginny off guard. She was taken aback by his comment. “Are you suggesting that they didn’t love each other?”
“No, what I am saying is they almost never got together. I don’t know why they did, but for six years my mum barely talked to my dad. She was actually best friends with Professor Snape. At least, I think they were just friends.”
Ginny was so shocked by what Harry had just said that she couldn’t even think of a response; Lily Potter in love with that greasy-haired git of a Potions master. “Harry, how do you know that?”
“I viewed Snape’s memories at the final battle. He showed me why he became a spy. He wanted Voldemort to spare my mother when he was going to kill me, but she refused to move aside. When he killed her, her sacrifice protected me from him. That is why I defeated him.” Harry said these things with a calm matter-of-fact tone.
“Please don’t question the past like this, Harry. I believe your parents were meant to be together. They were deeply in love, and they passed that love onto you.” She pulled his face down to look into his eyes while saying this. “Trust me, Harry; fate has a funny way of working. I waited on someone, who barely noticed that I was alive, for years. I have no doubts that we were meant to be together, just like your parents.”
Harry pulled her up to him and they started to snog. As it became more heated, Ginny pushed him away. “Please not in front of your mum and dad.”
“All right,” he laughed. “Let’s go up and visit the graves.” They turned and walked through the kissing gate. “Thank you! You have helped me with that doubt about my parents, and I do believe we are meant to be together, Ginerva Weasley.”
Reaching his parents graves Harry stood there and looked at them. The flowers he had put on during his last visit during the summer had wilted. The headstones and gravesite were well kept otherwise.
“Mom. Dad.” Harry said in calm tone, as though he was talking to two actual live people rather than graves. “I brought someone with me tonight. Someone who I’d like you to meet.” Harry stopped talking and pulled Ginny into a tight embrace. The tears that had been threatening to spill from her eyes every time she thought of Harry bringing her here were now flowing down her face. “If you were still — a — live. I would have brought her home to meet you. But you’re not. So, I must do this instead.” Harry was crying now. “I love her. I think you would love her to.” He stopped to wipe his eyes. “We want to get married one day…. I don’t know when…. She will make a wonderful mother to your grandchildren, because she has had a wonderful example…. I wish….I wish you were still here.”
They stood there crying and holding onto each other. Ginny was so overwhelmed that Harry had said those things about her. He didn’t say anything that they hadn’t talked about before, but the words were so sincere and deeply felt. The idea of not having parents to bring the love of your life home to was heart wrenching.
“Thank you, Ginny, for coming here with me. It meant so much to me for you to be here.”
“I am here for you. What you said tonight was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard. I love you!” They pulled each other into a deep passionate kiss.
“Like you said love, not in front of my parents.” Ginny started to giggle when he said that. “I suppose we should get back to Hogwarts.” They turned to walk away. Harry stopped and pointed his wand at the flowers on the grave. He cast a spell he learned from Neville on the dead flowers, with a flash they turned into permanent live flowers.
“What was that!” Shouted a gruff voice from behind a tombstone, suddenly several heads appeared from behind various tombstones.
Ginny felt Harry tense up. She silently pulled her wand out of her holder on the side of her leg. Neither one of them spoke, even though they were under the invisibility cloak and had a Silencing Charm cast on it.
“Shut up, we will never be able to capture Potter if you keep making noise like that.” Another person hissed at the first one.
“How do you know he will be here tonight?”
“I don’t know for sure. This is the anniversary of his parent’s death. I thought he would come and visit…What happened to those flowers. Someone’s been here. Quick start searching the cemetery.” The leader yelled at his cohorts.
“Ginny, when I draw them away, you Apparate to the Hogs Head. I’ll meet you there in a sec.” ordered Harry, even though he barely spoke above a whisper.
“No, Let just walk out of here.”
“They might see the grass move. We will stand here, unless they…”
“Homonum Revelio!” shouted the supposed leader.
Ginny felt Harry push her hard to the ground. She almost hit her head on a granite marker.
“Flagrate Orbitum!” shouted Harry.
Ginny looked up and saw the area around them engulfed in a circle of flames. She looked for Harry and didn’t see him at first until he crawled between two headstones across from her. As soon as he disappeared, the circle of flames also disappeared. The other people started to shout spells, and they flew all around the area above her. She laid as flat as possible for fear that a stray spell would hit her.
“Furnunculus! Furnunculus! Furnunculus!”
She heard Harry fire off three spells. They must have hit their marks, because she heard three people scream out in pain.
“My face, my face,” shouted two of the attackers.
“There he is, running for the woods,” shouted another.
“All right! You three forget about your bloody face and Apparate in front of him. You need to cut him off from getting into those woods,” ordered the man who was obviously the leader. “We will Apparate behind him and cut off his retreat.”
Ginny suddenly became very nervous. Are these people trying to kill him?
“Remember! No killing curses. We want him alive and they don’t seem to work on him. All right, Let’s go!”
She heard six distinct pops. Sitting up she looked out over the field towards the woods. She saw a spell fire all over the field. Without hesitation, she stood up and started to run to the spell fire. The Invisibility Cloak hindered her running, but she didn’t want to take it off. It would give her the advantage of surprise.
Ginny was gasping for breath by the time she had neared the place where the spell fire had occurred. It had ceased when she was three-quarters of the way there. She feared the worse that Harry had been captured. Slowing down, she was surprised to see all the attackers sitting in the woods. They appeared to be huddled around something or someone.
Moving as quietly as she could for fear that, they might hear her foot falls, she crept up on the circle. She couldn’t see who was on the ground in the middle of the circle, but she couldn’t wait to see of it was Harry.
“Stupefy!” She fired off a curse and a man was thrown violently across the circle. As the man fell, she could see the person on the ground was one of them with huge boils all over his face. They all turned and started to fire hexes and curses in her direction. She suddenly realized that every time she fired a curse it was a give-away to where she was located.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Harry appeared at the side of the Hogs Head Inn. He immediately started to laugh. The people he was dealing with were no mental giants. They were shouting directions and orders so loudly that he could hear them a hundred metres away. He had kept a shield up just in case they tried to curse him. When he heard the first crack of Apparition, he turned on the spot and landed here. All he had to do is find Ginny and take her back to the castle.
He looked down the both alleys by the pub. No Ginny. He started to walk around. Surely, she has had time to Apparate here, even if she had to run, before Apparating. After about five minutes, Harry went inside to check with Aberforth.
“Ab, Hey Ab!” he shouted. The bartender came out of the back room.
“Yeah, what do you want?” asked the gruff bartender.
“Have you seen Ginny?”
Ab cocked his head at Harry and asked. “What’s the matter Potter, can’t you take care of your women folk?”
“Did she come in here within the past ten minutes?” shouted Harry.
“No,…” was all that he had to say to Harry, who immediately disappeared.
Harry heard shouts and cries coming from his left, when he reappeared by the woods at Godric’s Hollow.
After Disillusioning himself, he ran in that direction. Remembering the case, he had worked on two weeks ago, Harry used a similar technique and carefully wove his way in behind the sounds of the attackers. As he got closer to the battle, he saw four men firing curses at Ginny who was trapped behind a tree. Then he saw the other two men weaving their way through the woods across from Ginny. If he didn’t attack soon, they will overpower her.
Ginny was still under the cloak which made it harder for the wizards to find her, and him. He will need some luck not to curse her. He took off at a sprint through the lines of attackers. As he passed them, he quickly shot curses at them.
He drew fire from all the attackers, but he was too quick for them. He was gone and behind a tree before they could return fire. He was hoping that he could draw the fire from Ginny and give her time to escape. He ran through the attackers again. He hit one person with a Stunning curse, and another with a Confundus Charm. Again, he drew all their firepower, He was about to Apparate when he heard Ginny attacking from the other direction.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Ginny saw all the attackers point their wands in her direction, even the one on the ground. She did the only thing she could think of and flatten herself out on the ground. Curses flew over top of her colliding with trees; she crawled on her hands and knees to escape. They started firing stunners randomly around her. She had no choice. She will need to put up a shield charm and give herself away or take a chance at being hit by a stunner.
The decision was made for her as a twig caught an edge of the cloak and exposed her left arm to the attackers.
“There she is! Attack!”
“Protegro!” shouted Ginny, as five stunners collided with her shield. She stood up behind a large beech tree and returned fire. She was quick and strong enough to hold off six wizards, but it didn’t leave her with any chance of escaping. She couldn’t move for fear of exposing her back to the attackers.
Suddenly someone else was attacking. She couldn’t see them, but spells were being fired out of nowhere into the area of her attackers. No sooner had they started fighting than they disappeared. She knew it was Harry. She couldn’t see him, but she knew he was there.
Another round of attacks by this mysterious person was causing even more confusion among the attackers. She became so emboldened by this that she moved from behind the tree and started firing spells at the attackers.
A hand grabbed her shoulder and slammed her against a tree. A silvery shield appeared around the tree and them. The spells couldn’t penetrate it. She watched as Harry lifted the Disillusion charm. He was furious with her. “I told you to Apparate out of here,” he said as loudly as he could and not be overheard.
“I came to help you, you git!” she shouted right back at him.
“You want to help! Go to the Ministry and get the Aurors. I think this is the same group that kidnapped Fudges granddaughter,” Harry shot back at her.
“You go! I’ll stay and fight.”
“Stop being so damn stubborn and do as I tell you.” He was almost screaming at her.
“You’re an arse, Potter,” whispered Ginny just before she Apparated, but not to the Ministry.
She knew the Ministry had had a Halloween party tonight, and she wouldn’t be able to get in quickly. Therefore, she went to get someone who could get in quickly.
She appeared outside of the Burrow’s wards. She ran to the front door. Without even knocking, threw the door front door open and started to shout. “Mum! Dad! Mum! Dad!” The sound of a bedroom door banging open quieted her. She ran to the stairs to see her partially clothed father pointing his wand at her and her mother had a divan wrapped around her. Trying to control the queasy feeling in her stomach, she told them about the attack at Godric’s Hollow.
“Dad, Harry and I have been attacked at Godric’s Hollow. He is trying to contain them. He thinks it’s the group that kidnapped Fudge’s granddaughter. Can you contact the Aurors and send them out straight away?” gasped Ginny. She was still winded from the running and fighting at Godric’s Hollow.
Mr. Weasley ran as he finished pulling his robe on. Ginny quickly turned around, not wanting to see that much of her father.
“We will talk about why you and Harry were at Godric’s Hollow, when you should be in school, when I get back, young lady!” stated Mr. Weasley firmly before stepping into the Floo.
Ginny relaxed and started to walk towards the door to return to Harry.
“Stop right there young lady,” demanded her mother. “Why were the two of you out there?”
“Harry wanted to take me out to his parents’ home and grave. He wanted to show me that side of him,” she said cheerfully. “He said some wonderful things. We were at his parents’ graves. He said that he thinks I would be a wonderful mother to their grandchildren, because I have had a wonderful example in you.”
“He didn’t. Not yet,” gasped her mother. She grabbed Ginny left hand and then breathed a sigh of relief.
Ginny noticed this and realized that she knew something about Harry’s plans. “What shouldn’t he have done, Mum? Hmm, why did you grab that particular hand?”
“Nothing, I mean you two shouldn’t have been out there tonight. What will Minerva think when she finds out?”
“Harry said that he could get me back in the castle undetected. Your hiding something from me aren’t you. Harry is planning to ask me to marry him! Isn’t he?” she gleefully shouted.
“How would I know, dear? Why don’t you get back to him? I am sure Arthur has contacted the Aurors by now. I’ll talk to Arthur about this,” offered her mother. Ginny could tell she was nervous about something.
“What don’t you want Dad to find out about? Harry talking about my future with him, is that it?”
“Ginny leave!” she demanded. “If you do not then you will probably not get a chance to return to Harry. Your father is very upset, dear. Now out with you!” Mrs. Weasley shushed her out the back door.
Ginny walked to the edge of the wards and was about to Apparate when she saw her irritated father step out of her back door; with a pop she was gone.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Ginny had just Apparated away. Harry dropped the shield and attacked the other wizards. He noticed the wizard that he Confunded was staggering around unsure what to do with his wand at his side. Harry noticed that several wizards were closing in on him. He ran between the Confunded wizard and them. He fired a Stinging curse at the Confunded one, who started to fire curses at the other two wizards. Noticing this he started to run between the trees Confunding one wizard and shooting a Stinging hex at them before running away to watch these wizards attack one another.
He was starting to wonder if Ginny had made it into the Ministry when the leader of the group started to sort things out. Harry hid himself among some underbrush watching the confusion. He needed to act now if he wanted them to be here when the Aurors arrive. Running away from his cover he started to rapid fire Stunning Curses at them. He hit two of them before they could react. He was quickly caught up in a full out battle. Even though these wizards were not well trained, they still outnumbered him and could soon finish him. He kept moving to his right into the woods. As he did this, the other wizards couldn’t move around him. One tried to Apparate but misjudged where he was reappearing and Splinched himself against a tree. Harry realized that he was down to three left.
The odds of the battle were getting better. He was moving from one tree to another. He had learned from his training that to keep yourself from being hit you should move in irregular movements: quick one time slow another. He was also moving occasionally to his left then back to the right. The curses were missing him and smashing into the trees around him showering him with splinters. He Stunned another and started to move towards the other two when he saw five Aurors moving through the woods towards him. Within a minute the last two were Stunned and incarcerated.
He walked out of the woods and waited for the other Aurors, collapsing down onto the ground with exhaustion. The emotions of the night and the battle he was just in had him knackered. The lead Auror stood over him asking questions about the incident. He told Harry to write a report, and Owl it tomorrow evening. As he was leaving, another Apparition pop was heard.
Harry looked up and saw Ginny running towards him. His anger with her bubbled up again. “Why didn’t you Apparate when I told you,” he shouted at her. She stopped and stared at him in shock. “You could have been captured. I told you to leave as soon as I drew them away. Didn’t I?”
“I don’t need you to protect me, Potter. I can take care of myself. You always have to play the bloody hero! Don’t you!” she shouted back at him.
He stood up and grabbed her arm. “I am tired, and we need to get you back to the castle.”
“Let go of me!” Ginny struggled to pull her arm away from him.
“No! You must side along with me,” he ordered her. He was tired of her constantly fighting him about everything. “If you want to find your own way into the castle, then fine you go alone.” He took his hand off her arm.
Ginny stood there and glared at him. “Fine, if you insist, but we are not done with this conversation.”
Harry took her arm and with a pop, they were no longer at Godric’s Hollow. He released her arm and walked away from her. They were in some old dilapidated building. “Why didn’t you listen to me?”
“Because., I am capable of taking care of myself! Why didn’t you let me draw them away and you Apparate to safety?”
“Because I am a better dueler,” he stated with finality.
“Hah, you think you are better. You’re an arrogant toe-rag!”
Harry stood there in shock that she had said that. It wasn’t the indignation of the insult, but the fact the only other person he had heard say that was his mother talking about his father.
Ginny pulled her wand out and pointed at him. “Come on, let get on with this. Get your wand out.”
“No, Ginny, I don’t want to duel with you. I duel as often as you play Quidditch. There is no reason for this,” he said while holding his hands up in front of him in mock surrender.
“Either take out your wand or stand there and get hexed. I am tired of you acting like I am some defenseless girl who can’t take care of herself.”
Her wand was pointing at his face, but Harry didn’t flinch. He could see the tip starting to glow. Suddenly a hex shot from the tip of it. Before it could contact his face, a silvery shield formed from his hands. It was domed shaped and the hex bounced off it and reflected back into Ginny’s face.
She stared at him with a shocked expression before Bat-Bogeys erupted from his nose. She seemed so gobsmacked by what had happened that she didn’t even break her hex for several seconds. After she did, she still stared at Harry. “You did noverbal wandless magic!”
“I told you my Shield Charms have been improving. Ginny, I have been training in those types of situations. I wasn’t trying to be a hero. In fact, as soon as I heard those prats Apparate, I also Apparated. I was standing at the Hogs Head waiting for you, before I realized you were still there. Why didn’t you trust me?”
“I am so use to you playing the hero, Harry. You never planned on fighting them, until I did?”
“No. I didn’t want to take a chance of us being captured.”
“I’m sorry. I‘ll try to trust your judgment in the future.” She said with a defeated tone. Looking around the room, she noticed the broken furniture and various stains and marks. “Where is this place?”
“We are in the Shrieking Shack. There is a tunnel over there that will take us back inside of Hogwarts. We should go before anyone notices that you are gone,” he said as he pointed to hole in the floor. They started to walk towards it when Ginny stopped.
“I am sorry I spoilt your evening Harry. I loved going out there with you. To be able to share a moment like that with you was very special to me. You do know I love you. Sometimes I think too much for my own sanity, but I can’t help it.” She stopped talking and kissed him.
Harry pulled her close to him. The feel of her against him made him forget everything that had happened tonight. The only thing he could think of was the love and tenderness they are sharing at this moment.
Chapter 22: Chapter 22 November Rains
Harry appeared outside of Hogwarts’ gates. It was a miserable morning. The weather had turned cold and wet overnight and the air was filled with a fine mist. He walked through the gate and saw Ginny standing there, with her heavy cloak pulled up over her head. He could tell it was her by the way she was standing; the sight of her chin and graceful neck, and the copper coloured hair surrounding her neck left no doubt it was she. Her breath was forming a misty cloud covering the rest of her face. Pulling his cloak tighter around him he walked over to her. “Hey love, been here long?”When she looked up at him, she appeared as if she hadn’t slept last night. “Not long. Really,” she assured him, before hugging him.
Harry knew she had been there for some time. He was a half hour late from when he normally shows up. He tightened his embrace when he noticed that she was shivering. “Let’s go inside and get something warm to eat, love. You’re freezing!”
“Not yet,” said Ginny, as she pulled away from him. “I need to apologize...”
“For what?”
“For not trusting you. For acting like a two-year-old and wanting to duel with you.”
“You already apologized for that last night, Ginny.”
“I know, but I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about how you had taken me out there and made me feel such a large part of your life...”
“Because you are!”
“Then I get stupid and almost get us captured or worse by those Death Eaters. You had everything figured out, but I refused to believe you. If I had just done what you told me to do...”
“Relax, I don’t understand why you are so wound up about this?” Harry had grabbed her shoulders so he could get a good look at her. She had dark circles under her eyes and she truly looked as if she hadn’t slept last night.
“Because, how many more of these temper tantrums is it going to take before you walk away from me!” she said miserably.
Harry pulled her into an embrace and kissed her forehead. “As long as you still love me, I won’t be walking away. So why don’t you just relax and let’s get breakfast. Afterwards, you can go back to bed...”
“But you can’t come with me,” Ginny whispered into his chest.
Harry froze for a second when she said this. He wasn’t sure if she had intended for him to hear it or not, so he ignored it. “Let’s go love, and get breakfast,” he said and held out his hand to her.
She took it and they started to walk towards the castle. “What are you planning to do this morning?” she asked.
“Studying, reading, all types of exciting stuff,” he replied.
“Then let’s find a sofa in the common room where I can get some sleep. I don’t want to be separated from you today, not after the things you said last night. You did mean those things, didn’t you?”
“What? What I said before the Snatchers showed up?”
“Snatchers?”
“Yes, they were Snatchers that had gone into hiding after Voldemort fell. They have been surviving by stealing, and they are the ones that kidnapped Fudge’s granddaughter.”
Ginny stopped walking and looked at him. Her eyes locked onto his. “What you said about us having a family and me being a good mother...”
“Every word, Ginny, from the bottom of my heart,” he replied, while looking into her eyes. He could see the fatigue leaving her face and happiness replacing it.
“Thank you! Shall we go get something to eat? I am feeling like Ron this morning, I am so bloomin’ hungry.” She turned and started walking towards the castle. Harry took a few steps then stopped and tugged in her hand to turn her towards him. Ginny gave him an annoyed look. “We are never going to get to breakfast if we stop to talk every few steps,” she grumped.
“I have to know! Why did you call me an arrogant toe-rag last night?” he asked.
“Because I thought you were acting like one, Why?”
“I never heard you use that expression before...”
“What can’t I increase my vocabulary?” she joked. “Besides, it is an old expression.”
“I know. The only other time I heard someone use that expression was in one of Snape’s memories. My mum called my dad that! I think it was her opinion of him for several years.” Harry finished talking and Ginny stood there searching his eyes.
“I am not your mother Harry,” she stated firmly. “That isn’t why you like me is it?”
“No! Not at all. It was strange that after visiting my parents’ graves we started to act like them,” he assured her. “I love you for who you are. The main thing you and my mother have in common is your red hair.” Ginny seemed to be relieved by this and they finished their walk up to the great hall uninterrupted.
When they had reached the warm confines of the castle, Ginny had become increasingly fatigued. She leaned heavily on Harry as they walked in and sat down at the table. Harry was serving her, asking what she wanted, and he was even feeding her. They sat there virtually alone. There were only a dozen other students in the hall. Most of the students were still sleeping after last night’s party. Ginny had finished eating and was almost curled up on Harry’s lap. She had pulled her feet up under her, her knees were across his leg and she wrapped both her arms around his left with her head on his shoulder. Harry sat there trying to eat with one hand but enjoying the situation too much to complain.
“Miss Weasley, Mr. Potter, I would like a word with you!” demanded the Headmistress. Harry looked up at Professor McGonagall and nearly choked on his food. He could tell by her stance that this wasn’t a request. He could always tell if she was upset, by the tightness of her lips. Right now, they weren’t visible, and her eyebrows were pinched so tight that the crease between them looked like it was made by a knife. Harry elbowed Ginny who had fallen asleep.
“What?” she groggily said. “Oh, Headmistress, I am sorry I guess I didn’t get much sleep last night, to busy patrolling the halls.”
“Oh really,” came the Headmistresses clipped response. Her words were terse, and it sounded like she was straining to keep from yelling at them in the great hall. “Well, we should all go to my office and discuss last night’s activities. Follow me,” she turned and started to walk away at a brisk pace.
Ginny jumped up and started to follow with Harry right behind her. They both knew they were in trouble. Somehow, she had found out about the incident at Godric’s Hollow. They moved through the castle quickly and were entering the Headmistress’ office, before they realized it.
“Sit!” she told them. They complied and waited for the explosion. “Do you know what I like to do on Sunday mornings?” Harry could tell it was a rhetorical statement, so he didn’t reply. “I like to sit up here and read the morning paper from front page to back. It is a nice break from everyday demands of this position.” Her words would have been pleasant if it wasn’t for the icy way that she said them. “Imagine my surprise this morning when I look on the front page and see; ‘Harry Potter does it again’.” Her voice became a little louder with the last statement. “Here it says that you, Harry, had captured the Snatchers who had kidnapped Cornelius’ granddaughter at Godric’s Hollow. A most noble deed, I must say. However,” she nearly shouted this last word. “Imagine my shock when I read that he was assisted by his girlfriend, Ginny Weasley.” The headmistress was now standing and shouting at Ginny. “The same Ginny Weasley who is the Head Girl at Hogwarts School. The same Ginny Weasley that I rely on to help with discipline and security around this school wasn’t even within a hundred kilometres of this school.”
Professor McGonagall stopped yelling and sat back down. She sat there and stared daggers at the two of them. Harry glanced over at Ginny and admired how she sat there with her chin up waiting to hear what her detentions would be.
“I will resign as Head Girl, Professor. I am sorry,” said Ginny. Her voice was shaky, and Harry could tell that she was fighting back tears. The Head Girl position was a shock to her, but she was proud to get it because Bill had been a Head boy, and, well, also Percy.
“No, you won’t. However, I cannot allow this type of activity to go unpunished,” she said with a slightly subdued tone. “What has me so upset is you were able to do this without me finding out. If it hadn’t made the newspaper, then I would have never known that you were off the grounds.” She sat back behind her desk and studied the two teens. Harry reached over and took Ginny’s hand to comfort her. “I have made my decision,” stated the Headmistress. “I will not be giving either one of you detentions.” Both Harry ad Ginny sat up in their chairs shocked at this announcement. “However, what I am going to do instead will be even worse for the two of you. Harry, you are not a student here. You enter this building with my permission. Therefore, for the next month you will not be permitted on the grounds except for fifteen minutes before and after classes...”
“No!” shouted Ginny. “That is unfair!”
“Silence, Miss Weasley or I shall make it two months. There will be an escort meeting you at the main gate every day and one to ensure you leave. I will also expect the two of you to act with proper conduct when in the halls, and on the grounds. Is that understood?”
Harry sat there feeling miserable. He didn’t need to look at Ginny to see that she was hurt by this. It was worse than a detention. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand as they sat there.
“I asked is that understood.”
“Yes Professor,” they answered in unison.
“Very well, Harry this is Sunday and you have no classes. You need to leave, and I don’t want to see you until 8:45 tomorrow morning.” The Headmistress had stood up and walked around her desk waiting for them to stand up. Harry and Ginny stood up and took the lead down the stairs and out into the hallway, with the Headmistress trailing along behind. They walked holding hands, but not saying anything all the way to the gate. When they reached the gate, Harry and Ginny stood there in the cold rain and stared at each other with sorrow filled eyes. He leaned down to kiss Ginny goodbye, but Professor McGonagall cleared her throat to let them know that would be unacceptable. When Harry pulled away from her, Ginny turned and quickly walked towards the castle without a word.
“Harry, I know you have ways of entering the castle undetected. Please do not do that! I would hate to have to expel you, after promising to help you become an Auror. Things would have been different if the need to leave was greater than just going to Godric’s Hollow, but it wasn’t. I told you that I would treat you as any other student. Regardless of your contributions,” she said sadly.
Harry walked outside of the Wards and stared at his old Transfiguration teacher. He could tell that she wasn’t happy about this situation, but he had forced her hand with his actions at Godric’s Hollow.
He appeared on the stoop of Grimmauld Place. Opening the door, he walked straight to a writing desk and started a letter to Ginny. He apologized for causing her this trouble and asked for her not to be too angry at the Headmistress. She could have expelled both for what they had done. It will be difficult, but if they could make it through thirty days with only casual contact with each other, then their relationship would go back to normal. He retrieved his owl Dobby and sent the letter off to Ginny.
As soon as the owl left, he realized that he needed to contact Carmen. They were going to meet this afternoon to work on Auror cases. He started writing another letter but couldn’t send it until Dobby returned. After finishing that letter, he pulled out another piece of Parchment and started writing about the incident last night. He was told to submit a report. He was a little nervous about this, because all the other reports he has worked on were old cases, but this case would depend on his report. He nervously started scratching out his observations.
Two hours later he was done. Just in time for a barn owl from Hogwarts to drop a letter off from Ginny. He had tried to catch it, but it was gone before he could tie his letter to Carmen on its leg.
Harry unrolled the parchment from Ginny. The first words were: I HATE THAT BITCH! Followed by, I am sorry for making a mess of last night, then finally at the end of the long letter. I don’t know how I am going to survive not being able to touch you, hold you, and kiss you, Harry.
Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Change of Partners
Harry nervously stood on the stoop of his home. He was afraid of the mood that Ginny would be in when he reached Hogwarts. She wouldn’t be angry with him, but at any professor who was assigned to follow them and keep them on their best behaviour.The letter he received from her yesterday was an expletive filled rant about how much she hated the school, and in particular Professor McGonagall. Merlin only knows what type of mood that sexy redhead was in today. He might need to calm her down to keep her from being expelled, if she hasn’t controlled her temper by now.
With a turn, he appeared in the shadow of Hogwarts gates. Ginny was standing on the other side smiling serenely at him. The sight of her with a smile on her face caught him so unaware that he hesitated and shook his head to check if this was an illusion.
Ginny must have seen his reaction and laughed at him. “What’s wrong Harry? You land in the wrong place?”
“No,” he replied then stopped talking to think what to say. “I wasn’t sure if you would be waiting for me.” His response was so lame that Professor McGonagall, who was standing a few steps back behind Ginny, chuckled.
Ginny stretched out her hand to him and flexed it as though to grab something out of the air. “Let’s go dear, or we will be late for Potions,” she said with humor in her voice.
Harry walked through the gate and took her hand. She turned and they walked up towards the castle. When she turned without kissing him, Harry had a twitch in his heart. It was the first time in a long time that they didn’t kiss each other good morning. It was such an important part of the day, and he truly missed it. Add that feeling with the confusion over Ginny’s pleasant mood had his mind swirling. Ginny was acting as though this was perfectly normal and they weren’t being punished. He was afraid to ask anything with the Headmistress following them to ensure they behaved themselves.
They walked towards the large front doors of the castle; the only sound was the crunching of gravel beneath their feet. It was during this walk that Harry thought he felt something different. Ginny was holding his hand differently. It wasn’t the normal loose casual way she usually held it. She seemed to be caressing it with her hand, as though she was trying to feel every square inch of his hand with her fingers.
“I guess Carmen will be going to your home now, to study?” she asked him.
Harry stopped and turned towards her with fear running through him. He was expecting her to explode at him in a jealous rage. What he saw was a trusting face, and it caught him by surprise. “Well actually I was going to ask Hermione and Ron if we could go to their place to study,” he said shakily.
Ginny smiled at him and shook her head in apparent disbelief. “Harry, I trust you, and I trust Carmen.”
“You do?” was his response. He cringed after saying this so quickly.
“Yes. Harry. I do.” She tugged on his hand. “Let’s go or we will be late for Potions and we can’t afford to have any more points taken away from Gryffindor.” They both turned and continued towards the castle’s front doors. “Ron and Hermione would probably be ecstatic to have you come over to study.”
Harry heard regret in her voice, it was the first time that Ginny showed any sign of displeasure this morning. He shouldn’t think this, but normally she would have been jumping up and down ranting about the injustice of this detention, but she wasn’t. She seemed almost happy. If it wasn’t for that little bit of sadness coming through her voice when talking about studying with Ron and Hermione, he would have had no indication that she had written the things she did yesterday. “Who will you be studying with, Ginny?”
“No one, I’ll just spend all my extra time studying, now. It isn’t like I have anything else after Quidditch and Head girl responsibilities. Besides, I could always study with Walden if I get stuck on something.”
Harry stopped again and pulled her hand to look at her. It was a quick sudden reaction initiated by the jealous rage that was festering in him. He didn’t like the way Walden looked at her. He doesn’t care what anyone says. He does not trust Walden Ridgebit around Ginny.
“What’s wrong Harry? Jealous?”
“Yes, slightly, kind of, I don’t trust him.”
Ginny laughed and turned towards the castle. Harry followed along in silence as they walked up the steps to the castle. “I don’t plan on asking him, and I have basically studied alone most of my time here at Hogwarts’s.”
Harry glanced over and noticed sadness cover her face. He felt sorry for her.
“After all it was ‘my spy on the Boy-who-lived’ time, and I preferred to be alone.” Her voice was light and sounded as though she was teasing him.
When Harry looked at her out of the corner of his eye, he saw she was smiling. This eased some of the guilt that had welled up inside of him at the thought of having two great friends and Ginny being alone.... He suddenly remembered that Ginny was rarely alone. She was always with someone else. As he remembered Ginny from the past years, he realized that she had never had the exact same friends. She never had a Ron and Hermione, like he did. “You used to have plenty of friends Ginny…”
“None were very close,” she replied quickly. It was as though she knew he was going to ask that question. “Hermione was my closest. I have always had problems with trusting people with my — feelings, and girls always seem to want to know your deepest darkest feelings.” Ginny voice had become sad at this last statement.
Harry squeezed her hand tighter; if he was allowed, he would have stopped right now, hugged her, and kissed her. He felt sorry for her, now. He used to think that she was so popular, but now realized that all her friendships were casual. The problems with the diary in her first year, and her affections for him, probably were two things that she wouldn’t trust to some gossipy students. He used to think his life was so miserable, but he had Ron and Hermione; two good friends that he could trust with the deepest and darkest secrets in the world.
As Harry was thinking about Ginny’s predicament, they had reached the Potions classroom in the dungeon. Professor McGonagall had stopped walking behind them when they were in sight of the classroom door. They stepped through the doorway and found Ron and Hermione in the furthest table away from Madam Zabini’s desk. They had moved back there, after Harry’s private council with her in her quarters. His two true friends were looking at him and Ginny with different expressions. Hermione was doing a good impression of McGonagall, and Ron was smiling.
“I guess it wasn’t my influence that always landed you in detentions, Harry” laughed Ron. “I must say, your Dad must be proud of you.”
“Ron that is not funny,” scolded Hermione. “Harry what you did…”
“Don’t start on Harry, Hermione,” hissed Ginny. “I went with him. He asked me and I went willing. I am the one that acted irresponsibly, not him. That bitch is punishing me, not him.” Hermione’s went wide with Ginny’s statement.
Harry turned and looked at Ginny. That was the first time this morning that Ginny acted like the fiery tempered girl he knew she was. He must have been staring oddly at her because she turned to him with a miserable look on her face.
“I know what you are thinking, Harry. I am only acting like this doesn’t bother me. If I don’t, we could end up like this the rest of the bloody school year.” Her words were bitter and filled with anger, even though they were said barely above a whisper. Harry felt helpless, he wanted to console her, hug her, do anything, but all her could do was hold her hand.
“Ten points from Gryffindor,” stated Madam Zabini from behind them. “Don’t think I can’t see you in the back of my class. Every time I see you do something inappropriate, like holding hands, I will deduct points,” she happily said, before walking to her desk and sitting down.
They let go of each other and started to silently take out their potion equipment. For the rest of the class everyone worked in silence, Ginny kept reaching across Harry to pick up things that she needed. It was an obvious ploy to touch him. On several occasions, Madam Zabini stood up to stare at them, but the contact was so brief that she would sit back down without deducting points. Carmen only walked past their table twice and didn’t say anything, but on the second pass she laid a slip of parchment on the table beside Harry.
After they were leaving the Potions classroom, Harry looked at the parchment. It had two words “Study when?”
“What does it say,” asked Hermione as soon as they cleared the doorway. She instinctively waved at the Headmistress and Ginny went back into her happy and pleasant façade.
Harry handed her the note and took Ginny’s hand. “I wanted to talk to the two of you about this. Could I come to your flat for the next month to study, and could I bring Carmen over, when we have Auror assignments?”
“Which is always,” added Ginny.
Hermione hesitated before breaking out in a wide smile, “Of course Harry, you know we would love having you over.” She looked at her fiancé.
Ron was also beaming. “Blimey! Harry, do you need to ask, but why not your home?”
“I don’t want to give out the location to too many people,” he whispered, as they walked through the halls. He noticed their expressions. “I trust her, but the less people who know where I live the better. Besides, you had already asked me to study with you when you moved in.”
As they continued to the main gate, Hermione talked incessantly about when they would be studying, so that she could properly revise her and Ron’s study planner. Harry had only half listened to her as he kept thinking about leaving the school grounds for lunch. Greeting Ginny this morning without kissing her was torture, but to say goodbye without kissing her and holding her, was making his heart ache.
“I will be back after lunch for Transfiguration, Ginny,” he said with a brave voice.
“Bye!” was all she said as she dropped his hand and started walking back towards the castle without a backwards glance.
Harry stood there outside the gate watching her walk away. He knew that right now she was fighting back tears, and her heart was hurting as much as his. He also now knew why she was acting this way, and that hurt him even more than just missing her.
“Harry, where are you going to lunch?” asked an annoyed Ron.
“What?” responded a confused Harry?
“For the fourth time, where are you planning to go to lunch?”
“Home. I guess,” he mumbled. “Hadn’t really thought of it.” He turned from them and looked back towards the castle.
“Why don’t you come to our place for lunch?” asked Hermione. “We could start planning for tonight.”
Harry turned back to his friends and gave them a weak smile. “Sure, sounds brilliant,” he said, even though his voice was weak and unsure.
They Apparated to an alley by the flat and walked the half a block to the house. They went up the three flights of stairs, and Hermione started pulling together a quick meal. The entire time she was busy in the kitchen area, Ron tried to engage Harry in conversation at the table. He sat there and barely responded to him, many times keeping his response to a few simple sentences. Hermione sat a bowl of soup and a sandwich in front of each of them.
“Yes, Ronald, there is more on the stove,” she sighed before he could even ask. She sat down directly across from Harry and stared at him with a penetrating gaze. “Harry, why did you go to Godrics Hollow? Was it something concerning Voldemort?”
“No, it wasn’t,” he responded. “I wanted to take Ginny out to meet my parents and …”
“But they are dead!” stated Ron in shock. When Harry and Hermione looked at him, he shook his head. “Once an insensitive wart, always an insensitive wart, I guess.” Was his statement, before he tore off a large piece of the sandwich in a single bite, at the sound of Harry and Hermione’s laughter.
Chapter 24: Chapter 24 A Plan Backfires
Harry walked up the gravel path to Hogwarts holding Ginny’s hand. The past week of detention had been horrible. Professor McGonagall had dogged his steps every day. He couldn’t do more than say hello, goodbye, and hold hands. Today though Hagrid had been assigned to escort him to and from classes, Harry didn’t want to get his friend in trouble, but he wanted to do more than just hold hands with Ginny. They were almost to the Potions classroom, when Harry spoke to his large friend. “We are here now, Hagrid. You don’t need to worry about us skiving off this class.”“’arry, I am supposed to escort you and make sure you two behave yourselves. I didn’t mention anything about skiving off classes,” responded Hagrid.
Ginny had looked at Harry, with a raised eyebrow, when he first spoke. “Hagrid, are you going to sit with us in class, too?” she teased.
“No. well, I suppose I could just leave you off ‘ere, but I don’t want to ‘ear any reports about you two snogging each other in the ‘all. Is that clear!” demanded the half-giant.
“Thank you,” said Ginny, as she hugged him around the midsection. Harry watched as Hagrid smiled down at her. There was genuine affection for her, the type formed out of respect.
Harry and Ginny watched Hagrid walk away as they stood just metres from the Potions classroom’s door. As soon as he turned the corner of the hallway, there was a swish of silvery fabric. Harry covered Ginny and he with the Invisibility Cloak. Before it had settled down around them, he grabbed her and smashed his lips onto hers. She was shocked at first by his action, but quickly responded with the same intensity, by grabbing his hair and shoulder and using it to pull herself up on him so she could wrap her legs around his waist.
Harry teetered on his feet and fell back against the wall, while clutching her to him. He could taste the hint of blood on his lips, but that didn’t lessen his passion. He had missed her so much that it hurt physically. Having her now in his arms returning his passion was making his head spin. He could feel her body pressing against his; the warmth of it increasing the intensity of the moment. The way she moved and shifted on him as she turned her face made him wish that they could do more than just snog.
Ever since the night that they snogged before he went to Zabini’s quarters, he has been having dreams of doing so much more than just snogging. He wanted to touch her and make love to her, even though he had promised to wait. There was no more fear or uncertainty about this in his mind, he knew he was ready. No, he desired to make love to this beautiful sensuous woman in his arms. With these thoughts running through his mind and Ginny’s warm body clutched to his in this tight embrace, he started to react.
“Ginny, love,” Harry whispered so that no one passing by could hear him under the cloak. When he pulled his lips away from hers, she didn’t stop the assault on him. She started to run kisses down his neck. He had to concentrate to force back the moan of pleasure to this new sensation. He couldn’t control the reaction his body had to this, though. Ginny also felt it and pulled her face away from his neck. Her eyes were glazed, lips swollen, and her face was flushed. She didn’t look angry but had a look that he had never seen before. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking of him at this moment, but they couldn’t stay like this, because class was getting ready to start. “Love, we need to get to class.”
Ginny seemed to sag on him, as though this simple realization that there was something else to do in this world than snog had made her sad. She released the grip around his waist. As her feet touched the stone floor, Harry looked to see if anyone was in the hall before removing the cloak and returning it to the pocket in his robe. Taking her hand, they walked into the classroom without speaking to each other. Harry knew what he wanted to say to her, but he couldn’t or shouldn’t say it. He wanted to tell her how beautiful and exciting she was, how wonderful it was to hold her and touch her, and how he wanted to marry her, so they could make love every night for the rest of their lives.
When they walked up to the table that Hermione and Ron had saved for them, Ron’s eyes got big, his face red, and he started to say something, before Hermione placed a calming hand on his arm. She had taken out a handkerchief and gave it to Ginny and nodded to Harry to wipe his lips. Looking at Ginny, he realized why she had done this. Ginny’s lipstick was smeared, and he could only guess that he had some on his face too. They wiped the incriminating evidence from their faces with wordless direction from Hermione, while Ron stood there with a murderous look on his face. He supposed it had something to do with the lipstick and the fact that Ginny’s hair was slightly disheveled from him running his fingers through it. The thought of how her hair felt on his skin made the feelings from the hallway well up again. He quickly turned his thoughts back to his Potions class to try to suppress his desire for her.
The class was awkward with Harry and Ginny trying to avoid touching each other. Harry was sure he would want to grab her and start snogging, if they touched. He had even entertained the thoughts of chucking being an Auror and Ginny playing Quidditch. They could go someplace where no one could find them and live out the rest of their lives in each other’s arms. He smiled as he realized that neither one of them would be completely happy with a life like that. He would just have to control himself and learn to wait. A realization that made the wait seem bearable to him was that Ginny wasn’t going to chuck him for some other bloke, so he could wait.
As they were cleaning up their areas at the end of class, Carmen walked by with a smile on her face. “Ginny, did Harry tell you about Gawain’s criticism of your exploits?”
Ginny glanced at Harry with a questioning look. All he could do was shake his head. “No, he didn’t,” responded Ginny cautiously.
“He was reprimanded for messing things up. It seems that you misunderstood him, and that led to additional fighting,” Carmen said with a great deal of amusement. “The leader must always make sure that everyone on their team knows exactly what to do. Since you didn’t, it was his fault. Not yours!”
“Is that so!” stated Ginny as she stared at Harry. He hung his head in defeat.
“Thanks so much, Carmen!” was Harry’s sarcastic reply. “Ginny, I was going to tell you, but it never seemed like the right time.”
“Well, I can understand, Harry. It never seems to be the right time to embarrass yourself. Is it?” Ginny said sweetly.
Harry looked up and saw everyone at the table smiling at him. He shook his head and smiled back. “I am never going to hear the end of this. Am I?”
Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all responded at the same time. “Never!”
“I’ll just tuck this little bit of information away for the next time you start going on about how great of a wizard you are, Oh mighty Potter,” added Ginny. At this point everyone including Carmen openly laughed at Harry, and he joined in also. The bell sounded signaling the end of class, and everyone was scurrying to the door.
“Carmen, I won’t be in training all this week,” Harry informed her. “In fact, I may not be able to do any studying with you three at all.”
“Why is that?” questioned Carmen. Everyone else was staring at him waiting for an answer.
“I received an Owl from the Minister yesterday. I am to go to the Ministry starting this week and give depositions for various trials,” stated Harry. His tone was business like, because he wasn’t going to like doing this, but he had to do it anyway.
“What the hell is a deposition?” asked Ron. Hermione turned with a look on her face as though she was going to give Ron an earful.
“I go into a room with the ruling member of the Wizengamot and a solicitor from each side of the case and answer questions pertaining to the case. It seems this is what has held up the trails. The solicitors for the Death Eaters don’t want me to testify.”
“You should Harry. We all could give testimony,” stated Hermione.
“They are afraid that my testimony would be tainted with revenge, particularly against the Malfoy’s. With my present status in the community, they feel that if during testimony I would say that someone deserved to spend the rest of their lives in Azkaban then the Wizengamot would send them there. The Wizengamot still wants my testimony, so the deposition has been set up as a middle ground.”
“Hmmp, sounds like a lot of legal Troll dung to me,” grumped Ron.
“Yes, well it might be, but I need to leave the grounds,” Harry stated sadly. “So, I’ll see everyone when I can. I have no idea how long these things will last.” With that the four friends left the classroom, and Carmen turned towards the Potions office.
After meeting Hagrid outside of the Potions classroom, they all walked to the gate. Hermione kept asking him questions about the depositions, with Ron and Ginny adding a few questions to the onslaught. When they finally reached the gate, Hermione and Ron walked through it and Apparated home. Harry turned to look at Ginny. They both were gripping each other’s hand tightly.
“Well, ‘urry up, you two,” stated Hagrid. “I can’t block your view for too long.” He had stepped up to them, so that no one from the castle would be able to see them kiss goodbye.
Harry reached up and gently touched Ginny’s cheek. She leaned her face into his hand, as they kissed each other gently and lovingly. After breaking the kiss, he walked to the gate and turned to see her smiling at him and hugging Hagrid, before he Apparated to Ron and Hermione’s flat.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
“How did the depositions go this week, Harry?” asked Mr. Weasley.
Harry was at the Burrow for Sunday Dinner. It was only him and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley tonight. Mrs. Weasley had Owled him during the week and informed him that this weekend would be a good time to talk to Arthur about proposing to Ginny. She had prepared Arthur’s favourites for dinner; pork roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and chocolate cake for dessert. Harry was extremely nervous when he showed up barely saying anything. He couldn’t think of an easy way of bringing up the subject of asking for Ginny’s hand in marriage. Mrs. Weasley, though, seemed to have the entire night planned out for him. She brought him in and placed him by Arthur at the table and poured them some wine. The problem was now he had to think of small talk, until after dinner, when he was supposed to talk to Mr. Weasley, and ask for permission to ask Ginny to marry him.
“They were difficult,” he replied meekly.
“Why is that, dear?” Mrs. Weasley joined the conversation.
“The questions were not what I had expected, and I couldn’t just say what I thought. There were things I wanted to say, but neither solicitor asked the proper question.” Harry took a bite of food before speaking again. “Hopefully when this is all over, we will have justice in this country.”
“I am sure with Kingsley in charge now. We will,” confirmed Mr. Weasley. “He has been moving cautiously and carefully forward with these trials, with his guidance everything will be sorted out.”
“That’s good to know, Arthur,” offered Mrs. Weasley. “Harry, have you spoken to your relatives since they have returned home?”
He looked at the two people who he had considered more of parents to him then his Aunt and Uncle. He had looked up the Dursleys, yesterday, or more precisely he had gone to see Dudley. When they went into hiding, Dudley had treated him decently. It was awkward, but it was a step towards actually treating Harry like a human being instead of a freak.
Harry stood staring at Number four Privet Drive trying to pluck up the courage to walk up and knock on the front door. It wasn’t the fear of the past that kept him away, but the fear that they hadn’t changed while in hiding. He had learned that Uncle Vernon had returned to Grunnings in the same capacity as before. The person he most wanted to see was Dudley. He had hoped that he and Dudley could be civil to each other, so that he could somehow salvage some semblance of a relationship with his only blood relatives.
The house looked exactly the same as it did when he left it. He wondered as he stood across the street if it would ever look any different if he returned twenty years from now. As long as Aunt Petunia lived here, she would always decorate the house the same way and plant the same flowers in the garden every year. He walked across the street, through the front gate, and up the walkway to the front door. The time for action and to get this over with was now. He pressed the doorbell and heard it echo through the house.
The sound of people moving inside could barely be heard through the door. Uncle Vernon’s car was there, so probably both he and Aunt Petunia were home. He watched the sight glass, and when it became dark, he knew that someone was looking at him from the inside. He had half expected them to not open the door for him, so when the door suddenly flew open, he was surprised to see his aunt staring at him. She had a mixed expression. She seemed happy to see him, but she was also apprehensive.
“I — I heard you won,” she whispered to him, while standing with the door open. She seemed to be glancing over her shoulder towards the sitting room.
“Yes, Aunt Petunia, I won. We all won, although there were many losses,” he told her with a sad voice. “I was wondering if Dudley was here.”
“No, Dudley is at university now,” she said. “He is studying to be a detective,” she added brightly. Harry could tell she was very proud of her little Duddykins.
“Who’s at the blasted door, Petunia?” bellowed his Uncle from the sitting room.
She looked at Harry sympathetically before answering. “It’s Harry, Vernon.”
“WHAT!” He yelled. Harry could hear the crumpling of a newspaper and plodding of his uncle’s feet on the carpeted floor. He suddenly stuck his head around Aunt Petunia’s shoulder. “It is you,” he sneered at Harry. Petunia blushed slightly. “Well I think we have opened our home to you long enough”’ he laughed, as he pulled his wife out of the doorway and slammed it in Harry’s face.
Harry stood there on the stoop listening to his uncle laugh at his joke through the closed door. His uncle would never change, but his aunt seemed different towards him. She was sympathetic and actually concerned how he felt towards her husband’s bad manners. He turned and slowly walked towards the street. He had just walked past his uncle’s car when he heard someone call his name. Looking around he saw Aunt Petunia waving to him from around the back of the house.
“Harry,” she whispered. “Come here!” She was waving her arm to him and also kept glancing at the house. Harry walked to her, curious about what she had to say. “Is the monster that killed Lily gone?”
“Yes, Aunt Petunia, Voldemort is dead.”
She closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. Digging around in a pocket in her apron, she pulled out a piece of paper. “Here is Dudley’s address. He has asked about you, when we are alone. I am happy everything turned out for you. I — well — you know Vernon will never change his opinion, and he is my husband. Please write to Dudley and take good care of yourself. I am glad that my sister can rest in peace now.” She placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder, before turning and walking back around the side of the house.
Harry suddenly snapped out of his memories to realize that both of the Weasley’s were staring at him. “I visited them yesterday. I got my cousin’s address, and I am planning on writing him,” he sadly said.
The Weasley’s looked at each other and didn’t say anything. They continued eating in silence until the dessert was served. “Ed is very impressed with you, Harry,” stated Mr. Weasley suddenly.
“Who?”
“Ed. Eldred Rostis, he is an….”
“Rostis, I am sorry,” apologized Harry. “I never heard him called Ed before.”
“Well, my boy, don’t ever call him Eldred,” laughed the older gentleman. “He hates that name.” he took a bite of cake and slowly ate it before talking again. “His father was a Muggle. Last year when the Ministry fell, he fled for his life. I guess he did some resistance work and kept people sheltered from the snatchers the best he could. Ed is a very experienced Auror, and to have him talk about you the way he does; is no small compliment. So, you must be doing some good things in your training.”
Harry felt his face become warm. He could tell it was pink right now, because the Weasley’s looked at each other and smiled. “Of course, he was going to do well he defeated Voldemort,” stated Mrs. Weasley with great pride.
“Well, Molly, that is why Ed was originally concerned that he would be…” Mr. Weasley stopped talking and looked at Harry as though he had said something he shouldn’t. “…arrogant and act like everyone should worship him.”
“You mean like Gilderoy Lockhart used to be?” responded Harry. He and Mr. Weasley laughed at the statement, while Mrs. Weasley chuckled, and her face turned slightly pink with embarrassment.
“Well, why don’t the two of you retire to the sitting room with some wine, while I tidy up out here,” stated Mrs. Weasley as she stood up from the table. She handed Harry and Mr. Weasley their glasses and the rest of the wine before shooing them out of the kitchen.
Harry started to get nervous again. He had butterflies the size of Hippogriffs flying around in his stomach all day. How will he start the conversation? He can’t just come right out and ask if he could marry Ginny, after what Mr. Weasley said this summer. What should he talk about first? Should he talk about possibly having a good future at the Ministry? Should he talk about how he finally can relax and plan for a future, before talking about spending the rest of his life with Ginny?
“Have you bought Ginny a ring yet, Harry?”
Harry’s mind screeched to a halt with that statement. His mouth went dry. How did he know that was what this night was all about?
“Harry, I know how you feel about my daughter. I know how she feels about you. You are here having dinner with just Molly and I. She prepares my favourite foods and sends us off with a bottle of wine to talk. I think a troll can figure out the reasons behind everything. Have you bought Ginny a ring yet?”
“Y-yes sir,” stammered Harry.
Mr. Weasley smiled at him. “Nervous are we? Can I see it, or do you want her to be the first to see it?”
“No, I — er — yes, I guess you can see it. You don’t think she would be mad. If you do?” rambled Harry.
Mr. Weasley took a long drink of wine and smiled at him. “I see you are afraid of her temper. You’re a smart lad,” he chuckled. “She is so much like her mother. The people she loves the most seem to anger her the most. If you have noticed Molly doesn’t explode at everyone, just the people she loves, because she cares so passionately about them. Ginny is same way, Harry.” Harry opened his Moke skin bag and handed Mr. Weasley the ring box. He took it and sat down in his favourite chair and opened the box. He looked at the ring and then at Harry, before removing it from the box. He held it up and looked at it in the light scrutinizing the ring. Harry could see his eyes watering as he looked at it. “You — ah — picked a perfect ring for my daughter.” He wiped tears from his face and took another drink of wine. “I had wondered if you would have bought some huge big showy thing for her. She will love this.”
Harry let out a breath that he had been holding ever since he walked into the room with him. “Thank you! I am glad you like it. I hope Ginny will like it.”
“Harry, she will love it. A heart shaped ruby in a gold band would be perfect for her. Simple, beautiful, elegant, but not gaudy, everything I wanted Ginny to grow up to be, and it is even Gryffindor’s colours.” He had turned it and noticed the inscription on the inside. He started to look closer, but stopped. “I see an inscription, do you mind?”
“No, not at all,” responded Harry. He was a little embarrassed that Mr. Weasley was reading it. When he first bought the ring, he thought it would be a wonderful thing to put on it, but now he was having second thoughts.
“Harry’s heart,” read Mr. Weasley. He looked at the heart shaped ruby again and then at Harry. “So, when are you planning to ask her?”
“Christmas, at Kings Cross Station. Where we first met, she said she…”
“Fell in love with you,” Mr. Weasley finished for Harry. “Yes, I remember that day well.” He stood up and handed the ring back to Harry. While Harry was putting the ring back into the box, Mr. Weasley walked over to the wall where family pictures were hung. He picked a picture off the wall and sat back down staring at it. “That was the day that I realized that I had lost my little girl. The look in her eyes told me I was no longer as important to her. Having a daughter is different Harry. You can come home from work so tired that you don’t want to do anything more than to eat and go to bed. Then she comes out with a big smile on her face screaming ‘Daddy’s home’ and you want to do nothing else but make her happy and play with her the rest of the evening. You do that because of that look in her eyes, as though you are the greatest wizard on the face of the earth. You can be harassed all day long, but to have your daughter tell you she loves you makes it all go away.” He stopped talking and emptied his glass, before refilling it with wine. “She came home that day. She was only ten years old. Talking about some cute boy she saw on the platform, I knew then she would never see me the same way again. Imagine my surprise when I realized the little boy was actually Harry Potter.”
He handed the picture he had been looking at to Harry. The picture was of him and Ginny. She was maybe six years old with pig tails and was riding on his back. He would lower his head and stretch his arms out in front of him as though he was a broom before running wildly around the back garden. Ginny was giggling her head off, at his antics. They would fly like that before coming back close to the camera. Ginny would lean forward whisper something in his ear and kiss his cheek. Then the cycle would start all over again.
“When Molly took that picture, Ginny had told me that night that she would never marry anyone, and never grow up. She wanted to stay my little girl.” He laughed at the last statement and drank some more wine. “Then she comes home from seeing Ron off, jabbering away about this cute little boy. She couldn’t wait to grow up then.” He stretched out his hand to Harry, who handed back the picture. He looked lovingly at the picture again. Mr. Weasley stared at the picture for what seemed like a long time. Harry wanted to say something but didn’t because Mr. Weasley seemed to be too engrossed with the picture. “Take care of my little girl, Harry.” He said quietly. “Please.” He stood up and started walking from the room holding the picture in his one hand. “I am going to bed, now. I am feeling very old and tired.”
Harry stood up quickly. “Mr. Weasley,” when he turned to Harry. “I hope someday that I can experience the same thing you and Ginny have.”
Mr. Weasley walked back over to him and put a heavy hand on his shoulder. “I hope you do, my son.” With that statement, he turned and walked out of the sitting room.
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Harry walked across the Hogwarts grounds holding two muffins in his hand. He was under the cover of his invisibility cloak, and he was about to extract revenge on the two wankers who had harassed Ginny last year. Marion Gash and Percy Travers were two foul gits. When Harry first saw them, he thought they were brothers. They are both medium height, similar builds, with brown hair. Harry had been observing them ever since the first of the year, when he discovered how they had embarrassed Ginny last year. They weren’t bullies that attacked students. They reveled in the misfortunes of others.
He has been researching and devising a plan ever since that discovery. Today would be perfect to pull it off. It was Tuesday and he and Ginny would have DADA with those two. He just hoped his calculations and preparations would be perfect, so they don’t react to the muffins too soon. He had discovered a Potion in one of Carmen’s books. Dysentery Draught was a simple one to make but would give them a taste of their own medicine, if he had calculated it correctly for their weight. It is an extremely potent Potion, so he had reduced the amount he was using to just barely a drop per muffin. He had mixed it with the Crystalline Capture Potion so that it would form tiny crystals that resembled sugar that would slowly release the Dysentery Draught into their system. If everything works right, they will eat these muffins at breakfast, and they won’t feel anything until after noon.
Reaching the steps to the castle he slowly walked up and into the great hall. No one seemed to react when he walked in and pushed himself tight against the wall, so he could see the entire Slytherin table. He stood there staring at Gash and Travers, waiting for them to pick up their muffins. Every morning they would each eat a blueberry muffin, and all Harry had to do was wait until they put them on their plates so he could switch them with the ones he had in his hand. They picked their muffins and placed them on their plate, and as luck would have it, they turned their attention towards the entrance of the great hall. In a second Harry had switched both muffins.
He relaxed and turned to see what they were looking at; Ginny had walked into the hall. He watched her gracefully walk towards the Gryffindor table. Then he noticed that he wasn’t the only one watching her, nearly half the boys in the hall were watching her walk, including Walden Ridgebit. He stood up from the Ravenclaw table and walked towards Ginny. Harry left his position against the wall and followed him. Walden reached Ginny before she sat down.
“Ginny,” called Walden. “I was wondering if tonight we could study together.”
Harry felt like cursing him on the spot, but he was also worried that maybe Ginny had been studying with him, since he hasn’t been able.
“No Walden, I prefer studying alone,” she replied to him. Harry suddenly relaxed.
“You always studied with Harry.”
Ginny looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Yes, and what is your point?” She stated this so firmly that it left no doubt he had overstepped some boundary, and the Ravenclaw went back to his table.
Harry had to resist the urge to hug her, as he turned and walked out of the castle. The front gate was open. He took the chance that there wasn’t a tracer charm placed on it, and walked through it and Apparated away until it was time to return for classes.
When he returned after lunch, Ginny was waiting for him standing in front of Hagrid. Harry walked up to her and quickly kissed her hello. Hagrid turned and they walked towards the castle. Since Hagrid has been watching them he allowed them to kiss each other hello and good bye. He truly owed his large friend a big favor for doing this for him. They walked and talked all the way up to the castle. The mornings Auror training hadn’t been particularly difficult, even though he had missed almost two weeks of classes with the depositions. They were still going over spells that he had mastered and various cases. The only thing he was getting behind on was Magical Law statutes, but a weekend of intense studying and he should be back up to speed.
He and Ginny bid Hagrid goodbye outside of the DADA classroom. Harry almost smiled as he saw Travers and Gash walk towards the classroom looking a little peaky. From the looks of their faces the Potion was starting to release at the right time. He and Ginny took their normal seats and took out the homework that they were to have done. Professor Jones entered the room and closed the door. Harry heard a low moan being emitted from the area where Gash and Travers usually sat. He had to resist the urge to turn around and look for fear he might give himself away.
The class progressed as normal, it was a double period and as they were halfway through the second period, two loud moans filled the room. Harry turned to look as did most of the class. Gash and Travers were doubled over holding their stomachs in apparent agony.
“Professor, can we go to the infirmary,” asked Travers. “We must have eaten something bad for lunch.”
The Professor looked over at them and hesitated as though they might be faking. “I suppose you should go. You don’t look like you have had any Skiving Snackboxes.”
“Thank you!” groaned Gash, as they tried to stand up. The pain in their stomachs was so bad that they couldn’t straighten up. As they were walking out of the room a loud rumble could be heard from one or both of them. Their eyes immediately become huge, and they tried to run for the infirmary. They opened the door and stepped out into the hall when the Potion’s full effects hit. The sound was disgusting and the smell horrid as the two men lost control and soiled themselves. They started running towards the infirmary, but a few seconds later their distant moans told everyone in the class that the Potion had again worked.
Professor Jones stood near the doorway stunned. He didn’t seem to know what to do for a few seconds. The class was split between laughing and being totally disgusted. The Professor stepped towards the hall and started using Scourgify and Tergeo spells on the filth, while screaming for Filch. Harry smiled at how well the Potion worked. The timing couldn’t have been better, and by the time Madam Pomfrey checks them over all evidence of it in them will be gone. It should look just like they had bit of bad food.
By this time the class was mayhem as the Professor was busy cleaning up the filth in the hall. Harry looked at Ginny, hoping she had enjoyed the little bit of vengeance. The look on her face surprised him. She was glaring at him.
“I know you did that, Potter,” she hissed at him. She kept her voice low so no one else would hear. “Who told you? I guess it doesn’t matter, does it!”
“Ginny, what are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb with me!” she was having trouble keeping from shouting at him. “Did you even think what people will be saying now?” She stopped and stared at him for a second. Before he could say anything, she continued. “They will now remember how they harassed me last year. Soon everyone will be talking about my incident from last year, and how this is poetic justice for them. I will have to deal with that all over again, because of you, Potter.” With the last statement, she turned her back on Harry.
He looked around the class and saw several people looking at Ginny and whispering between themselves. He had never thought that this would happen. He thought that those two would know what it is like to be embarrassed in front of everyone. He was hoping that it would cause them to change their attitudes. He never thought that he would end up embarrassing Ginny in the process.
Professor Jones entered the classroom and told everyone that they were dismissed. Ginny stood up and waited for Harry. He stepped beside her, and they walked out the classroom together. They were leaving the classroom early so no one was there to escort him off the grounds. Ginny started walking in the direction of the entrance hall, with Harry quietly walking beside her. He was trying to think of something to say. He had only done this to make up for what they had done to her, and yet it turned out all wrong. Maybe revenge isn’t always the best thing, maybe he should have let it go and moved on as Neville had advised him. He was feeling pretty dumb right now that everything had turned out so wrong.
When they reached the gate, Ginny didn’t even act as though she wanted to touch him. “Hagrid isn’t here, so I don’t want to kiss you goodbye. Don’t want any more trouble for today, after what just happened,” she said to the ground.
“Ginny, don’t worry it will be as if they had a stomach flu.”
“How did you do it?” she asked then shook her head. “I don’t want to know. That isn’t a new item for the snack boxes is it?”
“No, it isn’t. Ginny, love, I am sorry if I caused you anymore pain,” he pleaded with her.
“Well, Harry, sometimes it is best to just move on and try to forget about the injustices of the past. I thought that is what Kingsley wanted us as a society to do?”
“Yes, it is. Ginny, I’m sorry.”
“Harry,” her voice became hard and threatening. “If you get us anymore of this detention, because of that, I will curse you so bad that you won’t be able to sit down or ride a broom for a month!”
Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Feelings
Ginny stood in front of the main gate waiting for Harry. It was seven-thirty in the morning, Tuesday the first of December, and their detention was finally over. Harry will be able to spend time with her before and after classes. She can’t wait to drag him off and snog him senseless. The stolen times they had before classes when Hagrid would leave them alone in the hall wasn’t enough.She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. It was a cold December morning. The sky was cloudless, and the air was cold. The grounds were covered with a sparkling layer of thick frost. The areas that the sun was hitting were slowly melting away to a dark winter green, but where she was standing was in the shade so it was still very cold.
Harry appeared on the other side of the gate. He smiled at her and walked quickly to her. They wrapped their arms around each other and stood there enjoying the feel of each other in their arms.
“Want to go find an empty classroom, love,” Harry whispered without pulling away from her.
“No,” she replied. Harry pulled his face away from her and saw she was smiling. “If we go inside, everyone will be watching us. Let’s go for a walk where we can be alone.”
“It’s bloomin’ cold out here,” stated Harry.
“I know, maybe it will help us keep control,” she joked with him. “Won’t need the Aguamenti Charm with these temps, will we.”
Harry laughed and allowed her to lead him into the woods by the gate. They walked for a couple of minutes holding each other’s hand. This simple act seemed so much more enjoyable to Ginny now, then when they were being watched by various professors this past month. They came upon a small clearing that was separated from the grounds by a dense thicket, and the ground was covered in thick soft moss.
Ginny stopped walking and turned to Harry. He was calmly looking at her. She leaned up and gently kissed him. It was a long and gentle kiss savoring the feel of his soft lips against hers. They spent several minutes snogging like this. Savoring, enjoying now that they didn’t have to rush, to avoid being caught. They would stop and stand and hold each other. It was something that Ginny had badly needed over the past month. As much as she enjoys Harry’s sudden attacks under his cloak, she enjoys these tender moments just as much. She had stopped at this spot because of the moss. It would make a soft spot if they would sit or lay down, but they were still standing.
“Ginny,” whispered Harry into her hair. “I am freezing out here. You must be cold, because your hands are like ice.”
“Here, Harry, warm your hands up.” She guided his hands under her jumper. She jumped and took an involuntary breath as his icy hands met her warm stomach. He slid them around to the small of her back. After the initial shock of his cold hands subsided, she began to enjoy the feel of his hands on her bare skin. She slid her hands under his jumper. He also jumped slightly to the shock of her ice cold fingers. She buried her face in the warm knit of his jumper and smiled as she also slid her hands around to the small of his back. She stood there warming her hands and nose with his body heat. Harry had buried his face in her hair, as they wrapped themselves up in each other against the bitter cold December air.
After several minutes, she started to slide her hands up his strong back, allowing her fingers to feel and enjoy every inch of him. She pulled her face out of his jumper and gently kissed him. As they stood there, the kissing became more intense and her hands gripped him tighter. She felt his hands move up her back, and then suddenly Harry stepped back and pulled his hands out from under her jumper.
“Ginny, you don’t have a — a…”
“Bra, Harry.” She smiled at his nervousness. He seemed unsure what to do. He held his hands at his side, even though she still had hers on his stomach under his jumper. “It’s all right, Harry.” This simple statement made him look at her with a puzzled expression.
“But I might touch you — your,” he couldn’t finish his statement.
“I won’t mind,” she whispered to him. His expression changed suddenly from fearful and nervous.
“Are you sure?” He asked at her anxiously.
“Yes. Harry, it isn’t like we are shagging.” Ginny tried to put all doubts out of his mind as she pulled her hands out of his warm jumper and pulled his face down to hers and kissed him deeply. As she poured her passion for him in the kiss, she could feel his hands slid under her jumper and up her back, pulling her tighter to him. Then they lowered again and moved around to her stomach. She started to get nervous. She wanted him to touch her, but she had doubts if he would really enjoy it. Would she enjoy it?
His hands turned so his fingers were touching her ribs. She shivered at this touch, but it wasn’t from the cold but excitement. His fingers moved gently upwards. The shiver of excitement was so intense that she broke the kiss. A sensation of passion had shot through her body making her gasp.
“Sorry,” apologized Harry, but he didn’t remove his hands. “are my hands to cold?”
Ginny looked at him. His eyes were slightly glazed, and he looked as though he was enjoying the feel of her. “No!” was all she said as she grabbed his face again to give him another deep passionate kiss. The feel of his hands, the intensity of the kiss, and the longing she has had for him made her feel things she never felt before. A warm needing sensation from deep in her hips welled up inside of her. Suddenly the air wasn’t cold and there was nothing in the world except Harry’s touch.
Harry reacted by moving his hands up further on her cupping her completely with his hands and gently kneading her. This new sensation nearly sent her mental with passion. She had no idea that there were such intense feelings of pleasure as the ones that Harry was eliciting in her. She wanted to do so much more than this.
He seemed so focused on her that he wasn’t kissing her with much fervor, so she left his lips and started to kiss his neck, as she did this his grip intensified making her even more excited. She wanted to do something for him also. Unsure if he would enjoy this, she pulled her one hand from the back of his neck and placed on his trousers. She pressed her hand against him and slid it down the front of his trousers, while kissing his neck at the hollow where it meets his shoulders.
He let out a deep moan before he mumbled an “Oh, Ginny.” His hands suddenly left her chest and moved around her back one wrapped around her upper back and the other he slid down her back and under her jeans and knickers. They were too tight for him to get his hand entirely in to completely cup her cheek. He lifted her up to him, pulling her hips into his trapping her hand in between.
She didn’t care at this point about waiting. She didn’t want to do anything but make love to him. The feeling that she was experiencing was too intense for her to stop now. She grabbed his neck with both hands, and pulled her legs up to wrap them around his waist.
The combination of his hand down the back of her jeans and her bringing her legs up put too much strain on the button of her jeans, and it popped. The pressure of his hand pushed her jeans and panties down exposing her to the bitter cold December air. She suddenly realized what they were about to do. All the need that she had for Harry left her and the rest of world came back to her. She could hear students walking up the gravel path to Hogwarts. She felt Harry’s hand on her bare skin as it gripped her, supporting her.
“Stop! Please!” She cried out in a hoarse whisper, and pushed herself away from him. Harry let go of her and she dropped off him. She quickly pulled up her jeans. She couldn’t believe that they came this close to shagging. She still hadn’t purchased any Contraceptive Potions. She didn’t need to get pregnant at this age. Yet, this was her doing, she had invited Harry to explore her, and she had enjoyed it tremendously.
“I am sorry,” sighed Harry. His voice was distant.
Ginny turned to look at him. He was standing there with his jumper pushed halfway up his torso. He had a distant look in his eyes, and smile of extreme pleasure. His arms hung loosely at his side. “You have nothing to apologize for Harry.”
“But, I wanted to...”
“Yes, so did I.” Ginny couldn’t look at him. She felt ashamed that she had led him on like that and had to tell him no. “We can’t. Not now.”
“I know you want to wait.” Harry suddenly dropped down on the ground and placed both of his hands on his head. “Merlin, I never knew anything could feel so good,” he shouted, and fell over on his back. He let his hands fall out to the sides, and laid there staring up at the blue sky.
His comment and actions caught Ginny by surprise. She stood there staring at him, as he lay on the ground. His eyes were still unfocused and he had the silliest grin on his face, as though he had just been hit by the most powerful Cheering Charm ever. She wasn’t sure what exactly he meant by “feel so good”, but whatever it meant it had been caused by her.
“You’re not upset with me?” she asked meekly.
He sat up and looked at her. He took a deep breath and turned his gaze away from her. “No! I’m not.” He turned to look at her for a second then shook his head as though to clear his mind. “Oh Merlin, I am dating a goddess,” he shouted and fell back onto the soft moss again.
Ginny couldn’t help but giggle at his actions. “I am no goddess, Harry.”
“You are to me. You are my Aphrodite,” he stated while turning and supporting himself with one elbow.
“Your, what?” Ginny asked and sat down away from him on the moss.
Harry blushed a little, before speaking. “My Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of love! Everything about you makes me randy. Your eyes, your lips, the feel of your soft skin and silky hair, your ...” Harry stopped talking and his expression changed to a serious one. “Please, don’t be angry with me, love,” he asked her and then looked at her waiting for an answer.
Ginny was still in shock over what he had said about her. She had always worried if she was really beautiful enough for him, but to have him call her his goddess of love. Yes, it was a little strange, but there was honesty in his statement. Evidently, she has the same effect on him, which he has on her.
“Ginny?”
“What, oh yes, I forgot.” She had been so engrossed in her thoughts that she forgot about him asking her not to be angry. “Harry, I don’t think there is anything you could say right now, except that you are leaving me for another woman that would make me angry.”
“Well, there is no bloody way in hell I’ll ever do that.” Ginny’s heart fluttered a little hearing him say that. “So I am safe. Good,” he said then cleared his throat. “Ginny, remember when I told you this summer that I want to take our relationship slowly and I wasn’t ready to make love to you?”
“Yes, and I take it you are ready now,” she said calmly to him.
“But I intend to keep the promise to wait, Ginny. I just don’t think I can snog like what we just did and stop...”
“Harry, that wasn’t snogging.”
“Oh, and what would my goddess call that.”
Ginny smiled and shook her head at him calling her that. “That was what is called heavy petting.”
He sat up and straightened his jumper. The glazed look had finally left his eyes, but they were now filled with mischief. “And how would you know about that?” he jokingly asked her.
“Harry, I share a dorm with Sylvia,” she stated with a tone that clearly indicated that should be enough of an explanation. Harry however, had no idea what that meant as he looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “The school broom!” Whenever, he still didn’t seem to get it. “She has shagged more times than I’ve played Quidditch.”
“Oh, really,” was Harry’s startled reply. “I think heavy petting is a strange expression, though.”
“Is that so, Mr. Potter? What would you call it then?”
“I don’t know — um — randifying. That is better. The other makes it sound like you have a pet elephant.”
“Randifying?” giggled Ginny. “That isn’t even a word.” They both laughed at his made-up word. Ginny was so happy that they are here making each other laugh instead of fighting. She was sure that he would be upset with her for telling him to stop.
“All right! If you don’t like randifying, then we were Nargled. After all they make you act strange and do funny things, besides they hide in mistletoe.”
“Oh, so we were doing strange and funny things were we?” teased Ginny.
Suddenly Harry became serious again; he sat up and looked away from her deep in thought. “No, it wasn’t funny or strange. It was beautiful. Powerful. Loving.” He looked at her. “Professor Dumbledore told me that love was my greatest power against Tom. That was such a strange thing to say, because I had been raised in a family that detested me. It wasn’t until I met Ron and Hermione, that I even experienced the love of friendship, and then your family showed me the love of family. All that was nothing to what I feel when I am with you. All my life I went without being loved, understanding the power of being loved, and how to love someone, until I kissed you. Professor Dumbledore used to call love the greatest magical power in the world. Because of you, I now know what he meant.”
Ginny dug her fingers in the icy moss. She had to resist the urge to wrap her arms around him. If she did, she might not be able to stop herself.
Harry stood up and brushed himself off. He looked at his watch. “I see we might still have time for a spot of tea and breakfast.” He extended his hand to her.
Ginny took it and allowed him to help her up off the ground. She was unsure what to say to him. She had made a huge statement this summer, about waiting until they were married, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to wait anymore. If she would tell him that, what would his reaction be? She suddenly became aware that he was brushing off her clothes. As his hand moved over her body, she started to get excited again, and then he suddenly stopped.
“Love.” He turned her face, so she was looking into those beautiful green eyes. “I won’t lie to you. I want make love to you, but I can wait. Because, deep down in my heart, I believe we will always be together, that you won’t chuck me for some other guy. So even if we wait for several years, I know we will still have the rest of our lives together.” He finished saying this and bent forward and gently kissed her.
Ginny took his hand and they walked out of the woods and towards the castle. As they walked Ginny had a hard time keeping from laughing about he had said. “Were you really afraid I would dump you for another guy?”
“Yes, a little, there are plenty of guys who would jump at the chance of dating you.”
“Well that is one thing you will never in a million years have to worry about Harry. I have my claws in you now and there is no escaping.” As she said that, she squeezed his hand until her knuckles turned white. Harry looked at her and laughed at her antics.
When they entered the castle, Neville was waiting in the entrance hall. He had a huge grin on his face. “You two never even made into the castle. Did you?” he jovially asked.
“What do you mean, Neville, we are here now,” stated Harry. Ginny could feel her face getting warm. She seemed to have lost the ability of hiding her emotions ever since she started dating Harry.
He smiled and nodded at Ginny. “Carmen owes me a galleon. I knew you two wouldn’t wait to find a classroom.”
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“Stupid shoes!” Ginny slipped, as she walked down the path to the main gate.
“Stupid snow!” she mumbled under her breath. She was walking through snow that was up to her knees. On Friday it was warm for December and it rained all day, yesterday it started to get colder, and she spent all day outside playing Quidditch. What started out as a cold bone chilling rainy morning, became a wet and snowy afternoon. By the time she finished practice and went inside, the snow was nearly ankle deep. It had snowed all night long and this morning there was a bitter cold wind blowing from the northwest.
“Stupid — ideas!” she hissed to herself. She had been awake and getting herself ready to meet Harry at the gate when it magically opened at seven-thirty. She was wearing the entire outfit from their first date from Australia. She also was wearing makeup today, wanting to look her prettiest for him. Ever since last Tuesday when he called her a goddess, she has wanted to do something for him. Even if it is getting dressed up and looking as pretty as possible. Today they were not going to study! Today would be a day of spending time together, with friends, and she wanted to look as pretty, as he made her feel.
Her feet in the opened toed pumps were now numb. She had nearly fallen three times walking out here, and she could feel the windswept snow melting on her face, which was probably making her makeup run. She knew it was going to be a cold and snowy day, but she had no idea it would be this bad. Last night after a warm bath and dinner, she had fallen asleep in the common room leaning on Harry. He had sent her to bed before leaving for the night, so she hadn’t realized how bad the storm had become.
She pulled her old winter cloak tighter around her to seal out the bitter cold wind, as she stared at the opening gate. Harry appeared on the other side of it, before it had completely opened. Apparently he was just as anxious to spend an entire day with her, as she with him.
“What are you doing out here?” yelled Harry over the howling wind.
“I’m waiting on a bloody parade!” she quipped. He gave her a strange look. “It looks like it is over. Can we go inside?” she continued with her sardonic humour. “Oh yes, good morning,” she said more seriously. She stretched up to his face and kissed him.
After pulling away from the kiss, Harry smiled at her. “You smell divine, love, and you have makeup on, any special reason?” he asked.
Ginny had to bite back another sardonic remark. “Just wanted to look pretty for you, love,” she purred to him. She wasn’t even sure he heard it. Until he smiled at her in a way that told her he loved the idea.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and they leaned into the wind as they walked back up to the castle. Her feet were totally numb, and she wasn’t sure that she could feel her legs below the knees as the cold snow had worked its way up under her robes and chilled her exposed legs.
After the third time she slipped and nearly pulled Harry down with her, he looked at her. “What’s wrong? Why are you slipping so much?”
“It’s my shoes,’ she yelled back.
“What is wrong with your boots?”
“Not my boots! My shoes!” she responded. She was covered with her winter cloak, her school robe, and the snow was too deep for him to see her feet. She leaned into him and lifted her one foot out of the snow. It was wet and blue from the cold snow.
“Ginny!” he screeched at her. “Why are you wearing those shoes?” He didn’t wait for her response. He grabbed her, lifted her up, and started walking towards the castle.
She started to protest, but the feel of him carrying her in his arms and holding her tight against him was too enjoyable to resist. He was strong, but the snow was deep, and he was struggling against it to carry her. She was mesmerized by the determination on his face, as he puffed out clouds of steam. Her feet were now feeling like someone was shoving long needles into them, from the bitter cold wind.
When they reached the doors of the castle, Harry sat her down to open them. Her feet screamed in protest of the weight being placed on them. She wobbled, nearly falling when she couldn’t steady herself. Her ankles seemed to be unresponsive. She took a couple of steps through the doors and nearly fell again.
“Merlin, Ginny maybe you should go to see Madam Pomfrey?”
“No I’ll be fine, once my feet get warm again,” she said putting on a brave face to hide the pain that she was in. He grabbed her and picked her up again.
“You could always levitate me, Harry,” she murmured as she wrapped her hands around his neck and nestled herself against his chest.
“What would be fun of that,” he responded to her.
She was gazing at his face and saw a little smirk form on it. His pace was more normal now as there was no snow to hinder him. She hadn’t planned on him doing this, but since he is, she is going to relax and enjoy the feel of his arms around her. After the third set of stairs he sat her down, to catch his breath.
“I can walk the rest of the way. I don’t want you to be completely knackered on the day we were going to spend together relaxing.”
Harry laughed as he thought about her statement. She leaned into him and they walked to the Gryffindor common room that way. Once inside, she led him over to a sofa by the fire. There were a few students awake, but they were all at other chairs. She had hoped that she wouldn’t have to force anyone to get out of their favourite sofa.
She took off her winter cloak and shook the snow off it. Opening her school robe to let in the warmth of the fire, she heard a little gasp from Harry. He was staring at her with the same expression as in Australia. His eyes were glazed as he slowly scanned her body, and his mouth was slightly open. The dress still fit her. Well, almost still fit her perfectly. She had increased a full cup size since she last wore this. She almost didn’t fit entirely inside of the dress, and she was going to need to be careful about how she moved. However, seeing his expression made it worth the trouble.
Ginny turned and kissed him. The high heels made it possible to kiss him with only raising her face a little. It started out as a light kiss, but quickly deepened as Harry pulled her tighter. She broke off the kiss and whispered to him. “Don’t forget we are in the common room.”
“Oh, right, I forgot.” Harry let go of her and she sat down on the sofa and patted it for him to sit with her. When he did, she kicked off her shoes and started to curl her feet up under her. “Stop, let’s take a look at those feet, Ginny,” demanded Harry.
She stuck them out in front of her and wiggled her toes. She saw her feet were still blue. They hurt, but not nearly as bad as before.
“Let me message them to warm them up,” asked Harry.
Ginny shifted on the sofa so that she could lie back and put her feet on Harry’s lap. Her head was resting on its arm as she stretched the entire length across it with her feet on his lap. She laid there with her eyes closed as he gently massaged her feet. The feel of his warm hands on her cold feet, as he gently rubbed them, made her smile. It brought back memories of this summer when he would do the same for her during her lunch breaks. She sighed and shifted her weight to get more comfortable on the overstuffed piece of furniture. “Your foot and back massages were my favourite part of working at the shop this summer, Harry.”
“Thank you...” His voice faded away.
Ginny noticed this and he also suddenly stopped massaging her feet. Opening her eyes she noticed him staring up at her. When she made eye contact, he blushed scarlet and turned his face away. As Dennis Creevey walked past them to the portrait hole, Harry grabbed her school robes and threw them over her legs. Dennis waved and said, “Good Morning”. Puzzled at Harry’s strange behaviour she started to sit up, when she did she felt that the dress was bunched up under her cheeks. It was her turn to blush scarlet as she realized that she had exposed her knickers to Harry and the common room.
“I think I should go for a walk,” he suggested.
“Want me to go with you?”
“No! I am going outside for a bit to —um — cool off. I’ll bring something up from the great hall and we can have breakfast here. How does that sound?”
“Sounds like you are spoiling me, and I’m sorry for the little show. It was unintentional, Harry.”
“Well, you are so beautiful in that dress, and the look on your face lying there. Well, I was going to need a walk anyway.” He stood up and adjusted his robes, before walking out of the common room.
Ginny repositioned herself with her legs curled up under her on the sofa. She sat here staring into the roaring fire. She was thinking of nothing and everything, but none of her thoughts were troubling to her. She felt as though for the first time in her life, she had nothing to worry about. She was having a good seventh year. Harry was a wonderful boyfriend and loved her. She was getting so good at Quidditch that the practices seemed almost easy. Her family was safe, happy, and, with her father’s recent promotion at the Ministry, prosperous. Then her thoughts came back to Harry, he was a wonderful boyfriend, but she wanted so much more from him. And, she thinks that he is going to give her what she wants for now. An engagement ring! There was a large thump in the seat next to her that nearly threw her out onto the floor.
“All right there, Weasley?” asked Martha Barnes, also known as Marty. She was in Ginny’s dorm, and was the resident gossip mag reader. She always read the Daily Prophet, Witch Weekly, and even the Quibbler. It wasn’t that she believed the stories as much as she enjoyed laughing at them. She was an attractive girl when she wanted to be, but she seemed to have a low esteem of herself. She was a little taller than Ginny, and a little heavier. Her oval face and grey eyes were surrounded by the bushiest black hair Ginny has ever seen. It was even more unruly than Hermione’s. Many days, like today, she didn’t do anything to it. She had always said that it was hopeless and didn’t bother with taking the time to brush it out and tame it. When she was in one of those moods, she would often wear whatever she felt like, with no thought of its appearance. Today was one of those days. She had her School robes over top of her blue flannel pyjamas , and she was wearing her slippers which were the largest, fuzziest, pinkest slippers Ginny has ever seen.
“Never better, Marty,” Ginny cheerfully replied.
Martha stared at her for a second, before speaking again. “I see you’re all dressed up. Were you the one in the loo this morning?”
“Yes, I wanted to get ready for when Harry got here,” Ginny sheepishly replied to her.
“I had thought that it was Sylvia returning from a broom closet,” commented Marty. “I see you must have one reserved for today.” She said suggestively, and then added in a whisper. “Unless Harry is planning on taking somewhere else to shag, like Godric’s Hollow.”
“That isn’t why we went there, Marty,” snapped Ginny.
“Oh really, that’s a shame. So where do the two of you sneak off to then?” quizzed the curious girl.
“We don’t!” stated Ginny with finality.
Marty started to laugh at her, but the way Ginny didn’t react to the laughter made her stop. Ginny was embarrassed by the question and in some small way her answer. She was of age, and her and Harry were both committed to each other, so there really wasn’t a good reason why they shouldn’t be taking their relationship further.
“Merlin, Ginny — you and Harry — you two — really haven’t,” she stammered.
“What’s wrong with that,” retorted Ginny, clearly offended.
“Nothing, it’s just, I thought, I was the last one left in our class,” Marty mumbled.
“You’re not. Can we please change the subject,” huffed Ginny. “I know! Let’s talk about Dennis Creevey?” Marty turned beet red at the mention of his name. She has crushed on Dennis for the past two years, even when they both weren’t in school last year. Marty’s father is a Muggle, and her mother is a witch. Her mother refused to send her to Hogwarts last year. She was sent to an American school for the year so she was able to keep up her education.
“No! Let’s not,” responded Marty. She opened the Witch Weekly and tried to ignore Ginny’s stare.
“Marty, if he doesn’t know you’re alive, he won’t ask you out. So, talk to the boy.”
Marty didn’t look up from the pages of the mag, and just mumbled. “He wouldn’t remember me any way.”
“That’s what I used to think about Harry.”
Marty flipped the pages of the mag. She would glance over the page and move on to the next. Ginny sat there staring at the side of her face, waiting for her to respond.
“You might as well stop staring, Weasley.” She muttered without looking up. “Oh, I was wondering if it is true that Harry had captured twenty Death Eaters, before freeing you at Godric’s Hollow,” she said sardonically.
“Actually, I think it was closer to thirty,” laughed Ginny. Their friendship has actually improved this year, because Marty enjoys laughing about the idiocy of the reports relating to Harry and Ginny. Particularly since Ginny let it be known that they spent a month in Australia and their little game of Where’s Harry. They sat there by the fire chatting about different things, until the portrait hole opened to allow Harry and Dennis Creevey to enter, each of them were carrying a tray of food. Ginny could feel Marty tense up beside her. She looked over and saw her staring at Dennis. “Talk to him, Marty. “
“No, not the way I’m dressed,” she mumbled.
Harry and Dennis walked towards the girls, with the trays. Ginny, not feeling like getting up used her wand to pull a settee and a small table over to the sofa. With most of the students in the great hall, the common room was virtually deserted. The boys walked over and placed the trays on the table. Ginny and Marty stood up and everyone rearranged the furniture so they could sit facing each other without being too close to the fireplace.
Ginny sat down to be near the fireplace, and, before Harry could sit down, Marty plopped herself down beside her. Harry stood there staring at Marty for a second before Ginny intervened. “Marty, be a dear and sit with Dennis so Harry can sit here, please,” Ginny asked politely. She looked at the uncomfortable look on her friend’s face. Marty moved over beside Dennis. Ginny tried not to laugh at her friends’ reaction. Marty was glancing sideways at Dennis, and Dennis was doing the same. They both seemed a little nervous and unsure about sitting next to each other.
Ginny ignored their actions and turned her attention to the food. Her stomach had started grumbling as soon as she smelled the odor of the bacon. Harry had brought a little of everything up: eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, porridge, Pumpkin juice, and even kippers. She grabbed a plate and started to heap it with food. She was so focused on filling her plate that she didn’t notice everyone else was chuckling at her piling food on like Ron. When she had finally filled her glass with Pumpkin juice and sat back she noticed everyone’s expression of amusement. “What?” she asked before shoving a slice of bacon in her mouth.
“I can’t believe that you eat like that and stay so small,” said Marty.
“She is a Weasley, after all,” stated Harry, as though that would be all the explanation needed. “One thing I have been warned by her brother, Bill, is you never stand between a Weasley and food.” The other three laughed about that statement. Ginny ignored them and stuffed a forkful of eggs in next.
The four of them sat there and ate while chatting. Ginny was smiling at Marty talking to Dennis and they both seemed to be enjoying it. Harry had explained that he saw Dennis down in the great hall when he was gathering food up, and Harry picked up extra for him and possibly someone else. That is why there was such a large amount of food on the two trays. Everything was going along wonderfully until Marty opened her big mouth.
“So, Harry, why are you dating Ginny? Is it because: she looks like your mother, she is easy, she is pregnant, or have the Weasley’s put love potions in your food when you were staying there,” she asked, and then laughed out loud. The only problem was Harry and Dennis weren’t laughing.
“What the hell do you mean by that?” growled Harry. He looked like he was going to curse her into oblivion. Marty’s eye grew to the size of dinner plates and she pushed herself back into the settee.
“I — I — was j-j-joking, Harry,” she nervously sputtered.
Ginny placed a calming hand on Harry. She could feel the tension in his muscles. “Harry, she was just joking. We laugh about the letters that the Daily Prophet and Witch Weekly post about me. Those are just some of the things that have been said about me.”
“What are you talking about?” Harry looked totally clueless, as he stared at Ginny.
“Ever since the public found out about us, people have been writing to those publications about how I don’t deserve you, and with all types of reasons why you are even dating me.” She stopped talking to look at Harry and see if he had calmed down. His eyes told her everything. He wasn’t angry at Marty, and he concerned about what was written about her. She smiled at him, rubbed his arm, and kissed him on the cheek. “I know you love me for me. Those letters and articles don’t bother me.”
“But they used to,” stated Harry.
Ginny looked away from his eyes. He was right. The articles and comments wore on her resolve that she deserved him. The past two months though had reassured her that he was totally and completely dedicated to her. “Yes, they did, but you made me realize that I was being silly.”
Harry kissed her gently on the forehead, and then turned to Marty. “I am sorry for getting so angry at you. I don’t read the Prophet or Witch Weekly. So, I hadn’t a clue that you were joking. You were joking, weren’t you?”
Ginny and Marty laughed about it and said yes at the same time. Everyone’s’ moods suddenly changed and became relaxed.
“Do you have any of those articles that I could read?” Harry asked. “I am curious what they are saying.” He laughed to himself. “If Mrs. Weasley would have been putting a love potion in my food then would I be in love with her.” Dennis, Marty, and Ginny all laughed with him.
Marty ran up to her dorm room and returned with a huge stack of mags and newspapers. She plopped them down on the table beside the food. Harry grabbed the top magazine and started glancing through it. Ginny stared at Harry, wondering what he will be thinking after he has read some of the worst letters to the editor calling her a gold-digging scrubber, who was trying to bleed him dry of his vast wealth. He almost seemed to sense her concerns as he leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips.
“You know I love you because of the person you are, and I am pretty damn sure that I haven’t been given any love potions.”
Ginny leaned on his shoulder as he read one article after another. She curled her legs up under her relaxing in the warmth of the fire and Harry. After a few minutes, Harry, Marty and Dennis were reading excerpts to each other laughing about how absurd they were. She relaxed even more seeing them laugh. She had truly worried about Harry’s disposition when he would read some of the things written in those articles. Yawning, she slowly closed her eyes.
She opened her eyes again and Dennis and Marty were gone along with all the magazines and newspapers.
“Have a good kip, dear,” whispered Harry into her ear.
“I just closed my eyes, that was all I did,” responded Ginny. She went to move and found her neck, back, and legs were stiff and sore.
Harry chuckled to her comment. “For about two hours! Dennis and Marty left about twenty minutes ago. Guess what? They are going to Hogsmeade together in two weeks.”
Ginny sat up straighter and smiled at Harry. “That is marvelous, Harry, Marty has been interested in Dennis for a while.”
“Seriously, Dennis was telling me that he had been interested in her, while we were walking up with breakfast. Well that worked out for the best,” commented Harry.
Ginny turned and kneeled on the sofa facing Harry. “You can’t come to Hogsmeade with me, Harry.” She smiled at his reaction to that statement. “I still need to shop for you for Christmas.”
He turned and placed a hand gently on the side of her face. “Planning on getting something nice for me?” he asked.
“That depends on how nice you are to me,” she whispered seductively to him. He leaned his face into hers and placed a gentle loving kiss on her lips. She leaned into his hand and kneeled there on the sofa enjoying the tenderness of it. He wasn’t trying to make it passionate just comforting and loving something that she truly wanted at this moment. As she enjoyed the touch of his lips and the love that seemed to flow through them, she marveled at how he could make her weak with his withering passionate kisses or comfort and assure her with tender ones like this one.
She felt his hand slide off her cheek and slowly follow the outline of her neck. His gentle touch sent shivers through her. However, when his hand moved to the gap in her robes, she started to get a little nervous. When he slid his hand further down the opening of her robes, she pulled away from his kiss. “Harry,” she breathlessly said. “We are in the common room, and…” His hand moved quickly down and grabbed the golden heart necklace that she was wearing. She looked at the smirk on his face as he held the pendant in his right hand. “You prat!”
Harry smiled at her. “At times yes, but it’s better than a toe rag.”
“You’re that too, and what are you doing?” He had grabbed the heart pendant with his left hand and pulled his wand with his right.
“Trust me,” was all he said as he touched the tip of his wand to the pendant. He looked up and stared into her eyes. It took her breath away at the love she saw in those beautiful green eyes. They were so soft, kind, and loving that she felt like she was melting into them. “There, finished, what do you think?”
He had broken eye contact with her and left her confused for a second. She looked down at the pendant. She noticed something moving around it. Holding it up closer to her eyes, she saw the words “Harry loves Ginny” moving slowly around the outside of the heart shape. The words were in a cursive style that was one continuous word repeating the phrase over and over again. She felt her face get warm at the thoughts of the sweet gesture. “Thank you, Harry that is some nice charm work.”
“I just thought you could use a reminder after reading all that rubbish that has been printed about you. You do know that you are the world to me, and I love you for who you are.”
Ginny let the pendant drop and took his face in her hands, and gently kissed him. “I know that. I won’t say that reading that rubbish didn’t upset me or affect my moods. Thank you for being so patient with me.” She kissed him again and sat back on the sofa pulling the heart shaped pendant up to look at it again. “I guess this will be enough until Christmas,” she playfully said.
“What, what do you mean by that,” stammered Harry.
“That is when you are planning on giving me a ring isn’t it?” Harry’s face turned almost white as chalk.
“Well, I — ah — why do you say that?”
“You took me to Godric’s Hollow to meet your parents, and then you visited my parents….”
“Who told you about talking to your dad? Did your Mum Owl you and tell you?”
Ginny started to giggle. “No Harry, you just did!”
Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Numb
“Are you sure, love?”“Yes.”
“All right , I’ll go, but I refuse to have any fun without you,” Ginny whispered with a pout. “Why can’t I just stay with you tonight?”
“Because, you are the Head Girl, and Professor McGonagall set up this Christmas party for the Prefects, so you have a responsibility to go,” stated Harry. He kept his voice low for fear that Madam Pince would hear him. He and Ginny were standing between bookshelves in the Hogwarts library. “I am going to finish my studies tonight with Carmen, and then go home to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow at the Hogsmeade platform.”
“I know, so we can ride the train home,” she groaned. “We could just Apparate to your house Harry, or the Burrow, since Mum and Dad will be in Romania,” she suggested. She smiled at Harry’s discomfort at her suggestion. He has something planned for tomorrow. She was positive of what it was. He wants to propose to her, and if her guess was correct it will be at Kings Cross Station between platforms nine and ten, where they first met.
“This is our last year here, so let’s just enjoy the entire experience of being a student,” pleaded Harry. “I have more work to finish with Carmen, and then I am going home.” He stood there nervously staring at her.
Ginny closed the distance between them and softly kissed his lips. As she kissed him, she inhaled his scent and snaked her arms around his chest enjoying the feel of him. The feel of his body next to her, the smell of his skin, and the warmth and tenderness of his lips was making her extremely randy. She didn’t want to go to this ruddy party. She wanted to stay with him. She wanted to have him ask her to marry him. She wanted to find some place private so that she could finally give herself to him completely, and never leave his side again.
She broke the kiss and looked into his eyes. If she would push him, he would do anything to please her right now, but she didn’t want to. She didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize this wonderful relationship she had with him. Laying her head on his shoulder so she doesn’t have to leave yet, she can feel his arms wrap around her holding and protecting her. She can recognize the feel of his arms almost as easily as his eyes, voice, and scent.
Ginny forced herself to lift her head off his shoulder and to release her arms from around him. The separation from him left her feeling cold almost as though he was the sole source of her warmth. Leaning in, she stole a quick kiss from him, before completely breaking away from him. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the Hogsmeade station, love,” she whispered to him.
Harry swallowed before whispering. “Have fun tonight and remember that I love you.”
“You do. Why haven’t you ever said that before,” joked Ginny. She smiled at Harry who also thought it was rather funny. The bit of humor was enough to break the mood she was in and make leaving him easier. Taking one more quick kiss from him she turned so her hair swiped across him and walked away. As she reached the end of the bookshelves, she turned to look at him and smiled as she realized he had stood there watching her walk away.
Walking towards the entrance of the library, she saw Carmen sitting at a table waiting for Harry so they can finish their Auror assignment. Changing her direction, Ginny walked past her to wish her Happy Christmas.
When she reached the hallway, Ginny sighed. It was difficult to leave Harry tonight, but he was right. She should go to this ruddy Christmas party. As she walked, she tried to keep her mind off Harry and what she thinks he had planned for tomorrow. Even though she had been trying to persuade him to change his plans, they were actually, perfect, and she wouldn’t want him to change them. She heaved a sigh as she walked and realizing that she should be careful about pressuring him. One time he might take her seriously, and it could ruin things.
The noise of the party reached her before she turned into the corridor. It was in Professor Flitwick’s Charms classroom, since it was one of the largest classrooms in the school. Entering the room, she saw that it had long tables arranged off to one side and two tables were setting on the opposite side of the room filled with snacks and Butterbeers. Scanning the room, she laughed at all the Prefects. They were playing Exploding Snap and Gobstones, while others were laughing and joking around. She saw Luna dreamily walking around the one side of the room staring up at the mistletoe. On the other side of the room Walden was talking to several of the prefects who looked bored out of their skulls. Smiling she grabbed a Butterbeer and walked over to talk with Luna.
Twenty minutes later, they were having a contest to see who could best imitate a Professor. Ginny was standing off to the side thinking of who she would try to imitate, when someone put an arm around her shoulders. She pulled herself out of the persons grip and turned to see Walden staring at her.
“I was wondering when you would show up Ginny,” chimed Walden. He was wearing a smile from ear to ear while holding a Butterbeer. “I was wondering if you were waiting for a Christmas kiss standing over here under the mistletoe.”
Ginny looked up and to her horror she had indeed been standing under a sprig if mistletoe. “No, Walden, I wasn’t. I am just trying to think about which Professors to imitate.”
“Oh,” he said appearing crestfallen. “I was hoping to start a tradition of where the head boy and girl kiss at the Christmas party.”
Ginny caught an angry retort in her throat. She didn’t want to lambaste this boy because of what he just said. “No, that won’t happen this year. Sorry, Walden,” she calmly stated.
He sighed and slumped off to another area of the party. Ginny almost felt sorry for him, but he should realize that she wasn’t interested in kissing anyone, except Harry. She turned her attention back to the contest that had just started.
Everyone participated, except Walden who seemed to stay to himself, sitting by the furthest wall. The peals of laughter rolled off the walls of the classroom for a good thirty minutes. It was both for the hilarious impersonations and the terrible ones that the prefects failed so miserably at that even they were laughing at themselves. In the end, Ginny had won both first place and third for her impersonations of Professor McGonagall giving a student detention for flatulating in class, and Madam Zabini for her methods of teaching including her strut like walk.
The party kept going strong until almost midnight. The one condition placed on this party was that all the students had to be back in their common rooms by midnight. Ginny had told the others to go ahead and she would clean up here. She was busily putting things back in order: moving tables and desks, picking up bottles of Butterbeer, and magically cleaning up various snacks when someone surprised her.
Walden had tapped her on her shoulder. He was nervously standing there holding two Butterbeers. “Excuse me Ginny. I was wondering if we could have a toast together to a Happy Christmas.”
Ginny considered him for a second and thought that she should at least honor this request, since she literally slammed the door in his face with the idea of a kiss. “Sure,” she said, and took the Butterbeer from his hand.
They touched the bottles together and said, “Happy Christmas”, before turning them up for a large gulp of the brew.
Ginny pulled the bottle from her lips. The Butterbeer tasted strange to her, bitter almost like dandelions. Holding the bottle out in front of her she looked up and saw Walden smiling at her. “There is something wrong Wal…”
No other intelligible words escaped her lips as the room spun around her. She suddenly felt disconnected from her own body. Her arms and legs felt foreign to her and all sound and sight was distorted.
She could feel herself falling sideways. She forced herself to keep standing upright as the room spun past her eyes, but that was futile as her legs didn’t respond properly. She could move them, but they were clumsy and weak. She hit something that felt like a table, causing pain in her hip to slowly move through her, and she bent slightly over at the waist. She tried to right herself with her hand, but it didn’t respond properly. She went down hard on her elbow.
“Walldenn,” she moaned out. The sound of her voice even seemed to be foreign to her, slurred, mumbled, and distant.
Pushing herself up from the table she felt an arm around her. “Wall-denn, pleeees,” she mumbled out. A figure moved in front of her eyes, and the arm around her tightened. As the room was replaced by a fuzzy looking face, she felt lips press against hers.
She wanted to scream and push him away, but her arms didn’t seem to be responding. Tears started to form in her eyes as the reality of what is happening sank in. A hand or something was pushing against her chest.
With a scream she started fighting with every bit of anger that now raged through her mind. She wasn’t going to let this happen to her. She wasn’t going to let herself be raped without a fight. She felt her arms and legs swing and kick frantically, occasionally contacting something. The arm was gone from her shoulder now and no one was holding her back, so she tried to stand up. In her rage she started to get control over her limbs again, when something, a hand maybe, collided with the side of her face driving her backwards onto the table again.
The taste of blood was in her mouth as she tried to get up, but her disorientation was even worse now. She could barely lift her head up off the table. Hands again grabbed her. They pulled at her robes lifting her shoulders upwards off the table. She could hear Walden cursing her calling her terrible things. Suddenly cool air washed over her body as she recognized the sound of tearing fabric, and her chest started to sting.
Screaming, she lashed out again with all her might swinging her arms and legs wildly fighting with everything she had in her. She was determined not to be taken this way. Her head snapped back, and the pain returned to her jaw. Hands grabbed the top of her jeans and started to pull on them. She kicked as she felt her jeans sliding over her hips.
Thrashing her arms and legs wildly she tried to cover her up, to keep him from her. Hands grabbed at her pulling and tugging to gain access. She was losing. She didn’t have the strength to resist any longer.
As her one arm was being pinned down to the table, the air around her was rent with an explosion, and bright light filled the room. Suddenly she was free, but her head hit the table. The pain shot through her mind clouding out what was going on around her. She thought she heard voices. Then she saw another bright light, but there seemed to be no sound. At least she was free of Walden’s grasp.
The rage seemed to leave her and despair filled her, as she slowly slipped off the table and collapsed to the floor. She tried to push herself up from the floor and run, but all she could do is raise up into a sitting position. She flung her unresponsive arms at the fabric of her robes in an attempt cover herself, but she couldn’t work her hands.
She suddenly realized that there was someone squatting over top of her legs staring at her. She thought she heard her name being called, but all sounds were so strange to her that she couldn’t be sure. A hand touched her face, and she reacted by kicking upward as hard as she could. She felt her leg contact something and she heard a moan.
She tried to turn away from the person, but when she did, she fell helplessly on the ground hitting her face against the stone floor. Trying to crawl away she felt the hand return to her shoulder this time. There was no escape for her; she wasn’t strong enough to fight anymore. Whatever Walden slipped in her drink was too strong for her to fight, but she wouldn’t give up. She stretched out her arm the best she could and pulled herself forward.
She heard the other person talking again. It sounded like they were saying her name. She felt a gentle hand placed on the hand that she was trying to pull herself with. Then her name was called, she was sure of it. The voice started to register to her. Even though her hearing was distorted from the potion, she was sure it was Harry. Focusing all her energy to her mouth and vocal chords. She tried to say his name; “Haarrery,” came out of her mouth.
“Yes!” He said, and then gently touched her cheek, and held her hand. As his hand passed by her nose, she caught his scent. The potion didn’t seem to affect her sense of smell. Gentle hands took hers and helped to sit her up. The realization that he was there for her overwhelmed her and she started to sob. She could feel her eyes burn and tears roll down her cheeks as he pulled her robes over her.
Strong familiar arms gently picked her up and held her tight to his chest. Her head rolled against his robes. She felt his shoulder and chest through his robes, and she was surrounded by his comforting scent. She was able to reach a hand up and touch his face, as he pulled her face to his so he could kiss it. It felt like they were walking, but she wasn’t sure. The only thing she was sure about was she was in Harry’s arms, and she was safe now.
She heard the sound of crashing doors, and then another person talking. The voice was high pitched and frantic, and moving all around her and Harry. Then she felt Harry lower her on to something, as the person with the high pitched voice leaned over her. She and Harry talked so quickly to each other that Ginny couldn’t understand anything that was being said. She just laid there grasping his hand with all the strength in her body. He couldn’t leave her, not now.
Another voice was now talking; it was higher in pitch than Harry’s than but not as high as the first. It was very stern sounding. Then Harry’s voice changed, it wasn’t comforting anymore. He was angry. He seemed to be yelling about something. The first person with the high voice was now leaning over her and waving her wand. Ginny realized that it was Madam Pomfrey. The other voice must be the Headmistress.
Harry yelled loud. Dread started to fill her again. Everyone was silent, until the Headmistress spoke.
Suddenly Harry was leaving without saying a word. He couldn’t leave, without him by her side she didn’t feel safe. Fear washed through her filling every inch of her. She tried to reach for him but couldn’t find his hands. She could tell he was gone. The feeling was the same as when the sun went down, she was feeling cold, exposed, and alone. She screamed his name telling him she loved him, but with Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall talking to her she couldn’t hear a response. She tried to get up to follow him, but they pushed her back down onto the bed. She screamed his name again and tried again to get up. She saw a flash of red, then darkness.
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Ginny awoke to a wave of nausea. A low moan escaped her lips, that simple act seemed to hurt her throat as though she had been screaming all night. She was face down on a bed with her arms and legs splayed out in every direction. She laid there not wanting to move and hoping that everything she was remembering was only a horrible dream. The room around her was silent. She could tell that she wasn’t in her own bed, but she wasn’t sure where she was. If the nightmare was real, she was in the infirmary.
Forcing her eyes to open she lifted her head up. Before she could take in her surroundings, a wave of nausea washed over her, making her hurl. She clamped her mouth shut and tried to get up to find a dustbin or something to empty her stomach into. A gentle hand held her down in bed and a bedpan was placed in front of her.
After she had finished, the pan was removed and she was given a cool wet cloth to wipe her face with. She realized where she was now, and it was the infirmary of Hogwarts. Feeling better she rolled over, and looked up at Madam Pomfrey, who was cleaning the bedpan with her wand. Looking around she realized that she was in Madam Pomfrey’s office and not in the ward.
“Madam Pomfrey…”
“Shush child,” she gently told her with a warm smile. “You need to lie back and relax.” She then went over to the fireplace and threw in some Floo powder. “Headmistress! She is awake.”
“Where is Harry?” asked Ginny as the reality of her nightmare came back to her. She had suddenly realized that what was in her mind wasn’t a figment of her imagination that it really must have happened.
Madam Pomfrey stiffened at the question and didn’t seem to want to say anything. “The Headmistress will explain as soon as she arrives, Miss Weasley,” she stated in an official tone. “Here, drink this entire potion; it will help with your nausea.” She handed Ginny a flask of a pearly white Potion.
Ginny took the Potion and stared at it. She was too weak to argue right now, and it sounded as if she wasn’t going to get any answers. Maybe, it was before seven-thirty in the morning, and Harry wouldn’t be able to enter the grounds. Making a face, she prepared herself for the awful taste of a Healing Potion. The Potion was actually pleasant tasting, it had a vanilla taste to it and was slightly sweet. Licking her lips, she handed the flask back to Madam Pomfrey.
“Not all of my cures taste bad; do they,” joked the school nurse.
“Why am I here, in this office?” asked Ginny. Her mind was becoming clearer, and questions needed to be answered.
“Madam Pomfrey again flinched at her question. “The Headmistress will be here shortly,” was her curt response.
Looking at her watch she saw it was eight o’clock. Harry should be here. The gates were open. Ginny laid there staring at the white plaster ceiling of the office. Tears were forming in her eyes, as the realization of what had happened last night had sunk in. She had let her guard down and Walden nearly raped her. Or, did he? A wave of panic shot through her with a jolt. Her memory was so disoriented that she wasn’t sure. If Harry had taken her to the infirmary, then he would know.
Concentrating on the feel of her body she tried to think if that had happened, but she couldn’t tell for sure. She didn’t feel as if he did, but she couldn’t be sure. She could feel discomfort and itching on her chest and lower abdomen, but that was it. She should feel some discomfort since she was still a virgin. That thought threw her into deeper despair; she had waited for that perfect time, and the perfect man. That had all been taken away from her, if it did actually happen. The uncertainty of the situation was horrible. She had to know.
Her tears had now become total sobbing. She cried for what had happened to her, and for what Harry must think of her. He warned her about Walden. He didn’t trust him, and she refused to believe him. She had always said how she could easily handle Walden Ridgebit. How wrong she was, and what had it cost her. Did Harry hate her now? If he didn’t then why isn’t he here?
Suddenly the realization of who was at fault came to her. “Where’s Walden,” she shouted and sat up. She was done crying now, and she wanted revenge for what he did. She went to stand up, but she was so weak that Madam Pomfrey held her down with one hand. At her present position, she could see out of the office window and saw two official looking Wizards standing by a bed that was surrounded by a curtain.
The nurse flicked her wand and the curtain came down on her window. “You need to rest, child. You have been through quite an ordeal last night and…” She stopped talking as the door opened and Professor McGonagall walked into the office.
Ginny craned her neck to see if she was alone. As she shut the door behind her, the realization that Harry wasn’t with her sunk in and Ginny sat on the edge of the bed, hung her head, and cried.
Professor McGonagall pulled up a wooden chair and sat down in front of her and took her hands with one hand and wiped the tears away with the other. “Miss Weasley, Ginny, I am so sorry for what has happened.” The Professor’s normally stern voice was soft and comforting.
“Where’s Harry?”
Ginny could feel the Professor react at her question, but she ignored it. “I was going to Owl your parents about what happened…”
“No!” screamed Ginny. She didn’t want anyone to know what had happened to her. She wanted to see Harry that is the only thing she needed right now.
“Ginny, dear, I would think that Molly and Arthur would be most upset if I didn’t tell them …”
“I said no! I don’t want anyone to know that I was raped that I was so stupid that I let someone do that to me. I WANT TO SEE HARRY! WHERE IS HE? WHY WON’T ANYONE ANSWER ME? PLEASE! I need to talk to him, to apologize. Please!” Her anger was expended and all she could do now was sob. The Professor hugged Ginny and let her cry on her shoulder.
“Ginny, you — you weren’t raped,” her voice was strained and barely audible. It was as if she was fighting back tears. “Harry stopped the attack.”
Ginny pulled her head up. “He did!” she suddenly felt happier, until she realized that he still wasn’t there. “Then where is he?” The same question that they had been avoiding made the two women flinch.
“I don’t know, Ginny,” whispered the Headmistress. “Let me Owl your parents so they can meet you at Platform 9 ¾’s. Now that you are of age, I need your permission…”
“NO! Harry said he would meet me at the Hogsmeade station. That was our plan for today. My parents are in Romania and are not due back until tomorrow. Harry will be at the station and we will ride the train home together.” Ginny said these things with confidence, she didn’t want to think about the fact that Harry wasn’t here now. Their plans were the only reason that she could think of for him not being here. She stood up from the bed, and realized that she didn’t have any robes, just an infirmary nightshirt. “I need my robes and clothes,” she demanded.
“Miss Weasley,” begged the Headmistress. “Please, sit down. You ingested poison last night. You are in a weakened state. Please rest, for the remainder of the morning. I will have someone bring you your robes. If you want to take the train home then you can, but …” She stopped talking and looked nervously at Ginny.
“But what, Professor?” The professor blanched at Ginny’s question. “I need to get ready to meet him. I need to — to tell him I love him.” The last three words brought the tears back to her eyes.
“Miss Weasley, the poison that you were given last night will make you weak and feel depressed today,” said the nurse. “You need to take things easy, so that you don’t collapse. You will need to take another dose of healing Potion, before the train leaves…”
“Give it to me, and I’ll take at the proper time,” said Ginny with her head still down. “Please, I need to get ready. Harry was...” Ginny couldn’t finish what she was going to say. Harry was going to propose to her today. Anger shot through her again, and she jumped up off the bed. “Where’s Walden? I’m going to kill him!” she screamed, while running for the office door.
Madam Pomfrey caught her by one arm and Professor McGonagall by the other and held her from leaving the office. “Harry practically did that last night,” stated Madam Pomfrey. “I have never had to use so much Skele-Gro in my entire life, as what I had to do with that boy.”
Ginny stopped and looked at them. “What did Harry do? He didn’t use any Dark Magic on him that could end his career as an Auror.”
“No, we found no traces of that. Harry wasn’t even sure what spell it was,” Professor McGonagall informed her. “Gawain Robards has already questioned Harry about it. He will drop by this morning to ask you some questions. Ginny, I assure you that I will see to it that Walden Ridgebit is punished to the fullest extent of the law!” Her voice was hard, and her eyes were so angry that they almost sent off sparks. “I will not tolerate this type of behaviour; it is the lowest vilest thing a person can do to another. I am truly sorry that this has happened to you.” The Headmistress stopped her rant and took a deep calming breath. “Whenever, HE is well enough. HE will be transported to a holding cell at the Ministry to await trial.” The Headmistress took another calming breath and looked at Madam Pomfrey. “Poppy do you think Ginny could have some breakfast?”
The nurse scrunched her face up in concentration before responding. “Some tea and toast should be fine.”
“Good. Ginny, I will send someone for your school robes and also to get you some tea and toast, but I want you to remain here,” the Headmistress stressed to her, as they made her to sit down on the bed. “You are too weak to go roaming around the halls right now, and besides you are not properly dressed.”
A knock on the office door made everyone turn and look. Ginny’s heart screeched to a stop. She didn’t know now if she dreaded it not being Harry, or it being Harry and trying to explain last night. When Gawain Robards opened the door, she was both relieved and upset that it was just him.
“Hello everyone,” greeted Gawain. He looked tired, as though he had been up all night. His eyes were bloodshot with dark circles under them and he had a day’s growth of beard. “I will be as brief as possible, but I am afraid that I must ask some questions of you Miss Weasley.” He leaned against Madam Pomfrey’s desk and pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill. “Please understand that I must ask these questions, and I am not trying to impugn your character. If I am to charge Mr. Ridgebit, I am going to need to know about your relationship with him.”
“The only relationship I have with him is as another student,” snapped Ginny. She dreaded what else he was going to ask.
“Have you two had sex in the...”
“NO! HELL NO! I HAVE NEVER...” The Headmistress and the nurse again grabbed an arm each to hold her down on the bed.
“Miss Weasley, please understand that I must ask these questions,” pleaded Gawain.” I am only trying to get to the truth.”
“You want the bloody truth! He tried to rape me. If Harry hadn’t shown up then...” Ginny couldn’t finish the statement and she sank down on the bed deflated and tired. Whatever she drank last night had robbed her of almost all her energy leaving her lying there exhausted and emotionally drained.
“Gawain, could we do this some other time. As the Headmistress, I am concerned for the welfare of my student.
Gawain scrubbed his hand across his face as he thought. “Well, I will need to get a statement within a day or two, but that would make it Christmas. I guess considering everything. I could stop by your home on the twenty-seventh and finish these questions.”
“No,” shouted Ginny, as she sat back up. “Finish them now, and don’t tell my parents about this,” she demanded. They all looked at her with puzzled expressions. “Well, let’s hear these bloody questions.”
“Are you sure Miss Weasley? You seem very tired,” asked Gawain.
“Yes, please let’s get this over with,” she sighed.
“Well, have you ever promised to have sex with Mr. Ridgebit?”
“No.”
“Have you ever told another student that you would like to have sex with Mr. Ridgebit?”
“No.”
“To the best of your knowledge, have you ever made suggestive statements to Mr. Ridgebit that could be construed as promising to have sex with Mr. Ridgebit?”
“No.”
Gawain heaved a sigh, before speaking. “I have one last question for you. If there is a trial you may be asked this, so, well, I must ask you. How many sexual partners have you had?”
“Gawain, I hardly think that question is proper,” interjected Professor McGonagall. “I tolerated you asking these other questions, but…”
“None,” said Ginny so softly that the word was barely audible. She looked up and saw the adults staring at her. “What! You don’t believe me! Do you!”
Gawain shifted uncomfortably before speaking again. “Could you please tell me about what happened last night?”
Ginny glared up at him. “I think you know what happened. Why are you asking me to tell you?”
“I want to hear what you remember,” he said calmly and reassuringly. “I am sorry if this brings you pain, but it is necessary.”
“I was at the Prefects Christmas party. It had ended so that the Prefects could get back to their common rooms. I told them that I would clean up. I thought that I was alone. Then Walden showed up, he had two Butterbeers. He wanted to toast to a Happy Christmas.” Her voice became hard and bitter at the memory. “He handed me an already opened bottle. We toasted and took a drink. That is when I noticed the taste was wrong, it was bitter. I went to say something, but the room started to spin. I fell. The rest is a fog. I think…”
“That is enough Miss Weasley, I have one more question for you. I know it seems that I am accusing with my earlier questions, but they are necessary, because if the Ridgebits fight these charges your character will be put on trial. My last question is; has Mr. Ridgebit ever made advances to you before?”
“I don’t really know if you could call them advances, but he tried to put his arm around my shoulders a couple of times. Earlier at the party I was absent mindedly standing under a sprig of mistletoe, and he wanted to kiss me. I told him no.”
The room was silent for a bit, until Gawain spoke again. “I am truly sorry that this had happened. I need to interview a few more individuals, before actual charges can be filed.” He stood up to leave.
“How is Harry? Do you know where he is?” she asked of Gawain. He looked nervously to Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey.
“No. I don’t. I would imagine that he is at home,” offered Gawain. “I spoke to him last night, immediately after the — the incident.”
Ginny bit her lip she had to know what Harry felt. “Was he — he angry…” she stuttered.
“Yes, extremely…” interjected Gawain, before Ginny could finish.
“…at me.” She said at the same time that Gawain responded. She heard his answer and it cut through her like a knife.
“Gawain!” shouted Professor McGonagall.
“No! No! I am sorry Miss Weasley,” pleaded Gawain. “I didn’t understand what you were asking. Harry was angry with what had happened to you. I can assure you he isn’t upset with you at all.”
Ginny smiled for the first time that morning. “Thank you. I am tired maybe I should have a little kip here before the train leaves.”
“That would be wise,” stated the Headmistress kindly. “While you are asleep, I will have someone bring you some clothes and something to eat.” She then turned to Gawain, and her face and voice turned very stern. “I would like a word.” She grabbed his arm and ushered him out the office door. Ginny lay back down on the bed.
She lay there staring at the wall. She couldn’t sleep, but she was tired. She needed someone to comfort her now. She needed Harry to show up and tell her that everything will be all right. Before him it was her mother or father who could make her feel better. Now no one, but Harry can take the pain away. Her eyes slowly closed as fatigue forced her to sleep.
Ginny woke with a jump as she felt someone’s hand on her shoulder. Fear was coursing through her from that simple touch. She turned and saw Marty staring at her sympathetically.
“Sorry, Weasley,” she apologized. “It is almost ten and the train will be leaving in an hour.” When Ginny stared at her, unsure of why she was there, Marty held up a school robe. “I brought you a set of robes. I didn’t think you would want to walk around the school like that.” She smiled again with a sad look in her eyes.
Ginny’s mind finally kicked in as to what was going on. It was ten o’clock and the train would be leaving in an hour. She needed to get to her dorm and get ready to go home. She needed to get ready to see Harry. She sat up and looked at her friend. “Thanks Marty, I can’t believe that I slept that long.”
Standing up Marty enveloped her in a hug. “I was so worried about you Weasley. Are you all right?”
Ginny cringed as her friend hugged like she has a hundred times before. The feeling of someone else touching her now sent cold shivers through her and repulsed her. She fought the urge to push Marty away from her and returned the hug. “Thank you, Marty,” she whispered to her friend through gritted teeth.
Ginny grabbed the robes and went to put them on. The idea now of changing clothes in front of someone also seemed strange. Spending six and a half years in a dorm, made her unashamed of changing clothes in front of other girls. Now, however, she didn’t want anyone looking at her. “Madam Pomfrey, can I use your loo?” asked Ginny.
When the nurse said that it would be all right, Ginny went in and locked the door. She had noticed Marty’s puzzled look when she asked to use a loo to change in, but she felt too uncomfortable now to just pull off her infirmary nightshirt and pull on her robes.
When she had her nightshirt off, she looked at herself in the mirror. She had pink marks just below her collar area moving outward towards he breasts. She also had similar marks around her navel. These must have been from Walden ripping her shirt and jeans off. She shuddered at the thought of being naked, even in the loo, and she quickly pulled her robes over her head. They were light weight robes that she normally wore in early fall and late spring. Walden had destroyed her heavy winter robes and her clothes last night. She couldn’t even repair them because they were being held for evidence.
Ginny left the loo and quickly drank some tepid tea and wolfed down her toast before leaving to go to her dorms. Marty walked along besides her saying nothing. Every time Ginny would look her way, Marty was looking at her with an expression as if she was going to cry at any moment. This was beginning to work on Ginny’s nerves, and the feeling as if everyone was staring at her. They were, but what was making Ginny extremely uneasy was the feeling that she was completely naked walking down the halls. Even though she had robes on she still felt exposed. The thin fabric didn’t seem enough protection from wondering eyes. Upon reaching her dorm room, she grabbed a heavy knit jumper and a pair of jeans and went straightaway to the loo to change.
Ginny, Marty, Dennis, Sylvia, and Luna walked together to the Hogsmeade station. Ginny had her broom slung over her shoulder. She still planned on training over the holidays. Everyone was staring at her still. The rumor mills in Hogwarts had been working at high speed. Everyone knew that Walden was in the infirmary and was under guard. Ginny spent the night there also. What no one was sure of were the reasons, but that didn’t stop the stories. Many of the onlookers would whisper behind their hand as she walked past or stare at her with disgust, not caring if she saw them.
When they reached the train platform, they all looked around for Harry. Dennis and Sylvia even walked around the platform and looked. The engineer shouted out the warning “all aboard”, but Ginny didn’t want to get on the train. She kept looking for Harry. She desperately needed Harry to be here. If he wasn’t here, then the one thing that kept going through her mind was he was angry with her or felt betrayed by her. She didn’t care what anyone said now. Harry had been on time all summer, and now today he was late; there could be only one reason. He feels betrayed by her.
Ginny stood there looking for the man she loved with bleary vision. Tears were forming in her eyes that she kept forced back. Despite the reassurance of her friends that he would be at Kings Cross, Ginny wouldn’t give up on Harry and board the train. She didn’t want to board the train. He might still be running late. He used to do that when he was always under stress during the war, so why not now.
Someone pulling on her arm brought her out of the trance she was in. It was Luna. They were the only two on the platform. Everyone else was on the train, and it was slowly pulling away. “Time to go, Ginny,” calmly said Luna.
Ginny wheeled around and ran for the train with Luna at her side. They reached the door and stepped on before it had reached too high of a speed. Stumbling into the train’s halls, they started looking for the compartment with Dennis, Marty and Sylvia. After finally finding it, Ginny moved to a seat by the window that they had saved for her, after placing her broom in the overhead. She didn’t speak to anyone. The entire compartment filled with unspoken words of concern for Ginny created a very tense atmosphere. Ginny sat there twisting her robes up in her hands, ashamed of the problems that she had created for her friends.
“I am sorry, Ginny,” apologized Luna. “I should have warned you about Walden, but I wasn’t sure he would turn out like his father.”
Shock shot through Ginny’s mind like lightning. Walden’s father must have done this type of thing and Luna never said anything about it.
“Walden’s father was Fudge’s right-hand man. He was the one that helped develop the Heliotropes and was the mastermind behind the Rotfang Conspiracy. I am sorry.” Luna’s voice was filled with remorse.
Ginny had to bite her lower lip to keep from laughing. She looked over at Marty who had to look away from her to keep her composure. It would figure the first time that Ginny wanted to laugh all morning, she couldn’t. “It is all right, Luna,” assured Ginny. “I understand why you wouldn’t say anything.”
“Thank you, Ginny,” was Luna’s happy response. She pulled out her Spectrascopes, the most recent edition of the Quibbler, and began to read it.
“Luna,” asked Dennis. His voice was shaky and unsure. “What is a Heliotrope? What was the Rotfang conspiracy?”
Luna lowered the Quibbler and smiled at him. With a sing song voice, she said. “Oh, they were Minister Cornelius Fudge’s attempt of overthrowing the world…”
Ginny tuned her out as she stared out the window, staring blankly at the passing scenery. The only thing that she could think about was a raven-haired green-eyed wizard. She kept hoping that he would appear beside the window on his broom, or maybe, her father’s old flying Anglia. With these thoughts running through her mind she fell to sleep.
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“Wake up sleepyhead,” said Luna as she shook Ginny.
Ginny suddenly became aware that she had fallen asleep and she was now at Platform 9 ¾’s. She groggily stood up and tried to get her balance. The Potions she has been taking today have made her tired and clouded her thoughts. Grabbing her broom, she followed Luna out onto the platform. Students were quickly moving through the magical barrier or being Apparated away from the platform by their parents. Ginny however waited there again looking for Harry. She wasn’t going to give up.
“Ginny.” Luna’s sweet voice again broke her out of her trance. “Why don’t you come home with me, until your parents come home tomorrow?”
“No! He will be here. He promised.” She almost shouted at them. She wouldn’t give up on him. She needed to see him. It was the only thing that had kept her going. She can’t lose him, not now.
“Ginny, please…” Marty started to plead.
“No, I am waiting here. He will be here. Why don’t the rest of you go home? I will be fine here. Don’t worry about me. I can Apparate home if necessary. I won’t need to because Harry will be here.” She looked at the long faces of her friends. She was touched that they all cared so much for her, but Harry will show up. She hugged all her friends’ goodbye, as they left for home.
Two hours later, Ginny was standing between the Muggle platforms nine and ten. Harry had still not shown up. He had promised her that he would. Why wouldn’t he be here? The only thing that she could consider was that he was angry with her, for her stupidity last night. She needed to find him now. She needed to apologize to him for what she let happen to her.
Grabbing her broom tightly to herself, she Apparated to the stoop of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. Tapping her wand to the door, she entered Harry’s home. Calling his name, she heard no response. The house was dark and felt as though no one had been there for days. As she walked towards the staircase, Kreacher appeared beside her. “Mistress Ginny,” he croaked and then his eyes flew open wide and he bit his tongue hard enough to bleed.
“Kreacher, why did you do that?”
The House Elf shook his head. “Cannot tell. Kreacher cannot tell.”
“Kreacher, where is Harry?”
The House Elf groaned and mumbled to himself something that sounded like he can’t do this before Apparating away.
Ginny stood there confused why he would act like this. It seemed as though Harry had told him not to talk to her. The possibility of that caused her even more emotional pain. Fighting back a sob, she started walking up the stairs. She had no idea why she was even doing this. She was moving without thought not noticing anything. Eventually, she found herself standing at the doorway of Harry’s bedroom.
She stepped into the room and looked around. It didn’t look like he had been here last night. She picked up the picture of her and Harry from his chest of drawers. She stood there staring at it. Remembering how seemingly young and naive she was. She had thought their love would be enough. All their problems should be over. The future would be bright and promising. How wrong she was. A simple stupid act by her had destroyed everything.
Harry must hate her now. He even has forbidden Kreacher from talking to her. All her dreams have fallen into ashes now. Holding the picture to her chest, she laid down on the Harry’s bed and cried herself to sleep.
Shouting woke her; she could hear Harry shouting at Kreacher. “I told you not to call her that. I order you not to call her that. You must do as I tell you, Kreacher. It is very important.”
There was a long pause before Kreacher responded. “Yes, Master.”
Ginny sat up and looked around the bedroom. She had no idea how late it was. Even though she had slept, her mind still seemed to be fatigued and confused. Kreacher walked into the bedroom and looked up at her with a doleful expression. She knew he wanted her to leave, but she needed to see Harry. She had to talk to him and explain that she was sorry. She wanted to beg his forgiveness.
Standing up and quietly walking out of the bedroom, she started down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, she saw his tousled raven-hair. Her legs became weak and she sat down on the steps. She could tell that Harry was extremely angry right now. The only reason could be her.
Harry stood at the bottom of the stairs with his head hung low. He looked as if he was starting to cry. Ginny felt compelled to run to him, until she heard another voice.
“Harry are you all right?” asked Carmen. She walked from the kitchen and wrapped her arms around him. Harry stood there rigid. “It’s Ginny isn’t it.” Harry nodded his head. Carmen turned him to face her. She leaned her head to touch their foreheads. She whispered low to him. All Ginny could hear was the statement. “… her family will be here for her. She will be fine, Harry. You can’t be concerned with her, right now.” Harry nodded his head and mumbled something to her. Carmen kissed him on the forehead. “We need to get my family and bring them back for Christmas.” Harry straightened up and hugged her whispering something in her ear that Ginny couldn’t hear. He then took Carmen’s hand and walked out the front door.
Ginny sat there on the steps totally numb. She felt nothing. It was if her mind had shut down to the pain that she should be feeling. The love of her life had just left with someone she had trusted. He was definitely with Carmen now. He was also upset with her. He must have felt betrayed by her. He had given up on her and her mental attitude. The thing that had kept her going, while the Death Eaters occupied Hogwarts, was the possibility of a life with Harry. What Voldemort couldn’t destroy, she did by being careless and stupid. She sat there pressing the picture of them to her chest with one arm, and the other hand was clutched around the heart shaped necklace that Harry had charmed.
How long she sat on those stairs staring at the spot where her dreams had shattered and walked out the door, she didn’t know. The light of the house started to change from the deep inky black of night to the grey shadows of morning, and she still hadn’t moved.
“Misst…” Kreacher stopped talking and mumbled something under his breath. “Miss… Ginny, you must leave now.” He shook her arm.
This brought her out of her stupor. She had suddenly realized that she was holding the picture and the necklace. The pain of the golden heart cutting into her hand had finally registered to her. She stood up and looked around, but the emotional pain still hadn’t hit her. She dropped the picture allowing it to break on the steps. Removing the necklace, she dropped it on the steps also. She looked down at the House Elf. “I am ready to leave,” she whispered in a barely audible voice.
Kreacher reached up, took her hand, and they Disapparated.
Chapter 27: Chapter 27 A.K.A. Carmen Del La Rosa
Author's Notes: This chapter is Harry's POV of the last chapter.
Harry felt Ginny’s hair sweep across his face, and he closed his eyes. The feeling of the silky hair and its flowery scent made him want to grab her and propose to her right now in the library. That wasn’t the plan, he needed to control himself. He had to control himself.
He opened his eyes and watched her walk away from him. It was as beautiful as watching the sun set. She smiled at him before she disappeared around the bookcase. He took a deep breath to compose himself. Leaning against the bookcase and opening the Moke skin bag around his neck, he pulled out the ring box and stared at it. He had to wait until tomorrow evening at Kings Cross station. It would be the perfect time and place to propose to her. Sighing he placed the ring box back into the bag.
He walked out around the bookcase and saw Carmen putting away parchments and closing books. Ginny had already left the Library. He walked up to her and asked. “Quitting? I thought we were going to finish those assignments tonight?”
“We are going to a party tonight, Harry,” stated Carmen with finality.
“We are?” he questioned. “I thought you were going to the Professors Christmas party, and I was going home to sleep.”
“Change in plans, Harry. You are going too. Everyone wants you there,” she said as she stood up from the table.
“Everyone?”
Carmen chuckled quietly, as she walked towards the hall with Harry beside her. “I am sure Madam Zabini will leave once you enter. At least, that is what I am hoping for.”
Harry laughed aloud as he stepped out into the hall. “The only reason you want me to go is so I can chase out the undesirables.”
Carmen smiled at him. “What you have a problem with that?”
They walked side by side through the halls. Harry didn’t really care about going to the party, but it might be a little fun. As long as, he can make it home to get ready for tomorrow. He needed to be sure everything is perfect when he proposes to Ginny tomorrow.
She already knows that he was planning it. She probably has even figured out where. She was so canny like that. If she already knows all these things than she will probably be saying yes, even before he goes down on one knee. Harry smiled as he pictured Ginny looking at him exasperated and telling him “just put the ring on Harry, you know the bloody answer.”
“What’s so funny?” asked Carmen who was walking beside him.
“I am just thinking about Ginny, that’s all.”
“That girl has you wrapped so tight around her finger that there is no way you will ever be free of her.”
Harry smiled at her as he walked. He didn’t immediately reply. “You talk like there is something wrong with that.”
They both laughed at his comment. When they finally reached the corridor outside of the Headmistress’ office, they saw Neville was waiting there for them. Harry waved to his friend, but Carmen did something that shocked Harry.
She walked up to Neville and kissed him. It was more than a friendly kiss as they lingered and held each other tight. After breaking the kiss, she took Neville’s hand and turned to smile at Harry. “Some of us can keep our relationships private,” she teased him. Neville’s face was flushed. Harry couldn’t tell if it was from embarrassment or the kiss he just received.
“Bloody hell how long has this been going on?” asked a shocked Harry.
“Just over a month Harry, why do you ask?” Neville’s voice seemed a little defensive.
Harry looked at Neville holding Carmen’s hand, while he seemed to stand a little taller at Harry’s comment. “I meant no offense, Neville. I think it is wonderful that two of my friends are dating.” He walked over and clapped Neville on the shoulder. The tension that had manifested itself when Harry asked about their relationship had completely dissolved.
Neville and Carmen walked up the spiral staircase to the Professors’ party hand in hand. Harry was behind them smiling. He remembered Carmen talking about her father and how he had rough hands from working as a farmer. She also talked about how gentle they were. He stared down at Neville’s dirty calloused hand gently cradling Carmen’s hand, while her thumb stoked along the back of it.
They entered the Headmistress office to a loud and noisy party. Everyone was talking loudly, but when the three of them entered they all stopped talking and stared for a second before continuing with the party.
Harry could feel Madam Zabini’s eyes on him. It felt like an icy wind from an open window was hitting him as she followed him across the room. Harry was walking to get away from her glare, when he ran into the Headmistress. She immediately enveloped him in a hug.
“Happy Christmas, Harry,” she jovially said to him.
Harry was a little taken back by this sudden show of affection from the normally stern and cold Professor. “Happy Christmas, Professor McGonagall.”
“Everyone your attention please.” Professor McGonagall announced, while grabbing Harry’s shoulder. When everyone finally quieted down, she raised her glass of mead and spoke again. “I would like to propose a toast to the person who truly made this possible, Harry Potter.” He looked shocked at her, and everyone started to drink, but she spoke again. “Not just yet, I would also like to say that for the past seven, no eight years I have had some of the most ‘interesting teaching experiences’ in my career, thanks again to Mr. Potter and all his friends. Happy Christmas to you Harry!” With the last statement, she took a drink of mead.
“Professor I didn’t make…”
“Yes, you did. You are not thick, Harry. You know what I was referring to.”
“I didn’t do it alone.”
“That’s right, Harry. You lead us by your defiance all those years and surviving all the attempts on your life. Everyone believed in you. That my young man is a truly great accomplishment in this world, but you are not here to listen to me talk. Why don’t you mingle a little and enjoy yourself?” Someone slammed the door, and the Headmistress looked up and smiled. “I see you were able to chase Madam Zabini away. Jolly good show, Harry.”
Harry walked away from the Headmistress shaking his head in disbelief. Picking up a glass of mead, he kept looking over at Neville and Carmen. He still couldn’t believe those two were a couple. He walked around the party chatting with the different Professors. He found many of these Professors actually were fun loving and enjoyable to talk to. They all admitted to putting on a stern face in class to keep the discipline. The entire time Harry was mingling he kept looking at the portraits hanging on the walls, particularly Professors Dumbledore and Snape.
As the party goers started to dwindle, Harry found himself sitting in a chair with his first drink still in his hand staring at Professor Snape’s portrait. He was still having problems understanding and accepting everything he had learned from his memories. Somewhere deep inside Harry, he still wanted to know what his mother felt for Snape. Did she ever love him like he loved her? He believed what Ginny told him at Godric’s Hollow, or he desperately wanted to believe it. He wanted that image back in his mind about his perfect happily married parents. That image had sustained him for years, and at times it still does. Was it the truth, though, or did his mother settle for his father? Would she have preferred Severus Snape?
A hand placed on Harry’s shoulder brought him out of his thoughts. “He has asked about you,” stated the Headmistress.
“Who Professor?”
“Severus. He wanted to know if you would have made Lily proud.” She looked down at Harry. “I told him, yes, that you remind me so much of Lily Potter and her husband. Poor Severus sulked for two days after that, but it is true Harry. I see so much more of your parents in you than just your physical similarities.”
“Professor, my mother used to be best friends with Professor Snape.”
Professor McGonagall cut him off. “Yes, Harry, when they first came to Hogwarts, they were very close…”
The fireplace erupted with green flames and Gawain Robards stepped out. “Minerva, I need your help. It is urgent.”
The Headmistress walked away from Harry and addressed Gawain. “What is it?”
“I need to speak with Harry Potter and Carmen Del La Rosa, immediately.”
Harry stood up from the chair. The room was empty except for the three of them.
“There is an emergency assignment for you and Carmen,” Gawain said. “You can tell no one about it. Go get Carmen and have her pack all her personal affects. Both of you need to come back here immediately and tell no one what is going on.”
“Yes, sir,” Harry automatically replied, and turned to leave.
“You will need to Floo from here to the Minister’s office,” ordered Gawain. Then he turned to the Headmistress, “Not a word about the two of them going on assignment to anyone. It is critical.” He then turned and disappeared back into the flames.
Harry didn’t care what Gawain said. He needed to do something before he leaves and possibly never returns. He wants to propose to her. To hell with all his plans, before he goes on some dangerous mission for the Ministry, Ginny Weasley is going to know without a doubt that he is totally committed to her, when he asks her to marry him.
He pulled out the Marauders Map and looked for Carmen and then Ginny. He found Carmen walking with Neville just a few feet from the gargoyle at the bottom of the stairs. It only took him a minute to tell her to pack up that they were going on a mission and swear Neville to secrecy. He trusted Neville with secrets of this magnitude.
Ginny said she would be at the party in the Charms classroom. He located her in the classroom, and she wasn’t alone. Walden-bloody-wanker-Ridgebit was with her. He stared at their dots as he ran through the halls and down the stairs. His anger increased as he saw their dots connect. He was a few metres from the door of the classroom when he thought he heard a muffled scream. He wasn’t sure if it was real or if he just felt it in his heart.
Panic and anger raged through him. Ginny was in trouble. Not even considering using the door knob, Harry shot a Blasting Curse at the door. With his emotions raging out of control, the curse crackled as it left his wand’s tip. When it collided with the door, the door exploded into splinters. He didn’t even break stride as he walked through the dust of the destroyed door.
As he emerged from the dust, Ginny was laying on a table. Her robes and clothes were ripped open and Walden was leaning over her grabbing at her wrists trying to control her as she fought him. He was staring at the door with a shocked look on his face as Harry stepped through it. Walden let go of Ginny and stood back from her.
“She wanted it…” Walden didn’t say anything more. Harry had lifted his wand without thinking of a curse. He wanted Walden away from her and he wanted to hurt the bloody bastard. A beam of silver erupted from his wand it was as large as a man’s leg. It hit Walden square in the chest driving him back away from Ginny. The beam traveled with such force that when it hit Walden, Harry felt the impact. The beam spanned out and covered Walden’s entire body. It threw the wanker against the far wall of the classroom with a sickening crunch. When Harry heard that sound he released the beam, but he didn’t lower his wand, as he marched towards Walden.
As he passed Ginny, he looked at her. She was incoherent as she lay on that table naked except her bra and knickers. It looked like she couldn’t even focus her eyes, and was unable to stand up. He turned his attention back to Walden. Walking up to him lying on the ground, Harry saw that there was blood smeared down the wall from where he slid. His arms and legs were twisted at odd angles, and more blood was pooling around his head. Harry stood there, with the image of Ginny lying on that table with her clothes ripped off, wanting to kill him. His knuckles were white as he gripped his wand. He knew he could do it, use the Avada Kedavra curse on him. An image of Ginny came to his mind. He knew that she wouldn’t want him to spend the rest of his life in Azkaban for this. Walden was incapacitated now. He didn’t need to die.
Harry went to turn and leave him, but he stopped and touched his wand to Walden’s head and uttered the healing spell. “Episkey.”
Harry heard a thunk from the tables. He looked and Ginny was lying on the floor now. He practically ran to her. She was babbling something that sounded like “get away” and “bitter Butterbeer”, while trying to clumsily push her ripped clothes back over her. Harry looked around and only saw two Butterbeer bottles. He picked one up and could smell some type of Potion in it.
He knelt down above Ginny. She had pushed herself up to a sitting position. He reached out to touch her and tell her it was going to be all right. When he touched her cheek, she drove her one leg up into his unprotected crotch. The pain shot through him making him want to hurl. He fell over in pain. While he was on the floor, Ginny had rolled onto her side and was trying to crawl away from him. The sight of her rendered so helpless made tears come to his eyes. He crawled up beside her and touched her gently on the shoulder.
“Ginny, it is all right now. You are safe, love,’ he reassured her. She seemed confused and pulled away from him, but he didn’t become discouraged. “Ginny, It’s Harry. I will take care of you.” He laid his hand on one of hers and again tried to touch her cheek. This time she didn’t pull away. She seemed to recognize his voice.
“Harrrery?” she slurred out. She tried to look at him, but her eyes wouldn’t focus.
He bent down and wrapped her torn robes and clothes back around her the best he could. He sat her up and gently picked her up. She leaned into him as though she was trying to hide. He had to try to fight back the urge to crush her in an embrace as he gently kissed her to reassure her. She was so helpless lying in his arms. He started walking to Madam Pomfrey’s holding Ginny. She would mumble his name and pull herself tighter to him. Her legs dangled as though they were made of rubber. He was walking as fast as he could, but it still seemed to take forever to reach the infirmary. He didn’t knock or use the handle, but kicked the doors open. Madam Pomfrey came rushing out of her office scolding him until she saw Ginny.
“What happened to her?”
“She has been drugged by Walden Ridgebit.” When the nurse looked at him in shock, he yelled at her. “He tried to rape her, in the Charms classroom. He is still there. Send the Headmistress to investigate.”
“I’ll do that Potter.” She pulled out her wand and shot a Patronus out through the doors of the infirmary. “Lay her down on this bed.”
Harry complied and placed Ginny gently down on the bed. When he started to pull away so Madam Pomfrey could exam her, Ginny grabbed onto him for dear life. He didn’t want to let go of her, so he knelt beside the bed, and tried to comfort her.
“What is going on here?” demanded the Headmistress, as she walked up to the bed. “Potter, I thought you had to be someplace else.”
“I am not going. I am staying here,” shouted Harry.
“You are required to go to the Ministry, right now. Gawain is waiting for you. Carmen has left already.”
“He can sod off. I am not leaving Ginny in this state,” retorted Harry. He was barely able to control his anger.
“Harry, you are required to go. YOU MUST GO!”
“NO!”
With Harry’s last shout, the Headmistress seemed to try to calm herself down. “Harry,” she said calmly. “You must report. If you tell them what happened they may take you off the mission. Merlin knows that you wouldn’t be in a right state thinking of Ginny all the time.”
Harry looked up at the Headmistress with teary eyes. Ginny needed him. He needed to be here for her, because that is what true lovers do for each other. They comfort and support each other in times of need. He hated being put in this position. He only decided to be an Auror to help people and protect them from dark wizards. Ginny needs protection, why can’t he be her protector. What would be wrong with him staying here and protecting the one he loved rather than chasing some delusional witch or wizard bent on taking over the world? He had made a commitment though. He was an Auror, even if he was only in training to be one.
He stood up, and Ginny kept as strong of a grip on his hand as possible. It took all his resolve to pull away from her weak grip. He turned and started to walk away from the bed. His heart was breaking because he could here Ginny calling out to him; begging him to stay and telling him she loved him.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Harry emerged from the flames in the Minister’s office. He was practically blind to his surroundings as the only thing he could think about or see was Ginny lying in the hospital bed. He was fighting back tears of anger and of pain of leaving her there. He glanced around the office and saw Gawain, Kingsley, Carmen, Rostis, Blythe, and Madam Maxime.
“Where the hell have you been Potter,” screamed Gawain. “You lied to me...”
“Shut up, Gawain,” yelled Harry straight back at him. Being yelled at only increased his anger and resolves not to go. “I am not going on any bloody mission...”
“Yes, you are,” interjected Kingsley. “You are vital to the success of this mission.”
“I told you I am not going. I am going back to Hogwarts to take care of Ginny. She was attacked tonight.” He turned to return to the Floo when someone grabbed his shoulder to stop him. Without thinking Harry flung his arm at the person to push him away. He heard a crash, and then suddenly Gawain and Rostis were standing in front of him holding their wands on him. They both looked scared.
“You need to calm down, Harry,” said Gawain while holding his wand tightly in his grip. “I know you are fast with your wandless magic, but there are five wands on you now.” Harry stopped and looked at Gawain wondering if they are really going to curse him into submission. Gawain looked around Harry and asked someone behind him. “Is he all right?”
Harry turned and saw Kingsley crumpled at the bottom of a wall. He looked to be bleeding from an abrasion on the left side of his head. Harry realized that the crash he heard was the Minister of Magic being driven into the wall. “Did I do that?” he asked.
Kingsley stood up with the help of Blythe, and looked at him. “Yes, you have been crackling with magic since you stepped out of the Floo. You just blasted me away when I grabbed you.” Kingsley dabbed his head with a cloth, before speaking again. “What happened to Ginny?”
“She was snuck a Potion in a Butterbeer, and then the boy tried to rape her.” Everyone straightened up at the last statement, Carmen and Madam Maxime both gasped and covered their mouths. “I need to go back and take care of her,” he pleaded with them, much of his anger was gone and now he was trying not to cry in front of everyone.
“Where is she,” inquired Kingsley.
“In the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall are with her now.”
“And the attacker?”
“He is lying in the Charms classroom, unless they have moved him.”
“Who was it, Harry?” Kingsley asked questions with the expertise of a former Auror.
“Walden Ridgebit.”
“Ridgebit, you say.” Kingsley said with surprise. “His father is in the Ministry. He is the head of the Unspeakables Department. Gawain, go to Hogwarts and sort this out.” The Head Auror immediately turned and stepped into the Floo. “Harry, Ginny is safe now. I will make sure that no one can touch her. I need you to go on this mission.”
“Why, why can’t you send someone else? Why is it so important? I am only a trainee,” pleaded Harry. “I need to be with Ginny when she wakes up. Please Minister,” he begged. Harry looked up at Kinglsey Shacklebolt, the Minister of Magic, a member of the Order of the Phoenix, a person who Harry thought of as a friend. He seemed to be shaken as he looked at Harry. This noble and proud man seemed to be slightly stooped as though the weight of the world was now on his shoulders.
Kingsley broke away from Harry’s gaze and walked back and forth in front of him with his hands behind his back. “Harry, I am the Minister of Magic. It is an office that has many responsibilities, and one that I have made my top priority is to fight dark magic and abuse of magic with everything this Ministry has.” The Minister stopped walking and looked Harry in the eyes. “I admire you for what you have been through. As Kingsley Shacklebolt, I would even feel privileged to call you a friend. However, as the Minister of Magic, I must look at you as a tool a weapon to fight injustice. Harry, I don’t expect you to appreciate or even like me for this, but use you as a weapon is what I must do. This mission is to save ten Muggles lives from dark wizards. You must be a part of it, if it has a chance to succeed. If we don’t go on this mission than those Muggles will probably die. Harry, I am profoundly sorry for what happened to Ginny, but she is safe now. Her family will be there to support her and help her. After this is over, I will do whatever I can to make amends to the Weasley family on your behalf. Harry, as the Minister of Magic, I am not giving you a choice. You will go on this mission.”
Harry watched Kingsley talk and saw a look in his eye that he had seen someplace else, in Professor Dumbledore’s eyes, when he was using Harry to destroy Tom Riddle. His anger was gone now, and it left a huge hole in him. He was tired and confused. He wanted desperately to be with Ginny. However, if Ginny found out he let innocent people die, because he refused to go, she would be angry with him. He would be angry with himself. He just couldn’t understand why it had to be him. He knew he was a decent trainee, but certainly there are better Auror’s out there. So why did it have to be him, unless there is more than what he has already heard.
“You are not telling me everything, are you?” he asked the Minister.
“This mission will involve you going to find these Muggles and guarding them in a secure location. I need your house Harry. It is already invisible to the world. No one will realize that there is new Fidelius charm on it.”
“Then take it. I will stay at the Burrow, or someplace else,” offered Harry.
“I wish it was that simple. Carmen needs to disappear also. We will need a cover story so it won’t be obvious that she is on an assignment,” said the Minister sadly while avoiding Harry’s eyes.
“Hold on, cover story? You are going to use Carmen and me as the cover story. What the hell are you planning telling the world that Carmen and I ran off together as lovers?” Harry didn’t need to hear the answer. He saw it in the Ministers body language. “No bloody way, will I agree to that! Absolutely not! You want to rip the heart out of Ginny. I will not do it. Let those Muggles die. I will not do something like that to her, not now.”
“Then you are condemning Carmen’s family to death. Harry!” stated the Minister.
Harry turned and looked at Carmen. She was standing crying being hugged by Madam Maxime.
“I’m so sorry Harry. I never wanted you to be dragged into my family’s troubles,” she cried to him.
“Why can’t your Ministry take care of the situation? I thought wizards attacking Muggles was forbidden internationally under some secrecy act?” questioned Harry.
“I can’t go to the French Ministry,” she explained. “If they knew about me, they would kill me.”
“What?” exclaimed Harry? He couldn’t believe this. “Are — are you wanted for some crime?”
Carmen laughed sardonically, and shook her head back and forth. “Yes and no, my crime is that I was born a Basque. Harry my name isn’t Carmen Del La Rosa. It is actually Monique Arana.”
“What is a Basque, Carmen — er — I mean Monique?” asked a confused Harry. He was trying to process what she was talking about. She had always been secretive about why she was here, but he never imagined something like this.
“We are an ancient people. We have lived in the Pyrenees Mountains, since, well, some say since the mountains were formed. We have lived there since before the people that occupy both France and Spain lived in those lands. For centuries we have been at war with both countries for the land surrounding the mountains and our own autonomy. In the past fifty years, the Muggles, as you call them, have come to live peacefully as citizens of both countries, but before that the Basques have fought with both countries for its autonomy.
“The worst of the fighting was between 1480 and 1600, when both France and Spain was trying to grow by conquests. My ancestors fought both countries in a bloody war. Most of it was a guerilla type of small battles instead of large open warfare. We have always been outnumbered on both fronts. At that time the Basques also had sorcerers amongst them. They had learned magic of a different type than anywhere else at that time. They were powerful and fought ruthlessly for their independence. Many times they would fight alongside of the Muggles to ensure victory. The French and Spanish sorcerers outnumbered them by ten to one, but the battles were so deadly that nearly two-thirds of the others had died over the course of the rebellion.
“The ancient sorcerers had set up, for even the nonmagical Basques, hiding places in the mountains. Caves, where they could hide from the invading armies, they could lash out and attack them without ever being detected. These caves were magically charmed so that anyone who wasn’t a Basque would die if they entered them, if they could find them at all.
“During the last years of the rebellion the Spanish and French wizards and witches had moved into the Pyrenees in mass. For ten years they laid siege to the Basque magical community, even destroying their castle which served as their Ministry and school. The Basques realizing that they couldn’t possible win this conflict went on a suicide mission. They divided their forces into three, one stayed in the mountains and engaged the enemy, the other two went to each Ministry and attacked it with the hope that they could cause such destruction that the enemy would lose heart, and quite this attack. The French and Spanish Ministrys’ were virtually destroyed, but all of the Basques were killed in this offensive.
“The two countries were so angered at this that they both passed laws stating that any Basque who possessed magic would be killed on sight and so would their families. The two countries went through the Pyrenees and killed everyone to the second cousin who was related to those wizards and witches.”
“That was hundreds of years ago,” said a shocked Harry. “Certainly that law isn’t still practiced.”
“Harry, that is why I changed my name, so I could go to Beauxbatons,” stated Carmen. “The only people who know me by Monique are my family, Madam Maxime, and Minister Shacklebolt. I went to Madam Maxime when my family was attacked by Wizards, because I couldn’t go to my own Ministry. The French Ministry doesn’t even recognize the existence of the nonmagical Basques. She contacted Minster Shacklebolt, and he brought me here to England.”
“Why was your family attacked? Was it because they are Basques?”
“No, actually it was for our land. My mother’s family literally owns the mountain that we live on. For nonmagical people we are extremely old-fashioned. We still live the same way as we did a hundred years ago, making a living from farming and raising livestock. Five years ago a developer approached my father about selling the mountain so he could build a ski resort. His offer was rejected. He came back several times, each time increasing the offer and each time being rejected. The mountain is our home. We cannot sell it. It would be like selling a member of our family.
“In June, wizards came and talked to my father. He still refused to sell.” Carmen stopped talking and tried to control her emotions. Tears were now running down her cheeks, as she talked about her father. Madam Maxime walked to her and comforted her. “They tortured him. In front of our house, they tortured and killed him. When my brother ran to help, they killed him too.” She stopped talking to sob and wipe her eyes. “I went to my Headmistress for help. She set up a safe house for my mother, aunts, and uncles under the Fidelius Charm. You know the ironic thing is. My father isn’t part of the original family that has ownership of the mountain. He had the same last name, but he couldn’t even sell them the mountain.”
“If they are in the safe house then…” Harry’s question was cut short by Kingsley.
“Two days ago, the wizards returned to Monique’s family mountain and started killing people indiscriminately. When her aunts and uncles were placed in the safe house, a couple of family members were also told about their location. Her mother and everyone else left to go to their relatives funerals, and were again attacked.”
Carmen finished for Kingsley. “They are all now hiding in one of the magical caves. They have been in there for the past twenty-four hours. I do not know if they have any food in there and how long before they will have to come out.”
“Harry,” Kingsley took over the conversation again. “If we do not go and retrieve these people they will eventually be hunted down and forced to sign over their land and then killed to cover this extortion.”
Harry looked at Kingsley, Carmen, and Madam Maxime. He could tell that they were telling the truth. It explained all the questions he had ever had about Carmen, but he still needed to be here for Ginny. She might eventually understand why he had to go. The more he heard about this situation, the more he understood why Kingsley wanted to take on this case. The only questions he had now was what would the French Ministry do if they found this out, and how can he keep Ginny from hating him if they need to make a fake story about him and Carmen.
“What will the French Ministry do if they discovered this crime, and our involvement?” Harry questioned the Minister.
“While you are in France, you are on a dangerous mission. We are technically breaking international law by doing this. Once we get everyone back here and safe then I can start negotiations with the French. It will be a long time Harry until this matter is resolved. The delicacy of this situation makes it necessary that these witnesses can’t be found. What makes this situation even more tenuous is the possibility that the French Ministry might be involved.”
“Bloody hell, Kingsley, this sounds like a suicide mission!” exclaimed Harry. He couldn’t believe this.
“When you are in France, you must remain undetected. If you are discovered you could be arrested or killed. Sorry Harry,” said the Minister, in a consoling tone.
“You want Carmen and I to go into France and rescue ten Muggles out from under the nose of witches and wizards, and not get killed. Minister, that is a lot to ask of us,” stated Harry, his panic was evident in his voice. “It will take time to...”
“There will be four of you, Harry,” assured the Minister. “Rostis and Blythe will be going with you. Rostis will be the leader. We are in the process of finalizing the plans now. I will not let you take off blindly into France.”
“Will they have to disappear also?” asked Harry.
“No, they are technically still on guard duty at Azkaban.”
“Why can’t Blythe be Carmen’s date, instead of me?” questioned Harry. He saw a possibility of getting himself out of disappearing. “You can still use my house.”
Kingsley chuckled at Harry. “I am afraid that this is a situation where you are not a fully qualified Auror like Blythe. I need him other places more than I need you. Sorry Harry, it was a nice try.”
The fireplace erupted with Green flames and Gawain Robards stepped out holding a box. He looked and saw Kingsley and walked over to him. “It was Gordon Ridgebit’s son. I found these in a magically sealed compartment in his school trunk.” He held out the box which was filled with bottles of potion. “I want to take them to the Potion Masters and have them decide what is in them.” He then turned to Harry. “What did you curse him with? You nearly broke ever bone in his body?”
“I don’t know, sir?”
“What? How could you not know what curse you used?” asked a shocked Gawain.
“I didn’t think of any particular curse I just wanted to knock him away from Ginny,” stated Harry. He left out the fact that he wanted to seriously hurt him, and that he had considered killing him. “It was silver beam, and it knocked him into the wall. I stopped when I heard him hit.”
Gawain looked at Kingsley who returned a thoughtful stare. “It must have been one of your hybrid Shield Charms. I would like to have your wand to run a Prior Incantato spell on it? You will have it back in an hour or two. I need to find someone else to verify what spells are revealed.”
Harry looked around at everyone. He wasn’t sure about giving up his wand like this. However, he knows enough about investigative procedure to know that Gawain isn’t asking anything out of the ordinary. Pulling out his wand he placed it in Gawain’s hand. He suddenly felt naked and vulnerable without it.
“Harry, it is time we started planning this mission,” stated the Minister. He walked over to a doorway behind his desk, and opened it. Rostis and Blythe started walking towards it, while Monique turned and hugged Madam Maxime.
“Au revoir ma cher amie,” Monique said to Madam Maxime. They hugged and Madam Maxime bid everyone “goodbye and good luck” before squeezing herself into the Floo and going to the Hogs Head.
Stepping into the back room, Harry saw maps of France lying on tables and stuck up on the walls. Rostis and Blythe were bent over a map showing the Bayonne area of France in great detail. They seemed to be trying to pick out a place to set up a camp and what they will need to take with them. Monique and Kingsley also joined in the discussion about the plans.
They debated whether they should go over the country or over the ocean. Over land would be shorter and quicker, but the Ocean would be easier to go undetected. Monique had pointed a good place for a base camp. It was twenty kilometers south of Oloron-Ste-Marie, in a small densely wooded area. The mountain and her land was another twenty kilometers south.
The first thing that was determined was that it would be best to reach France at night and to travel over the ocean and the Bay of Bisque. The argument whether to fly over uninhabited area or to go directly over cities and town went on for an hour. They decided to fly over the city of Bayonne while invisible. If wizards are watching for them, they would most likely be watching the uninhabited areas.
They calculated the distance that the trip would cover at 1200 kilometres. Harry nearly choked when he heard this. That would be a very long and painful flight on a broom. After he stated his feelings Rostis and Kingsley laughed at him and told him not to worry, because they will be on flying carpets. These could travel at speeds around a hundred kph that would make the trip around 12 to thirteen hours long. They determined that they would need to leave before morning from England so they could pass over Bayonne in the early evening when the activities would make detecting a single Disillusioned Carpet most difficult. They could also get their camp set up and start moving towards the mountains before daybreak.
Monique wasn’t sure where exactly her mother and family would be, but she knew of one cave on their mountain. At this time of year, it would be above the snow line. Traveling to it would be difficult and take several hours. They were afraid to Apparate unless necessary because of various detection methods that might be used by the French.
Kingsley kept asking Monique if there is any possible way of determining how many wizards and witches could be watching from around the mountain. This discussion went around the table several times with everyone but Harry offering advice. Most of them were trying to think of a spell that would reveal where the enemy was without giving away the location of the caster. During this time, Harry worn out from the emotions of the night couldn’t keep his mouth shut.
“Why don’t you call your relatives on the telephone, Monique. If the French magical community is like the British, they would never be able to detect that.” He even chuckled at his cheeky comment. What he didn’t expect was that everyone stared at him and then Monique.
“The French are like the British. I could possibly call my cousin. He would know if strange people are around. The wizards and witches would have no clue unless they over heard the conversation.” Her voice became more excited as she spoke.
“What if they cast Imperious curses on some of you family members, or the ones you call accidently reveal that they have spoken to you, and you are coming to help,” said Kingsley, instantly sobering everyone’s excitement over this easy solution. “They would be alerted and waiting.”
A thought suddenly occurred to Harry. “Kingsley, excuse me. Minister, you said that Carmen and I will have to disappear so that the French won’t be able to track us down. It would give a cover story.”
“Yes, Harry, but let’s first get this part planned,” replied the tired Minister.
“I have a simple solution to both our problems. Send the two of us to Australia.” He gleefully announced.
“Why would that solve both of our problems?”
“Simple. The French don’t use technology. Brad Carl could email a message to Hermione’s parents. That way Hermione and the Weasley’s would know that it was a set up. Australia is such a large country that it would take months of searching to find someone there. It is perfect!” exclaimed a happy Harry.
Kingsley thought it over and looked at him with a grave expression. “Could you trust them to keep it a secret?”
Harry straightened up and stared the Minister. “You must be joking. You are talking about the Weasley’s and Hermione. I would trust. Correction, I have trusted them with secrets that I wouldn’t even trust with anyone in this room.” Harry’s voice had taken on an icy tone. He was almost insulted that Kingsley would even suggest that the Weasley’s weren’t trustworthy.
The Minister lowered his head and shook it back and forth. For a while Harry wasn’t sure why he was doing this until he could hear him laughing. “Thank you for reminding me of who I was talking about. To question their ability to keep secrets is rather gormless. If you think Australia would work out, so Ginny would realize that this is a ploy without giving it away to the world, then I am all for it.”
Harry was about to thank him, when Gawain entered the room. “Here is your wand, Harry,” he said while placing the wand back in his hand. “The Potion Masters have started to analyze those bottles. They said it should take another hour. I have two Hit-Wizards standing guard over Ridgebit. Minerva will contact me when Ginny wakes up. Minister you will need to get ready. Your office staff will be getting here within the half hour.”
Everyone looked at the clock and realized that it was seven-thirty in the morning. They had spent the night discussing their plans. “We won’t be able to leave until tomorrow morning then,” groaned Harry, who wanted this mission done so he could get back to Ginny.
Kingsley walked over to a stone basin in the corner of the room. When Harry first saw it, he thought it was a Pensieve. Kingsley bent over it and splashed water from it on his face. He stood up and let the water rest on his face for a few seconds. The water never moistened his robes and eventually it all disappeared. The Minister looked refreshed and renewed. The fatigue from the long night without sleep had vanished from his face. “This is the best thing about being Minister,” stated Kingsley, as he let the water soak into his skin. “This basin can refresh you for up to four hours. All I need is to come in here again at lunch and I’ll be able make through the day. I tried taking the water out of it and with me, but it loses it effects. Why don’t the rest of you get something to eat and them get a good kip. You will need to be rested up for the mission.” Kingsley finished saying this and left the room, to attend to his duties as the Minister of Magic.
Blythe looked around and asked. “How are going to get anything to eat unless…” He stopped speaking as a tray of sandwiches and pitchers of Pumpkin Juice appeared in the corner of the room. Everyone was so hungry that they didn‘t bother speaking, but tucked in and devoured sandwich after sandwich while finishing all the Pumpkin juice.
After eating, they each drew up their own bed out of the air. Harry mused how he used to admire Professor Dumbledore when he would do this, and now he has finally mastered this Transfiguration. While he was getting his bed prepared for a kip, Monique was looking at the stone basin of water. She had a strange smile on her face as she looked at the strange writing on the rim.
“It is written in an old form of Euskara. It says; wash away your aches and fight on. There is other writing that I don’t understand,” she said before walking away from it and sitting on her bed.
Harry was thinking about something that she had told them that night. “Monique, if all the Basque sorcerers were killed and have been dead for centuries, how did you learn so much about them?”
She smiled at him. “Good question, but an easy one to answer. History of Magic fourth year, the entire year was spent discussing the war. I also spent many hours in the library studying it. There are a great many French Magical historians that have researched it. The older ones were particularly biased in the views the most recent ones were more objective. They all pointed out how ruthless and vicious the magical Basques were though.” She stopped talking for a second and looked thoughtfully at the bowl. “The other thing that they all agreed on was the Basque’s were extremely good at creating enchanted items that didn’t lose their magical qualities, such as that bowl and the caves. It was a shame that their school was destroyed. All that knowledge was lost forever. Well, good night or should a say day to you Harry.” With that she lay down and closed her eyes.
Harry stared at her for a few seconds, before doing the same. Thoughts of what they were about to do kept creeping into his mind preventing him from go fast to sleep. Thoughts of Ginny also denied him his rest for some time. He was concerned what she must think of him, for abandoning her like that. He hoped that she would eventually forgive him, because he was having a difficult time forgiving himself.
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Harry woke up and ran his fingers through his hair. It felt like seven o’clock in the morning to him, but it was actually five in the evening. Monique was writing something on a piece of parchment and Blythe was looking at the maps while Rostis was still asleep.
Harry stood up and stretched as Gawain stepped through the door. Gawain looked as if he had gone home and slept and showered. “I need everyone awake,” stated Gawain.
Blythe walked over to Rostis’ camp bed and kicked it. “Time to get up old man, I know you need your beauty sleep, but you need to get up,” he laughed at his older partner.
Rostis sat up gingerly and looked around. He had a look as if he would curse the first person who spoke. Blythe conjured up a cup of coffee and stuck it in his hand, before walking away. Rostis took a sip and Harry could see a transformation in him from still being asleep to being wide awake.
“Poor man would be lost without his morning cuppa,” laughed Blythe.
Rostis glared up at him. “Oh shut up, trainee,” he said before smiling.
“All right I see everyone is awake and aware,” stated Gawain. “Here are some of the things we have finalized today. We leave tomorrow morning at four-thirty from outside of the town of Porthleven, in Devon. You will be using four magic carpets for transportation, but only one will be needed tomorrow. They will be equipped with an invisibility device and also a compass and navigation controls. We are predicting a miserable ride, because it will be either snowing or raining on you the entire distance. However, that will help his you since the temperature will also help create fog. You will need to be at the shack where the carpets are stored by three-thirty so you can be instructed on how to use them, and you can load them with provisions. At nine o’clock tomorrow morning, Harry, your house will have a new Fidelius charm placed on it, which will have Kingsley as the secret keeper. Harry, I would like a word with you, and you too Car — er — Monique.”
Gawain stepped off to one side of the room. Harry walked over to him and Monique stood beside them a second later. Gawain had some pieces of parchment in his hand. He went to speak, but Monique cut him off.
“Gawain, you can call me Carmen. I have lived so many years under that name that I answer to it also. The only people who know me as Monique are my family.”
“Fair enough,” he replied. “I wanted to ask the two of you, if you have a will made out?”
Harry swallowed when he heard this question. He had never thought about filling out a will. He began to wonder what would happen if he didn’t have one and he died, which for him was always a possibility.
“No,” Harry said meekly. “I never thought about it before.”
Gawain handed him a piece of parchment that was rolled up. “This is a basic will. The first part is the legal way of saying that you are sane and know what you are doing. You need to write, in your own hand, how you want your possessions distributed and to whom. Two of us in the room can witness it, as long as we aren’t one of your beneficiaries.” Gawain chuckled then added. “Of course I wouldn’t complain if you would leave me a couple of thousand Galleons.”
Harry laughed at his cheeky comment and sat down to write out his will. He dipped his quill and went to start writing, but stopped with the quill hanging over the parchment. After a few minutes he quickly wrote down simple instructions that Ginny would receive half of everything he owned and Ron and Hermione would each get a quarter. He signed his name to it. He figured that they would sell his house and....
He jumped up as he realized that he needed to do something before he left. “Kreacher!” he shouted. Everyone in the room looked at him. “Kreacher, come here!”
The old House Elf appeared in front of him making everyone else jump. “Yes, Master.” He croaked as he bowed to Harry.
“I am going to be doing something.” Harry stopped talking and tried to think how to phrase this. “I will be bringing some people to my house to stay.” Kreacher looked at him with a curious expression. “I need you to stop calling Ginny, Mistress Ginny.”
“Why Master?” asked Kreacher. He looked at Harry with a disgusted look as though he was told to eat dragon dung.
“Never mind, just stop calling her that. It is important.” Harry was starting feel funny about this. He had enjoyed having Kreacher refer to Ginny as his Mistress.
“But Master, don’t you...” Kreacher never finished his statement.
“Don’t call her that. No one can hear you call her that,” he shouted at the Elf. Harry felt guilty at telling Kreacher this. He also felt like he was further abandoning Ginny in her time of need. “I would also like for you to check on her,” he said softer with more compassion. “I will not be able to see her. You can’t be seen taking care of her, but try to make sure she is all right. That is all Kreacher.” Harry was sure he heard the House Elf grumble something about mental masters before disappearing.
Everyone had been watching the scene play out in the room. No one spoke at first until Gawain broke the silence. “Harry, does your House Elf call Ginny his Mistress?”
“Yes, Why?”
“Because, that is what they call their Master’s wives. You and Ginny aren’t married are you?” Gawain asked almost half shocked.
Harry looked at him. The mention of marrying Ginny hurt him. He looked at the clock on the wall. It was six o’clock in the evening. The Hogwarts Express would be at King’s Cross Station right now. “No, but if this bloody mission hadn’t come up, I would be asking her to marry me right now.” He said with bitterness and anger. He went over to his camp bed and sat down not wanting to look at anyone or let anyone see he was trying to fight back tears.
Harry didn’t move from the bed for another hour. Monique had brought some food over for him to eat, but he just picked at it. He was too upset to eat right now. The anger he was feeling would only spoil the food in his stomach making him nauseous and miserable. Later, they went over all the plans for the mission. Each person knew what to do and what everyone else had to do. At ten o’clock, they all lay back down to get some more sleep; because when they would awake they might not be able to sleep for a day or two. Kingsley had agreed to let them have the enchanted basin to keep them refreshed.
Three o’clock came and everyone was already awake and waiting to leave. Rostis and Blythe were to Floo to a remote location that is abandoned; from there they would Apparate to the shack by Porthleven, where the flying carpets are stored.
Harry and Monique were to Floo to Number Twelve Grimmauld Place to set an Anti-Apparition Charm, before crossing the street to Apparate to the shack. They watched as Rostis and Blythe disappeared into the green flames. Harry stepped into the flames and was spun to his home. He stepped out of the fireplace in the kitchen a second before Monique stepped out.
“Just leave those bags here in the kitchen Monique, we can sort things out later,” ordered Harry. “If we get back,” he added, under his breath. “I need to get something from my room before we go.”
“Better hurry, they are waiting for us by now,” responded Monique.
Harry walked out of the kitchen. He wanted to get the picture of him and Ginny from Australia to take along. He hasn’t seen her for over a day, and he didn’t think he could go much longer without seeing her. He was starting up the stairs to his room when he noticed Kreacher walking down them looking nervous.
“Master,” he nervously spoke to Harry. “Mistress Ginny…”
“Don’t call her that, Kreacher! I have already told you that,” hissed Harry, angrier at himself than at the Elf.
The Elf looked at him with wide eyes. “Don’t you love your Mistress anymore?”
“Yes, of course I do, but…”
“Then why won’t you let me call her Mistress. You still want her to be Kreacher’s Mistress don’t you Master?” questioned Kreacher.
The last questioned reignited the anger in Harry. He hated having to hide his feelings about Ginny again. Before it was to protect her, he could live with that. Now it was for some bloody mission, and he was having a difficult time accepting that. “I told you not to call her that. I order you not to call her that. You must do as I told you, Kreacher. It is very important,” he shouted at the House Elf.
“Yes, Master,” grumbled the House Elf before he walked away to Harry’s bedroom.
The anger at his situation was boiling up inside of him, and he let it out on his poor confused servant. He turned and walked down the stairs. All thoughts of the picture had left him. He didn’t deserve to see her beautiful face. He doesn’t deserve her; after all he has put her through. He stood there hating himself for what he was doing, when Carmen called to him.
“Harry, are you all right?” asked Carmen. She walked from the kitchen and wrapped her arms around him. Harry stood there rigid. “Its Ginny isn’t it.” Harry nodded his head, while fighting back the tears that were forming in his eyes.
Carmen turned him to face her. She leaned her head to touch his forehead. “Harry,” she whispered softly. “Ginny will never give up on you. Everyone can see that she only has eyes for you. Neville said that she has always fancied you.”
Harry snorted. “I don’t deserve her,” he weakly responded.
“Most men don’t deserve their girlfriends,” she cheekily told him. Harry smiled and relaxed a little at her comment. “Harry,” she said a little stronger. “Her family will be here for her. She will be fine, Harry. You can’t be concerned with her, right now.”
Carmen kissed him on the forehead. “We need to get my family, and bring them back for Christmas.”
Harry straightened up and hugged her. “Thank you Monique, I just miss her so much and wanted to be there for her when she woke up today,” he whispered in her ear. “I guess the sooner we leave the sooner this will all be over.” He then took Carmen’s hand and walked out the front door.
They stood on the stoop, and Harry turned back to look at the door, as if he wanted to go back. “I forgot my picture,” he said.
“Do you need it, Harry? We are already late, and we still need to cast the charms,” stated Monique.
He hung his head and sighed. “I guess not.”
Harry lifted his wand to the door and cast a charm that will lock the door to everyone trying to get in, after that he lifted his wand over his head and cast another to prevent anyone from Apparating onto the property. After doing that, the two Auror trainees walked across the street to a dark place and Apparated away.
Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Moving forward
Ginny laid on her bed staring at the ceiling. She didn’t actually see the cracks in the plaster, or even register the colour. Her gaze was directed in at the ceiling as opposed to anywhere else. She was trying to understand what had happened to her life. She hadn’t been a big planner as far as what she would be doing in ten years, next year, or even next month, except that Harry would be in her life. Now that was all over, he was gone into the arms of another woman, and she had driven him there.It was the only explanations that made sense to her.
She had left her guard down and allowed Walden to slip her a Potion. Harry had warned her about him. She had warned Harry about all the other women who might do that to him. However, it was she who let it happen, and now she had paid the price.
A shuffling noise to her left reminded her that Kreacher was sitting there staring at her. He had brought her here from Harry’s house and helped her to bed. He had barely spoken to her since she had entered Harry’s house yesterday evening. He had called her “Mistress Ginny”, a term that was reserved for the wife of the House Elf’s Master. He had immediately bitten his tongue so hard that it bled. Ever since he did that, he has not called her anything, but Miss Ginny. She had also heard Harry ordering him never to call her Mistress again. With that memory, Ginny did something that she hadn’t done throughout this horrible day. She allowed a tear escaped her one eye.
She blinked to stop it, but it had appeared too quick for her. She fought the rest of them back. She couldn’t let another one fall or else she won’t be able to stop them. She can’t give into the pain. She must remain numb.
Pulling her old worn quilt around her tighter, she continued to stare blankly at the ceiling. A noise from the kitchen reached her. Her parents had just arrived back from Romania with Charlie and Theresa. She could hear them move around the kitchen and talking. Nothing audible was reaching her at first, until she heard her name being called by her mum. The next voice she heard was of her father as he also called out to her, then Charlie joined in with a mocking tone. Ginny pulled her knees up and lowered her head further under the quilt, trying to hide from them.
“The clock says she is home,” her mother said. The disjointed voice echoed up the staircase and through her closed door.
“She is probably having a lie in, because her and Harry were busy last night,” Charlie shouted loud enough to ensure everyone in the house would hear.
She heard her father admonishing him for being so crass. Then she heard footsteps, her insides squirmed. She can’t tell them what happened. She has let this happen twice in her life. When she was eleven years old and a first year, it was understandable, because she was so naive. She wasn’t naive anymore. No! Now she had been stupid, for letting Walden take advantage of her.
She heard her mother grab the doorknob, and a crack to her left told her that Kreacher had disappeared. Her mother didn’t open the door but spoke to her. “Is it all right for me to come in dear?” she jovially asked through the wooden surface.
“Molly, I hope our daughter is in there alone.” She heard her father state. “She is still...”
“She is a woman Arthur. Accept it!” she hissed at him.
It had been intended to be a whisper, but it was loud enough for Ginny to hear. She was in a state of panic. She couldn’t move because the creaky old bedsprings would give her away, but if she didn’t try to leave than her mother would open the door and discover her here and ask questions. What would she tell them? Would they hate her as much as she hates herself right now?
“Ginny, dear, are you awake?” The doorknob turned and Ginny became increasingly scared, yet, she couldn’t move. Her mother poked her head around the door and looked at her. “Morning dear,” she said as she completely entered the room. “Ginny, are you all right.” Her voice was laced with concern as she stepped up to the side of the bed and stared down at the wide-awake Ginny cowering under the quilt. “Ginny, what’s wrong?” was her panicked question as she shook Ginny’s shoulder. “Arthur!”
As Ginny lay there, she knew there was nothing she could do avoid what was going to happen.
Her father appeared beside her mother in a second. “Ginny, what happened to you? Have you been cursed? Where’s Harry? Talk to us please.”
The questions came too fast for her to respond to. She couldn’t think fast since Walden drugged her. She turned to face her parents and saw the worried creases on their brows. Even Charlie and Theresa were staring over her parents’ shoulders at her.
“Arthur, Owl Minerva at the school maybe she knows what is wrong,” ordered her mum.
Her father turned to walk away but stopped dead in his tracks when Ginny sat up and screamed, “NO!”
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Harry shivered as he watched the snow and rain mix swirl behind the flying carpet. They were only six hours into their thirteen-hour trip, and he was freezing. He had Impervioused his robes to keep the water from soaking through, and he even cast a Warming Charm on them. The air was raw and the misty precipitation found its way around the opening in his clothes.
He was sitting on the carpet facing rearward watching to see if they have been detected. Blythe sat on the left side and Rostis the right. Monique was sitting at the front monitoring the controls. There had been a discussion before they left, because Rostis was experienced, but Carmen knew where they were going, so she was controlling the carpet. The other three carpets and all their cargo was sitting in between them in the middle. The carpet and everything on it was invisible, but they were creating eddies in the precipitation as they flew through it. The fog, light rain, and snow mix was supposed to hide them, but it actually pointed them out to intelligent people who were looking for them. All they needed to do was look ahead of the swirling mist and there was a vague outline of four people on a magic carpet.
Harry’s thoughts kept going back to Ginny. He was having a difficult time keeping his mind on the depressing horizon and sky. The ocean was greenish grey, and the sky was filled with low dark grey clouds. It was a perfect setting for him. In his present emotional state, he probably couldn’t take sunny skies. His life was in shambles because he can’t be with Ginny. She probably hates him for abandoning her. He can’t blame her, because he hates himself for that reason. He sat there actually thanking the snow and rain that was soaking his face, because they hid his tears.
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“No, stop, don’t Owl Professor McGonagall,” cried Ginny, as she ran down the stairs after her father. Her mother was following behind. She was ignoring everyone’s questions. She had to stop her father, because Professor McGonagall would tell them about the attack.
When they reached the kitchen, her father stopped walking and turned to her. “Why shouldn’t I Owl her, Pumpkin?” he asked.
She could see deep concern in his eyes. His voice was soft, but it was as demanding as if he had shouted at her. She realized that her mother, Charlie, and Theresa were also standing behind her waiting for an answer. “Just don’t, please,” she meekly replied.
“Ginny, dear,” her mother said as she tried to pull her into a hug. The idea of someone touching her made her twitch and pull away. This action didn’t go unnoticed by anyone. Questions were being fired at her to fast by everyone for her to comprehend. The only thing she understood was when her father stepped towards the Floo. “I am going to talk to Harry, and get to the bottom…”
He stopped talking as Ginny standing there wrapped in her quilt stared at him. She had drawn a breath and was holding it. She was clueless as to why he had stopped, as was everyone else.
“Molly, anyone, can you remember where Harry lives?” he asked with a confused look on his face.
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Harry felt the carpet increase in altitude in the darkness. Bayonne, France was fifteen minutes away, and Carmen wanted to take the carpet up to five hundred metres to avoid detection. The snow and rain had stopped just before night fall. The skies were still cloudy and there were no stars or moon above them.
He pulled his wand out of his sleeve preparing for a sudden attack. The probability of an attack over the ocean was slim, but here, as they were actually entering France, it was almost imminent. He stared out scanning the dark sky and the distant ocean with more intensity. He couldn’t let an attack stop them. If he did then he will probably never see Ginny again, and never get a chance to apologize to her. The tighter his grip got, and the more intense his concentration and the less he actually thought of her. He just wanted to get back home; nothing would matter if he didn’t do that.
The lights of the city illuminated the area below the carpet. It was strange seeing lights between his crossed legs; actually, he couldn’t even see his legs. Monique moved the carpet slightly to one side or another to avoid airplanes that were landing and taking off from the airport. The city looked magnificent in the cold December night. He looked down at it, and it reminded him of a flat Christmas tree. He remembered that it was Christmas Eve and he should be at the Burrow being held by Ginny as she shows everyone her engagement ring, instead of flying through the freezing sky hundreds of kilometers away.
As the tall buildings of the city disappeared, the carpet lowered and started to follow a river. They would follow this river for another fifteen minutes, before turning south and to land at their designated safe zone.
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Ginny was sitting at the kitchen table still wrapped up in her quilt. The entire ruddy family was here including a pregnant Fleur, and a very distressed Hermione. All day long everyone was trying to remember where Harry lived. They had concluded that he had another Fidelius Charm placed on his house.
Hermione was livid when she realized that Ron and she weren’t let in on the secret. She had been pacing back and forth across the table now for the entire afternoon, except for meals. Ginny’s father and brothers had spent most of the afternoon trying to find someone who might have heard Harry planning this.
“Ginny, Harry could be in serious trouble,” stated Hermione as she leaned on the table staring at Ginny. “Someone could have captured him and cast the charm on the house. You need to talk to us. What happened? Why isn’t Harry with you?”
The last question cut through Ginny. The tears that she has been holding back all day started to fall. She couldn’t stop them now. The question “Why isn’t Harry with you?” kept going through her mind. She couldn’t stop from thinking about it. Closing her eyes, Ginny tried to stop that question from ringing painfully through her mind. She couldn’t. “Because he is with Carmen now!” she shouted at Hermione.
Through tear clouded eyes she saw Hermione’s mouth gape, and no one said anything. Ginny stood up from the table and started to run up the stairs. She hadn’t made it very far, until Hermione had caught up to her and grabbed her arm. “Ginny, what do you mean Carmen is with Harry?” Hermione seemed to on the verge of tears herself. Ron who was standing behind Hermione looked like his head would explode it was so red.
“They left together to get her parents so they all could move in with Harry,” Ginny hissed. The pain of the memory came out in her words she was no longer numb to the pain. It was now welling up in her consuming every inch of her. Ginny started to shake with rage of the indignity of Harry leaving her. He should have been able to forgive her for what had happened with Walden, but he left her for another woman.
Before anyone could say another word, a knock was heard from the kitchen door. Ginny heard her mother ask the new guests. “Why Minerva, and Poppy, why are you here?”
Panic of another type gripped Ginny as she tried to push past Hermione and Ron. She couldn’t let them in the house. They will tell the family about Walden.
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Monique gently and deftly maneuvered the flying carpet between trees, as they entered as far into the safe zone as possible. There was barely any light and they were moving a little faster than a walk. She finally stopped the carpet and landed it. Looking around Harry saw distant lights from Muggle homes. Everyone quietly stretched their stiff muscles from sitting in the same position for thirteen cold hours. After regaining their ability to use their legs, each one walked around the carpet in a circle casting various Concealment Charms.
After all the protections had been put into place, Rostis addressed everyone. “All right, we made it this far without incident. Don’t let that fool you, they could be watching and waiting to attack us.” He directed the last statement to Harry and Monique.
Harry had to resist making a cheeky reply to him. It was obvious that they are even in more danger now as they get closer to where Monique’s relatives are hiding.
“We need to determine where exactly we are and if we want to stay here,” Rostis continued. He and Monique discussed their location. They had the compass from the carpet, and a map of the area. Twenty minutes later they had determined that this location wasn’t remote enough. Everyone grabbed their rucksack and one of the carpets for a twenty-minute walk into the woods. After reaching the new location they once again cast the protective Charms.
Harry looked around their safe location. It was in a patch of pines so dense and remote that he couldn’t
see any light from Muggle houses. It was getting close to ten o’clock at night, so they pitched a tent. They went inside of this four-bedroom tent and prepared a meal. The plan was to go to sleep for several hours, before hiking across the country dressed as Muggles.
After eating, everyone except Monique started to the bedroom areas. She sat down at the dinner table and took out a piece of parchment and without talking to anyone she started to write. Harry discretely watched her before crawling into his camp bed for a kip.
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Ginny stood at the bottom of the stairs glaring at the Headmistress and the nurse across the kitchen. Her tears that had been flowing a few minutes ago had stopped. The Headmistress returned her glare with equal intensity. Madam Pomfrey without asking started across the kitchen to Ginny.
“Minerva, Poppy, why are you here to see Ginny?” asked Mrs. Weasley. Everyone else stood motionless at the scene that was unfolding in front of them.
Ginny could feel Ron and Hermione staring over her head from the stairs. The anger from telling Hermione about Harry was still hot in her veins. Now, however, it was turning towards the Headmistress. She had told her that no one was to know about the attack.
“When I received your Owl I decided to have Poppy come and check your daughter to see if she is having any complications,” stated Professor McGonagall. He voice was calm and comforting. It was a deliberate statement to further the discussion of Ginny’s condition.
“Complications? What complications?” demanded her mother?
By this time Madam Pomfrey was waving her wand over Ginny as she stood in the kitchen. Professor McGonagall smiled at her. It was to tell her that she had to do this.
“From being attacked, didn’t she tell you,” Professor McGonagall said quietly.
The entire room erupted with questions directed at Ginny or the Headmistress. Everyone was talking at once so no one could understand what was being said. Her mother came over and went to hug Ginny but refrained because the nurse was still examining her. She stood there staring at Ginny, and eventually everyone else quieted down and was staring at her.
“I am sorry Molly and Arthur, but your daughter demanded that I didn’t tell you about the nature of the attack. Being that she is of age I am legally obliged to honour that request, but if she still needs medical attention.” She stopped and smiled again at Ginny. “Then, I am also obliged to see that she gets it.”
Ginny almost started to laugh at the way the Headmistress had manipulated the rules. She never told her parents about the attack, exactly, but only that she needed to be checked by Madam Pomfrey because of the attack.
“She is fine. No evidence of the poison in her system,” stated Madam Pomfrey.
Her mother walked up to her and stared at her. There were tears in her eyes, and she didn’t look angry anymore, but concerned with her wellbeing. “Who attacked you, dear?”
Ginny looked at everyone staring at her. She couldn’t bring herself to speak. She opened and closed her mouth several times trying to tell them, but she couldn’t. It was too embarrassing to her, to have fallen for such a simple ploy, and what would they think of her now. “I — I can’t say it,” she whispered, as she hung her head. “Please, Professor…” She closed her eyes as tears seeped between her lids. She couldn’t look at anyone now and see the looks of disappointment in their faces.
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. “Ginny was given a control poison in a Butterbeer. The boy who gave to her attempted to rape her,” she quietly stated.
The entire room was silent. Ginny was waiting for everyone to start shouting and screaming at either her or the Headmistress, but no one did. She felt her mother’s shaky hand touch her chin and gently lift her face up. She heard her mother whisper. “Oh, my poor little girl.” It wasn’t condescending or judgmental, but comforting. Ginny didn’t even resist as her mother wrapped her in a gentle comforting hug. For the first time since she awoke yesterday someone touching her didn’t make her skin crawl. It felt good and reassuring. She laid her head on her mother’s shoulder and soaked in the comfort of her love. Another set of hands touched her. Looking up she saw that her father was also hugging her, and his eyes were also glazed over with tears.
From behind her she heard Hermione’s shaky voice. “Professor, you said attempted?”
“Yes, Hermione, Harry stopped the attack,” she said.
“Professor, do you know where Harry is and why he had a new Fidelius Charm placed on his home?” questioned Hermione.
“I am sorry Hermione. I CANNOT tell you where Harry is,” she stated the word “cannot” with extra emphasis.
Ginny lifted her face from her mother’s shoulder. There was something different about her statement. She had asked yesterday, and the response was different along with the tone of her voice.
Hermione stood and looked at the Headmistress with a puzzled expression, before breaking out into a grin. “You are telling us that you cannot tell us where Harry is?”
“That is correct Hermione,” said the Headmistress. She had a smile on her face as she stared at Hermione with an admiring gaze. If they were still in school, she would have probably awarded Hermione about fifty points.
“Thank you, Professor for coming over,” said a happy Hermione.
Ginny felt her parents grip on her slacken at Hermione’s statement. Ginny was also puzzled for a second or two why Hermione was so happy until she thought about the Headmistress’ exact words, “I cannot tell you where Harry is.” She must be forbidden from telling anyone about his location. The rest of her family was looking puzzled at the conversation and Hermione’s happy statement.
Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey excused themselves and left the Burrow. Hermione watched them before turning to Ginny with a grin. “I think I know what is happening here. Harry is on an Auror mission.”
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Harry felt someone roughly shake his shoulder. His opened his eyes to see Monique staring at him. She had squeezed herself into his sleeping area. It was barely big enough for him to stand beside the bed with the curtain closed. Her fuzzy outline was all he could see, and she was so close that he felt her warm breath washing over his face.
“Harry, you must promise me two things,” she stated emphatically.
Harry felt uncomfortable with her so close to him. “Sure — ah — what is it?”
She placed two folded pieces of parchment in his hands. “If I don’t make it, please give these letters to Neville and Ginny.”
Harry was confused as why she is doing this. A letter to Neville he could understand, but one to Ginny also? “Why do you want me…”
“Just promise me. Harry.” Her voice sounded like she was ready to cry. “I want them to know the truth about us.”
“Monique, you can give them the letters when we all return.”
“Harry, the second thing I want you to promise me is that you will run and save your life if things go badly. I don’t want you to die for my problems. Please Harry, promise me you will save yourself,” she pleaded with him.
“I can’t. We are a team, and I won’t …”
She grabbed him by his shirt with both of her hands. “No Harry, I didn’t join the Aurors so others could get killed over my problems. I wanted to solve them myself. There is no shame in wanting to live, promise me Harry.”
“Monique, we are a team. I won’t abandon you to save myself.” He felt tears dropping on his thin shirt. “We will both make it back with your family. I don’t want you thinking like that. All right?”
She released her grip on his shirt and wiped her face with her one hand. “I couldn’t live with the thought of you dying because of me.” She stopped to recompose herself. “You and Ginny have so much to live for. It is because of me that you can’t be with her now. Harry, please believe me that I never intended for this to happen. I just wanted to learn enough to defend my family.”
“That is what we all will do, Monique, because that is what friends do.”
She nodded and stood up. “I’ll wake the others,” she said, before leaving his sleeping area.
An hour later they were all standing by the tent dressed in Muggle clothes. The plan was for Harry, Rostis, and Blythe to act as British tourists backpacking through France with Monique as their guide. Harry stood there in thought. He had his Invisibility Cloak with him. He could remain invisible as possible back up in case they get attacked.
“Rostis,” asked Harry. He was nervous to change the senior Aurors plans. “I was wondering if we should change our plans slightly.”
“How is that Potter,” asked the grumpy leader. It was five in the morning and the long trip yesterday with sleeping on camp beds left him in a dour mood.
“I have my Invisibility Cloak with me. I could wear it and follow behind you, in case you are attacked. I could provide some back up.”
The older Auror looked at him and rubbed his chin while staring off for a few seconds. “Is it a good cloak? Not all cloaks are very good, and people can still see a vague outline.”
“It is excellent, no one has ever detected me under it before,” stated Harry with pride. He didn’t want to tell them the true nature of his cloak or that Professor Dumbledore had once detected him under it.
“You will need to wear it all day.”
“Not a problem,” he assured Rostis. Harry pulled the cloak and before he even put it on Rostis whistled and reached out to touch it.
“That is a magnificent cloak, Harry.”
Harry smiled at him. “Yeah, it sure came in handy last year.” With that statement he tossed the light fabric over his head and allowed it to float down making him truly invisible and undetectable.
Monique led them away from the tent. Harry was following a few metres behind them but was having a difficult time seeing them among the trees in the dark forest. He was able to see their vague outlines and followed along the best he could. In this darkness, he probably could have followed without the cloak, because no one would be able to see him in the inky blackness. The morning air was cold and crisp, but after a few minutes under the cloak Harry was getting warm.
They eventually left the forest that they had camped in and started walking on a small back road, which was more the size of a trail. The stars were still out, and dawn was an hour away even though he could see the sky lightening in the eastern horizon. He opened his jacket under the cloak to keep from getting too warm as they walked along at a brisk pace. At a distance he could see the outline of the mountains blocking out the stars. He felt a nervous feeling looking at those mountains. He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination or it was something actually warning him.
After two hours of walking, the sun stated to rise on the countryside. It was a beautiful bucolic scene around him. There were patches of woods and fields scattered out in all directions. The direction they were going was up towards the mountain. He hadn’t noticed until the sun had shown him the landscape, but they were walking uphill. The entire land rose at a gentle angle towards the mountain. The land reminded him of England in October instead of December. The grass was still green and many trees and shrubs still had leaves.
All around them in the fields and scattered Muggle homes people were moving leaving their houses to go to work. Harry started to have concerns for their plans. What would happen if someone would notice Monique? This is her home and she does have relatives here. To have someone notice her would not be that unusual.
They continued to walk up towards the mountain for another hour. Harry’s legs were starting to burn, his feet ached, and his shirt was almost soaked with sweat now. The sun was up over the trees and was warming them. The air was cold, but it wasn’t penetrating the cloak to cool him. He noticed Monique leading them off the path into a patch of woods. When he went into the trees, he saw they were taking off their rucksacks and finding a place to sit down. Harry walked around the perimeter of the little clearing. They were a short distance from the small road, but no one on it would be able to see them. After walking around and looking for anyone in the woods, Harry sat down, but kept his cloak on.
Rostis and Blythe looked exhausted making Harry feeling better about how tired he was. He looked over at Monique and noticed that she had Transfigured her thick brown hair blonde. It changed her looks so much that he hardly recognized her.
“How far do you think we have gone, Monique?” asked Harry from under his cloak. Everyone jumped at the sound of his voice. He laughed at their surprise. “The cloak is good. Isn’t it, Rostis?”
They all laughed at his comment. “We are about a third of the way to the cave that I know about. If they are there, we should be able to rescue them by the middle of the afternoon. If they aren’t then,” she stopped talking and hung her head. “It will be longer.”
Harry pulled out some of the snacks that they had packed for the trip and his canteen of water. Everyone else was eating and drinking something. Without realizing it, he had drunk half of the water in his canteen. They were under strict orders not to use magic away from camp unless necessary. It might draw the attention of the French sorcerers.
“Monique, will we be able to refill our canteens?” he asked.
“Yes, Harry, there are a couple of streams we will be stopping at soon. They are clean and you can refill your canteen there,” she assured him. She then smiled at the direction of his voice. “What’s wrong? You drain your canteen already? Can’t stand the walk?”
Harry chuckled at her comment. “Not yet, but I will be finishing it before long.”
They started off again, but their pace wasn’t as fast. The terrain was steeper the closer they got to the mountain. They stopped every hour to rest and refill their canteens. The sunny morning was gone as the grey heavy clouds from their trip were moving across the sky, blocking the warmth of the sun.
They were meeting people more frequently now. Monique would chat to them and keep moving, until she saw this one person outside of a small house beside the road. Harry stood back as Monique walked over to the young woman or she could be teenager. She looked to be poor, and she wore an old beaten up jacket that couldn’t possibly be warm enough for even these mild winter temperatures. They spoke for a few minutes, before she turned and went into the house. While the girl was in the house, Monique took off her jacket. It was a good warm jacket. When the girl returned, she handed Monique several small bundles and Monique gave her the jacket. Harry stood there shocked by what she had just done but couldn’t say anything.
They walked for another half an hour. They had now reached the snow level and the air was getting colder. The cloak kept him warm as long as he was walking, but he knew the moment he stopped he would get cold. Monique stopped by a copse of pine trees. She led everyone inside of the trees to sit down.
After Harry scouted the area he sat down beside her. She had opened the bundles. They were two blocks of cheese and a two loaves of a dark brown bread. Blythe and Rostis were hungrily eating large pieces of them, while Monique was looking in her rucksack. “Why did you give your jacket to that girl?” asked Harry. His voice was terse. “You will freeze…”
He stopped talking as Monique pulled out a heavy woolen jacket from her rucksack. “She is a second cousin of mine, and she needed it more than I do. Besides, I have wanted some of her family’s cheese. It is a pity that I couldn’t travel over to my aunts. She makes the absolute best bread.” Carmen said as she cut off a piece of cheese and tore a piece of bread off for herself.
Harry didn’t say anything else and grabbed some himself. Monique also pulled out the stone basin from Kingsley’s office. She placed it down on the ground and filled it with snow. Harry took a bite of cheese as he watched the snow slowly melt in the basin. The cheese was strong, but pleasant tasting. It went well with the bread. Combined with the icy cold spring water it was actually a refreshing change for lunch. “What type of cheese is this?”
“Goat cheese, Harry,” said Monique with a mouth full of bread. She swallowed it and drank some water, before looking up towards the mountain. “We have about two hours of climbing left. It is going to get tougher now. We must go in single file. Be careful where you step, because you might miss the rock and step on a snow drift. We won’t be going back to pick you up until after the mission is complete.”
Harry looked up at the mountain. A chill ran through him. He tried to pass it off as the cold mountain air cooling off his sweaty body. What he didn’t want to admit, was that he felt as if someone was watching them.
“Why don’t we all use the basin so we can be refreshed before walking any further?” asked Monique. Rostis stood up and walked over to the basin.
“How do you use this?” he asked.
“Just splash some water on your face and let it soak in. I must warn you it will be cold,” she said with a smile.
Rostis splashed water up onto his face and shivered from the impact of the icy water. As he stood there Harry could see fatigue leave his eyes. The magic of the basin was working. Blythe was next, followed by Harry. Monique splashed the refreshing water on herself last before emptying it and replacing it in her rucksack.
The mountains were magnificent to look at. He had never seen peaks like this before. Growing up on the British islands one never had the opportunity to see snow covered peaks so high that they seemed to reach up into the sky. Everyone was walking with renewed vigor as they scaled the snow-covered terrain. They were walking along the western side of the mountain. The trail rose at a steep angle, and it twisted and turned with the contours of the mountain.
The trail had reached the edge of deep ravine. The mountain above the path was a slow incline, but the ravine side was a steep drop to left of at least two hundred metres. The other side of the ravine was as steep as this one, there appeared to be a path on that side also.
Harry noticed the ravine stopped a distance ahead. Monique stopped walking and started to look around. She appeared to be looking at the mountain and the surrounding area, as if she was checking her location. He took this opportunity to catch his breath. The thinner air was causing his lungs to burn with the exertion of climbing through the thick layer of snow.
She looked back at Rostis and Blythe and shouted. “The cave is just up ahead.” Even though she didn’t shout that loud her voice echoed through the ravine. The path and the slope above them were snow covered, but much of the ravine sides were exposed rock, as it was too steep for the snow to stick.
She turned to continue walking, as a red coloured Curse flew across the ravine and collided with the snow just behind her. Two other Stunners were also fired across the ravine aimed at Rostis and Blythe. They had seen the first one and put up Shields but were blasted back against the snow covered ground. The area erupted with Curses. The attackers across the ravine were firing them so quickly that neither Rostis nor Blythe had an opportunity to return fire.
Harry stood still and tried to determine where the curses were originating from. He saw on the path almost directly across from them curses generating from a small area. The attackers were well hidden or under Invisibility Cloaks. Harry lifted his wand and fired a Blasting curse at the packed snow in front of them. The snow exploded causing the curses to stop. The impact of the curse caused snow above the attackers to tumble down in a small avalanche covering the path with several metres of snow.
Harry pulled off his cloak and ran towards Monique. She was lying on the path with pink snow surrounding her. He pushed past the other two Aurors and lifted her up. Her back had small pieces of stone sticking out of it. The Stunning curse that had missed her had exploded the rock and peppered her with the shrapnel. Harry pulled out the splinters of stone as she laid there and winced at the pain. After getting all the stone out of her back, he tapped her with his wand. Using the Episkey spell, he sealed all her wounds.
“Harry, the cave is just up ahead,” she stated happily, as she pushed up from the snow.
“Here take my cloak and go. I don’t know if I stopped them, but we will wait here and fend off any other attacks,” he stated taking control of the situation.
Pulling the cloak over her, Monique disappeared. “Take care of yourself Harry. Remember what I said,” she stated firmly.
Harry ignored her and went back to the other two. They had recomposed themselves when Harry reached them. Blythe smiled at him with his huge toothy smile. “Good show, Potter. I guess it was a good idea for you to be under the cloak.”
Rostis nodded his head. “Is Monique going after her family?”
“Yes, I figured we could wait here and ward off any other attacks if there are any.”
Harry had just finished saying this as the entire valley seemed to erupt with Apparition cracks. Harry turned to see several scarlet robed people on the slope above them and three had their wands raised.
“Crucio,” shouted three voices.
Pain coursed through Harry’s veins and muscles. He tried to block it out but couldn’t. He had been able to do that at Andromeda’s house when they had been attacked by the vigilantes. Now, however, his arms and legs shook and twitched as the pain was too much to block from his mind. He stood upright with his wand held defenseless in his hand. He wasn’t thrashing around on the ground, but he still couldn’t block the pain to manage a defensive attack.
Forcing himself to look up at his attackers, he could see that three of them were holding their wands on him, Blythe, and Rostis, while several more were standing back watching. The other two Aurors were on the ground twisting and screaming in pain. He saw that the attackers were looking at him with concern that he wasn’t reacting as he should.
He fell down and started to twist and writhe in the snow. He allowed his body to react to the pain of the curse as he tried to figure out what to do. It was extremely difficult to focus his mind, but he had to do it. Or he will die, of that he was sure. These people were not interested in mercy. They were as dark and dangerous as any Death Eater.
Suddenly the pain stopped, and he sagged into the snow. “Vere are zey?” A man with a heavy French accent demanded.
Harry was barely able to comprehend that he was asking about Monique’s family, before he heard three more shouts of “Crucio!”
In the brief moment that the curse had been lifted he had formulated a plan. The only trouble is, he would need strength and quickness to execute it, after the curse is lifted again. The curse seemed to be on him for ages as his mind became cloudy. He focused all his energy again. He started thinking that he must survive to get back to Ginny. He had to get back to Ginny. After the thought went through his mind several more times the pain seemed to subside enough that he might be able to take the offensive even before they lifted the curse again.
The French lifted the curse. Harry didn’t wait for them to talk, as he stuck his wand into the air above the snow and shouted “Protegro!” He imagined in his mind a Shield expanding out from his wand tip like a ripple. It should be about waist high and moving fast. He heard several thuds and grunts as his hybrid shield knocked the French off their feet.
Harry rolled up onto one knee and surveyed the area where he knew the attackers had been standing. Most were half buried in the snow. He saw two of them pulling themselves out of the snow. He Stunned them, before they could duel with him. Hearing a noise to the left, he looked over to see a witch with a scarlet cloak trying to stand up. She appeared to have rolled down the slope when the Shield had hit her.
“Expelliarmus!” shouted Harry. He fired the first spell that came to his mind. The witch’s wand flew a metre into the air. He stunned her before the wand ever came back down. As her body flew back and landed on the path, Harry reached up and grabbed the spinning wand. He tightened his grip on this new wand claiming it for his own. It felt good in his hand. It was a little shorter than what he is used to, but he could feel warmth from the power surge through his left hand, arm, and shoulder.
How long he stood there he wasn’t sure. He knew it was shorter than a day, but longer than a second. He looked up and saw four very angry sorcerers. Reacting rather than thinking he pointed each wand at two different French. A Stunner erupted from each wand knocking them down unconscious. He was suddenly in a spell fight with the French. He was blocking with his left hand and attacking with his old wand. He was able to hold his own against these sorcerers, even though they were Apparating to different locations around him. He was firing off curses and hexes as fast as he could think of them, while holding his Shield Charm up with his left hand. He was also moving to his left and right dodging Crucio’s and Avadra Kedavra’s being shot at him by one sorcerer standing near the back.
Harry was losing track of time. It could have been five hours, since the battle started. He didn’t think it was, but he was sure that the French had replacements. He saw them appearing and disappearing in front of him. Two cracks from each side of him, made him react without thinking. He pointed one wand in each direction and yelled. “Stupefy!” Both fell to the ground.
He started firing off spells towards Apparation cracks hoping to hit someone before they completely appeared. He heard a sharp scream of pain. Looking up he saw a leg lying there on the snow. The attackers kept coming all around him. He noticed that a wizard and witch that he had Stunned earlier was back. It would only make sense that they would Enervate their fallen so as not to lose strength in numbers.
He started to feel something strange as he fought. With every curse, he felt a pulling on his soul. He also noticed that each curse seemed to be getting weaker. He must be draining his magical core, but he can’t stop now. If he stopped fighting even for a second, he would be over whelmed before he could get Blythe and Rostis to safety.
He heard another Apparition crack from his right side and saw a witch standing over the prone body of Rostis. Blythe was regaining his feet but was facing the other direction so he didn’t see her. Harry twitched his holly wand and fired an Impedimeta Curse at her. It hit her in the chest, knocking her back and off balance. She teetered at the edge of the ravine for a second before Blythe turned and kicked her in the stomach sending her tumbling down the ravine.
Harry turned back in time to see a green curse coming his way. He ducked out of its way, as he heard an Apparition crack behind him, then a grunt. He looked back to see a dead wizard falling back into the ravine. He wheeled around and fired a Stunner from each of his wands at the wizard that had tried to kill him, but he had Disapparated before the red beams hit him. Harry sagged slightly as casting the curses further drained him. He was barely keeping his feet now, but his adrenalin and fear kept him going.
“Harry, hold them off for a bit,” shouted Blythe. “I’ll get Rostis to the safe zone.” Blythe didn’t wait for a response. He picked up the unresponsive Auror and Disapparated. Harry was becoming worried that he might not be able to sustain his defense much longer, even his eye sight seemed to be fading with each curse he fired. The attackers were reappearing but at greater distance and wider area from him. He was having a difficult time locating them before they tried to curse him. Luckily they were firing their curses so quickly that they would many times miss their mark, as he moved from side to side on the path.
Feeling as if he couldn’t fight much longer, as each curse barely hurt his attackers, and the only thing that was keeping him alive and fighting was his frantic and random movement, despair came over him. He felt as if he was going to die eventually on this mountain away from everyone he loved and cared for. He stunned two wizards who appeared close enough to him for him to hit with his curses. However, the strain of firing two Stunners at virtually the same time made him nearly blackout. His sight was foggy and he could barely make out what was in front of his face. He saw movement. He tried to focus on it, and lift his arms to curse the person or at least put up a shield, but his arms didn’t respond.
The person walked up to him, and laughed at Harry as he raised his wand. Harry was barely able to stand and look at him, because he was so weak. “Avada Kedavra!” was shouted and Harry’s vision was filled with green light, but the curse didn’t hit him. He vaguely saw the wizard that was standing in front of him a second earlier fly to the side as the Killing Curse hit him.
“Avada Kedavra” another killing curse was fired hitting another of the scarlet robed attackers. Harry recognized the voice finally. It was Monique. Exhaustion overcame him, as he sagged to the ground. He was barely able to hear Monique fighting with the remaining attackers as she came closer and closer to him.
A hand grabbed him and pulled at his jacket. He forced his legs to support him. He heard a strange sounding spell being said from a distance, before he had the sensation of being pulled through a rubber hose.
He reappeared in deep snow on the side of a steep cliff. Monique had a tight grip on him. She lifted her wand up and cast an Anti-Apparition Charm. Immediately after saying this, several Apparition cracks could be heard. Harry jerked his head up and prepared for a battle, but he saw four Scarlet robed sorcerers falling down the cliff into the depths below. The sensation of being pulled through the rubber tube gripped him again, and then blackness overtook him.
Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Meeting the Relatives
“Arthur, be reasonable,” pleaded her mum.Ginny was watching her parents argue from the old worn sofa in the Burrow’s sitting room. Her father had gone into the Ministry today, even though it was Boxing Day. He came home and said he was going to quit the Ministry, because he knows that Kingsley and Gawain are lying to him.
“No! I cannot work with people who lie to me like that. They know where Harry is,” he stated to his wife.
Ginny hated that she was causing this fight. She didn’t want her father to resign from the Ministry, but she could also understand his frustration at being lied to by individuals who he had shared secrets with a year earlier.
Her father wanted to go to the Ministry ever since Professor McGonagall had hinted that Harry was on a secret mission, but her mother had told him to wait until today. Being that it had been Christmas Eve, he complied with her wish. Christmas at the Burrow yesterday was the most depressing Christmas ever. It was even worse than the year before. Then they had a glimmer of hope that Voldemort would be defeated, and Fred and George had kept everyone entertained. This year everyone was upset over what had happened to her, and Fred wasn’t here.
She hadn’t missed him this much since returning to Hogwarts, and even then her grief was for everyone who had died, not just Fred. Yesterday, seeing George sitting there staring at the fireplace, hurt her. She ached to say or do something to take away his pain, but she couldn’t think of anything. Her mother spent most of the day trying not to cry. She was sure it was because of Fred’s death. Ginny remembered that while they were hiding at Aunt Muriel’s her mother had knitted the Christmas jumpers. Ginny was positive that seeing that jumper with the letter “F” on it had cut up her mother’s heart.
“And what exactly do you plan on doing to earn gold, if you quit the Ministry?” demanded her mother, her voice ringing off the walls.
Her father looked at his wife as though he had been slapped. She had finished pleading with him and now she was using her “boss of the house” voice and attitude. “I don’t know,” he responded. “I don’t like what they are doing. There is no reason to hurt…” he stopped talking and looked at Ginny. “There is just no reason for it, considering the circumstances,” he said, as he crossed the room and sat down in his lumpy old chair.
Ginny felt a new wave of guilt fill her up. She hated this, being the centre of problems. She always wanted to be the one solving them, not causing them. She pulled her old quilt around her even tighter. Ever since she returned home she has found comfort in wrapping herself up in her bed quilt.
“Ginny, the Ridgebit’s are going to fight the charges,” her father said, without looking at her. “Gawain thinks Walden will still go to Azkaban, but…” He again stopped talking and stared blankly into space. “…the trial could be hard on you. Gordon Ridgebit is smart, and he is a viscous wanker. I want you to know that — well — that I love you no matter what, and you have nothing to be ashamed of,” he finished speaking and stared off blankly again.
Ginny realized what he meant by those words. Gawain had hinted that if they go to trial then the Ridgebit’s will try to prove she was a slapper that asked for it. She glanced back over at her father. He truly meant what he had said about her having nothing to be ashamed of. Knowing that her parents still respected her has helped her deal with this horrible incident. She had been so afraid that they would blame her for acting inappropriately and deserved being attacked.
“Thank you, Daddy,” she quietly said to him. For some reason she has been calling him that the past couple of days, it somehow made her feel better about herself. It reminded her of the simple days of her youth here at the Burrow.
“You’re welcome Pumpkin,” he replied with a smile.
Ginny leaned on the arm of the sofa thinking about having a little kip, before going to bed. The past two days she has done hardly anything but sleep. The front door flew open and Ron and Hermione came busting into the house. She had a piece of something that looked like parchment in her hand. In a glance, Ginny could tell this was something important by the look on Hermione’s face. Ron’s expression was one of concern. She could barely believe that her older brother could actually be sensitive and caring, until the past two days. He has been kind and considerate towards her. How he will react when he sees Harry again, was anybody’s guess, but for now he wasn’t being a wanker. Ginny wasn’t even sure how she will react the next time she sees him.
“Ginny, how are you?” Hermione asked as she stood in front of her.
“Fine, what do you have in your hand, Hermione?”
Hermione smiled at her briefly. “An email from Brad Carl to my parents,” she replied and looked at the sheet.
“What’s an email and why are you bringing it here? If it was meant for your parents?”
“Because I think it was sent to us from Harry,” she said.
Ginny sat up. “Give it to me,” she demanded of her best friend. Her mother had come out of the kitchen, and her father was sitting on the edge of his chair.
“Ginny, it is rather cryptic. I think it is a warning of sorts,” she said. Ginny could hear pain in her voice, which wasn’t good.
Hermione handed the message to her. Looking at it, Ginny furrowed her brow. The sheet had two strange sentences on it. Tell you vacationing friends. Don’t believe everything you hear. Looking up at Hermione, she wanted an answer or at least an intelligent guess. “What exactly does it mean, Hermione?”
“You said that Harry left with Carmen. Correct?” asked the bushy haired witch.
Ginny felt her heart break again, at the memory of that sight. “Yes, your point,” she bitterly spat.
“We are pretty sure that Harry is on a mission. Since Harry and Carmen were partners during training then they are probably partners in the field.”
Ginny let out an exasperated sigh, at Hermione’s roundabout method of relating her thoughts.
“Ginny, what if the Ministry wants to use a cover story for the two of them by saying that they ran off together. They could say the two of them are in Australia, and you know how big that place is. This email would be one way that they could communicate with us that the majority of wizards in England would be clueless how to intercept it.”
Ginny sat there and thought about what Hermione had said. It would seem to make sense. She thought again about what she had seen. The image of Harry in another woman’s arms hurt, but was it an image of passion or was it two friends comforting each other. Harry and Hermione have hugged each other at times, and that has never bothered Ginny. She concentrated on the memory. Recalling everything through the pain, Carmen kissed him on the forehead, not the lips. Harry only hugged her at the end. He didn’t hold her with any passion. Maybe, all she saw was two friends comforting each other, if so, then why does it still hurt her so much.
“Ginny, are you all right,” asked Hermione, who was kneeling in front of her. “It’s highly probable that Harry and Carmen are on a mission.”
Ginny looked up at her. Hermione and everyone else were looking at her. They all had expressions of concern. “I’m all right. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You look like you are in pain, dear,” said her mother.
“I was thinking about Harry and Carmen,” Ginny responded. The entire room went silent at this comment. Ginny noticed their concern, but she was still thinking about her memories. Was what she saw real or was what her fears manifesting themselves making it seem real. Looking back up at her family, who were still staring at her with concerned looks, she sighed. “Yes, it is probable that that is what is happening, but why a message likes this?”
“Because, it is probably the only thing that Gawain or Kingsley would allow him to send,” said Hermione. “You said that Harry and Carmen were going to get her family and bring them back to England for Christmas, is that correct?”
“Yes, but…”
“Harry isn’t in Australia. He is in England with Carmen protecting her family. Do you know anything about her family, Ginny?”
“No, she never spoke about them,” Ginny slowly said, as what Hermione said started to make sense to her.
“Ginny, whenever I would ask her about them she would always change the subject. I have always wondered why a French citizen would be in England training as an Auror. Didn’t you?”
“Yes, and also that Kingsley had practically assigned her to Harry…”
Ginny never finished what she was saying as her father stood up and shouted. “I am going to knock that bald head off his bloody shoulders!”
“Arthur! Sit down!” shouted her mother.
“Ginny,” continued Hermione nervously as she kneeled there and licked her lips. “I think that the Ministry might be planning to cover this all up by having the Daily Prophet post articles about Harry and Carmen running off together. Are you going to be able to stand that?”
Ginny’s chest constricted at the thoughts of reading or hearing about Harry running off with another woman. The explanation made sense with the message sent by Brad Carl, but why would they go to such extreme measures. “I don’t have much of a choice, do I,” she hissed in reply.
“Now, Molly, can I knock his bald head off?” shouted Mr. Weasley.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Cold water splashed over Harry’s face bringing him out of the foggy dream that he was having. It ran into his nose and mouth causing him to choke and cough. Sitting up and spluttering he looked around and saw that he was in his sleeping quarters in the tent. Monique was kneeling beside him with wet hands while Rostis and Blythe stood behind her smiling at him.
“Bloody hell, why are you trying to drown me?” he shouted, at them.
“I wasn’t trying to drown you, Harry. I was trying to revive you,” said a smiling Monique.
“Yeah mate, it’s good to see you have finally opened your eyes,” laughed Blythe.
“How long have I been out?” Harry asked.
“Two days,” she replied. “We have all been dousing you with the water from the basin every four hours trying to revive you. You about totally drained yourself out there Harry. We were all concerned.”
Harry saw that in her and Rostis’ eyes, but Blythe; well he can’t be sure about that practical joker. He sat up and pulled the layers of covers off him. Icy cold air hit him as he threw them off him. “I thought it didn’t get this cold in France?” he questioned Monique.
“We are not in France. We are in the mountains in Spain,” she replied.
“What? Why are we there?”
“It is a long story. Why don’t you come to the table and get something to eat, and then we can talk,” she said, while offering her hand to him.
Harry took her hand and stood up from his camp bed. His legs wobbled under the sudden pressure of his weight. The cold air assaulted him and made him shiver. Monique pulled blankets off his bed and tossed over his shoulders. He tried to straighten them as he walked, but they kept sliding off one shoulder or another. In the center of the tent sat the dinner table with four chairs around it. There was food and plates sitting around. Three of the plates were already dirty as though they had finished eating a short time before.
“What time is it?” asked Harry. His head was spinning with the effort of walking even though he now had an arm around Monique’s shoulder.
“A little after noon, mate,” replied Blythe.
Harry looked to the kitchen area and saw another person. She was older with black and silver hair tied into a bun. She was average height for a woman, but she was also very sturdy with broad shoulders and wide hips. She saw Harry and let out a squeal of joy and rushed over to him. Harry stopped walking and backed away from her, but that didn’t deter the woman. Monique was shouting something to her in French, while she approached, but she kept coming with her arms wide open. The next thing Harry knew he was being crushed with a massive hug as this woman enveloped him and Monique with her strong arms. She started kissing him and speaking frantically to him. Harry noticed that she had grey eyes like Monique and something he had never seen before, a slight moustache. It felt strange and a little unnerving to be kissed by someone with a moustache.
Monique pushed her away from Harry. She turned and gave him an apologetic glance before speaking rapid fire French with her. Rostis took Harry’s arm now and helped him into the chair. Rostis filled the plate up for him, while he watched the exchange between the two women. The older one finally threw her arms up into the air and acted as though she was pleading to the gods about something, while Monique returned to the table. Her face was bright red as she sat down to the right of Harry.
“Eat!” she ordered him. “You need to regain your strength.”
Harry looked down at his plate. There was bread, cheese, and some meat that looked like beef ribs on it, he picked up the meat and took a bite. “This is good, what it is?” he asked the table.
“Roasted goat,” chirped Blythe.
“I am sorry about my mother, Harry,” Monique apologized ignoring Blythe’s comment. “I wasn’t clear enough when I told her you were my partner.”
Harry choked on his bite of food. “She thinks we are married?” he said excitedly. He must have had a horrified expression on his face, because Monique looked offended.
“Am I that ugly to marry?” she snapped back at him.
“No, it’s just that…” Harry stopped talking as everyone started to laugh at him.
“Eat, Harry, goat is good food,” joked Blythe.
Harry hesitated but decided that it actually tasted good. He recognized the taste of the cheese as goat cheese. He took some of it and a hunk of bread. There was a large glass of water for him to drink. His throat was dry and the food didn’t seem to go down at first, until he took a drink. After finishing the entire plate of food, he felt as though he could eat more. It was actually rather good. He picked up some more cuts of meat, cheese, and bread. “So how did we end up in Spain?” he asked the three people around him.
They all looked at each other before Monique spoke. “The French were tracing our Apparitions. We had to move the safe zone.”
“Blimey mate, when I took Rostis back to the safe zone, three of those blighters appeared. I had my hands full trying to fight them off. Luckily Ed here finally revived enough to help me. I am really sorry about leaving you up there, but I thought a quick pop to the safe zone, and I’d be right back,” explained an apologetic Blythe.
“I brought you here, after a quick stop on the side of a cliff,” said Monique. Her voice sounded funny. It was sad or remorseful, and her expression seemed to have become dark. “I went to get these other two, after I had you here and safe. I brought my family through the caves.”
“The caves?” Harry asked.
“These caves all interconnect,” said Monique suddenly excited. “You can go from one cave to another without leaving their safety. There are portals in each one. I brought my family here, but they have no idea that they aren’t in the same cave as before.”
“Could they wander back through them and get lost?”
“No, Harry, you need to use magic to activate the portals. They are safe here until we are ready to move. I also found chests of books on magic. It is written in an ancient dialect, but I think that I could eventually translate it. The old wizards must have hidden all their spell books in the caves when they were being attacked. We must take them back to England so I can translate them.”
“That’s sounds exciting,” Harry said trying to sound enthusiastic, but failing miserably. “What about the attackers and our plans to return to England. If I have been asleep for two days then we are late already, Kingsley will be worried.”
“The attackers were French Aurors, Harry,” stated Rostis. “They were highly trained and experts at dueling. I would guess that the French will either: not acknowledge the fight, or reword it so it sounds like they were attacked. I am guessing that they will make it out as an ambush, since so many died.”
Harry looked from Rostis to Monique, who turned ashen in front of him.
“So being in Spain is the safest place to be right now?” he asked
“For now it is,” Rostis said gravely. “The problem is getting out of here. The French have sealed the border and the Spanish realizing this are moving people into this area from the south to protect their country. We in the mean time are stuck between them trying to find our way out.” Harry upon hearing this let out a sigh, Rostis smiled at his reaction. “Exactly, Harry, we are stuck.”
Harry gave them a questioning look, before speaking. “If we would use the carpets with their capability of becoming invisible…”
“The French have detection wards set up all along the border leading north. This idiot,” Rostis said while pointing at Blythe who smiled at his comment. “…and I have been flying along the border trying to find an opening.”
“There are hundreds of kilometres of border to protect, certainly…”
“Harry, I think the French have every citizen with magical abilities down here now. We have activated some of the wards and every time we see twenty or thirty wizards or witches appearing on brooms within seconds. We are in very sticky situation here. As long as we are here, we are safe, but we need to find a way home and that is not going to be easy.”
Harry looked down at the food on his plate. He was no longer hungry. He was stuck in Spain with the possibility of making it back home getting worse every day. Certainly there must be some way out of this mess. If Ron, Hermione, and him could avoid the Death Eaters all last year than there must be some way of getting past all the wards and getting home. As he thought about his predicament, his head started to hurt.
“Harry,” Monique said while placing her hand over his. “You need to rest now. I want you to drink something and go back to bed.” She stood up from the table and walked to the kitchen section of tent. She poured him a large glass of something and returned to the table and sat it down in front of him. “Here drink this!” she ordered.
Harry looked at the glass. It was an amber colour and smelled citrusy and sweet. Picking it up and cautiously taking a sip he was surprised at the taste of it. It tasted like it smelled. It was actually very good. “What is this?”
“It is something that will help restore your magical core. Drink it, all of it, and then go back to bed. I am going into the caves to spend some time with my relatives.”
“What’s in it, or don’t I want to know?” asked Harry again.
“Nothing that bad mate,” offered Blythe, cutting off Monique. “There is honey, lemon and orange juice, and goat pee. These people use everything from the goat, I must say.”
When Blythe said that there was goat pee in the drink, Harry was taking a sip and nearly sprayed the table with it. Monique slapped the young Auror’s arm, who was now laughing along with Rostis. “No, there isn’t goat pee in it. It is a strong sweet tea with citrus juices in it. That’s all,” stated Monique. She stood up and collected all the dishes then walked into the kitchen.
“Had you going there didn’t I,” laughed Blythe. Harry just smiled at him. The humor did take him out of the depressing thoughts of his present situation.
“All right Gavin, I think it is time for Harry to go back to bed and the two of us need to go out and try to find a way out of this mess,” Rostis stated, as he stood up from the table.
Blythe also stood up and nodded towards Harry. “Drink up, Harry!” He turned to Rostis who was almost out of the tent, and called. “Coming there Eldred!” Rostis shot him a glare at the use of his first name, while the jovial Auror laughed at him.
Harry watched them leave then Monique and her mother left after finishing the dishes. He drank the rest of the glass. He could feel it filling him with energy, but he still was tired. Standing up and delighted to find his legs supporting him. He walked over to his bed and flopped down on it. He laid there, looking at the fabric moving in the cold mountain winds, worrying about how he will be able to get out of here and back to Ginny. The thought of her sitting at the Burrow all alone and probably hating him, made him even more depressed. He will win her back. It doesn’t matter how angry she was with him. He will let her know that he’s sorry for abandoning her. It won’t matter if it takes the rest of his life. He will eventually be with her again. With these thoughts, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Harry’s stomach woke him, with a loud rumble. He was starving, even though he had eaten a good lunch. Taking in his surroundings, he pulled back his covers and sat up in his bed. The smell of food was in the air. He looked out from behind the partition in his sleeping area and saw Monique’s mother busy in the kitchen. Monique was sitting at the dinner table reading some old tome, and writing notes on parchment.
He stood up without help this time. His legs were regaining their strength. He felt much better than the last time he awoke, but he was still weak. He was half way to the table when Monique’s mother saw him and started to fuss over him until he sat down. Once down at the table she went to the kitchen and returned with a bowl of stew and shoved in front of him while handing him a spoon. He didn’t need to know French to understand that she was telling him to eat. She stood there with her hands on her hips, until he took a spoonful of the stew and ate it. He nodded appreciatively at her. Smiling she turned back to the kitchen. His reaction wasn’t faked, because the stew was delicious. He wasn’t sure where they got the vegetables and potatoes, but they were delicious.
“Sorry about my mother, Harry. She has always been one to feed everyone who came into the house. No matter what time of the day, they appeared,” Monique apologized to him.
“That’s all right, she reminds me of Mrs. Weasley. Every time I went to their house during the summer, she took it as her responsibility to fatten me up,” he laughed.
They sat and talked while he ate the stew. Night time was coming, as the light outside of the tent was waning. He looked at the tome that she was reading. The paper or parchment was old, yellow, and looked like it would fall apart at the slightest touch.
She looked up at him, and saw where his stare was directed. “It is one of the books from the chests that I have found. It will take me a long time to translate all of them,” she said, as she tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. She reminded Harry so much of Hermione when she studied.
Rostis and Blythe entered the tent several minutes later when Harry was eating his second bowl of stew. Mrs. Arana produced a helping of stew for each of them, as they tried to thaw out. Their jackets were coated with ice and snow, and even their eyebrows looked to be caked with it. They shrugged off their jackets and sat at the table. Both had grave expressions as they started to shovel the warm food into their mouths.
“I take it things didn’t go well this afternoon?” asked Harry.
Rostis sulked while Blythe shrugged his shoulders. “We headed east and west without finding an opening in their Wards. I have no idea how many different people we saw waiting on their side of the border. They must have the entire French magical population down here,” gloomily stated Rostis. “The Spanish side isn’t much better, and we are stuck here in the middle. If we don’t get out of here soon, we will be caught.”
Harry lost his appetite, with this news. He may never get back to Ginny. He pushed his bowl away and sat there staring off without focusing on anything. The rest of the evening was like that with everyone being quiet and sullen. Later, Rostis got the maps out and tracked the places that he had found wards in place. It did look hopeless for them as the areas that were Warded expanded to nearly half of the mountain range. They didn’t check every gap between the mountains, because they assumed that the gaps between the ones where they located wards were also Warded.
Rostis and Blythe went to bed early that night, leaving Harry and Monique awake. Harry had barely spoken most of the night. With each area that he saw blocking his return to England he became more and more depressed. He was trapped and there was nothing he could do about it. He started to wonder if Monique couldn’t go into the caves and move her family around to keep them from being detected, so that he, Rostis, and Blythe could escape. He wasn’t even sure how he would do that. The French and Spanish would most certainly be monitoring Apparition in that area now. They could hardly walk out of the mountains without being detected. The feeling of being trapped started to extend to the very tent that he was in. It seemed to be closing in around him. He grabbed his jacket from his sleeping area and headed outside.
The bitter cold air assaulted his lungs as he stepped out of the tent. The snow was almost knee deep as he pushed his way through it. The sight that met him, as he gazed across the mountain tops, was absolutely beautiful. They were in a ravine of sorts. The three sides extended up nearly vertical and in the darkness he couldn’t actually see the tops of them. The opening in the fissure showed him mountain tops and starry skies. The air was so thin and crisp that the stars looked close enough to touch.
As he stood there enjoying the breathtaking view, Monique stepped up beside him. “I’m sorry Harry for dragging you down here,” she apologized.
He almost yelled at her for causing him to be away from Ginny, but he held his tongue. He remembered how much it hurt him last year when Hermione and Ron doubted and blamed him for their troubles. He needed to stay positive about the situation. “It’s all right, you didn’t force me. The Minister did,” he bitterly said. The words weren’t comforting and actually were probably a little too caustic to be reassuring, but it was the best he could do at the time.
They stood there in silence for some time. Harry was regretting sounding like he did, but unable to muster much reassurance to his partner. He looked over and saw that she was crying while staring out at the horizon. He started to feel sorry he was so nasty to her. She was just as much of a victim in this as he was.
“How did you feel when you killed Voldemort last year, Harry?” she asked.
Harry was caught off guard by the question. He had to think about how he had felt. He actually felt elated that it was over, but he was remorseful because so many had died. “It was complicated. Why do you ask?”
“The man that was pointing his wand at you when I…” she stopped talking to wipe her eyes. “…I killed him. That was the wizard that killed my father and brother.”
“Oh, I see.” Harry silently kicked himself at his response. She must be in pain at the memory of losing someone so close to her; a pain that he was actually quite familiar with.
“He deserved to die,” she stated with cold resolve. “They all deserved it, Harry.” She stopped talking again as she tried to gain control of her emotions. “Why then, do I feel so terrible for killing them? Why do I feel so dirty?” Her cry became racking sobs.
Harry understood what she was asking earlier. She had split her soul, and the horrible grief of the act of murder was tearing her up inside. He had never felt that since he didn’t actually cast the curse that killed Voldemort. He had been saved that agony. He suddenly felt sorry for her. She had saved his life buy doing that, and now she is suffering because of it.
Harry turned and took her in his arms and hugged her allowing her to cry on his shoulder. They stood in a fissure high on a mountain in Spain, while he tried to comfort his Auror partner. Under these beautiful starry skies, he held her to help take away the pain that she must be feeling. However his mind kept drifting away to England. He wanted to be holding someone else. Taking her pain away, as he held and comforted Monique, he couldn’t stop thinking and worrying about Ginny.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Ginny was sitting outside of the Burrow on the bench that she and Harry had claimed as their spot this summer. It was after supper so it was dark outside, though she did not know the time. She was wrapped in her ever present quilt against the cold winter air. It had snowed earlier today, but now the sky was clear as she stared up into the heavens wishing that Harry could be here beside her. She was holding the email that Hermione brought yesterday. She kept thinking about it. Was it sent for the reasons that Hermione said or was it just sent for some other reason? She wanted to believe that Harry still loved her and he was only working. There were so many conflicting pieces of evidence floating around in her head, yet her heart told her that he still loved her.
“Achoo!”
“Bless you, Kreacher,” said Ginny quietly. The sneeze had come from behind the dead and dry stalks of her mother’s Flutterby bush. The one thing that had puzzled her was Kreacher had been watching her the past four days. He won’t call her his Mistress anymore, because Harry forbid it, but he was always there watching over her, unless someone else was near. Ginny thought to herself. Why would Kreacher be here and act like that?
“Kreacher?” she asked politely. “Why have you called me Mistress in the past? I am not Harry’s wife, so I am not your Mistress.”
Ginny heard some grumbling from behind the dead bush, before he finally spoke. “We House Elves do not know what marriage is. I only knows that you and Master Harry love and are dedicated to each other. That makes you my Mistress.”
Ginny listened intently to his explanation. When she heard Kreacher say “love and are dedicated”, her heart jumped a little. “Don’t you mean Harry used to be in love and dedicated to me? Harry doesn’t care for me anymore. I heard him tell you not to call me your Mistress.”
She again heard Kreacher grumble before speaking. It sounded like he was fighting with himself about something. “Miss... Ginny, Master Harry told me not to call you by your title. He also told me to watch over you, but I couldn’t be seen by anyone.”
Ginny squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath, before slowly exhaling causing a cloud of steam to form in front of her. She thought about what Kreacher had said, and the way he said “Miss... Ginny”. He said it as though he was actually saying “Mistress Ginny”, but he was leaving the last syllable off the “Mistress”. He also referred to her title, and what he said about being ordered to watch over her. She took several more breaths to calm herself. She had to think clearly now. She doesn’t want to be imagining things because she wants them to be true. “Kreacher,” she demanded with authority. “Did Harry ask you to tell me these lies, so that I won’t be angry with him?” She bit her lip while keeping her eyes closed. She didn’t like talking to Kreacher like that, but she had to find out.
“No, Miss... Ginny, Kreacher can’t lie to you,” he wailed from behind the bush. “Kreacher would have to punish himself for doing that. Kreacher don’t lie to his Miss... Ginny. It is not allowed for a House Elf…”
“I believe you, Kreacher,” Ginny apologized to him. “Don’t punish yourself I forbid it. I needed to know the truth.” Ginny smiled a genuine happy smile, as she realized that Kreacher had told her the truth about Harry’s feelings for her. “Thank you, Kreacher. I will forever be grateful for what you have told me,” she said, with a happy cheerful voice. It seemed as though all the troubles and pain from the past five days had been lifted off her. She had reason to be happy, again. Harry still loved her.
“Kreacher, I am fine now. You can go and get warm. I don’t want a good servant like you getting sick because I want to be outside. So please go home and get warm.”
“I can’t, Miss... Ginny.”
“Kreacher, I am fine. In fact, I am better now than I have been in several days, so please go get warm. It is very cold out here,” she pleaded with him.
“I can’t Miss... Ginny. You are being watched.”
Ginny’s eyes opened wide at his comment. Every muscle in her body tightened and she did a mental check to see how fast she could get to her wand. She readjusted the quilt and slowly gripped her wand. “Who is it, and where are they?” she whispered to the House Elf.
“I not know, Miss... Ginny. He is outside the Wards and he stands straight out from this bush,” whispered Kreacher.
“Is it someone that Harry sent?”
“No! Kreacher doesn’t recognize him. He is in scarlet robes. He waits and watches. He be there all day,”
Ginny sat there and thought about what to do. The wizard could be anyone. He could even be a Death Eater. Standing up, she adjusted her quilt and drew her wand under the cover of it. “I am going inside to warn me parents. Tell me if he leaves,” Ginny told Kreacher, while trying not to look at the bush. She tried to move as calmly as possible so as not to reveal her intentions.
She entered the kitchen looking for her parents. They weren’t in the kitchen, so she went into the sitting room. They were sitting together on the sofa. Her father’s arm was around her mother. She was starting on next year’s Christmas knitting while he snored softly in her ear.
“Mum wake Dad,” she stated firmly. “There is someone outside the Wards watching us.”
“Arthur!” Mrs. Weasley said in her husband’s ear at the same time she elbowed him in the ribs. While he was waking up she looked at Ginny. “How do you know that, and where are they.”
“He is across the road, and I can’t tell you how I know. You will have to trust me,” she replied to her mum. “Contact Ron and Hermione tell them about it. Maybe we can set a trap. I am going back outside.” She turned and left the room while her parents protested. She didn’t want the person leaving before Ron and Hermione could catch them. She walked back out and sat down on the bench. She tried not to stare in the direction of the wizard.
“Kreacher, is he still there?” she asked without looking at the Flutterby bush.
“Yes, he hasn’t moved.”
The House Elf stopped talking as her dad stepped out the back door. He walked over and sat beside Ginny. She listened to hear if Kreacher would Disapparate away, but he didn’t. Ginny started to get nervous about her father being here, what if the wizard got nervous and left.
“I Flooed Bill, and told him to get the rest of the Weasleys. Your mum will be out with some hot chocolate, my dear,” whispered her father. He put his left arm around her shoulders and he had his wand in his right hand. “I see you are still carrying that note from Hermione’s parents around. Do you believe…”
“Yes,” quietly stated Ginny cutting her father off. “I believe that Harry is on a mission.”
Mr. Weasley sighed and looked out at the starry sky. “I just hate seeing you hurt, Pumpkin,” he said as he tightened his grip on her shoulders.
Ginny leaned in to his embrace. She truly appreciated having two loving and caring parents. It was something that growing up she never truly appreciated, until the past two years. “I need to get used to this type of thing Daddy. If I am going to be with Harry, I must get use to him taking off to save the world.”
“But, doesn’t it bother you that he might do this at anytime, dear?”
Ginny smiled to herself, at his question. “Yes, it does. However, he is Harry Potter.” She kept on talking in hushed tones over top of her father’s attempt to comment. “When Voldemort came back to life and killed Cedric Diggory, Professor Dumbledore made a speech to the school. He said that ‘if a time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy’*. At that time he was only talking about the war with Voldemort, but in reality, he was also talking about Harry. He will always be put in the situation where he must choose between what is right and what is easy. I know that it will hurt me every time he leaves to help rid the world of darkness, but that is who he is. I love him Dad. I love him with all my heart. I must get used to this.” She stopped talking to help gain control over her emotions. “I will never like it, but I will support him, and trust him, and love him in spite of it. He has been so supportive of me and my aspirations to play professional Quidditch. It would be hypocritical of me not to support him, also.”
When Ginny finished talking, she leaned back to look at the stars. She didn’t know where all those thoughts came from. They seemed pop into her mind as she spoke, but they were true and she meant every word of it. She saw her mother looking at her with moist eyes, while holding a tray with a pot of hot chocolate and three cups. Steam was slowly rising from the spout on the cold night air, while she stared at her daughter.
“Ginny, dear,” her father whispered. “He left you when he should be here for you, and you are all right with that?”
Ginny looked at him and her mother thinking about what he said. Her mother broke the tension by pouring hot chocolate for them, then pulled her wand and extended the bench so she could sit down on the other side of Ginny. Ginny noticed that she discreetly placed her wand under the tray on her lap.
The three of them quietly sat there sipping hot chocolate with their left hand.
“Harry was there when I needed him most,” stated Ginny after a couple of sips.
“Ginny…”
“Dad,” she quietly cut him off. “He wasn’t supposed to be there that night. He was supposed to be home. Even if he was home and knew about me being attacked, he could have never reached me before Walden could have…” she stopped as the thought of being so close to being raped sickened her. “He would have raped me. I was helpless against him. Harry must have been coming to see me. It is the only explanation I can think of. He must have wanted to tell me he was leaving, or talk to me about something before he left on a mission.” She felt her parents fidget slightly with the last comment.
“Harry stopped it! He saved me from that horrible experience,” she whispered. Her voice was barely audible as the emotions from her experience were causing her pain. “I want him here terribly, but since he can’t be, then I am satisfied with what he did. He saved me and took me to a place where I could be safe. Even if he did leave me, which I don’t believe, I am still grateful to him for what he did that night.”
“Ginny dear,” inquired her mother. “Why do you believe so strongly now that Harry still loves you, you seemed so certain that he had left you?”
Ginny smiled at her question. It was a reasonable one, but easily explained. “When this all first happened, I saw and believed my greatest fear that Harry would leave me for someone else. I have had time to think about everything, and I believe in him. There are other reasons …”
The area outside the Wards erupted with spell fire, causing Ginny to stop talking. It was a quick flurry of spells, and it was over as quickly as it had begun. She was going to ask her parents if they thought it went well when a silver otter Patronus appeared in front of them.
“We have him and are bringing him to the house,” stated the voice of Hermione.
They sat there sipping on hot chocolate, while watching somebody being frog hopped across the garden. It looked like Ron and George had a hold of him, while Bill, Percy, and Hermione walked behind the tied up wizard. She didn’t finish her statement as the tension of the moment increased as the wizard came closer
They all stopped in front of Ginny and her parents. Ron and George had hold of the wizard. Ron’s facial expression was a scowl, while George seemed to be smiling. The wizard was wearing scarlet robes as Kreacher had said. He was bound with rope around his torso so that his hands were to his side. There was some type of a chain and ball attached to his ankle, and his face was covered by a translucent bubble occluding his features.
“What is all that stuff?” asked her father. He stood up and walked over to the captive.
“The ball and chain around his leg is a new item Ron developed at the shop,” stated George happily. “You curse it onto someone’s leg and they can’t Apparate. The privacy bubble on his head is mine. He can’t hear or see us, but he can still breathe. Those unimaginative ropes were Percy’s. The other two were along as spectators.” Hermione and Bill stared at him. “All right they helped a little,” he laughed.
“Dad,” said Bill. He stepped forward and looked at the wizard then at Ginny. She could feel her throat tighten. “I think Percy should take this bloke to the Ministry, because he is on better terms with Kingsley and Gawain right now. George can help him. I need to talk to the rest of you.” Percy and George looked at him with a hurt expression. “I will get you two back up to speed later.”
Ron let go of the captive and Percy took him with George into the Burrow, while the rest of them stayed outside. When the windows of the kitchen were illuminated with green light, a small pop was heard from the Flutterby bush. Everyone except Ginny turned and pointed their wands at the bush.
“No!” shouted Ginny. She stepped between her family and the bush. “It was Kreacher. It must be safe now,” she told her family. They looked at her like she had grown a second head. “Harry, ordered Kreacher to watch over me and make sure I was safe. He wasn’t supposed to be seen by anyone. I was afraid to mention how I knew the wizard was here, because he might punish himself for being exposed.”
“How long has Kreacher been doing this?” asked an excited Hermione? The rest of her family looked totally confused.
“Ever since he left, he ordered Kreature to do that before leaving.” Ginny smiled at her family as they processed what this indicated.
Hermione hugged her. “I am so happy for you,” she whispered in Ginny’s ear. “You must feel much better about everything?”
“Yes, Hermione, I do,” replied a happy Ginny.
“Well, then I have some bad news for you,” interjected Bill on this mini celebration. When everyone turned to look at him, he swallowed hard before speaking. “Fleur Owled her parents when we thought Harry might be in France. They were to find out if anything strange has been going on. Well, with seeing that French Auror here…”
“What do you mean French Auror?” shouted Ginny.
“That wizard was a French Auror, I recognized him by his robes,” stated Bill. “Fleur received an Owl back from her parents today.” He stopped again and looked gravely at everyone assembled there, before settling is gaze back on his little sister. “On Christmas night, the entire French Magical Law Enforcement Department was summoned and sent to the south of France. They have been down there ever since. There has been no official word about why they are there, but their presence has made the Spanish nervous so they moved many of their MLE’s north to the French border. Ginny, Carmen is from that area of France that is the only thing that Fleur is sure about her. If Harry is there, then he is surrounded by hundreds of highly trained wizards, and he would be treated as an invader. I am sorry Gin, but Harry is in a lot of trouble.”
Ginny looked at him then at her parents. Her legs became weak as she fell back onto the bench.
*From Goblet of Fire page 724 — American Version
Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Bludgers and Lies
Harry lay in bed and stared at the tent above him. The smell of coffee filled the cold morning air. He listened to hear who might be awake. He was a little unsure what he should say to Monique now. She needed someone to comfort and reassure her last night, when the grief of taking someone’s life consumed her. He couldn’t do it. He tried, but he felt so inadequate. He held her as she cried and even patted her back and told her “everything would be fine”. It didn’t feel as if he had done anything at all but go through the motions.Pulling the cover back he stood up and decided to face whoever was awake. He was a Gryffindor, and he has faced the most feared dark wizard in battle so he shouldn’t be afraid to face Monique. He pulled back the flap that separated his sleeping area from the main tent and saw Rostis staring at a coffee pot that was brewing on the stove with his empty cup in his hand. The tent was otherwise empty.
Harry walked over to him. As he got closer to the stove, the warmth of the tent increased. Rostis looked rather disheveled as he stared at the brewing pot. What Blythe said must be true, that this poor man was lost without his morning cuppa.
Looking down at the stove, Harry was surprised. It consisted of six round red stone discs about the size of a Quaffle. Waves of heat were radiating off these discs. The coffee pot was sitting on one of them brewing.
“Basque magic, Harry,” spoke Rostis. His voice was scratchy and sounded like it was a strain to talk. “Monique and a couple of her relatives brought them in here when we had arrived. I guess the caves are full of these things. They also have discs that emit light, but we have candles that work well enough.”
“She said they were exceptionally good at making enchanted items,” responded Harry, “I wonder what else those caves have. It is too bad that we can’t go through them. Getting out of here would be a snap.”
Rostis glared at him then removed the pot from the heating disc. He poured himself a steaming cup of coffee and walked to the center table. Harry stood there debating if he wanted a cup. He actually preferred tea, but since the coffee was made and hot, he might try a cup. Grabbing a heavy white mug, he poured the coffee into it. He looked into the cup and couldn’t see through the thick dark liquid, because it was so strong. Blowing on it to cool it, he tried a sip. It was strong and bitter, but the warmth of it felt good. Looking around the kitchen he found a bowl with sugar in it and started scooping teaspoon after teaspoon of sugar into the cup. He would stop and taste it until it was sweet enough that he could drink it. Sensing someone behind him he turned and saw Monique smiling at him.
“I think you might be able to dissolve another teaspoon or two in the coffee, Harry,” she laughed at him. Teasing him with the line he used on her in a London café.
He smiled at her comment but felt nervous standing there. He couldn’t move around her, because she was blocking the path to the main area of the tent. He did the only thing he could think of and took a sip of coffee.
“Thank you! For being there last night Harry,” she said smiling at him. “It meant the world to me to have you listen and — and be a friend.”
Harry felt even more nervous now. He didn’t do anything exceptional; he held her and let her cry on his shoulder. He didn’t give her any words of wisdom or do anything else for her.
“Growing up in France and being a Basque I couldn’t make close friends. It would have been too awkward. If nothing else ever comes from all of this, I have finally known what it is like to have good friends,” she told him smiling from ear to ear. “Let’s not forget about Neville. I can’t believe I have finally found a boyfriend.” She suddenly became serious and looked at Harry. “You don’t think he would be angry with me when I tell him the truth, do you?”
Harry thought about this question, for a few seconds. Neville might be upset, but he would certainly forgive her. “He might be at first, but I am sure it won’t last.” When she smiled again at his comment, he felt better about himself. He had been a friend to her, much as he had been to Hermione over the years. He still had troubles responding to people’s emotions, but he must be getting better.
“Thank you, I hope he understands,” she sighed. She stepped into Harry and hugged him.
He gave her a one arm hug, because his cup of coffee was in the other hand. It was similar to what he would give Ron or some other bloke, except — well — Monique had rather large breasts that pressed into his chest. He quickly pulled away feeling awkward again and walked to the table to join Rostis.
Rostis sat there with his close-set eyes staring forward, his face was taught and dark and his brow creased with deep furrows. His sullen mood hadn’t improved with his morning cup of coffee. Harry looked at him and tried to determine what had him so upset.
“How did you do it?” he asked without looking at Harry.
“Do what?”
“How did you manage last year knowing so many people were looking for you? I am sitting here a nervous wreck and it has only been five days.”
Sipping his coffee Harry thought about an answer. “I was sick with worry almost the entire time. Not only was I worrying about myself, but mostly about my friends and them putting themselves into danger for me. I had no choice. No, we had no choice, so we didn’t give up and eventually we prevailed.”
Monique had joined them during Harry’s explanation. They all sat there in silence listening to Blythe snore. He realized what was bothering Rostis now. It was the feeling of being trapped, but there was nothing to do, but keep thinking of ways to get out.
“Merlin, he is loud,” exclaimed Rostis.
“Not as loud as Ron,” laughed Harry.
“Oh! Ron inherited his father’s snoring?” asked an amused Rostis. Harry looked at him strangely when he said that. “I was in the same year as Arthur at Hogwarts.” Rostis smiled to himself, and his eyes became bright with humor. “Arthur and Molly were quite the pair. Troublemakers from the day they were sorted. They could have been Head Boy and Girl if they hadn’t been in so much trouble throughout school.
“Arthur was the master of Charms. He could Charm things to do stuff that were absolutely hilarious. His two best pranks were the bottom burping bench and the spitting goblet.” Rostis stopped and laughed again. “He could charm a bench that after someone sat on it, every time a person passed by it would emit a sound like a bottom burp. After a while, no one wanted to sit on any of the benches around the school.
“Oh my! I just remembered when he charmed Molly’s goblet in their sixth year. Molly and he had been kind of an item. Arthur was a little noncommittal about the relationship. Well, Molly decided to give him a push and started flirting with this other bloke one morning at breakfast. It was a Saturday and Arthur, Molly, and several of us would always spend it studying or some other way. Well Arthur gets all jealous at seeing Molly playing up to this bloke. He tried to cast a Charm on that bloke’s goblet. He had created this Charm that when you picked up your goblet and it gets close to your face; it spits all of its contents in your face. What Arthur didn’t realize was he had Charmed Molly’s goblet. She picks it up and it spits an entire goblet full of Pumpkin Juice in her face. Of course, she knows who it was, and she grabs her wand and chases Arthur out of the great hall with Pumpkin juice dripping off her face and out of her hair.
“Well, we didn’t see those two again until the next morning. Molly was in the common room trying to heal Arthur’s back. It seems that the groundskeeper, Og, beat them, when he caught them. How was that worded? Oh yes, disturbing the sleeping patterns of the Giant Squid.”
By this time Harry was holding his side thinking about the elder Weasley’s acting like this. It explains where George and Fred got their mischievous side. His laughter had awakened Blythe who was groggily standing by his sleeping area staring at them howling with laughter. “I don’t believe it. Stone Faced Rostis laughing and telling jokes,” mused Blythe.
Everyone stopped laughing, at Blythe’s comment. Rostis smiled at the jibe but didn’t let it bother him. “Get some coffee and we need to talk about getting out of here,” ordered the senior Auror. Even though it was an order, it wasn’t spoken with a harsh voice, but a friendly one. Blythe saluted him and proceeded to go to the kitchen area and pour himself a cup of coffee.
He was walking back to the table when he took a sip and stopped dead in his tracks and shook his head. While everyone else was laughing at his reaction, he returned to the kitchen and poured sugar into the coffee to make it drinkable.
“I can tell Rostis made this,” commented Blythe. “It is strong enough to dissolve steel.” He sat down at the table and looked at everyone. “Well, I am ready for a skulling session. We’d better hurry up, before this stuff kicks in and I am bouncing off the walls.”
“I have been thinking of a plan,” stated Rostis. “There are railroad tracks through the mountains. They are located down in the valleys, and the wards might not reach down to them. If we fly out following the tracks, we might be able to sneak out under their noses. The only problems I can see are the tunnels. If we meet a train, well it could be a disaster.”
He finished talking and everyone sat there silent for several minutes. Harry was thinking that it could work, but the idea of meeting a train in a tunnel on a carpet loaded with people sounded very risky.
“What would happen if they are watching the tracks?” asked Blythe.
“Could we maneuver the carpets in a tunnel, and what if the wards are that low?” asked Monique.
“We would have to be flying invisible. This will present problems with us seeing each other and running into each other, the guidance systems on the carpets are not that sensitive to follow a set of train tracks. We will be flying invisible through the tunnels. If the first carpet stops and the next one does not, we will have people all over the tracks.” Rostis looked at everyone’s long faces. “I know it is a dangerous thing to do, but it will be less dangerous than flying through the wards.”
“Can’t we trick the wards or use a diversion?” asked Harry. He had been wondering that since the mention of wards had begun.
Monique answered this question. “If it is the normal type of Wards that are taught at school. Anything magical will activate them. The only way through them would be to leave all your magical items behind. That means going without your wands, you couldn’t fly because the carpets are magical.”
“Why can’t we fire spells into these Wards, getting the sorcerers on the other side so confused chasing after false alarms that we could fly though another Ward without them noticing?” asked Harry, voicing more of his thoughts since Rostis had told him about what he and Blythe had been doing.
“That might work, but it would still be dangerous,” mumbled Rostis. His eyebrows pinched together in deep concentration. “The problem is the Wards light up when they are breached. When we fly through them, they will light up again. If the French are flying around on the other side like a hive of angry bees, it would make it extremely difficult to get away safely.”
“What about Bludgers, and doing this for several days,” chirped Blythe. He was almost bouncing in his chair. Harry couldn’t be sure if it was excitement about a plan or Rostis’ coffee.
“Bludgers?” everyone else asked at the same time.
“Yeah, they are magical items. If we would send a Bludger through a ward, it would light it up. If we do this for two or three nights, the French might get tired of chasing after false alarms. The next night we do the same thing, but we go through one of the wards instead of the Bludger.”
“Do you have several dozen Bludgers in your pocket?” asked Harry.
“No, but I can make them,” replied Blythe with the largest smile Harry had ever seen from him. “My best friend’s father owns Quality Quidditch Supplies. I used to work there, and I learned the Charm for making Bludgers. It could be adapted a little. All we would need to do is charm them to fly north for say one kilometer then fall. We could use rocks. It doesn’t have to be an iron ball.”
Harry looked at Rostis and then at Monique. He liked the idea, and he could tell that they did too. Suddenly, Rostis sighed and his shoulders slumped as if the weight of the world was upon them. “If we cast that many Charms, then the Spanish might zero in on our location.”
“Teach me!” shouted an excited Monique. “I’ll charm them in the caves. No one will be able to detect the Charms. I could even move from cave to cave to confuse them if they could detect the Charms being cast.” She stopped talking and then became even more excited. “I need to check the caves. Maybe I can launch the Bludgers from the caves at the wards. If we do this, we can also help remain undetected by flying through the Wards at the same time as the Bludgers. If they see one of them pass through when the Ward activates then they might not even pursue or check to see what happened.”
Rostis jumped up from his chair nearly knocking the table over. “Bloody Hell, that sounds like it could work!”
Blythe leaned back in his chair and laughed at him. “Mate, you need to drink less caffeine.”
Blythe wrote down the incantations to make a Bludger. He demonstrated for Monique the wand movements and talked about the frame of mind one must have to cast the Charm. Harry watched intently as this went on. Blythe had always been one to joke around, but now that there was serious work to do, he has been behaving himself. Harry thought he might even be able to make a Bludger, but that will be for another day. After about a half an hour of instructions, Monique left for the caves.
“We need to get you trained on the carpet Harry,” stated Rostis.
They moved the table to make enough room to roll out a carpet. Rostis had Harry sit down and showed him the controls for the carpet. After thirty minutes Rostis asked Harry to repeat everything he had been told about the carpets. Harry had been able to repeat most of it. He missed a couple of things about setting the direction and speed controls. This pattern continued until Harry could easy repeat everything that Rostis had told him.
After two hours, Monique still hadn’t returned from the caves. Harry was getting a little worried, but hopefully she was still safe. He was also starting to get a little hungry, because no one had breakfast in the tent. He got up and started looking around the kitchen for something to eat. He hadn’t realized that Rostis was standing behind him until he stood up from looking in a low cupboard.
“There is no food, Harry,” Rostis informed him. “I want to talk to you about a few things,” he continued his conversation without waiting for Harry’s approval. “When we get back to England, I am going to recommend that you and Monique are put on full time Auror training. You two don’t need to return to Hogwarts. We need people like you two in the field.”
Harry’s mind was racing out of control. He wanted to return to Hogwarts and spend the rest of the year with Ginny. “But — but — but...” stammered Harry.
“I know you want to spend time with Ginny,” consoled Rostis. “I am sure we can get you some time off, but we need people like the two of you.”
Harry didn’t answer straight away. He wanted to get back to Ginny and spend time with her. He wouldn’t be able to do that if he was working in London, or worse, much, much worse guard duty at Azkaban.
“When we get you back to England, I want you to be working on counter curses,” stated Rostis. “I know you have powerful shields that can stop anything except Unforgivables, but they are what probably drained you in that battle on the mountain. Every second you hold a shield uses as much magical energy as casting a spell. You can work on those in your home, along with your other studies while preparing for NEWTs.”
“Are you sure I’m ready for that step? questioned Harry. He wanted to be with Ginny as much as possible.
“Harry, you are more experienced in many things than most fully qualified Aurors. What you have been through in you eighteen years is more than I’ve been through in thirty years of work.” Rostis looked away for a second, before looking back at him. “That was the first time I’ve ever been hit with an Unforgivable. I’ve always been able to avoid them in the past. I can’t believe that you were able to put up a fight like you did, Harry.”
Harry looked at the senior Auror’s face and noticed it was a little pink from embarrassment. “Being cursed doesn’t qualify me as being an Auror, I always thought it was wise to avoid them,” Harry said reassuringly.
Rostis smiled at him. “Harry...”
Rostis never finished his sentence as Monique rushed into the tent. “I did it!” she exclaimed while holding a rattling box in her hands. The wooden box was a quarter metre square with a lid that opened in the middle. It was held closed by a hasp with a strange thing stuck though it keeping it from opening. Monique set the box on the table for everyone to look at. She stood there excited until the other three stood around her waiting for her explanation.
“I charmed a rock to be a bludger. I Transfigured a piece of wood to make the box. This”, she said pointing at the hasp and the peculiar item holding closed, “is a timer. When the sand runs out in the timer the hasp opens and the Bludger flies out heading due north for one kilometer.”
Harry looked at the item holding the hasp closed. It was a small hourglass, and the sand was flowing through it even when it wasn’t sitting at the right angle for gravity to help it. “How long before this one breaks?” he asked her.
“Fifteen minutes, so grab your clothes and carpets and meet me.” She stopped talking and looked at the map. “Here!” She pointed out a spot on the map.
Rostis, Blythe and Harry ran around the tent gathering up warm clothes and then grabbing the carpet that was still lying on the floor of the tent. They pulled it outside in the bitter cold wind, and all three of them hopped on it.
The sensation of flying again felt good to Harry. He had only been cooped up for a few days, but it seemed like forever to him. The icy wind attacked his cheeks and fingers making them feel as though they were being burnt. The carpet slowed and started to descend. Once they were on the ground, Rostis deactivated the invisibility device. They were behind an outcropping of rock, so they wouldn’t be visible to the French, if they were watching.
He opened a map and checked his location to the one that Monique had given them. After about a minute he determined that they were in the right place. He had Harry try to read the map and find their present location.
While Harry was looking at the map and the compass on the carpet, the side of the mountain seemed to open up suddenly and Monique stepped out. As soon as she stepped out of the cave opening, it closed back up so that Harry couldn’t see it again.
She was carrying the box with the Bludger. It was rattling as she held it. The hourglass timer was almost spent. Without talking she walked to an opening and sat the box down on the ground. They all hopped on the carpet and activated the invisibility function, before taking off. They sat just above the box waiting for the timer to activate.
After about a minute of waiting, a snap could be heard as the hourglass broke allowing the doors to be flung open and the Bludger to fly out at top speed. It flew due north and contacted the Ward. Upon contact it sent a luminescent spider web effect out across the Ward that caused the ward to flash bright white. Within a minute of the ward activating, at least ten, maybe fifteen, sorcerers were flying on the other side. Even from the distance, they looked confused. Harry heard everyone on the carpet give a quiet shout of joy.
Monique wanted to land so she could get the box and get back into the cave to start making more Bludgers. They let her off and watched once more as the cave appeared for a second as she passed through its opening, before becoming invisible a gain.
Upon returning to the tent, Rostis laid out the maps and started to plot which wards they should attack, and which ones would be the easiest ones to attack. As he pored over these maps, a plan occurred to him. They would each take a different path back to England. It would increase the chance of one of them getting back. They would split up Monique’s relatives, because they all needed to sign the bill of sale to make it legal in a Muggle court. If only one carpet makes it back then they would have won, because then the property couldn’t be sold to the Muggle developer.
By late evening, Monique had been back and informed them that the Bludgers were set to go off at eight o’clock that night. She set them so they all activated at the same time. She and Rostis talked for some time about plans for which Wards to attack. Harry and Blythe listened and also added their opinion about the plans to escape and return home.
It was finally decided that they would attack with six Bludgers each the next two nights. They would then escape the third night. They would place these boxes at different locations the next two nights. The third night they would use three locations from the first night and three from the second night and each Auror would take a different path back to England.
Harry flew his carpet with the Bludger box to his first location. Under the cover of the carpet’s invisibility function, he landed and placed the box in the snow facing north. He flew back up and waited, as the time ticked by slowly.
Even though he was a good ten metres away from the box he could hear the doors pop open. The Bludger was a rock about half the size of a normal Bludger. Harry watched as it flew into the Ward causing it to flash a brilliant white, illuminating the mountains around him. As the light faded, he saw sorcerers on brooms flying from the mountains surrounding the pass. He slowly moved his carpet towards them to get a better look. He was able to see them in the pale moonlight. They were conducting a search of the area on brooms. He listened for a few seconds to hear if any of them had cast a Homenum Revelio spell. If they had done that, they could detect someone invisible on a fast moving carpet.
Maneuvering the carpet back to the mountain side, he landed and retrieved the box. He took off again for the tent. As he flew, he marveled at the carpet. Even though it was invisible he was able to make out the controls. They appeared as golden scrolling in thin air. He could tell what direction he was flying and how fast.
When he walked into the tent, he could tell that everything went well by the excited look in everyone’s eyes. He walked over and hugged Monique. “Thank you! The Bludgers worked brilliantly. In three days, we can all be home!” Harry shouted, and everyone else cheered.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Harry was lying flat on the carpet with four other people in the fading light of dusk. He had two of Monique’s Aunts and two Uncles with him. Rostis took four also. Blythe had three and Monique only two, but she also had two trunks of books with her, which made the weight of two people. They were hovering watching to see the Bludger as it breaks free of its box. If Harry times this correctly, he should be able to hit the Ward at the same time as the Bludger.
Harry noticed an object flying fast towards them. He prodded the controls of the carpet to start flying at full speed. He had already programmed the direction they were to fly, unless he needed to take evasive action. He wanted to fly as fast and far as possible before slowing down. He just hoped his passengers don’t start screaming. Monique had warned them to stay quiet and they were informed how to hold onto the carpet. He could tell that they were nervous. He could feel their shaking vibrate through the carpet as it hovered in the air.
The carpet shuddered as it tried to reach maximum speed against the weight of five adults. They were traveling straight toward the Ward. The bitter cold air made Harry’s eyes water. A second before they contacted the Ward with the carpet. The ward flashed a brilliant white, and then they collide with it. The original flash had started to die down before it lit up again.
Harry looked around him as no less than twenty sorcerers were now flying around in the pass. His stomach tightened as he worried that they noticed the second flash of the Ward. The pass between the mountain peaks was quickly moving past them. Harry looked back to see if anyone was following them. He heard what he had been dreading.
“Homenum Revelio!” someone shouted.
Harry saw a red wave grow from a point behind him, and it was moving fast. Trying to avoid the spell he overrode the preset controls. He immediately took the carpet on a quick descent. It wasn’t nearly as steep as dives he has done on brooms, but he could hear murmurs of fear from behind him. He felt someone painfully grip his leg.
Seeing a wizard hovering in front of him, he directed the carpet under and behind him, hoping that he would stop the spell. The wave of red hit the wizard and sent a signal back to the caster, but the spell was still coming. His carpet loaded with people was too large for the small hole that the wizard made in it.
Harry turned the carpet hard left and flew straight towards the mountain. He saw what he was looking for. A ravine that he might be able to hide in until the spell passes him by. Watching over his shoulder, he kept his distance from the spell, as it expanded towards him. The murmuring changed to pleading and praying and several of them nearly squealed from fear as Harry continued his steep descent.
He reached the Ravine seconds before the spell reached him. He sat the carpet down and waited as the spell passed by the opening in the ravine. He listened and waited for several minutes trying to determine if it was safe for them to return home.
Slowly and cautiously, he flew the carpet up out of the ravine. Several witches and wizards were flying around the valley looking for something. Harry maneuvered the carpet up and out of the ravine. When his passengers had settled, Harry touched the auto pilot controls and the carpet took off to the northeast.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
The icy cold waters of English Channel passed below them as they flew a few metres above it. Harry kept looking for boats, but they all seemed to be someplace else. This was the second day of traveling, unlike the trip into France he had stopped and waited out the daylight hours. They traveled all night long when they made their escape from the Pyrenees Mountains, stopping as dawn broke. They had almost reached the German border with France. Harry had flown the most indirect route, flying northwest away from England. Rostis had plotted out four divergent routes to help decrease the possibility of them all being caught.
Rostis was flying the most direct route but was planning on taking a zigzagging course to England traveling four hours one direction then turning ninety degrees another. Blythe was flying west and was planning to go out over the ocean but leaving French soil further north than Bayonne. Monique also was traveling west, but not as far as Harry. They were all supposed to stop in France somewhere and wait out the day, before crossing the border and flying to Porthleven England.
Harry was wondering how the others had fared. Hopefully everyone was on their way to Porthleven, and no one was injured. He remembered his narrow escape from the Pyrenees. It was lucky for him to see that ravine. There would have been no way he could have escaped the sorcerers on brooms with this carpet. The brooms are faster, and more maneuverable. He can’t make quick turns and rolls with the carpet because everyone would fall off.
A smile stretched across his face as he saw the coastline of England appear. He was home again. He never realized how much he missed this country. When he had gone to Australia, he returned and was concerned about the state of the country so soon after the war. Now, however, he just wanted to get home and this assignment completed so he can see Ginny again.
Watching for landmarks, he slowed the carpet down and cautiously moved towards his final destination. He saw the abandoned building in the growing dawn light. Landing the carpet outside of the building, Harry looked around to try to determine if it was safe to turn off the invisibility device. He saw the friendly face of Blythe peering out one of the windows of the building.
Harry deactivated the invisibility device and Blythe saw him and shouted back into the building. Before Harry could stretch out all of his stiff muscles Monique, Rostis, and Blythe were congratulating him on making it back. The rest of Monique’s family was also out there welcoming them. They all recounted their trips. Harry had the closest call of being detected. Rostis only saw three witches on brooms when he went through the Wards.
After everyone recounted their adventures, they stored the carpets, and started to Apparate Monique’s family to the building that has the Floo network. The building was an abandoned pub on a back road with no other building in sight. The roof was good and the windows were all intact so it was relatively warm and dry. Blythe started a fire on the fireplace.
Rostis taped his wand on several of the field stones that made the walls. He finally hit the right one as it opened to a piece of blue parchment, quill, ink bottle, and a pot of Floo powder. He wrote a quick note on the blue parchment, before folding it, and throwing into the green flames of the Floo network, as he called out, “Minister of Magic.”
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Kingsley took a sip of tea as he studied his guests. It was nine o’clock in the morning and he had a meeting with the Head of France’s Department of International Cooperation and a representative from the International Confederation of Wizards. They were sitting in three high backed leather chairs around a table that had his tea set on it. The three chairs sat at such an angle that they could easily look at each other as they spoke. Kingsley was trying to keep himself calm, because he knew that this meeting was about the mission that he had sent Harry on, and since they were already several days late, there must have been problems.
“Your tea is delicious Minister Shacklebolt, but the issue that I need to discuss with you does not pertain to the proper way to serve tea,” pompously stated Jean Dupree, the Frenchman. He was a large man, not tall but large and round. He always seemed to be sweating as perspiration was evident on his brow, even though it was cool in the office. He had a large round belly and short arms and legs. His arms were so short that Kingsley doubted he could clasp his hands in front of his large belly. His face was round and his beefy neck looked pinched in the collar of his elegant robes. He had thinning hair and the largest comb over that Kingsley has ever seen. It started just above his ear on the right and extended all the way over his head to the top of the left ear.
“Indeed, I doubted you traveled all the way from France to drink tea with me,” replied Kinglsey in a measured tone. “Why then did you request this meeting, and bring along a representative from the International?”
“It is to discuss the activities of one of your employee’s, Minister. Harry Potter!” Jean said Harry’s name with venom.
“What would you want with Harry?”
“We, I mean France, want Harry Potter and his three accomplices for the murder of six Aurors. I expect you to produce him, his accomplice Carmen Del La Rosa, and the other two people who were with him to the French Ministry immediately. Any delay or refusal shall be deemed a crime against the Ministry and the magical people of France.”
Kingsley kept his composure, at least he hoped he had, and silently thanked himself for preparing a cover story for this mission. “I do not know where Harry Potter is at this time.”
“I hardly believe that,” spat the Frenchman. “He is an employee of your Ministry, an Auror I believe. So is this Carmen Del La Rosa, who is a French citizen. I must add.” He looked over to the Representative from the International. “A very unusual way of keeping proper diplomacy, between two countries, don’t you think Mr. Sabatini?”
Alberto Sabatini was a senior member of the Dispute Resolution Department at the International Confederation’s headquarters. He was an elderly distinguished looking Italian. He was short with silver hair and olive skin. He had a silver white pencil thin moustache that combined with his dark brown eyes and silver eyebrows to give him an air of sophistication. He looked at Jean Dupree and nodded without saying anything.
“Harry is on Christmas vacation at the present time. I do not track his where bouts, so I cannot say where he is at the moment. However, I find it extremely difficult to believe that Harry could or would kill someone, or even attack someone without just cause.” Kingsley sat his teacup down to think what he was going to say.
“Are you calling me a liar?” sniffed the haughty Frenchman.
“No. I am saying that I find it hard to believe that Harry would attack anyone without proper justification. Certainly, you have the wrong man,’ suggested Kingsley.
“We are quite sure that it is none other than Harry Potter, Minister. His scar is quite recognizable.”
“Ambassador Dupree, I will try to find Harry Potter, but I will not guarantee that I will hand him over to you,” stated Kingsley. He wanted to make as many conditions as possible to slow this process down. He needed to know what Harry and company had done, if they had actually killed someone.
“That is unacceptable, he is a murderer…” shouted the Frenchman.
“Not if he was attacked first. If it was self-defense then he was only defending himself, regardless of whom he killed or where it occurred. You seem to have already tried and convicted him of the crime, so I doubt if he would get a fair trial,” countered Kingsley.
“He attacked a group of fifteen Aurors, who were training, killing six of them and cursing and injuring many more. We have many witnesses to these crimes,” Jean stated pompously. “So, you see there is little doubt about his guilt, and this is a crime committed in France, not England and what you think would be of little importance.”
“He and how many others?” asked Kingsley.
“Three,” answered Jean.
“A total of four attacked a larger group, then how did they get away, without being tracked. If you had proof that they Portkeyed back to England, then where is it. How did they enter France? You have no proof of that either, and as far as the obvious guilt of the situation by recognizing Harry’s famous scar there is always Poly-juice Potion. So, you see, I don’t think your proof is valid, Monsieur.” Kingsley enjoyed the sight of this unpleasant man turning red from anger. It seemed to reach all the way up under his horrid comb-over. “I would also like to ask you about the Auror of yours that was found spying on a local family. He was here without our government’s permission, and the people he was spying on were protected by a new law to protect all the fighters against Voldemort. So, you see, Monsieur, you seem to breaching protocols yourself.”
The French diplomat shifted in his chair, as though he was trying to make himself taller and more important. “He was sent here to find, Mr. Potter. It is obvious that your government is the one that has breached the protocols of governmental cooperation by first training a French citizen without asking our permission. Is this all some sort of plan of yours to overthrow our government? You are using this Carmen Del La Rosa as a guide for your raids into our peaceful government.”
Kingsley went to open his mouth to reply but was cut off when a blue piece of parchment shot out of the Floo and flew straight to him. He grabbed it, opened it, and read it, before stuffing it in his pocket. “I only agreed to train Ms. Del La Rosa, because of an incident that happened in your peaceful country. It seems that some of her Muggle friends had been attacked by wizards resulting in two deaths. Your government refused to investigate these attacks even though they had been witnessed by other nonmagical people and even reported in a local paper. The paper described the attacks as a mystery, because the people appeared to have nothing wrong with them, when they died. They also described the attacker as someone wearing robes and pointing what appeared to be a stick. She reported this to your government, and they did nothing. Why is that Jean? Were members of your government involved? Is that why you didn’t launch an investigation?”
The Frenchman jumped out of his chair and started to yell at Kingsley in French, before switching back to English. “I will not sit here and be accused of such things. It is strictly forbidden for such things to happen and not be investigated. How dare you accuse my country’s government of performing such acts? We are not British. Was it not last year that your government did the exact same thing, Minister Shacklebolt?” He said this last statement with venom.
“A Dark Wizard took control of our government, by force, and he was removed by the people of Britain, by force. You know that Monsieur Dupree. What happened last year was wrong, but that was last year and a different government,” Kingsley shouted at him. “This government is dedicated to the protection of all people, both magical and nonmagical.”
“I am finished talking,” shouted Jean Dupree. “Come on Monsieur Sabatini, I am finished here. As you can see this government is no different than the last. This Minister wants to cover up his and his country’s crimes by accusing France of wrongdoing. Any wizard can purchase scarlet robes, and attack citizens. It might have even been this Carmen Del La Rosa herself and accused my fine government to cover it up.”
“The paper stated it was a man, and, Monsieur, I never mentioned that the attacker wore scarlet robes even though the paper did mention it,” Kingsley pointed out. He had a hard time containing his smile.
“I am through here,” yelled the incensed Frenchman. “I will guarantee you one thing Minister Shacklebolt. When we find Mr. Potter, we will deal with him to the fullest extent of the law.”
Jean Dupree turned to leave, but found the door locked. “You will not be leaving without an escort, Monsieur,” stated Kingsley calmly. He walked to the door and passed his wand over it. Opening it he yelled for Percy to escort the Frenchman and the Italian out of the building.
What Kinglsey hadn’t realized is the Italian diplomat hadn’t stood up from his chair. When Percy appeared at the door, Jean Dupree turned to Alberto Sabatini. “Come we must leave.”
“I am not leaving yet, Mr. Dupree. I want to talk to Minister Shacklebolt alone,” Alberto stressed.
“Hummp! Very well, lead the way,” the disgruntled Frenchman ordered Percy. They turned and left the office.
Kingsley turned and looked at Alberto Sabatini. He had a reputation of being a tough but fair negotiator. His many years of service had brought a well-earned respect in the Magical community. For different reasons he was almost as respected as Albus Dumbledore had been. “You wanted to talk to me, Mr. Sabatini?”
“Yes, have a seat, please,” he calmly suggested to the Minister, and gestured to the chair.
After Kingsley had settled into his chair, the mediator shifted in his chair and cleared his throat. “In my many years of service to the magical community, I have developed an ability to tell when someone is lying, Minister. I must say that if lies were rain. We would have been swimming in this room.”
“Mr. Sabatini, I assure…”
He held up his hand to stop Kingsley. “Between the two, you told the least amount. I believe most of what you said. However, you need to know about the French. Over the past ten years there have been more than twenty incidents of Muggles being tortured and killed had been reported to the International, but none were ever confirmed. It seems that when we would investigate, either everyone had been Obliviated or missing. If you know where Mr. Potter is, then make sure he is safe, and if there are witnesses to these events, then make sure you have statements and they are protected. Do not underestimate the French, Minister. I must leave now. Thank you for the tea, and I wish you luck.”
The Italian diplomat stood up and walked to the door, until another under-secretary came to escort him out of the Ministry. Kingsley watched him leave then lowered his head into his hands. He was sure that the French knew he was lying about not knowing about the mission, but they can’t prove it. He was afraid of the involvement of Alberto Sabatini, but now he thinks he may actually be helpful. What started out six months ago as a simple job of protecting some Muggles has expanded into an international incident. If all goes wrong, he could be leading Britain into a war with France and other countries. If things work out and they have enough proof to show that the French government was involved, then it would be Britain and the rest of the world against France. When he took this job, he thought his biggest problems would be rebuilding his own country, now he must contend with all the others.
Pulling out a special piece of parchment, he wrote a message to the head of the Floo department. Sealing it with wax and a spell, he opened his door and let it fly to the department. It is sealed so no one else can open the letter, and even if they did, it would be a coded message that only the Head of the department would understand. He must wait until he receives confirmation that the Floos have been isolated properly, before telling Rostis to start transporting everyone directly to Harry’s house.
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Harry sat in a corner of the abandoned pub waiting. It seemed as if hours had passed since Rostis had Flooed Kingsley. He can’t imagine what is taking him so long to give the go ahead to transport everyone to his home. He supposed that until everything is secure this abandoned pub is as safe as anywhere in England.
Looking around the room, he observed a tired Blythe leaning in one corner watching outside. Monique is quietly talking to her relatives, who are looking around the building scared and confused. He could only wonder what they must be thinking. One year ago they probably didn’t even realize that magic existed.
Feeling his legs cramping, Harry stood up and looked outside pretending to be watching for danger. He was actually wondering which direction the Burrow was from here. He was wondering about Ginny. He hates to admit it, but with everything that he has been through the past week, he hasn’t been thinking about her as often as he should. Now that he was back in England the thoughts of her were ever present. As much as he wanted to be with her, he would just settle for knowing that she was alright, and that she didn’t hate him too much.
The fireplace flared up with green flames causing Monique’s relatives to jump. A piece of parchment flew out and to Rostis. He placed his wand on the wax seal and opened the note. With a smile, he looked at Harry. “Harry, we are going to your house. You lead the way.”
After fifteen minutes and many two person Floos, everyone was in Number Twelve Grimmauld place. “Monique, let’s go up and try to decide where everyone is going to sleep. They should be safe here, don’t you think?”
She smiled at his question. “I think they are safer here than anywhere else for the past six months.” She grabbed her clothes and personal effects that they had left in the kitchen before leaving for France and walked to the stairs.
Harry started up the stairs. He was discussing the possibility of turning the library and study into bedrooms, when something on the stairs caught his eye. He was looking down at the picture he had wanted to take along. The picture of he and Ginny asleep in a hammock in Australia was lying on the steps in front of him with the glass broken. It looked like someone had dropped it there. Harry stood frozen in place thinking how this could have happened. Bending down to pick up the broken picture, he noticed a glint of gold in the corner of the step. Reaching out he picked up the gold heart necklace that he had given Ginny.
Turning around he looked down the steps from where the picture and necklace lay. The memories of the night they left came rushing back to him. From this spot someone could have watched Monique and he talk at the bottom of the steps, but it would be too dark to see anyone standing up here. Realization of what had happened sickened him as he croaked, “Bugger, Ginny saw us?”
Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Rumors and Scrutiny
Ginny slowly dressed in preparation for her return to Hogwarts. She was nervous about returning, after what had happened with Walden. All her friends have Owled her over the past few days, which made her feel good. She didn’t tell them about Harry when she Owled them back. Luna had even stopped by two days ago. Even though they had spent several hours talking, Ginny found it was easy to avoid talking about Harry with her. The rest of her friends will not be so easy.She stood looking out her window brushing her hair, while thinking about what she should tell them. She can’t tell them he is on a mission, and she can’t tell them he has run off with Carmen, because that hasn’t been reported yet. It sounded so feeble, but she will have to tell them that she has no idea where he was.
As she placed the brush back on her dresser, she thinks about another thing that has been bothering her, She left her broom at Grimmauld Place. How was she going to be able to impress Gwenog Jones if she didn’t have her Firebolt? The chances of Harry sending it back to her are slim. Besides, he must still be in France, because according to Fleur’s parents the French MLE’s are still in the Pyrenees. She stopped and took a calming breath as she wondered if he was still safe.
Opening her bedroom door, Ginny walked down the stairs to breakfast. The delicious smells of bacon, toast, and eggs floated up the stairs to greet her making her stomach rumble with hunger. She put all her troubling thoughts away in her mind and decided to spend an enjoyable morning with her parents, since she won’t be able to see them again until Easter break.
Entering the kitchen, she was surprised to see Ron and Hermione sitting at the table with grave expressions on the faces. “What’s wrong?” she asked them. “It isn’t Harry, is it?”
Ron, Hermione, and her parents exchanged looks before Hermione spoke to her. “Ginny, you need to look at this morning’s paper,” she said softly, as she pushed the paper across the scrubbed wood table.
Ginny walked over and picked it up. The front page had a picture of Harry holding Carmen’s hand while staring in a Muggle store. She sat down and started reading the article about him. It stated that he had run off with Carmen to Australia. They were seen in Cooktown at the Majestic Inn. It even went on to say what room they were in, number thirteen. The article pointed out that the picture showed them shopping for baby clothes as that was the type of Muggle store, they were standing in front of.
She reread the entire article. Even though she knew that this might happen, it still hurt to actually see it. If they hadn’t received the email from Brad Carl, and if she hadn’t talked to Kreacher, then she would be in a horrible state right now. Even knowing this was a cover story, it still hurt her, but she could never tell anyone that. Lowering the paper, she saw everyone staring at her. They had been quiet the entire time she was reading the article.
“It is as you suspected Hermione,” Ginny said, while trying to keep her voice strong. It was difficult not to cry or go into a rage. “Should I…” she stopped talking to when her voice cracked. “…should I act outraged at Harry and hurt about this?”
“Yes, and you could add in some choice words about that bint also,” growled Ron. Hermione looked at him. “Look Hermione, I know that this is all some type of a diversion. I also realize that that picture was from October, when Harry went on that assignment with Carmen. I still don’t have to like it, and I am still planning on punching that git in the nose the next time I see him, best mate or not.”
“Ron…” started Hermione, but Ginny’s giggling cut her off.
“Still planning on punching Harry, eh, Ron?” asked Ginny.
“Yeah, I’ll at least do that. You know, I had bigger plans, but if he is on an assignment.” He stopped talking and broke out in a big smile. “After all, if this had actually happened, then I would get mad at him. I don’t want to muck up his cover story. I’ll punch him one for the Ministry coverup. How’s that sis.”
Ginny nearly doubled over with laughter at Ron’s comment of “punching Harry one for the Ministry coverup”. It was what she had needed at the time. Hermione was also chuckling, but more subdued than everyone else in the room.
“Ginny,” said Hermione, interrupting everyone’s laughter. “Do you remember the room that is mentioned in the paper? That was the room that they used for Portkey and Apparitions. No one could stay in it. The picture was taken back in October, when Ron and I were following Harry through London. I remember that exact moment. The two of them holding hands, was suggested by one of the Aurors who was following them that day. They didn’t hold hands up until that time.” Ginny gave her a disbelieving look. “It is true. Harry told Ron, and Carmen told me, while we were at that loud nightclub.”
Ginny looked at the picture again. At times like this, Hermione can almost be scary, because she seemed to know what was bothering her. Realizing that Harry and Carmen were told to hold hands and the picture were taken months ago made her feel better. “When you went to this place, was there dancing?”
“Yes, I guess you could call it that,” replied Hermione. She looked confused at her question.
“Did Harry dance with Carmen?”
“No!” stated Ron firmly. “Harry and I spent most of the night talking to each other and the two Aurors under the Invisibility Cloaks. Hermione and Carmen were constantly talking about theories of Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, and even bloody Arithmancy. Hermione didn’t even dance with me until I…” Ron looked up and remembered his parents were in the room. Hermione grabbed his arm and turned a light shade of pink. “Until much much later,” He finished saying with a different tone to his voice.
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Ginny stood like a statue looking at the scarlet Hogwarts Express and the people surrounding it. Her insides were roiling with uncertainty. It wasn’t fear like last year, but she was definitely feeling nervous about something. It could be that someone will ask about the article, and she was unsure what she will say.
She remembered last year many students told her that they admired her for her courage, and how fearless she was. If they only knew that from the night Dumbledore died until Harry finally defeated Voldemort. Her insides were constantly twisting with fear. She just never let it show. She had heard somewhere that courage wasn’t a lack of fear, but not letting fear control you. That was her last year, and it looked like this year also.
With a deep breath, Ginny turned and hugged her mother. “I’ll be fine Mum,” she whispered in her mother’s ear.
Mrs. Weasley took Ginny’s face with both of her hands and spoke quietly to her. “Owl us if there are problems and you need someone to talk to, all right. Remember, your father and I love you and are so very proud of you.” Her mother hugged Ginny again, which she returned with equal intensity.
Ginny left her mother’s protective embrace and faced the people on Platform nine and three-quarters. Many of them were staring at her with mocking expressions. Many of these had the morning’s paper in their hand. Others avoided eye contact with her. They were as annoying as the ones that stared. Many others didn’t even seem to notice her as she walked by them. She wound her way through the crowds of students to the compartment to meet with the Prefects to assign patrol duties for the ride back to Hogwarts.
She started to wonder if she would be alone as the Head Girl. With Walden being in jail, the Headmistress would need to appoint a new Head Boy. When Ginny finally walked into the compartment, she had a little surprise. Neville was standing there.
‘Hello, Ginny,” he said nervously. “The Headmistress decided to appoint me the acting Head Boy, until things get settled.”
“Brilliant, Neville,” she said happily. It was a relief to have Neville as the acting Head Boy. She knew that he can be trusted.
He leaned in close to her and whispered in her ear, “What do I do now?”
Ginny smiled back at him. “Follow my lead.”
Twenty minutes later, the meeting was over, and Ginny and Neville were looking for a compartment. They had the last patrol of the train today, before it pulled into the Hogsmeade station. Walking past compartments, Ginny noticed the occupants in several of the compartments would turn and stare then talk wildly among themselves. Some even pointed at her, she tried to keep it from bothering her, but it still hurt to be treated this way.
When they finally found the compartment with Luna, Dennis, and Marty in, they walked in and sat down. “Thanks for saving us seats,” Ginny said to them.
“Sure Ginny — ah — no problem — how are you,” stuttered Marty. She looked as if she was going to cry, and squeezed Dennis’ hand even tighter, while looking at him and Luna. It was obvious what she wanted to ask but was afraid to.
“Yes, Harry left me,” Ginny said. She didn’t need to force tears to well up in her eyes. They were there when she said it. The thoughts of how she felt when she saw Harry and Carmen leave together from Grimmauld Place came back to her. She fought the tears back and tried to control her hurt not only at the thoughts of that image, but also that she must lie like this.
Marty moved across the compartment and sat on her one side while Luna sat her other. Luna even in her normal dreamy and off-beat state of mind was comforting.
Dennis looked at her and then out the window. His face was turning red and he kept flexing his hands into fists. He had a look that reminded Ginny of Ron and her other brothers’ reaction.
Neville looked sick, but in some ways also confused. He didn’t speak but looked as if he might cry or curse someone at any second. Ginny wasn’t sure why he was acting that way. Especially when Dennis told Ginny that Harry must have gone mental to run off with a slag like Carmen. Neville looked at Dennis with a look of pure hatred.
The rest of the trip passed without much conversation. Harry and Carmen weren’t mentioned again. The subject of Walden wasn’t even brought up. They kept conversation to school assignments, and the upcoming NEWTs. Ginny twisted inside a little when Dennis asked her about the school’s Quidditch team. She just said that they had a few more months to get better. She wondered what would happen now that she didn’t have her Firebolt. She might have enough gold left to buy a broom, but not anything the quality of a Nimbus or a Firebolt.
The train had stopped at Hogsmeade station. Ginny had no problems while she and Neville had been on rounds. She thought for a minute that Romilda Vane was going to say something, but she remained seated in her compartment. The stares she was getting seemed to have decreased. Maybe she wasn’t entertaining enough for them.
She stepped out onto the platform and helped to move the students toward the carriages pulled by Thestrals. As she stood there wondering how many students could now see them, an annoying voice that belonged to an even more annoying bint caught her attention.
“I guess you aren’t as special as you think, Weasel!” mocked Romilda. Ginny had been expecting this from her. Romilda has had it out for her ever since Harry kissed her in the common room. “I guess Harry didn’t like catching you shagging the Head Boy. Or maybe you were never good enough for him in the first place.”
Everyone on the platform had gone silent and stared at the two of them. Ginny resisted the urge to curse her. “First, I didn’t shag Walden. He tried to rape me. As far as me not being good enough for Harry, maybe he did run off with Carmen, but at least he gave me a go. That is a lot more than he gave you, you ugly bitch!”
Romilda stood there with her mouth opening and closing not knowing what to say. Most of the crowd was laughing at Ginny’s comment, the rest of them were again moving to the carriages. Romilda went to pull her wand, but Ginny was faster. They stood there with Ginny’s wand inches from her face. Dennis and Marty showed up beside Ginny and looked at Romilda and her friends, who eventually turned and walked away.
Ginny and her friends found a carriage to ride up to the castle. As they were passing through the main gates, she noticed something different. There were guards standing watch at the gate, for the first time this year. She started to wonder if that was because of the French Auror that showed up at the Burrow. Dennis asked Neville if he had heard any reason why there were now guards, when earlier in the year they didn’t have them.
The students left the carriages and entered the castle all heading towards the great hall. The entire time she was walking through the entrance hall and the great hall Ginny felt like eyes were on her. She didn’t want to look around to see who was staring at her. She figured it was either Romilda and her friends or half of the students who wanted to see another confrontation.
After the students all found seats at the tables, the Headmistress stood up to the podium. “I would like to make a few announcements, before you all tuck in for the feast,” Professor McGonagall announced, her voice ringing off the stone walls. “First, we have a new head boy for the remainder of the year. Neville Longbottom, will fill in for Walden Ridgebit, who finds himself unable to complete his duties.” There were several sniggers throughout the hall which were silenced by the Headmistress’ icy glare.
“Second thing I would like to announce, the main gate will have guards from the MLE at it, until further notice. There may also be some MLE’s in the building at times.” Again, the Headmistress was interrupted when murmuring was heard throughout the hall. She held up her hands and shouted for everyone to be silent. “They are not here due to a resurgence of Death Eaters. There are other reasons, which the Ministry does not wish for me to mention. Let me assure you, that you need not fear for your safety. These guards are purely precautionary. So, with that said, everyone, tuck in!”
The great hall suddenly was filled with the sounds of hundreds of students eating, the clink of forks, and knives on china rang over top of garbled conversation. Ginny took a boiled potato and a couple pieces of baked chicken, while listening to the cacophony of sounds that came with dinner at Hogwarts. While she was eating the feeling that someone was watching her kept getting stronger. She would look up and around the tables of the different houses to see who it might be several times, but it seemed the other students were too involved with eating or talking to their own friends to be watching her.
Finally, she locked eyes with a girl from the Ravenclaw table. The girl and the one beside her were staring at her. They sat there and stared at each other for several seconds, before the other girl looked away. Ginny recognized the faces, but she couldn’t remember their names. They had always been quiet, from what she could remember from Charms and Transfiguration classes.
Ginny cursed herself silently for not remembering their names. She had classes with them for six and a half years, but she still doesn’t know their names. She will have to ask Luna the next time she sees her. The thought of standing up and going to the table to ask her now had occurred to Ginny, but she decided not to make a scene.
After the last pudding disappeared with all their dirty dishes, the students pushed away from the tables and started towards their dorms. Ginny was moving with the crowd when a hand grabbed her arm. She had her wand out and turned to see Neville staring at her. “Could we talk,” he quietly said. “Alone?”
“Sure, where do you want to go?”
“Maybe just walk the halls for a bit?” he suggested. “If that is all right with you?”
“Sure, but we better not get caught because the Head Girl and Boy might subtract points,” she joked with him.
They separated themselves from the crowd and moved towards some empty hallways. Neither one spoke for several minutes as they walked. They had reached an area where the noise of students could no longer be heard, and Ginny stopped and looked at Neville. He seemed to be upset about something, but Ginny wasn’t sure what it was. She was half afraid that he wanted to bring up Harry dumping her and leaving with Carmen.
There had been times when she thought that he had fancied her, but she wasn’t sure. It would be very awkward if he tried to ask her out or something like that. She had gone to the Yule dance with him, but she just never thought of him that way.
“Do you believe that Harry and Carmen ran off together?” he finally asked. His voice was shaky.
“That is what the paper said, Neville, and I haven’t seen Harry since before Christmas,” she said to keep up the cover story.
“I don’t believe it, Ginny,” Neville whispered, even though his voice was low on volume it had an intensity to it. “Carmen never thought of Harry in that way and Harry loves you.”
Ginny stared at her friend. She appreciated that he said that about Harry, but she couldn’t risk saying anything. The fewer people who know about Harry the better.
“They are on a mission for the Ministry, Ginny. Harry came and got Carmen as we were leaving the Professor’s Christmas party. He told her that she had to collect all her things and Floo to the Ministry. They are on a mission.”
“That may be true, but until I hear from Harry, I can only believe what I saw written,” Ginny stated mechanically. She cursed herself for not sounding more convincing.
Neville looked at her with an appraising gaze. “You don’t believe it either, do you? I can’t believe Harry and Carmen would do this to you, to us.”
Neville’s whispered statement caught Ginny off guard. The statement “to us” spun through her mind. “Neville, were you and Carmen…”
“Yes, since Halloween,” he cut her off. “I can’t think she would lie like that. I just can’t believe it.”
His voice had changed with the last statement. It was less of a statement and more of a plea. Ginny didn’t know what to do. She wanted to tell Neville; after all he has proven himself trustworthy.
“Didn’t Harry…” Neville stopped talking and looked nervously at her. “Didn’t Harry say something to you the night he disappeared? Sorry Ginny, I didn’t want to bring that night up, but — but I need to know.” He looked at her nervously.
Ginny looked around the hallway they were in to see if anyone could see them or hear them. Stepping in close to Neville so she was practically in his arms, she whispered to him, “Harry has left me some clues that he is on a mission in France. The story in the paper is a cover, Neville.”
He closed his eyes and whispered, “I knew it.”
He then did something that caught Ginny by surprise. He hugged her. After the initial shock of it, she returned his hug. When they broke away, she looked him in his eyes and smiled, “So you and Carmen, serious or just having fun?”
Neville blushed at her question. “Actually both,” he cheekily replied.
“Well, well, Neville aren’t you the player,” teased Ginny.
Neville blushed and smiled. “I didn’t even try to strike up a conversation with her. She would talk to me for hours about the greenhouses and the different plants we had here. She is really quite smart. Around October, she was complaining about sleeping in her tent...”
“She slept in a tent?” asked a shocked Ginny.
“She didn’t have the gold to rent a room. She had a tent that she slept in. It wasn’t even that big of a one. I told her she could stay in the greenhouses if she didn’t mind the smell of dragon dung. Well, the next thing I know she was helping me with the plants. She wasn’t afraid to get dirty and actually seemed to love it. Well, then — well — that’s all I am going to say.” Neville’s face became as red as Ginny’s hair.
“Neville, I’m happy for you,” Ginny said sincerely, before she hugged him again.
The two friends walked out of that hallway and towards Gryffindor Tower. Neville had his own personal quarters on the grounds, by the greenhouses, from the way he described them only a person who loves Herbology would enjoy living there. He wanted to walk Ginny to the Portrait hole. Ginny didn’t mind the company. Talking with Neville made her feel better about her situation. Carmen had never impressed her as a slapper. She seemed to be rather uninterested in men, but she seemed to be interested in Neville. Maybe she liked strong and humble men. Ginny smiled to herself as she walked along. That would mean that Carmen wouldn’t be that interested in Harry, because he can be an arrogant toe-rag. Ginny found humor in this thought. Even when he wasn’t here, she still couldn’t resist the urge to take the mickey out on Harry. Merlin, she loved him.
Ginny walked through the common room going to her bed. Hardly anyone acknowledged her as she passed by. The students that were still awake were in conversations or huddled together on a chair or sofa staring into the fire. She looked over at Dennis and Marty, happy that they were together, but hurting, because it reminded her of what she can’t have now.
Entering the dorm room, she stopped at the locker at the foot of her bed and pulled out a flannel nightshirt, old worn bathrobe, and a pair of fuzzy black slippers. She went to the loo to change and get ready for bed. Fifteen minutes later she came back out carrying her jeans, jumper, and school robes. She plopped them down on her locker and went to crawl into bed.
She froze in her tracks. The hangings on her four-poster were drawn tight. They were never left that way by the House Elves. Drawing her wand, she reached a shaky left hand out and touched the hangings. Holding her breath, she pulled the one side of them open and pointed her wand at the opening.
She saw something that surprised her, Kreacher was hunkered down on the foot of her bed holding a folded piece of parchment and in front of him on the bed was her Firebolt. She hopped in the bed and pulled the curtains closed.
“Kreacher, what are you doing here?”
“Master Harry wanted me to give you these things.” Kreacher said respectfully. He handed her the folded piece of parchment and pushed the broom over to her. The parchment had a strange wax seal on it. Ginny opened it to read what Harry had written.
Dearest Ginny,
I beg that you may forgive me for abandoning you. I am on an assignment now. I cannot contact you for fear that you might become a target. Words cannot convey my sorry for leaving you when I did. When I found the picture of us and the necklace on the stairs, I knew that you had been here when Carmen and I left for the mission.
I did not want to go, but lives were at stake. We probably saved at least ten people or more from Dark Wizards. I find myself constantly torn between the desire to be with you and helping other people.
I hope that you may understand and forgive me for being that way. I know that every time I leave on an assignment. I leave you. That is the most difficult thing I could ever do. I can sacrifice many things, but not the limited time that I have with you.
I beg of you. Please forgive me!
I placed a charm on this letter that no one, but you can read it. If they look at it then they will see a blank page, unless they are looking over your shoulder as you are holding it and reading it. I am not supposed to be contacting you, but I can’t let you think that I don’t love you with all my heart. So please do not tell anyone that I have contacted you.
I wish that I could leave here, and tell you these things in person, but the load of bullocks that was printed in the Daily Prophet was necessary. I hated that story. I hated what you must be going through, and that I have done this to you.
I realize that your entire family hates me right now and rightly so. If you can forgive me and still love me, then I will face anything that your family can do to me to be with you again. When this mission is over, I will let you know where you can find me. If you still want to be with me then we can meet and work things out. If you don’t show up, then I’ll understand, but I will still love you. I will always love you, and I will never give up on you.
Love, Harry
Ginny forced herself not to cry at his last proclamation. When he was finished with this bloody mission nothing was going to keep her from reaching him, he may have to deal with her temper first, but she still wanted him back.
She pulled the parchment up to her nose. It still smelled like Harry. A warm familiar feeling washed through her. She ran her fingers over the parchment imagining his hands on it as he wrote the letter. Just knowing that he had held this letter a few minutes or hours ago made her feel closer to him.
“Miss... Ginny.”
She had forgotten that he was even there. She was so engrossed with the letter. “Yes, Kreacher?”
“Master Harry asked me to give this to you,” he said, as he held out the necklace.
Ginny looked at the golden heart necklace. It still had the inscription moving around it proclaiming, ‘Harry loves Ginny’. She took it from him and debated what to do. Placing it over her head, she tucked it inside of her nightshirt. “I suppose Harry will want some type of an answer to his letter?” she questioned Kreacher.
The House Elf smiled at her. “He wants to know if you took the necklace, also.”
Ginny looked at her servant. “Tell him…” she stopped to think exactly what she wanted to tell him. “Tell him that I took it, but I am still thinking about it. He will understand, Kreacher.” She looked up and saw the House Elf giving her a knowing smile. “Please don’t tell him that I cried over his letter. I want him to squirm a little.”
The House Elf laughed a low rumbling laugh, “Yes, I will do that, Miss Ginny.”
Kreacher disappeared with a small pop. Ginny opened the hangings on her bed and looked to see if anyone was in the room. Satisfied that no one heard the sound, she pulled the hangings closed, picked up the broom, and laid down on her bed and started to reread the letter again.
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Harry was staring at the Marauder’s Map in his bedroom. It was the only room that he could get privacy now that Monique and her family had moved in. His insides were twisting up in knots. He had spent the entire afternoon writing the letter. He had used about thirty pieces of parchment before he was satisfied with it.
He had sent Kreacher to Ginny’s bed after the feast was over, but she didn’t go directly there. She and Neville went to some secluded hallway in the castle. He sat there and watched as they spent several minutes close together, and even hugged. Harry hoped it was only a hug. He almost went into a rage when he saw their dots connect. What would he do if she starts up with Neville? It isn’t an impossibility. They have been friends for years. He is a good man, but Harry would have to hate him. What would Harry do if Kreacher comes back with a torn up letter? He hated this. Sitting back hiding, hiding his feelings while the people he cares for must fend for themselves, or move on without him.
Seeing Kreacher’s dot disappearing, Harry tore his eyes away from the map. The House Elf appeared at almost the exact same time in front of him.
“Well, what did she say? Did she take the necklace? Does she still love me?” he asked the questions in rapid fire succession.
Kreacher hung his head and shook it back and forth. This action only heightened Harry’s anxiety. “She said she will think about it,” Kreacher croaked out. “I must go visit Teddy and Madam Tonks. Bye Master Harry.” With a pop, he was gone.
Harry stared the spot that the House Elf had vacated. That wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear. Rage filled him with frustration at being kept away from Ginny, from hurting Ginny, and by the fact that he actually chose this. Harry threw his head back and let out a loud scream.
Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Uncovering Dark Secrets
Ginny sat back in the library chair and rubbed her eyes. She was tired of studying, but she had no choice. This was her NEWTs year and she has just recently been added to the Transfiguration team for the new Triwizard Tournament in May. It seemsed that Walden Ridgebit will be unable to participate.He was still in the holding cell at the Ministry. His father was pressuring the Ministry for a trial, but it has been delayed because the Ministry still has Death Eater trials going on. They had been delayed for months and now they all need to be tried and judgments passed. It sounds like poor Walden won’t have his trial until sometime around May. This doesn’t bother Ginny in the least. She just hopes that Harry is back by then.
It has been three weeks since she had last seen him, and the ache in her soul has steadily increased with every passing day. She has reread his letter so many times that the parchment is starting to fall apart. There have been a couple more reports about Harry and Carmen hiding from reporters in Australia. The Daily Prophet sent Rita Skeeter to Australia to find him and get an interview. Ginny hopes Rita stays down there until she finally meets Harry in Australia. Let her rot.
Sitting up and stretching in her chair Ginny surveyed the library. It was filled with students on this blustery cold January evening. It was even too cold for her to play Quidditch tonight. Every time she thinks about Harry sending the broom to her, she smiles. At times she even feels guilty, because she has never told him that she has forgiven him. Kreacher would appear occasionally and she would just smile at him and say “not yet.” The House Elf would leave again with a smile on his face.
She has already forgiven Harry in her heart and mind. She just doesn’t want him to be too comfortable with receiving her forgiveness. Ginny sighed and shook her head at the games she has been playing with Harry. In some ways she feels justified making him twist in the wind, but other ways she still doesn’t want him to give up on her. That would be the absolute worst thing that could ever happen. She will need to talk to Kreacher the next time she sees him. Ask him how Harry has been acting, and if he really misses her.
Grabbing one of the books from the table, she had been using for research. Ginny stood up to return it to the shelves. As she walked between the aisles, the feeling of someone watching her returned. She turned to see those girls from Ravenclaw staring at her, Kendra Bowers and Millicent Graves. They both had dark hair and blue eyes. Kendra always kept her hair cut short, while Millicent had poker straight hair that hung down her back. They were always properly dressed in their Ravenclaw robes. Ginny now remembered that she had once thought they were twins, but, in fact, were only two people who acted the same and looked the same.
The girls exchanged looks and walked towards Ginny. Ginny did a mental check for access to her wand. She wasn’t sure what these girls wanted with her. Ginny knew that they were friends of Walden’s. The two girls were holding books and clutched them close to their chest, as though they were afraid that Ginny might attack them. Stopping an arm’s length from her, they whispered to each other as they gave Ginny furtive glances
“Yes?” asked Ginny. She was nervous about these two’s actions.
“Thank you,” whispered Kendra, after she said that she turned to look to see if anyone was listening.
“What are you thanking me for?” asked Ginny, when she had said this both girls shushed her. “Why have you two been watching me and acting so scared?” she whispered to them. “I don’t understand.”
“You stopped Walden,” said Millicent, so softly that Ginny barely heard it.
“What do you mean stopped…” Ginny stopped midsentence as she realized what they meant. Walden has done this before. “He — he raped you, didn’t he” whispered Ginny excitedly. Both girls cringed at her statement making Ginny regret her bluntness.
“Yes, I think,” replied Kendra this time. “Us and at least three more.”
“Why didn’t you report it,” exclaimed Ginny. Her voice was no longer a whisper, but she didn’t care. She couldn’t think of a single reason why these girls wouldn’t report being raped. They stood there slightly red-faced and anxious. Her raised voice made them cringe again and look around. They turned to leave, and Ginny grabbed Millicent’s arm. Kendra also stopped and looked at her. Millicent had tears in her eyes and it broke Ginny’s heart to be acting this way, but she needed to find out the reason. She hoped it wasn’t because they felt they deserved it.
“Be-because he Obliviated us,” she struggled to say. “I can’t be sure. I’m sorry we can’t talk here.” She tugged her arm out of Ginny’s grasp.
Ginny was strong enough to have held on to her, but she didn’t want to do that. She followed them out of the aisle as they went to the table they were studying. They started to clean up their books. Ginny realizing, they were leaving went over and tossed everything in her book bag haphazardly, so she could catch them and talk to them somewhere more private.
As Ginny walked out of the library behind them, they kept looking over their shoulder at her. They didn’t walk faster, but they were talking quietly between each other. Ginny quickened her pace and caught up to them. “Please, talk to me about this. The empty classroom up there,” she pleaded with them.
They whispered to each other and walked towards the classroom. Once they were inside and the door closed. They turned to look at Ginny straight in the eye. Kendra was the one that started the conversation. “Walden used to help us with our studies, last year. He would study with us individually several times, before he — we realized that we had been shagged. In each of our cases, the last thing we remembered was studying. Then the next morning, we would be in some other classroom with absolutely no memory of anything but studying with Walden. Each of us knew someone had shagged us…”
“It’s called RAPE!” hissed Ginny.
“We confronted him about this. He told us that we both left with some Slytherin while studying. He told us that nothing happened and if we said anything about this to get him in trouble, he would tell his Dad and his father would fire our fathers. His father is the head of the Department of Mysteries. I — we can’t take that chance.”
“Hold on,” interjected Ginny. “You’re telling me that he said he was innocent, but he still threatened you. It sounds like he wasn’t so innocent to me.”
“It doesn’t matter,” said Millicent. “We have no memories, and if we cause trouble it would hurt our families. We need to go.” They turned and started to walk out of the classroom.
“What if I can guarantee that I can protect your fathers’ jobs? Would you be willing to talk then? It might help with what had happened to you. Believe me, it helps to talk to someone who cares and wants to help you.” Ginny watched them think about her proposal. She couldn’t believe that they had kept this a secret for so long, and that she used to think of Walden as being so naive and shy around women. He was a bloody monster.
“How could you guarantee that our fathers won’t lose their jobs?”
“Oh, there are some Ministry officials who right now owe me,” stated Ginny, she was sure that Kingsley and Gawain would be cooperative with her, for no other reason than to appease her. Kendra and Millicent looked at each other and exchanged glances. It appeared as though they were able to talk through their bond of friendship.
“We — we will think about it,” responded Kendra.
“What about the others? Can you help them?” asked Millicent.
“Yes! Of course, I want to help all of you,” Ginny reassured them.
“Thank you!” they told her before turning and leaving the empty classroom.
Ginny stood there and watched them leave. She was in shock at what she had found out. Walden was a serial rapist, here in Hogwarts. Thoughts of him and all the girls she has seen him help with their studies came back to her. It was sickening that someone could be so cruel and sick to do something like that. He wasn’t unattractive. Why would he do such a thing?
As she was thinking about what Walden had done, she realized what Harry had saved her from. She would have awakened somewhere in this castle with no memories but knowing that she had been raped. How horrible of a feeling would that have been? Ginny collapsed into a nearby chair and wrapped her arms around her hugging herself.
“Kreacher,” she called.
The House Elf appeared in front of her. “Yes, Miss Ginny?”
“Kreacher, tell Harry…” she stopped to think what she was going to say. “Tell Harry, thank you and that I love him. Please tell him that.”
“Is that all Miss Ginny?”
“No, tell him — tell him to come back to me, soon.”
“Yes, Miss Ginny,” said Kreacher with a bow, before he disappeared again.
The next four weeks were a whirlwind for Ginny. She had gone to the Headmistress with this information immediately after talking to Kendra and Millicent. Professor McGonagall nearly fainted when Ginny told her. She in turn contacted Gawain and Kingsley.
The next day Ginny was called to the Headmistress’ office to meet with Kingsley. She could tell he was uncomfortable talking with her, but his reaction to the information was honest and real. He nearly exploded that a high ranking official in the Ministry would threaten to do such a thing. He wanted to meet with the girls straight away, but Ginny told him no. They would need guarantees that their fathers wouldn’t lose their jobs over this.
Kingsley assured her that what these girls would say would in no way jeopardize their fathers’ jobs. He also stated that there might be a way to extract the memory, even if it has been Obliviated. It is a complicated procedure, but safe.
Ginny returned to the same classroom to talk to Kendra and Millicent, and found three other girls there also Orla Quirke, Glynnis Timms, and Agatha MacDonald. They spent two hours talking to each other, about what had happened to them. Ginny told them about Kingsley’s offer, and they all seemed to respond well to it, but they all wanted to think about it. The next week, they met and talked on several occasions, about extracting the memories, and if they wanted to press charges.
Only Kendra and Millicent’s fathers worked in the Department of Mysteries. The other three were just as reluctant to talk publicly or press charges about what had happened to them. They were afraid of their family’s reaction. Ginny told them that she was too. She thought they would all blame her for what had happened, but they have been very supportive of her.
After several meetings with these girls, Ginny had finally convinced them to allow the Ministry to extract their memories. They all met in the Headmistress’ office one evening. The Minister was there, Gawain, and some wizard to actually preform the extracting of memories. Kingsley spoke for several minutes about how terrible of a crime this was. He looked at it like an Imperious curse, an unforgivable crime. He also assured them that no one would lose their job at the Ministry because of what their children did or did not do.
There was an area partitioned off from the rest of the office. They took the person into it, to perform the procedure to extract the memory. They first gave you a glass of water to drink, which Veritaserum had been mixed in with it. There were a series of questions that Gawain asked about when Walden attacked you. Every question was written down and approved by the girl, so Gawain wouldn’t inquire about anything other than being attacked by Walden. When they had you thinking about the night of the attack, the third wizard would extract your memories and place them in a labeled vial.
Ginny went first to show the other girls that they had nothing to fear. Eventually each girl went and had their memories extracted. Kingsley had told them that they would view them at the Ministry and determine if they could be used for testimony. If they could be considered evidence, then each girl would be able to view the memories before the Ministry presented them for evidence. What they would never do is allow the memories to be viewed outside of the Gawain’s office or a closed Chamber in the Wizengamot.
After Kingsley left, the other girls and Ginny went to their meeting room and talked until curfew. Ginny walked with the other girls to the Ravenclaw common room, before going to Gryffindor’s. When she walked in the portrait hole, she met Sylvia and Marty waiting for her.
Ginny had been so preoccupied with helping Walden’s victims, practicing Quidditch, training for the schools Transfiguration team, studying for NEWTs, and being Head Girl to spend time talking with her friends.
“Where have you been tonight, Ginny?” asked a tense Marty. She was shifting uncomfortably on her feet as though she was afraid of something.
“I was busy. I have a full schedule, Marty,” Ginny replied to the question.
“Were you with those girls again,” spat Sylvia, as though she was disgusted with the thought of Ginny talking with the Ravenclaws.
“Yes, I was. Why does that bother you?”
Sylvia and Marty looked at each other nervously, before Marty spoke again. “Ginny, I know Harry leaving you was quite a blow, but I never thought that you would — well — you know — go over like that,” Marty nervously said as she wrung her hands together.
“Ginny, you’re a beautiful girl who half the male population would want to go out with,” quickly added Sylvia. “Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I — oh — I never figured you to be that way.”
“What the hell are you two talking about?” asked a shocked Ginny. She had figured out what they were accusing her of and had no idea why they would think that.
“You have suddenly been hanging out with those girls from Ravenclaw, who refuse to talk to any boys. Everyone in school thinks that they are lesbians, and now you are spending evenings with them. Ginny, I mean if you are like that then — well — I kind of understand, but if this is just because of what Harry did to you…” Marty was cut off by Ginny’s laughter.
“You think I am a Lesbian,” she howled while laughing. She was so loud that several people in the common room looked at her.
Sylvia clasped a hand over her mouth to quite her. “Shh, Ginny, everyone can hear you. With all the rumors about you, you don’t want everyone to think that. Do you?”
Ginny pulled Sylvia’s hand off her mouth and smiled at her. “Let me assure you, that I am not. What rumors are going around about me?”
“Well, you have been spending evenings alone with those girls from Ravenclaw, and everyone thinks they are,” stated Sylvia.
Ginny looked around the common room, and then at her friends. She didn’t know what to do. She wanted to tell her friends, but she also didn’t want to betray the trust the other girls have in her. “Follow me,” she stated and started walking to the dorms. Sylvia and Marty fell in behind her as they ascended the stairs to their dorm room. She opened the door and surveyed the room to see if it was empty. Satisfied that they were alone, she turned to them. “Look I have promised those girls that I would keep their secret, but I will tell you two, only if you promise not to tell anyone. Is that clear Marty!” Ginny stressed to her gossip loving friend.
Marty looked a little hurt at her comment, but her and Sylvia both nodded their heads that they would.
“I want to hear you say it!” insisted Ginny.
“Yes, I promise that I won’t tell anyone else what you are going to say,” huffed Marty.
“I’ll keep the promise Ginny. What is the big secret?” asked Sylvia.
“We have been meeting and talking, because I wasn’t the only person that Walden attacked. However, in their cases Harry wasn’t there to stop him. The bloody bastard Obliviated their memories, and then threatened them that if they accused him, he would cause them problems.” Ginny stopped talking to let what she had said register with her friends. She could tell that it had, because they both looked pale and shaken.
‘What have you been talking about?” asked Sylvia.
“What it feels like to have that happen; the anger, the feeling of worthlessness, the guilt, and the shame. We have been helping each other realize that it wasn’t our fault, but we truly are victims of Walden. I know I had all those feelings when he attacked me,” stated Ginny.
The room was silent for several seconds until Marty then Sylvia apologized for accusing Ginny of being a lesbian. Then Sylvia said something that shocked Ginny “is that group only for ones that have been raped by Walden?”
‘Sylvia, have you been…”Ginny couldn’t finish the statement.
“I haven’t always agreed to shag. In fact, I don’t do that as often as many people think. Once I said no, but…” Sylvia couldn’t finish her statement, as she broke down in tears.
Ginny and Marty both went and comforted her. Ginny felt absolutely awful. She had always thought that Sylvia was a slapper, but to find out that she wasn’t and what had happened to her, was an awful feeling. “I’m so sorry Sylvia,” Ginny whispered in her ear. “I’ll talk to them. I think that I could convince them to let you come and join our group. It is all about supporting each other.”
The next meeting Ginny had with the girls she asked them about Sylvia and if she could come to these meetings. To her surprise Agatha mentioned someone she knew who was also a victim of a sexual assault. It was quickly decided that they would put the word out that anyone was welcome who was a victim of sexual assaults. The next meeting Sylvia and a Hufflepuff girl joined them. The following meeting a Slytherin and another Hufflepuff was there. It was a sad thing to realize how widespread this crime was, but it was encouraging to Ginny that they have now found help and support to cope with it.
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She was now staring up at Kingsley in the Headmistress’ office. Kendra, Millicent, Orla, Glynnis, and Agatha were all seated facing him. The tension in the room was rising quickly. Ginny wasn’t sure, but he looked nervous about something.
The Minister finally broke the tense silence. “I have good news for all of you. Selected members of the Wizengamot have viewed your memories and determined that they are all usable in a trial. None of you will have to appear at Walden’s trial to testify,” he assured them. A collective sigh of relief went through the room, until Kingsley went to speak again. “However, being that the crime was committed before you had come of age, to file charges your parents had to be contacted.”
All of the girls looked mortified that their parents had now heard they had been raped. Ginny remembered how Glynnis was particularly afraid of her parent’s reaction. She was sure her parents would disown her for her indiscretion. It took a great deal of reassuring to get her to agree to file charges and participate in the investigation. Ginny could see that she was pale and sat still as a statue staring blankly at the Minister.
“Almost all of your parents have agreed to file charges against Walden,” said a very nervous Kingsley. Ginny was wondering who hadn’t pressed charges. She was hoping it wasn’t Glynnis’ parents. “We have also set up some counseling session with you and your parents at St. Mungo’s . In fact, your parents, who have filed charges, are waiting there for you now. We have set up the Floo connection from this office to St. Mungo’s. So you can Floo there in privacy. You can start one at a time…”
“Minister, what about my father’s job?” asked Kendra.
“When Gordon Ridgebit was told about the new evidence, he resigned.”
Kendra sighed in relief, before she spoke again, “Whose parents didn’t…”
Millicent cut her off. “My father, I bet.”
Kingsley shuffled uncomfortably on his feet. “Yes, Millicent you are correct.”
Ginny felt herself standing up to go and hug Millicent. She looked miserable sitting there on the chair all alone, but before Ginny reached her; she was surrounded by the rest of the girls. They were all offering comforting words to her, but none asked why she knew her parents wouldn’t file charges. Ginny was at a complete loss. Why would a parent not want to have the person who violated their child punished regardless of how they felt about her?
“Millie, how did you know that your father would do this?” asked a confused Kendra. The two of them had been inseparable since they were sorted. She was obviously confused why Millicent never told her about this before.
“Because he hates me like my mother,” she replied. The entire room went silent and stared at her. It was as though they were back in the classroom and everyone was there to support her. She looked at everyone. “My mother left us four years ago. She was an Obliviator for the Ministry. After putting me on the train to Hogwarts, she left to go to some town called Little Hanged town, or something like that. We have never seen or heard from her again. The ministry investigated, but said they found no evidence of foul play. My father has always been suspicious of her and accused her of having affairs with coworkers. He has since transferred all his hatred towards me.”
“But you were afraid of him losing his job?” questioned Ginny.
“He is still my father,” she weakly replied.
Kendra put an arm around her, “You are not sitting here alone. Come with me, Millie,” she told her close friend. “I need you there to help me.” She added to help convince Millie to come with them.”
Millie looked up to her with a watery smile on her face. “Anything for you,” She shakily said, before standing up and hugging her.
Ginny watched as the girls left via the Floo from the Headmistress’s office. Soon it was only her, Kingsley, and Professor McGonagall left in the room. “Ginny, you were of age when attacked so Arthur and Molly didn’t need to be contacted. If you would like to meet with the St. Mungo’s healers about this, I could arrange the meetings,” offered Kingsley.
Ginny thought about the offer for a minute. “No thank you, we have talked about this and we seem to have things sorted out.”
“If you change your mind, I’ll arrange it. I guess I had better get back to the Ministry. Thank you, Ginny for all the work you’ve done here with these girls. I had never realized this problem was so — so widespread,” Kingsley congratulated her, before stepping into the Floo.
“Ginny, would you please sit down. I would like to talk to you,” asked Professor McGonagall. Ginny sat down on one of the chairs and stared at the Headmistress, who conjured up a steaming pot of tea and two cups. “Would you like a cup of tea?”
“No thank you Professor,” she replied.
The Headmistress poured herself a cup and added sugar and lemon to it, before speaking. “I am going to recommend to the board of governors that you receive an award for services to the school. The work you have done these past few weeks have been remarkable.”
“Thank you, Professor.”
“You also will not be calling me that next year, Ginny. I have decided to retire at the end of this year.”
Ginny looked shocked at her old Transfiguration Professor. She had always thought that teaching was the only thing she ever wanted to do. “Why now, Professor?”
“It is time. I have taught through two wars, and now this. I can’t believe that I appointed Walden as Head Boy. I should have seen that he was a monster. After hearing what he had done and how he accomplished this, it all seemed so obvious.”
“Professor, no one guessed that he was capable of this. Most of the students didn’t think he even liked girls, and I was one of them. I don’t think I could think of Hogwarts without you being here.”
The Headmistress blushed slightly at the statement. “I am sure Hogwarts will be just fine without me. I want to have the time to follow my first real passion in life, Quidditch,” stated the Headmistress.
“Quidditch, Professor.”
“Yes, I was a reserve on a several different teams before starting my teaching here.”
“Blimey, I never knew that,” exclaimed Ginny.
“That was many years ago, Things were very different back then…” She took a sip of tea, before continuing. “ … I used to have to ride the broom sidesaddle.”
“What!” Ginny had said before she saw the slight smile on the Headmistress’ lips. “You’re winding me up,” laughed Ginny.
The Headmistress laughed at Ginny’s reaction. “We never did ride sidesaddle, but we did wear heavier robes, back then. I want to spend my retirement going to Quidditch matches and taking time to get reacquainted with my old friends. I am excited about the possibilities of seeing one of my favourite students playing for several years.”
“Who’s that Professor, Oliver Wood?” asked Ginny.
“No, my dear,” laughed Professor McGonagall. “I am talking about you. I am ready to send an Owl to Gwenog Jones. She asked for permission to bring the Harpies here next month on Saturday the twentieth, so they can help the school team get ready for the Triwizard tournament. I, however, suspect it is really a chance to see how a certain Seeker for the school team would fare against professional talent. She has been raving about your abilities since the first day she saw you fly.”
Ginny was so shocked that she didn’t know what to say. “I didn’t know she was planning this,” stated a shocked Ginny. “You say in one month.”
“Unfortunately, it will be the same date as our next Hogsmeade weekend,” she said with a sigh. “I think most students would rather see a Quidditch match than go to Hogsmeade. So, if I were you Miss Weasley, I would start practicing more, before March twentieth arrives. You do want to be playing for the Harpies, don’t you?” The Headmistress looked at Ginny with a raised eyebrow and a smile.
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Ginny stood in the icy drizzle that was soaking her Quidditch robes. Everyone else had left the Quidditch pitch to go to Hogsmeade. It was the Saturday before Valentine’s Day, and everyone seemed to have dates. She was staring down at the box of practice Snitches that Gwenog had left her. They were old Snitches that are unable to hold a charm or were too badly beaten up to be used for a match. She was getting herself mentally ready to spend the afternoon practicing. She couldn’t tolerate seeing happy couples strolling down the street of Hogsmeade, knowing Harry wouldn’t be there. It has been almost two months since the last time she kissed him and was held in his arms.
Opening the lid of the box she watched as the Snitches took flight. There were twenty-four of them flying at various speeds. Mounting her broom, she took flight after them. This was a training session to help her hand-eye coordination. She flew among the Snitches grabbing the slower ones first and returning them to the box. While she did this the faster ones spread out around the pitch, making their capture even more difficult. It took excellent broom control at high speeds to be able to capture and return all the Snitches to the box.
Ginny was exhausted when she finished capturing all the Snitches. Looking at her watch, she realized that it took her two hours, because it was now two-thirty in the afternoon. Even though she was exhausted she walked over to the box and kicked the lid open. Allowing the Snitches a head start, she took off again after them. The second time she caught them all in just over an hour. So, she decided to have another go at them before dinner. Kicking the box open, she took off after them again.
Ginny had captured the last Snitch as the day faded into night. She placed the box of training Snitches in the Quidditch dressing rooms and walked into the castle. The evening meal was just finishing up, so she walked into the great hall still in her wet cold Quidditch robes, and grabbed something quick to eat, before clomping up the stairs to the dorms. When she entered the common room, everyone turned and stared at her. She must have been a sight. Wet hair sticking to her face and robes, which were still dripping wet, dragging a broom, she ignored them and climbed the stairs to the dorms.
A half hour later, she was soaking in a tub full of warm soapy water. It felt good after flying in the raw air all afternoon. The cold seemed to exhaust her as much as the exertion of flying. As she soaked in the tub, she thought about Harry, and how wonderful it would be if he was here right now. She smiled to herself as she thought about sharing a tub with him. She suddenly became angry that he wasn’t here, but off somewhere on a mission. She hasn‘t heard from him for some time now, and it was really starting to bother her. Stepping out of the tub, Ginny dried off. Her anger had taken root in her now. She was going to be alone on Valentine’s Day, because her prat of a boyfriend was out saving the world, again.
Tossing on her night shirt and bath robe, she marched out of the bathroom and pulled back the hangings on her four-poster bed. She hopped into it and pulled them shut again, before flopping down on the bed in a huff. A sharp pain on the side of her face made her sit back up. Illuminating her wand, she looked and saw lying on her pillow a single red rose, with a piece of parchment.
She had suddenly remembered that her hangings had been closed again. The last time they were like that, Kreacher had brought a note from Harry. Picking up the piece of parchment, she saw words in Harry’s familiar scrawl.
Ginny,
I haven’t stopped thinking about you, but I also can’t leave where I am at. It is agony to be separated from you for this long. Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, or today, depending when you come to bed.
I love you! I love you! I Love you!
Please, don’t give up on me!
Love,
Harry
P.S. I told Kreacher to get a rose that still has thorns. I figured that I deserve another beating after all.
Chapter 33: Chapter 33 End of the Mission
Harry held ice on his forehead to numb the pain. His head hasn’t hurt like this since Voldemort died. His eyes felt like someone had poured burning hot sand in them. He was in the basement of Grimmauld Place with Kingsley. They had just finished his latest training session. Harry has been getting more advanced training over the past two and a half months, since he has been hiding here. He has already taken his NEWTs and passed. Gawain and Kingsley tested him, even though they are not Ministry approved testers Kingsley’s involvement guaranteed acceptance of the results. He was also advancing quickly with his Counter curses, Occlumency, and Legilimency training. Kingsley had just finished testing his Occlumency skills and gave him this terrible splitting headache.“How are you feeling, Harry?” asked Kingsley, as he sat across the dueling area set up in the basement of Harry’s house.
Harry, sitting on a recliner that Kingsley had conjured, lifted the ice bag off his forehead. “Brilliant, my head hasn’t felt like this since Voldemort used to invade my mind. Why did you have to push so hard with the Legilimency spell?”
“I needed to determine how much you could endure, Harry. I heard rumors years ago that you were a failure at Occlumency, yet, I couldn’t break through your barrier.”
“Telling me that I couldn’t shield all of my thoughts has helped. Professor Snape tried to have me stop all attempts at anyone entering my mind,” replied Harry, as he placed the ice bag on his forehead again.
“No one can do that,” assured Kingsley. “Think of the thoughts in your mind as area, the fewer thoughts, or less area, you try to shield the stronger your shield will be. Try to shield too many, or too much area, and your shield would be thin and would be easy to break. Once someone realizes you are blocking their attempts at Leglimence, they will become suspicious. So, you need to allow the person probing your mind to see something, or else they will know you are blocking them.”
“I used to be a failure at blocking Voldemort and Professor Snape out.”
“Were you really? Did Snape ever give you any indication that you were actually a Horcrux?” countered Kingsley.
“No…”
“You couldn’t very well block Voldemort completely, because he was already inside of your mind. Harry, you did an excellent job of hiding your memories of Ginny away from me,” said Kingsley. “Some of the other things that I saw weren’t exactly pleasant. Those boys when you were young…”
“Dudley and his friends! Kingsley, why do I have to learn this anyway? It isn’t like Voldemort is going to enter my mind again,” groaned Harry, as he repositioned the ice bag.
“No, I hope not, but if you ever plan on advancing in the Auror Department. You will need to know these skills. If you would ever get captured by dark wizards, then they could extract all the information about the department from you.”
“Maybe, I don’t want to work for the Auror Department any longer if all my missions are going to take forever,” countered Harry.
Kingsley recoiled from Harry as though he had been slapped and looked at him with a concerned look on his face. “Harry, I am sorry this is taking so long, but politics move slowly.”
“I haven’t seen Ginny in nearly three months,” Harry sighed.
“It appears as though everything will be over soon. The negotiations with the International Confederation of Wizards and France are going well now. France was rather upset at discovering that we had Monique’s family here, and you were guarding them.”
“Am I still wanted in France?” asked Harry.
“I am afraid you are,” responded Kingsley, with a sad voice. “I am hoping once everything comes out. They will drop all charges against you, but that is a decision beyond my influence. You must look at this mission as a success, Harry. A full investigation is being launched by the French Ministry and the International Confederation into the deaths of Monique’s father and brother. It appears her family’s land is safe, and we have also happened upon a large cache of lost magical knowledge. The books that Monique have been translating are filled with a plethora of magical information. She could be advancing our magical knowledge faster than in the days of Merlin. That alone would make the mission worth the sacrifice.”
Harry pulled the ice bag off his aching head and looked at Kingsley. “Have you ever loved someone so much that it hurt to be away from them?” He didn’t need Kingsley to answer. The look in his eyes conveyed the message that he had.
“Yes,” he curtly responded. He sat there for several seconds staring at Harry, before speaking again. “She was a Muggle. She left me when I told her that I was a wizard. That is all that I shall say about this subject.”
Harry heard the pain in his voice and didn’t press the point. Kingsley understood the pain that he has been feeling. “I’m sorry,” consoled Harry.
“You can be very proud of Ginny, Harry. She has taken her situation and used it to help others. She started a self-help group for women who have been sexually assaulted. Minerva has awarded her a ‘Service to the School’ award,” stated Kingsley.
“I’ve always been proud of her for things like that. I just wish I could’ve been there to help her through this,” sighed Harry.
“Soon, Harry, very soon this bloody mission will be over…”
“But! I won’t be going back to Hogwarts. Will I?”
“No, I am afraid not as a student,” replied Kingsley, but he quickly smiled at Harry. “I might send you there as an assistant to teach the others. I figured that would be a good way to spend your Saturday’s, and I doubt if Minerva would be making you leave before curfew.” Harry suddenly looked concerned and his face became drawn tight. “What’s wrong, Harry? I thought you would like hearing this?”
“It’s just. I wonder if she will forgive me and take me back. That’s all.”
Kingsley stood up, clapped his hand on Harry’s shoulder. “Well I don’t think you will need to worry much longer. It looks like the day after tomorrow the French and the International will be here to talk to Monique’s family. Once that happens, you will be free to leave, and I will have the Daily Prophet post an article stating that the story of you and Carmen was a ruse.”
“If they knew this story was a ruse then why did they send Rita Skeeter to Australia?”
Kingsley started laughing so hard he couldn’t talk at first. “We are not the only ones that don’t like her. The only reason the Prophet posts her stories was because she has such a rabid fan base. Her articles about how Australia doesn’t have a magical community haven’t sold as well. The Daily Prophet hasn’t been very anxious to bring her back. It’s such a pity.
“Harry, you must believe that I didn’t send you on this mission to destroy your life,” stated Kingsley, with a serious tone. “That is the last thing that I would want to do. I will keep my promise and tell Ginny and the Weasley’s that I had to force you into going,” assured the Minister. “I am amazed that you haven’t snuck into the castle to see her. I know you have the capabilities and the desire. Thank you for not doing that, it could have opened a whole Pandora’s Box of problems with this mission.”
Harry sat there watching the Minister walking up the stairs to the kitchen. He felt a little guilty about contacting Ginny. It may have been a slight betrayal, but she did need her Firebolt back. He needed to let her know he still cared. There have been many times that he wanted to have Kreacher Apparate him onto her four-poster, but he didn’t want any problems if the scene became loud from Ginny’s temper.
She had Kreacher tell him that she still loves him and wants him to return to her, but that doesn’t mean that she wasn’t angry with him. He fully expects another scene like the one after he defeated Voldemort. He can take being beaten with roses, and hit with the Bat-Bogey-Hex, as long as she takes him back and gives him a chance to prove himself to her again.
The realization that this mission might be over in a couple of days started to sink into him. He will get the chance to see Ginny again. If his memory serves him correctly this weekend is a Hogsmeade weekend. That would be a perfect situation in which to meet her. They could find a spot and work out their problems away from gossipy students. He needed to get his head on straight and make sure he was ready to see her again. Should he get dressed up in his good robes, or should he wear something basic? Which would she like the best? Should he propose to her or wait until they have worked out their problems. It might prove to her that he was dedicated to her. His mind started to spin with all the decisions he needed to make before seeing Ginny again. He can’t muck this up!
Harry sat up and with a flick of his wand vanished the ice bag. Another flick and the recliner was gone, he walked out of the lowest level of the house and into the kitchen. Monique’s mother was sitting at the table staring at the doorway that he walked through. As soon as she saw him, she stood up, walked over to him, and grabbed his arm. She led him to a place at the end of a bench and pushed him down to sit. Once he was down, she walked to the open hearth and lifted the lid off the Dutch oven. She scooped out a bowl of stew and grabbed a loaf of bread, before walking back and placing it in front of him. She stood there with crossed arms and glared at him. He began to eat the stew and the bread. He had become accustomed to her attitude in the past two months. She was the boss of the house and ruled the kitchen. If someone didn’t eat she took it as a personal insult. She was so much like Mrs. Weasley that he wanted to get these two together, but he would be afraid a fight would break out over who would have the rule of the kitchen.
After his second bowl, Harry refused the third. His jeans have been getting tight on him since he has been hiding out. How different this was than last year, when they were starving almost the entire time they were hiding from Voldemort. He may have to go on a diet, when he was done with this mission.
Mrs. Arana grabbed the bowl and spoon and went to the sink and washed them. Kreacher hasn’t been around since he returned from France. He had to call him to get him to do anything. Harry wondered if it was because of Mrs. Arana taking over the kitchen. He remembered Kreacher didn’t like it when he was cooking last summer.
Leaving the kitchen, Harry heard music coming from the sitting room on the main floor. It was a common thing over the past two months. Monique’s relatives would entertain themselves in the evenings, and all day long for that matter. Her Uncle Franco played the concertina along with her Uncle Carlo, who played the violin. The two of them would play all day and night as long as no one complained about it.
The only person who might have complained would leave the room and go to the bedroom to read. She was Monique’s Aunt Carmen. Aunt Carmen was where Monique made up her alias. Aunt Carmen was thirty years older than Monique, but even with the smile lines on her face, she looked remarkably like her niece. Her hair was the same thick, dark, brunette, and she still had a figure similar to Monique’s. The real clincher that amazed Harry how much these two are alike, was Aunt Carmen was an avid reader. She has been reading books out of the Black family library since they arrived. She can also translate the ancient spell books for Monique.
Monique confided in Harry, that her alias was in honour of her Aunt. Monique’s mother’s name is Rosa, so she created the name Carmen of the Rose to indicate that she was her Aunt’s daughter born of her mother. She had been hearing this all her life, so she used it to make a nom de plume.
Harry walked into the sitting room and looked around. Everyone was here except Rosa Arana. She was in the kitchen where Harry had left her. He sat down by Uncles Franco and Carlos and enjoyed the music. He looked around the room at everyone.
Monique’s Aunt Matilda was knitting by the fireplace. She has been constantly knitting. Harry couldn’t remember a time when she wasn’t counting stitches. She has been happy since coming here, because Kingsley has been supplying them with what they want. She wanted skeins of yarn.
Monique was sitting by her Aunt Carmen. They had been in the Library all day translating the Basque magical books. He looked at the rest of his house guests. He enjoyed their company. They seemed to be grateful for any hospitality shown them. He knew that they wanted to go home, but that didn’t deter them from enjoying their situation. He supposed it was a great deal more comfortable here than in the caves.
His gaze stopped at the fireplace. A fire was burning in it taking the chill off the air in the room. What caught his eye were the pictures on the mantle. They had brought with them a picture of everyone who had died, and they kept a small candle burning in front of each picture. The fireplace mantle had become a makeshift shrine to their fallen loved ones. In some ways Harry found comfort in knowing they missed their loved ones like he did his. He had thought of adding pictures of his own fallen loved ones but decided that this shrine was for them. Instead, he kept going to his scrapbooks of their pictures and looked through them. He never wanted to forget them, or what they had done for him.
Harry turned away from the mantle to see Monique staring at him. He smiled at her and gave his head a nod towards the door. She smiled at him that she understood what he wanted. Harry stood up and walked towards the hallway with Monique right behind him.
He stopped walking and waited for her. “Hey, I thought you might want to know,” started Harry. “Kingsley, told me that this might be over in a couple of days.”
“That’s great, Harry!” exclaimed Monique as she hugged him. She suddenly pulled away from him, as her mother cleared her throat behind them. Mrs. Arana was still trying to get him and her daughter together as a couple. It was a good thing that he didn’t know French, because judging from Monique’s reactions to her mother’s statements he would probably be very embarrassed.
Harry stepped away from the two squabbling females and started walking up the stairs to his room. He wanted to do only one thing. He wanted to get the Marauders Map out and watch Ginny’s dot. It might seem strange to other people, but when he was looking at her dot on the parchment, he could almost see her. The way her hair flows gracefully with the movement of her body as she walks, the slight sideways glance that she gives him when they are studying together, and the way she leaves out the slightest of sighs every time they break apart from kissing. These small things are burned into his memory of her. It seemed like he loved her as much for these things as he does for any other reason. They are the things that he wants to be able to experience again, not just remember.
Making his way to his room, he shut the door and opened the Map up on his desk that he had placed by the window. Touching the Map with his wand, he said the incantation and watched as the lines and dots appeared on the blank parchment. He started to search for Ginny. He started with the most obvious places; the library, the common room, the empty classroom where she has been meeting different girls. He didn’t know what was happening in the classroom, until Kingsley had told him. Now it all made sense to him, Ginny was helping others like she had done last year. The evil was different from the last year, but it was just as wrong.
Harry sat there looking at Ginny’s dot in this room full of girl’s. Some names he recognized and others he didn’t have a clue. It sickened him that so many girls have been victims of this crime, but he was glad that Ginny was helping them the way she was taught by her parents, with love and caring.
Someone knocked at his door; he touched the Map with his wand and whispered, “Mischief Managed.” He folded the map up while the lines and dots disappeared and left it on his desk. Walking to the door he opened it a crack to see Monique on the other side standing in the hall nervously shifting from one foot to the other.
She looked up when he opened the door, and said, “Let me in, Harry, we need to talk.” Harry opened the door the rest of the way and allowed Monique to enter. “Why did you run off while I was talking to my mother, Harry?”
“I figured we were finished talking,” he weakly replied.
Monique was standing by his bed and looked nervously around his room. She seemed nervous standing in his bedroom. It was the first time she has ever been in here, and she looked like she didn’t want to sit on the bed. Seeing the desk, she walked over and sat at it. “What did Kingsley say exactly?”
“He said that negotiations are going well, and he expects the French officials and officials from the International Confederation to meet with your relatives,” he said, while standing at the end of his bed facing her. “He thinks that once that has been done, you and I are free to leave.”
“Will we be returning to Hogwarts?”
“I know that I am not. I’m sorry, but I didn’t ask about you,” he responded, feeling a little selfish for not asking about her.
“What about the story that we are in Australia, and we are lovers?”
“He will have the Prophet print a retraction.”
“Will my relatives be free to go home?”
Harry again felt uneasy for not knowing what to tell her. “I don’t know. I doubt it until the investigation by your ministry is complete. I am sorry I didn’t ask. I just thought about getting back to Ginny.”
“I am not going back to France. I am staying here,” she stated with finality, as though Harry was going to argue with her. “I finally have friends. I want to stay with Neville.” She stopped talking and looked out the window. “If he forgives me, and will take me back,” she said just barely above a whisper.
Harry stood and looked at her. She was about to cry. The entire time he had been on this mission, he had thought primarily about what it had done to his relationship. Monique was also in a relationship, and it was with someone he respects. He doesn’t want it to end badly for either one, but she does have a lot of explaining to do. “I’m sure he will,” he assured her.
Monique swiped a tear that was threatening to fall down her cheek. “When did Kingsley say this meeting with my family will happen?”
“Possibly this weekend,” he replied. During the entire conversation he was watching her face so intently that he didn’t notice that she was doodling with her right hand on a piece of parchment on his desk. “No stop!” he yelled at her, while jumping over and pulling the quill out of her hand. He pulled out his wand and started to siphon the ink off the Map.
“I’m sorry Harry,” she apologized to him. “I thought it was just an old piece of scrap parchment.”
“It is kind of,” he mumbled. “Has Neville ever talked about the Marauders Map?”
“No. What is it?”
“It is a Map my father and his friends made while they were at Hogwarts. It shows everyone in the school and where they are at,” he explained to her.
Her eyes became wide when he said that. “Show me. I want to find Neville.”
Harry placed his wand on the parchment and said, “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.” Lines started to form on the blank parchment from the tip of his wand. He opened the map and spread it across the desktop. As he did his eyes started to automatically search for Ginny’s dot. He had located it in the Gryffindor common room. She was standing by one of the windows. He started to wonder if she was looking out it wondering where he was. He could see her in his mind doing that. Loneliness overtook him, because he couldn’t walk up behind her and hug her and comfort her.
“There he is,” shouted Monique. She was looking at Neville’s dot in Greenhouse number three. He was in the back corner of the greenhouse, and area where students weren’t allowed. “He is in our spot.”
“Your spot?” questioned Harry.
“Neville had these plants he has been working with. They look like dead plants without any foliage, until a woman thinks about what type of plant she wants to see. They then change into the plant that she thinks of, as long as it isn’t a dangerous magical plant,” she explained to Harry. “I used to sleep there. It was beautiful, every night a different plant depending on my mood.”
She stopped talking and became a little pink at her thoughts. Harry imagined what those thoughts were and didn’t want any further explanation. “You said a woman?” he asked the day dreaming Monique.
Her face became even redder as she realized that she had drifted off in her memories. “Yes, he made them so that only a woman could make them change. An interesting bit of Herbology, he started off with a hybrid of…”
“No offense, Monique, but I don’t really have an interest in Herbology,” said Harry stopping her before she started on one of her long drawn out explanations that he would lose interest half way through. “I also would like to get some sleep. I hope that we will both be able to start up where we left off with our relationships. Somehow, I think it might take some time, even with Kingsley’s explanation.”
Monique stood up and quickly hugged him. “Thank you for being such a wonderful friend,” she said to him, before leaving.
Harry stared at Ginny’s dot as she was now in her dorm, probably getting ready for bed. “Good night love,” he said quietly to the dot as he had every night since she returned to Hogwarts.
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Harry stood in his kitchen looking at the Floo waiting for it to erupt with green flames. He wasn’t alone. Rostis, Blythe, and Monique were also there. They were standing to his right in a semicircle blocking the path to the rest of the house. Another Auror who Harry remembered from training at Hogwarts was there. His name was Savage. He stood on Harry’s left eyeing him and Monique suspiciously.
The fireplace erupted with green flames, and Gawain stepped out. He brushed the ash off his robes before speaking. “Is everyone ready?” he asked. “The French delegation is handing over their wands as I speak. The representative from the International has already surrendered his wand, so it should be only a few more minutes before they will be here. Harry, the French don’t want you in the room when they question the witnesses, but I want you to wait outside in the hall. Savage, you and Rostis will stay here with one of the French delegates. Monique…” When Gawain said this Savage’s eyebrows raised as though Gawain was daft. “… you and Blythe will accompany them into the sitting room and remain throughout the questioning. Listen carefully to their questions; make sure they are not intimidating your family.”
Monique smiled at him. “I can do that.”
Harry looked at her with admiration. She has found her courage. She is no longer easily intimidated, as she was when they first met.
The fireplace erupted with green flames and an elderly wizard stepped out. He had olive skin and white hair. He carried himself with regal elegance and grace. His robes were of fine quality. In some ways he reminded Harry of Lucius Malfoy, except this man did not present an air of superiority. His dark brown eyes searched the room, until he saw Harry. He smiled a warm and genuine smile at him and gave him a slight bow, before stepping to the side to allow the next person out of the Floo.
The next person was a French Auror. Harry remembered those scarlet robes from the attack on the mountain. He was slightly taller than Harry, with flowing chestnut hair that reached his shoulders and steely grey eyes. His expression when he made eye contact with Harry was one of hatred. He also sought out Monique and glared at her, before stepping to the side.
The next French Ministry official was older. He was tall and thin with short grey hair, wrinkled pale skin, and icy blue eyes that darted around the room. He made no reaction to Harry or Monique. Harry felt as if he was surveying the place to determine a plan of attack.
The fireplace erupted again and a short rotund Frenchmen stepped out. He had the worst comb over that Harry had ever seen. He carried himself with arrogance and superiority. When he saw Harry and Monique he somehow was able to look down his nose at them, even though he was shorter than both. Harry was sure he whispered to himself “Basque” when he looked at Monique. She stood there and glared back at him not allowing him to intimidate her.
When the fireplace erupted again, the short fat Frenchman refused to move to the side and allow the last person out of the Floo, until he started to protest. A British Ministry official stepped out from the fireplace and glared at the fat Frenchman. “Monsieur Dupree, if we are going to continue this investigation you must move aside.”
The Frenchman called Dupree stepped aside with a huff. He turned to the British official and shouted, “I vill not do zis if zat murderer is in zee room vith me!”, as he pointed a menacing finger at Harry.
“Monsieur Dupree, This is Mr. Potter’s house, and he is a British Ministry official, he has the right to be here,” the British official said with obvious annoyance in his voice. “We have already assured you several times that he will not be in the room. Can we please proceed?”
Monsieur Dupree sniffed haughtily and started walking towards the steps, until Monique stuck her hand out to stop him. “Harry leads the way. It is his house,” she ordered him. Monsieur Dupree stepped back but didn’t take his eyes off her.
Harry stepped out in front of the group and led them to the sitting room where all of Monique’s family was gathered. The Frenchman with the chestnut coloured hair stayed in the kitchen with Rostis and Savage. Blythe and Monique walked behind the group as Harry led the way. The entire way to the sitting room Harry kept his senses aware of any unusual sounds that might indicate some type of an attack. He entered the sitting room and stood aside while everyone filed in.
Monique’s family sat on the right side of the room by the street side of the house. The officials all moved to the other side of the room. Blythe walked in and stood on the other side of the doorway from Harry. Monique walked in and sat down beside her mother and they clasped hands together. The entire room was filled with apprehension and hope that this would all be over, and justice would be served. Harry wanted that, but mainly he wanted it over to be free to start his life again.
Monsieur Dupree stood staring at Harry waiting for him to leave. Harry made eye contact with the British official, Monique, and Blythe. They all indicated that that he should go. He walked out into the hallway. As he stepped through the doorway, he heard Monsieur Dupree ask for it to be closed. Monique told him no. There was some discussion about that, before it quieted down.
Harry moved down the hall slightly so he was away from the door but could still hear what was going on. He heard that arrogant Frenchman asking questions. Harry didn’t like the tone of his voice. A couple of times either Monique or the International representative would object. Harry could feel the tension rising in the room. He knew they had their wands taken from them at the Ministry. Could there be other things that they could do? Harry let his right hand’s fingers rub over the smooth wood of his Holly and Phoenix feather wand. It was where he could quickly pull it. He let his left hand touch his other wand the one he captured in France.
Suddenly he realized what they forgot. “Blythe, check for other wands,” Harry shouted at the top of his lungs.
His words were barely spoken when he heard someone from the sitting room shouting “Avada Kedavra!” and he saw Blythe who had turned to look at Harry through the doorway get blasted with a green light. Another killing curse was shouted. He saw the flash of green light and heard a scream. At the same time, he heard spell fire in his kitchen.
Without hesitating, he fired a blasting curse at the wall to the left of the doorway that should be where all the officials would be standing. The wall exploded in a cloud of dust and debris of flying wood lath and plaster. Harry didn’t wait for the dust to settle. He jumped into the room through the newly blasted entrance.
His spell had knocked that fat Dupree off his feet, but the other wizard was aiming his wand at the representative from the International. Harry flicked his wand and hit the Frenchman’s hand with an Impediment jinx sending the Killing Curse over the elderly man’s head. He quickly ran from the room through the opening that Harry had blasted.
Sounds of screams echoed around the room making Harry slightly disoriented. Yet, at the same time it seemed as though time was slowing down for Harry as he looked around the room to assess his position. The tall wrinkled Frenchman was recovering and pointing his wand at Harry. Dupree was rolling on the floor also turning so his wand was pointing at Harry. In the quickness of thought, Harry had both of his wands up and firing Stunners at each Frenchman. Dupree didn’t have time to react and was hit square in the chest, but the other Frenchman put up a Shield at the last second, but the impact drove him off his feet and into the wall.
Harry turned to find where Monique was. He saw her and froze. Monique was dead in her mother’s arms. Rosa Arana was kneeling on the floor clutching her dead daughter’s face to her chest while she wailed to the gods. Monique had become another victim, another picture to have a candle burning in front of it. The sight caused Harry to freeze. Monique had her wand in her hand. She never got it out in time to attack. None of the Aurors were supposed to have their wands out. They were only allowed to carry them in case of an emergency.
Harry saw green reflect on his glasses and he dropped like a rock down onto the floor. He could feel the heat of the Killing curse as it just missed him but claimed another victim in the room. Twisting on the floor, Harry fired several stunners at the wizard who used counter curses to stop them.
Harry using both wands didn’t give him the chance to take the offensive. Harry quickly changed tactics. He fired a Stunner with one wand and pointed the other at him and thought “Levicorpus”. The Frenchman was caught by surprise when his leg was grabbed, and he was hung upside down.
It didn’t seem to affect him, as he quickly pointed his wand and muttered some curse that Harry never heard of before. It came from his wand as a rope of flame. Harry thought “Liberacorpus” and allowed the Frenchman to drop. So, he could concentrate on this slow moving flame. Harry placed two shields in front of him at an angle up. He was afraid that this flame might deflect and hit someone else in the room.
His fear was correct. The flame deflected off his Shield and splattered onto the ceiling where it roiled as though it was alive. The ceiling in this old house started to burn. He looked at the old Frenchman who was wobbly standing up rubbing his head. Harry Stunned him.
The room was filled with acrid smoke and people shouting and screaming to get out. The ceiling was catching fire quicker than Harry thought possible. He needed to get people out of here. He looked and saw Rostis and Savage appear at the door and the hole in the wall.
“Get these people Flooed to the Ministry,” ordered Harry. He didn’t care that he was only a first-year trainee. He took charge of the situation. He shoved Aunt Matilda and Uncle Franco to the other two Aurors. Savage grabbed them and pulled them out of the room. Harry turned to shove a couple more out when he heard something that chilled his bones; a roar from above him. Harry looked up to see the fiery image of a dragon appear out of the flames on the ceiling.
“Kill it Harry!” screamed Rostis. “Avada Kedavra” he shouted firing a Killing Curse at the head of the Fiendfyre Dragon. When the green beam hit its fiery head, it quivered and screamed as though it was in pain. “It is a living entity Harry! Use the Killing Curse on it,” screamed Rostis, over the noise of in the room. He fired another Killing Curse at it exactly at the same time it tried to hit him with a blast of flame from its mouth. The curse impacted the dragon and moved its head, but the flame ignited the other side of the room.
By now half of the room was in flames. The ceiling was almost completely engulfed, and the far wall was also on fire. Monique’s relatives were trapped with the Fiendfrye on the ceiling between them and the doorway.
“Avada Kedavra!” shouted Harry and Rostis at the same time. The Fiendfyre shuddered even more and it seemed to be losing its form, but each curse was blasting away chunks of the ceiling. They again hit it with simultaneous Killing Curses. Chunks of burning wood flew around the room causing several more fires. The Fiendfrye seemed to be destroyed, but the room was now unstable with most of Monique’s relatives on the wrong side of the flames.
Harry pointed his wand at the Frenchmen who was still lying at the other end of the room and sent him flying through the opening in the wall. “Take him to the Ministry, Rostis. Have them throw him in Azkaban forever.”
“Harry you need to get out! The house might fall on you,” shouted Rostis.
“Go! I need to get everyone out safely!” Harry turned to see the flames near his head from the ceiling that seemed to be bowing down to the floor. The Basques were trapped on the other side of them. He looked and saw Monique’s mother still clutching her dead daughter, but now she had her face buried in Monique’s hair and was crying while rocking back and forth on her knees. The fire was directly above them.
Using his Holly wand, he created a shield around Mrs. Arana and Monique. It formed an arch over them so that it held the flaming ceiling up as well. He tried to expand it so the others could exit through the Floo, but he couldn’t generate enough magical force. Pointing the other wand at the far wall he blasted it open revealing the street outside. He didn’t need to say anything as they all turned and ran for the opening in the wall.
The sudden influx of fresh air caused the flames to surge and Mrs. Arana was cut off from her relatives. The sudden increase of the flames intensity further weakened the ceiling causing it to start crashing down on him. He pointed his other wand upward and formed a shield dome around him. It felt as though the entire house had fallen on him. The pressures from burning debris on his shields were quickly draining his magical core. He could feel it now. He knew if he didn’t do something soon, then he would die in this inferno.
A crack of Apparition beside him almost made him lose his concentration. “Kreacher will save master,” his faithful House Elf said, as he reached for Harry.
“No! Save them first. If you save me, they die. Kreacher I order you to save them, and don’t come back for me,” Harry ordered him. Kreacher looked horrified at the request. “I will be able to Apparate out once they are safe.” The House Elf stared at him for a second. “Now Kreacher! Do it Now!”
With a pop Kreacher appeared beside Mrs. Arana and the dead body of Monique. He stared at Harry for a second, before placing his hand on them and they all disappeared.
Harry released the shield he had over them to conserve his energy. What he didn’t realize was that there was so much of the burning house being supported by that shield that when he released it the house shifted, and the additional weight slammed into his shield driving him back a step or two.
In that split second that he was driven back by the inferno of his crumbling house, Kreacher had Apparated back to save him. Through his shield Harry saw his loyal House Elf reappear in the fiery destruction of the house. There was the slightest of a scream from the House Elf before he was completely consumed by the flame.
Harry watched in horror. Unable to save his servant, his friend as he died, Harry screamed. The shock broke Harry’s concentration causing his shield to weaken. A large timber that supported a section of the house crashed through the shield and into his leg. There was a combination of splintering bone and searing flesh and Harry fell to the floor; his Shield barely saving him from the entire house crashing down on him. The heat of the flames pushed through the weakened shield burning his entire left side as he lay on the floor of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place.
Regaining his concentration and his desire to live, he used his Holly wand and lifted the heavy timber off his leg. He was concentrating so hard on maintaining his magical shields that all pain was blocked now. He didn’t notice the heat or the smell of burning flesh. The only thing he was thinking about was moving the fire away from him and escaping.
When he had finally blocked the timber and flames away from him, he looked around at his surroundings. The entire front of the house seemed to have fallen down on him the rest of the house was igniting also as he saw embers floating down from the ceiling.
He can’t Apparate now, because he can’t stand. Realizing that he had to do something fast he came up with a desperate plan. Tightening his grip on his Holly wand, while maintaining his shield with the other wand, he Summoned the Floo fireplace in the Kitchen. He felt the magic connect as the wand tugged in his hand. The wand stretched the skin of his hand as it tried to pull the immovable fireplace to him. It felt as though his fingers would be pulled out of joint as the strength of the spell increased.
Realizing that the shield that was protecting him from the flames was also holding him back, He took a deep breath, and focused all his magic into the Summoning Spell and released the Shield. He was pulled across the floor as the house collapsed around him. He could feel splinters and debris rip into his right side as he slid across the floor just ahead of the flames. He was pulled down the stairs to the kitchen and he slammed against the brick of the fireplace making him nearly lose conscious. As he laid there barely able to form any thoughts, he realized that he didn’t have any Floo Powder, and he could hear the house crumbling and see flames licking around the corner into the kitchen. Suddenly two hands grabbed his shoulders, and the world started to spin as he passed out.
Chapter 34: Chapter 34 What Are You Doing Here?
Ginny fidgeted with her Quidditch robes. She was nervous about today. The Harpies were going to spend the entire day playing the school’s team. The Headmistress told her it was actually a tryout for her. The thought of that made her stomach tighten even more. Giving up on calming her nerves, Ginny grabbed her broom off her bed and trotted off to breakfast.She was wearing the new Hogwarts Quidditch robes. They had the schools crest on them with the houses colours in rings down both arms. The rest of the robe was black. Ginny thought they looked ghastly, but they were the new robes. She would never volunteer to wear these ugly things to play Quidditch, but she had no choice.
She entered the great hall and looked over the tables to find the Harpies sitting at the Slytherin table with the school’s team, since it had the most space available. Slytherin house was so small this year, because few fifth, sixth, and seventh years returned, and no one wanted to be sorted into the house after Voldemort claimed it to be his and the only proper house in Hogwarts.
Ginny walked past the small collection of Slytherin students and glanced down at Marion Gash and Percy Travers. They both looked away from her gaze. They have been very healthy ever since their little case of indigestion back in November. Harry had promised her that no one would suspect her. Those two tossers had accused her of poisoning them, but no one could prove it or even figure out how she could have done it. She smiled to herself as they sat there with their heads down eating their morning muffins.
The thought of that incident made Ginny sad. It reminded her of Harry. She hasn’t heard from him since Valentine’s Day. She still has his rose in her footlocker, and was planning on placing it with the bouquet that she was saving at home.
She stopped by Cootes to sit down when she heard her name being called. Looking up she saw Gwenog Jones waving to her to come sit with her. Ginny hesitated for a second before going to sit with her. As she walked away, she could hear Cootes chiding her about being special.
“Ginny,” called the manager of the Holyhead Harpies as though Ginny was a dear old friend. “Come, I want you to meet the team.”
Ginny’s stomach made another dangerous twist as she smiled sweetly, hoping no one noticed how nervous she was. She walked up beside Gwenog and turned to face the team. The all looked bigger, stronger, and far more experienced than her. She wasn’t sure if she should wave hello, introduce herself, or just ignore them, but Gwenog saved her from deciding.
“Ginny this is our Seeker Sara Vector,” said Gwenog while directing Ginny’s gaze the pretty young lady across the table. She had long brown hair, a pretty oval face, and soft brown eyes.
“Hello Sara, pleased to meet you,” greeted Ginny.
“I am glad that I could finally meet you too, Ginny. Gwen has been talking about you all year,” stated Sara.
“Sara!” reprimanded the captain. “Ginny, these two here are our Beaters Greta and Zelda Muellerschmidt.”
Ginny looked at the two of them as they smiled back at her. They were two of the blockiest women she has ever seen. Their heads were almost square and at least three times the size of Ginny’s. They had thick necks and broad flat shoulders from which hung heavily muscled arms. They might be sisters or even twins, even though one of them had dark blonde hair and the other coarse black.
“Hello — er — Greta?” she said to one of them.
“No, I am Zelda. Zelda Schmidt, and this is my friend Greta Mueller,” explained the one Beater. “Don’t mind Gwen. She likes to introduce us like that. She thinks it is funny. Ha, Ha,” she stated rather flatly.
“Ginny,’ interrupted Gwenog while directing Ginny’s gaze to three other women at the table. “These are the Chasers. That is left, right, and center,” she joked with the three women.
The one called left stood up and pointed to herself, “Laura Finn, this is Cathy McDonough, and finally Rikki Ward.”
Another woman stood up and offered Ginny her hand, “Keeper, Karen Swan is my name, don’t listen to whatever else Gwen calls me.”
Ginny giggled at her comment. She felt relaxed around these Professional Quidditch players. They seemed so normal. She sat down in the seat Gwenog had reserved for her and started to load her plate with food.
“Did you actually date Harry Potter?” asked the Chaser Rikki.
Laura slapped Rikki hard on the shoulder. “Sorry about that Ginny, Rikki is infatuated with Mr. Potter.”
The entire table went silent as Ginny stared at her, she wanted to tell her that she is still dating Harry but that wouldn’t be allowed. “I used to, but he is now in Australia with another woman,” she said calmly.
“His loss,” stated Sara.
Ginny enjoyed her comment and whispered, “Thank you” to her.
The conversation started up suddenly and it seemed to avoid Harry completely. Ginny was feeling good like she belonged with these girls. She was a little unsure about Greta and Zelda, but the rest of the team she felt very comfortable to be around. While they were talking, the morning post came. Owls flew in delivering letters and Daily Prophets to various people in the hall. Karen received a newspaper and looked at the front page and whistled.
Everyone turned to look at her, when she noticed this, she turned the paper around to show everyone the front page. “Two Aurors were killed yesterday,” she told everyone at the table.
Ginny’s heart stopped in her chest. She couldn’t breathe. She was so nervous. She didn’t want to ask who it was, but Karen informed everyone, “They aren’t releasing names at this time, probably waiting to notify the relatives.”
Ginny wondered who they would contact if Harry died. He has no relatives except the Dursley’s. Would the Ministry actually contact them?
“Ginny are you all right?” asked Gwenog. “You look rather peaky.”
Ginny looked around and noticed that everyone was looking at her. “I’m sorry. I lost a brother and several close friends at the battle last spring,” lied Ginny. That wasn’t the reason she was peaky. She was afraid that one the dead Aurors was Harry.
“Oh, Merlin,” exclaimed Karen. “I forgot you are a war hero, and I was being so insensitive. I’m sorry,” she apologized as she folded the paper and placed it in her handbag. “There, let’s talk Quidditch, shall we.”
The subject of the dead Aurors was dropped and everyone started to talk about what it was like to be a professional Quidditch player. Ginny enjoyed their stories, but she still couldn’t completely forget about the two deaths in the paper. She found herself laughing at many of the stories that were told. She had this feeling that even though Gwenog is the Captain/Manager/reserve Chaser, everyone still treated her normally. She was fair, because she took herself out as a Chaser because the other three were better. This made Ginny feel good that players made the team because of their skill and team chemistry rather than who they are. Even though she wanted desperately to be on a team, she wanted to make it because of her talent, not her name or who she knows.
A hand gently touched her shoulder, turning she saw Professor McGonagall staring at her. The Headmistress looked as if she might start crying. All the fears of Harry’s death came back to her in a rush, making her feel lightheaded.
“I need to talk to you, in private,” the Headmistress said quietly. “Please follow me.”
Ginny sat there. It was as though her legs wouldn’t move. She turned back around and noticed everyone was looking at her. She didn’t know how to react. Slowly, mechanically she stood up and followed the Headmistress. This might not be what she fears. Maybe Harry wasn’t dead. Maybe, this has to do with Walden. She would rather stand trial and have her morals publicly ridiculed than find out Harry was dead.
The Headmistress led her out of the great hall and past the grand staircase towards the classroom that Firenze used for Divination. Ginny followed trying to think of anything but Harry being dead. When the Headmistress opened the door, Ginny saw that Madam Pomfrey and Hagrid were in the room. Seeing these two caught her by surprise at first, but then she realized that they must be here for some reason. The only reason she could think of is they are going to tell her that Harry was dead. The Headmistress knew that everything with Carmen was a lie. She would realize that Ginny still loved Harry. No one spoke to her as she walked into the room. Hagrid and Madam Pomfrey stood there wringing their hands, as the Professor McGonagall walked to a table by them. On the table was a letter, a letter addressed to Ginny Weasley.
“I received this letter this morning for you with several other letters from the ministry,” stated the Headmistress, her voice cracking as though she was fighting back tears. “I thought it best if you would open it in private.”
Ginny looked down at the letter. It was addressed to her at the school. It was from Gawain Robards - The Head Auror, Ministry of Magic. She stepped back from the table her insides were twisting up, and her head was getting light. He could not be dead. He defeated all odds and destroyed the evillest wizard ever. He couldn’t just die now that they are back together. “No! I won’t open it.” She shouted and started for the door.
Hagrid blocked the door from her. “Ginny, dear it’s fer you. Ye - ye gotta open it,” he stammered.
Ginny turned back to face the Headmistress. “No, I said. You know what that letter is for. Two Aurors died yesterday! If I don’t open it then he won’t be dead. He can’t be dead. I won’t let him be dead. No! I won’t open it,” she ranted. Hagrid placed one of his large hands on her shoulders enveloping most of her upper back. Suddenly the tears that were not coming before when she was in shock threatened to pour from her eyes. She blinked them back trying to keep her composure. “I can’t open it. If I do he will be dead. I-I can’t …” she rasped out, while fighting the tears.
“Ginny, we are all ‘ere for ye,” consoled the half-giant, his voice cracking with emotion.
Ginny knew she was being silly. Whether she opened the letter or not, if Harry was dead, then he would still be dead, it just wouldn’t be confirmed. She walked slowly over to the table and picked up the letter. Ripping the envelope open, she looked at the other three in the room as she pulled out the parchment.
Dear Miss Weasley,
I am writing this letter to apologize for lying to you and causing you so much pain over the past several months.
Harry Potter has been on a mission that I and the Minister of Magic have forced him to take. The story of him running off to Australia was to cover up that they were working as Aurors. I realize that you must hate us for telling these lies, but it was felt that it was the lesser of two evils.
The mission is now over! We sent a retraction of the original story to the Daily Prophet, but they buried it in one of the back pages.
I am writing this letter for Harry, because he is preoccupied with finishing up the details of the mission. I also promised him that I would do anything possible to make up for the past few months.
He would like to see you this afternoon at one o’clock at the Hogs Head Tavern in Hogsmeade. He is sure that it is a Hogsmeade weekend. He desperately wants to see you again.
Sincerely,
Gawain Robards, Head Auror
P.S. I want to add that Harry never wanted to take this mission. The entire time he has performed his duties beyond expectations, but you were never far from his thoughts. All he ever wanted to do was get back to you. Please, allow him a chance to explain things.
By the time Ginny had finished the letter, the tears that she had been keeping back wear rolling down her face. The tears weren’t from grief, but joy. She felt Hagrid’s hand on her shoulder again and could hear him sobbing. She looked up and realized that they all must think Harry is dead.
“He’s alive,” she announced joyously. Everyone looked shocked at her statement. “He wants to meet me at the Hogs Head at one o’clock this afternoon. He remembered it is a Hogsmeade weekend. I must get ready…”
“Ginny, you are to play Quidditch this afternoon,” stated Professor McGonagall.
Being called Ginny, by the headmistress caught her off guard, and made her realize that she did indeed need to play Quidditch. She was wearing that ruddy robe. “If I don’t go, he might think I don’t want to see him, and leave.”
“I’ll go, Ginny,” offered Hagrid. “I’ll make sure ‘e don’t leave,” he growled while smiling.
Ginny smiled up at her friend. “Thank you, bring him to the Pitch. We can talk afterwards.” She threw her arms around his midsection barely reaching his sides and hugged her big hairy friend. After hugging him she looked at the Headmistress and the nurse with a huge smile on her face, one that hasn’t adorned her face since before Christmas. “I guess I should get ready to play Quidditch,” she stated happily, before practically skipping out of the room.
When she returned to the great hall, she went first to Neville to tell him that the mission was over, and Harry is supposed to be back this afternoon. Neville’s eyes sparkled at the prospect of seeing Carmen again. She returned to the table with the Quidditch teams but told them the meeting was Head Girl business.
The rest of the morning flew by with Ginny trying to focus on Quidditch. She didn’t know what she will do first when she sees Harry she might slap him or snog him. She will do both she just isn’t sure what order she should do it. They will definitely need to find a place alone to talk. That could be easily arranged.
The first game lasted only forty-five minutes, when Ginny had captured the snitch, giving the school a surprising victory of a hundred points. She took a victory lap hovering in front of the Headmistress’ box a bit longer since her family was seated there. After that game, all the players from both teams went to Gwenog, who congratulated the school’s team, and reprimanded the Harpies for underestimating the opponents.
The second game took almost an hour and half to play, Ginny again captured the snitch, but the Harpies won by twenty points. The Harpies’ Seeker glared daggers at Ginny. She was obviously embarrassed by being beaten twice by a seventeen year-old. During this game, Greta and Zelda were aiming their Bludgers at Ginny most of the time, but that didn’t deter her from capturing the Snitch. The crowd was worked up into a frenzy with the one victory and the close loss. Everyone was being loud, but no section was louder than the one where her family was seated.
Everyone took a lunch break which was served by the pitch. It was lovely day to play Quidditch. The air was a little chilly and the sky had a slight overcast to it, so the sun wasn’t a problem. After a thirty-minute break for lunch, they started the third game.
Ginny was getting nervous as she tried not to think about how Harry should be arriving at the Hogs Head any time now. The game started, but Ginny was searching the stands more than she was looking for the Snitch. She had almost been hit by Bludgers twice so far, but that didn’t deter her from keeping one eye in the stands and one on the game. The Harpies’ reserves were flying circles around the school’s reserves. She had almost hoped that Gwenog had replaced her, but it seemed that she wanted Ginny to fly all afternoon.
Ginny caught a disturbance at the other side of the pitch where the Headmistress’ box was located at. Her entire family was on their feet shouting trying to get into the aisle. She looked and saw Hagrid, Kingsley, Gawain and another wizard trying to hold them back. Then she saw him walking down the steps to the front of the box while staring at her. Even at this distance she could recognize his green eyes, but he was hurt. Half of his head had bandages on it
Forgetting about the game, she flew across the pitch and stopped in front Harry. He looked in terrible shape. He smiled at her and was getting ready to say something, but yelled, “Bludger”.
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Harry winced with every step as he crossed Hogwarts grounds.
“Harry, when I told the healers at St. Mungo’s to release you. I never bargained you would be doing this much,” reprimanded Kingsley who was walking to his right. “Your femur was shattered and you lost significant muscle and skin yesterday. Dammit! Potter you should be in the hospital.”
Harry gritted his teeth against the pain. “I feel fine. Stop worrying about me like a mother hen, you promised that you would help me with Ginny. I am just taking you up on that offer, Minister.”
“You are not feeling pain because they gave you the strongest pain killer possible and allow you to be coherent,” hissed Kingsley. “You never said anything about walking miles to see a Quidditch match. You are stressing your bones too much, and before you start on me about drinking Skele-Gro last night. You need four or five more doses of the stuff. I promised to get you into the infirmary here at Hogwarts as soon as possible. It is for your own good.”
Harry kept on limping towards the Pitch. He could see the players flying around the pitch. Occasionally he would see Ginny’s long red hair move past an opening. “Did she really capture the Snitch twice already Hagrid?” he asked his large friend.
“Yep, she sure did. Let me carry ye, ‘arry,” pleaded Hagrid.
“No, it will hurt worse for you to do that. The new skin on my side is very tender,” responded Harry.
“So, you are in pain then Harry,” questioned Gawain who was on his left side walking. “I thought it didn’t hurt.”
“I didn’t pull you out of that fireplace to have you kill yourself on the grounds of Hogwarts Harry,” scolded Rostis, from the other side of Gawain.
“If you lot think I am not going to see her when I am this close. You’re all mental,” Harry chided his four escorts.
They had reached the steps leading to the Headmistress’ box. Harry took the first step with his damaged left leg and groaned from the pain. The freshly mended bone felt like it bent under the strain of taking the step. Gripping onto the handrail with both hands, he ascended the stairs one painful step at a time, while everyone was grumbling at him.
“Hagrid,” questioned Gawain. “Has he always been this stubborn?”
Hagrid laughed, “Yep, dat’s me ‘arry.”
Harry almost lost his grip when he started laughing at Hagrid’s comment. He recomposed himself and stated, “It is the only reason I am still alive.” The other four laughed at his comment, but they kept hounding him about his safety. Harry climbed the stairs feeling as if his leg would break with every step and being harassed about it by his four friends.
He was almost to the Headmistress box when he heard familiar voices. He recognized Ron and Hermione cheering. He wasn’t positive, but it sounded like the entire Weasley family was there. He knew he was going to have to face them eventually, but he had hoped he could have won Ginny over and then get help from her. He stopped to catch his breath and wipe the sweat on his forehead.
“Looks like you are going to make it after all, Harry,” said Rostis. “I was betting that you would be in the infirmary by now.”
“Thanks for the confidence, old pal,” gasped Harry as he tried to regain his breath from the difficult climb. “I think the Weasley’s are in the box up there. I hear Ron and Hermione, and I’m betting they are not alone.” Harry turned a looked at the Minister of Magic as he said that.
“We will make sure they don’t harm you, Harry,” Kinglsey calmly stated.
Harry pulled on the handrail and moved the last two steps of the stairwell. He could see the school’s Pitch. His eyes immediately started to search for Ginny. He saw her slowly flying above the stands at the far end of the Pitch. She was wearing the ugliest uniform that he has ever seen in his life, but she was beautiful. Everything went silent to Harry. There was nothing else in the world to him except Ginny gracefully skimming the tops of the stands looking for the Snitch. He vaguely heard his name being called then someone was bumping into him as he watched her fly. He remembered that when he saw her after hunting for Horcruxes, she seemed more beautiful than the last time he saw her. It was the same thing again. She was more beautiful than he remembered. He felt his legs moving and the pitch coming into sight.
He was halfway down the boxes steps when she noticed him. He kept walking towards her. She flew across the pitch in a blink of an eye. She was smiling at him. She was actually smiling at him. He wanted to yell to her “I love you”, but a Bludger bearing down on her caught his eye. It was going to hit her in the face.
“Bludger!” he screamed at her. She turned her head and it hit her square on the face driving her backwards off the broom. It must have knocked her unconscious, because she slid off the broom without resistance.
Harry stood there horrified as she limply fell towards the ground. The screams all around him brought him out of his trance. He reached for his wand in his robe sleeve. Not bothering to pull it, he shouted, “Accio Ginny.”
He watched as she changed directions and flew towards him. She rocketed into his arms almost knocking him down. He wobbled dangerously close to falling over the edge of the box as he wrapped his arms around her and holding her tight.
Pain shot through his body from his broken leg and every inch of skin that had been partially healed. The pain almost made him drop her, but he held on tight. Suddenly a large set of arms grabbed him and picked him and Ginny up as though they were feathers.
“I’m taken ye both to the infirmary ‘arry,” shouted Hagrid. He turned and pushed his way through the crowd of Weasley’s and Ministry officials taking two or three steps at a time while holding two adults in his arms.
Harry looked down at Ginny’s poor face. Her nose was broken and pushed to the left side of her face, and blood was pumping from the nostrils. There was a cut on her forehead, and the area around her eyes looked as though it was turning black. “Ginny, can you hear me,” he shouted, but she lay in his arms unresponsive.
He tried to look to see if she was still breathing, but the jerky motion of Hagrid’s strides made it impossible to tell. He yelled her name several more times with no response. He became aware that Hagrid was setting them down. “All right, Madam Pomfrey,” said Hagrid, breaking Harry out of his trance on Ginny.
They were on the grounds outside of the Pitch. Even as Harry’s feet touched the grass, he held on tight to Ginny’s limp body. The area around him was mayhem. He finally heard angry shouts of the Weasley’s, Kingsley, Gawain, and Rostis surrounding him.
“Potter,” ordered the voice of Madam Pomfrey. “Put her down so I can check her over.”
Harry turned towards the voice and finally registered that Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall were also in the crowd. They looked at him with concerned expressions. The nurse was pointing to the ground. He followed the direction of her point and saw a stretcher laying there. Harry carefully bent over not even registering the pain shooting through his body as he did. His entire focus was on Ginny’s damaged face. He gently laid her down on the stretcher being extra careful with her head. The school nurse bent down and started to wave her wand over her head.
Shouting from his right caught his attention. Turning he saw a red-faced Ron standing beside him. He was glaring at Harry with hatred in his eyes. Hagrid was beside him and Hermione behind and each was telling him to stay calm.
“Ron, please let me explain…” was all that Harry could say before Ron punched him on the right side of his face. Harry crumpled to the ground in pain as it felt as though the left side of his face exploded. He was sure all the newly formed skin under the bandages had just been flayed. Landing on the ground with his left side, the sensation continued down his side making him scream in agony. Every nerve that had been burned off on that side erupted in fresh pain. Harry tried to push himself up from the ground, but he felt and heard his femur snap again. It sounded like someone had stepped on a branch and broke it. In response to the new wave of pain he collapsed on the ground.
The crowd had gone silent as he laid on the ground and writhed in pain. Opening his eyes, Harry saw that Ron still looked angry, and Hermione was standing holding him back from further hurting Harry. “Harry, what is wrong with you?” she asked. Her voice and face were filled with worry.
“Yeah, and where is that bloody slapper,” spat Ron.
Anger welled up in Harry. He didn’t care if Ron didn’t know all the facts. No one was going to call his dead friend a slapper. Hagrid, Kingsley, and others were telling Ron not to call her that, when suddenly Ron’s head snapped back as someone grabbed him from behind knocking him to the ground in front of Harry. Neville rolled Ron over and grabbed the front of his robes. “Don’t you ever call Carmen that again!” he yelled. “Do you hear me?”
The crowd went silent. Harry could only imagine what Ron and the rest of the Weasley’s were thinking, at seeing the normally meek and mild Neville acting like this.
“Bloody hell, Neville, why are you…” questioned Ron.
“I love her. We love each other, Ron” he shouted at Ron. Ron made a face at Neville who released him and stood up over him. “Don’t you ever say anything like that about her again,” Neville hissed again at Ron.
Neville turned his gaze to Harry. It changed from anger to an expectant nervous one. Harry knew what he was going to ask and it made Harry sick to the stomach. How was he going to tell Neville that Monique is dead? Harry had brought the letter Monique had written to Neville, but he was still going to need to know. Harry was having a horrible time accepting Monique’s death, but how is he going to tell Neville that his girlfriend was dead. “Harry,” said Neville. His voice was soft and pleading. He might have even realized what the answer will be, because he was nervously wringing his hands, as he stood there. “Where is Carmen?”
Tears filled Harry’s eyes and choked his voice so he couldn’t respond even though he had opened his mouth to answer him. The pain of losing three more friends yesterday welled up inside of him. All morning he had been thinking only about Ginny and seeing her. Now Neville’s question had made him think about Blythe, Kreacher, and Monique’s death again.
“She is dead,” calmly stated Gawain, who had stepped out of the crowd. “Killed, when the mission she and Harry had been on fell apart.”
Neville looked at Gawain then turned back to Harry his face was contorted with anger. “How could you let this happen, Harry?” shouted Neville. “I thought you were going to protect her. She wasn’t that good at dueling. Why didn’t you protect her for me? I helped protect Ginny last year.” Neville turned and marched off towards the greenhouses.
Harry felt as if he had betrayed a trust or an agreement that he had never realized before. He did blame himself for the deaths. If he had thought to check for the second wands, when the French had come through the Floo, they would still be alive.
“Madam Pomfrey, take Harry to the infirmary,” ordered Gawain. “He is to stay there until he is completely healed. Did you receive his records from St. Mungo’s this morning?”
“No, I didn’t. I’ve been at the Pitch since ten.”
“They should be in your Floo,” stated Gawain. “I am going to talk to Neville.”
“Gawain,” interjected Harry, stopping Gawain before he could leave. Harry pulled Monique’s letter out of his robes. “Give this to Neville. Monique gave it to me in France…” Harry stopped talking to swallow a sob. “…in case she didn’t make it back. Check greenhouse number three, in the back; Neville might be there.” Gawain took the letter from Harry and left the group to search for Neville in the greenhouses.
Harry lay back on the stretcher as Madam Pomfrey levitated it and Ginny’s and floated them towards the infirmary. He looked over at her stretcher to see if she was all right. He couldn’t see her face, because her head was turned. As he glided towards the Hogwarts infirmary, he heard voices of the Weasley’s, Kingsley, and Rostis following him. He didn’t try to make out what they were saying. His mind was too confused now. He was still unsure about Ginny and hurting because of the deaths if his friends.
They made it to the infirmary quicker than he thought possible. Madam Pomfrey set his stretcher down on a bed and started down to the other side of the room with Ginny’s. “Madam Pomfrey,” shouted Harry. “Could you keep her a little closer?”
The nurse stopped for a second, before answering, “No.” Harry rolled on his back and stared at the ceiling. He wanted to be close to her. He wanted to be there when she opened her eyes. Maybe, if he was there, it would be easier to forgive him. He could hear Madam Pomfrey muttering something at the other end of the large room. He couldn’t make out what it was. It was probably some spell to heal Ginny. Harry started to wonder how long she might be out. He was positive he would be in here for six more days. The healers at St. Mungo’s told him that he needed at least a week to completely heal. He will probably be here longer considering nearly everything that had healed was now torn loose.
He listened to the sounds of the nurse’s feet padding across the room to her office and then back over to his bed. She was standing above him tutting as she turned the sheets of parchment from St. Mungo’s healers. She set something down beside the bed, but he didn’t look to see what it was.
“Well,” stated the nurse as she erected screens around him. “It looks like I will have to undress you and check your wounds. Whatever possessed you to come here today, Mr. Potter? You could have broken your leg again.”
“I did, when I fell.”
She didn’t say anything, but she tutted to herself and mumbled something about silly boys as she magically removed his clothes and checked his bandages. She applied a smelly salve to his burns that had reopened, before bandaging him and setting his leg. After nearly covering his body with bandages, she used even more than the healers did at St. Mungo’s, she waved her wand and straps appeared over him securing him to the bed. “Madam Pomfrey, how am I going to…”
“You are going nowhere for at least two days,” she interrupted him. “Is that clear, Potter. You put your life in serious danger today by coming here. I will not allow you to do that again.”
With a wave of her wand the screens blocking him from the rest of the room was gone. Standing there with an unreadable look on her face was Ginny. She was staring at Harry. Her nose was straight again and the cut on her forehead was healed. Only a pink line showed where it was. All the blood was cleaned off her face, but she still had the two black eyes. Each one was as dark as the one that Hermione had received from Fred and Georges gag spyglass. Even with her black eyes, Harry thought she was beautiful.
“What are you doing here, Harry?” she asked. Her voice seemed flat and emotionless.
Harry was caught off guard by her question. He had thought she wanted to see him. That is what Hagrid had said. She had told Kreacher to tell him that she wanted to see him. What had changed now that he is here? Whatever it is, he will try to resolve it, even if it takes years.
“I came to see you,” he meekly responded.
Suddenly her eyes flashed with anger. “You could have sent me a letter and told me you were St. Mungo’s, Harry,” she said loudly, as each word was louder than the one before. Her anger was building. “No! That isn’t how Harry Potter does things. He has the Head of the department send me a letter that has me thinking you had died, Harry.” The last few words were screamed at him. Her voice was now echoing off the wall. “Do you get some type of twisted pleasure in making me think you are dead? Do you? You could have told me you were at St. Mungo’s, Harry. I would have been there for you, but, no, you had to scare the hell out of me again. Well, are you going to just lie there and stare at me? What the hell happened to you anyway? Why didn’t Gawain mention anything about you being hurt in his letter? Are you going to answer me? I have waited for three months to see you again. I could have just as easily gone to St. Mungo’s. I am sure Professor McGonagall would have allowed me to go.” She stopped talking and stood there and stared daggers at Harry while breathing heavy from letting out all the emotions. “Well, I am waiting?”
“I wanted to give you a chance to walk away, Ginny. If I had told you that I was hurt then you would come, but I wanted to make sure you still wanted to see me. I love you Ginny. I wanted to ask you to forgive me for leaving you to go on this mission,” Harry stopped talking. He knew if he said anything else right now, he would ask her to marry him, and it was too soon for that.
Ginny walked over to his good side and gently sat on the bed. “Harry, I asked you to come back to me. I told Kreacher that I loved you and wanted you to come back. Didn’t you believe him?”
“I just felt so terrible and guilty for hurting you like I did. Ginny.” He grasped her one hand with his right. “I would understand if you hated me right now, but I still love you and I am willing to do anything to make our relationship work. If you want me to quit the Auror department then I will.”
She took his hand with both of hers and gently caressed it. She sat like this for a few minutes staring off towards a blank wall. “Back after Christmas when you were trapped in France, I came to understand that you are doing what you were meant to do. As much as I hate the thoughts of losing you, I know that you are actually doing your life’s work. It hurt to see you and Carmen at Grimmauld Place with what had happened before, but you left me hints and messages to reassure me that it was just work. Most of all, Kreacher gave me the information necessary to understand that you still loved me. Even though you forbid him to call me Mistress Ginny, he told me that it still was my title, because you and I felt the same way about each other and were dedicated to each other. I knew even though my heart was all cut up, I still loved you. So, what he told me meant that you also loved me.”
When Ginny told him that Kreacher had helped her believe he still loved her, tears welled up in his eyes. The thought of Kreacher dying hurt even more. This House Elf had been so loyal to him and Ginny.
“Harry why are you crying?” she asked at his reaction.
“Kreacher died yesterday,” he choked out.
“No, how did that…” she stopped talking and looked at him. “The dead Aurors were with you, weren’t they?”
“Yes, it was Monique and Blythe. They died from the Killing Curse. Kreacher died when Grimmauld place burnt down.”
“No Harry, not your home.”
“He tried to save me.” Harry continued on, without responding to Ginny. “The House was falling down around us. We were able get most people out safely. I was inside holding back the fire with Shielding Charms. Kreacher hadn’t been at the house for two weeks. He suddenly appeared within my Shield and tried to Apparate me out. I told him to take Monique and her mother out. Mrs. Arana was holding Monique and wouldn’t move. If I left, they would have died.” Harry stopped talking to wipe his eyes with the hand that Ginny had been holding. “I told him not to come back. The wards were down by that time. I could have Apparated out under from under my Shield. When I removed the Shield protecting the Monique and her mother, the house shifted and forced me to move a couple of steps. Kreacher must have been Apparating at that exact moment, because he reappeared in the bloody inferno. Right in front of me. I had to watch as he burnt to death.” Harry was sobbing by this time, His voice cracking with emotion. “I lost focus on my Shields and that’s when the timber came through them. It broke my leg and burned me.”
He stopped talking and cried. He felt Ginny gently wiping the tears away from his face. Looking up at her, he saw that she was also crying. They sat like that for several minutes, before Ginny finally spoke again. “Is Carmen all right?”
Harry looked at her shocked for a second before he realized that he had been calling her Monique. “Ginny, Carmen is actually Monique Arana. She is dead.”
“Oh — ah — I didn’t know that. Has anyone told Neville yet?”
“Yes, Gawain just told him,” he said. “Look around for my robes, there is a letter in them for you from her. She wanted me to give it to you if she didn’t make it back. I gave Neville his letter.”
Ginny waved him off. “I’ll look for it later. Why would she change her name, or is this some Ministry secret that you can’t tell me?”
Harry chuckled at her comment. “It was a secret until yesterday. Now it is front page news both here and in France. Monique or Carmen was a Basque.” Ginny gave him a puzzled look. “A Basque is an old nationality or people that had been at war years ago with France and Spain. In France they hate the Basque sorcerers so much that if one is detected the Ministry has a law that permits them to kill the sorcerer and their close relatives.”
“Merlin, why?”
“Hundreds of years ago, the French was at war with the Basques. The French outnumbered them, but the Basques nearly destroyed the French ministry and their magical community. The French feared them so much that they made that law.”
“Is that why you had to go to France?”
“No! Monique’s family had come under attack by wizards. They had no idea that she was related. The wizards were working for a Muggle developer that wanted their land. Monique came to England after her father had been tortured and killed by wizards. Madam Maxime hid her family from these wizards while she was here.
“Just before Christmas, the wizards came back to Monique’s relatives and killed several of them indiscriminately. Her mother and the other actual owners of the land fled the safe house with the Fidelius Charm on it to grieve for their relatives. The wizards were waiting for them. Since the French had no interest in helping, we went down and rescued them and brought them back to Grimmauld Place.
“When we were down there looking for Monique’s relatives, French Aurors attacked us and trapped us in the mountains. Once we returned to England, Kingsley negotiated with the International Confederation of Wizards and the French about this case of Muggle baiting. We thought the mission was over and the French Ministry was cooperating. Yesterday, the French Head of International Magical Cooperation, the French Head of the Magical Law Enforcement, and the Head Auror were to meet with Monique’s relatives and take their statements.
“They all arrived after handing over their wands at out ministry. We thought we were safe. They all had second wands on them. Blythe and Monique died first, because they were in the room with her relatives and the French. I was able to stop the French, only one other person died. One of the French attackers, in an act of desperation, released Fiendfyre in the room. By the time Rostis and I got it controlled the house was ablaze.”
“Did you save anything?” asked Ginny.
“Only what I had on me. The photograph of us, my scrap books, my extra clothes, and my Nimbus are all gone. The only things that survived the blaze were the two chests of Basque magical books. In fact, the homes number eleven and thirteen were also destroyed.”
Ginny sat there and stared off away from him. He could see tears forming in her eyes as she sat there. Harry held on to her hand to support her. He couldn’t do much else, with his other arm strapped down. He waited until she was ready to say something. They stayed like this for what seemed forever.
“Ginny, are you all right?”
She turned and looked at him as if she had forgotten that he was there. “Yes, I just don’t know what to feel right now. For a time, I wanted to hurt you and Carmen — I mean Monique, but now I don’t know what or how I should act.”
When she said that she wanted to hurt him and Carmen, Harry tensed up a little. “I can understand why you would hate us and want to hurt us, but we didn’t …”
“I used to feel that way. The past two months I just wanted you back,” she said cutting him off. “Recently I have been trying to decide whether to Curse you or kiss you.” She started to laugh, “I haven’t done either one, so I guess those ideas didn’t work. Maybe the thing I should do is thank you.”
“Thank me?” asked a puzzled Harry.
“Yes, thank you for stopping Walden. If you hadn’t stopped him…” She stopped and looked at him. “He is a bloody monster. He has raped others, and then Obliviated their memories. I have been having meetings with other victims of his. It is terrible what they had to deal with.” Ginny stopped and took a deep breath. Harry could tell her talking about this was reopening a wound.
“Ginny, Kingsley told me about you leading these healing meetings, and your “Service to the School” award. I am very proud of you,” he stated with conviction. Ginny blushed slightly at his praise. “You shouldn’t be thanking me. I just did what anyone in my situation would have done.”
“Excuse me,” interrupted Madam Pomfrey. “I need to look at my two patients.”
She set a tray on the stand beside Harry’s bed. He couldn’t see what was on it, but he could smell something delicious. She looked at Ginny and handed her a bottle of something from the tray for her to drink. Ginny tipped it up and drank all of it with only the slightest of a shiver. The Nurse took the empty bottle form Ginny before speaking again, “Miss Weasley, I am going to keep you overnight for observation. I think you are fine, but I need to make sure. You took a nasty hit today. Mr. Potter here will be staying for at least a week. The first two days he will be strapped to the bed, so he doesn’t do another gormless stunt like the one today. Mr. Potter you will need to eat before you take all of your potions. This bottle with the red potion you will need to take it last. It will stop your pain, but you won’t wake up until tomorrow. I do want you to take it within the next hour or two. Is that understood, Mr. Potter.”
“Yes, mum,” he cheekily responded.
“Very well, make sure you do that. I am going to give the two of you a few more minutes before I allow people in. So, make good use of it,” She said with a smirk, before tuning and walking towards her office.
Neither one said anything or moved towards each other. It seemed as though they had reached some type of impasse. Harry was afraid of saying anything, and Ginny seemed just as unsure as he was. She wasn’t angry, and this seemed to confuse him. He was expecting an irate Ginny flinging curse at him. Her being this quiet has him uncomfortable.
“What were you doing that allowed you to stop Walden?” she asked. Harry didn’t know what to say to her. “You were supposed to be home. You couldn’t have been and made it there in time to stop him.”
“I was at the Professors’ Christmas party with Neville and Monique, when Gawain appeared looking for us. He ordered everyone else out and told us we had to go on a mission.” Harry stopped his explanation. Should he tell her that he was coming to propose to her? He suddenly decided to throw caution to the wind and ask her now. He grabbed his Moke —Skin bag and opened it. He stuck his hand down in and found the ring box. Ginny was staring at him. She had a puzzled expression on her face. Pulling the box out with one hand, he used his thumb to flick the lid open and turned it around so Ginny could see it. “I wanted to ask you to marry me. I still want you to marry me, Ginny. Would you forgive me and say, yes?”
Ginny’s eyes immediately became watery as she stared at the ring in the box. Harry watched as she reached forward with shaky hands towards the box. She plucked the ring out and held it up to the light to exam it. The entire time she never said a word, but her face glowed with excitement. Harry cannot remember her looking so radiant. She noticed the inscription and turned it to read it. She turned to look at him, but when she opened her mouth no words came out. With shaky hands she slid the ring onto her own finger. Harry was feeling a little disappointed he had thought that was what he was supposed to do.
“I suppose this means, yes?” he flatly asked her.
Ginny looked down at him as tears of happiness ran down her cheek. “Yes, Harry.” She said just above a whisper. “Of course, yes. I was so afraid that you wouldn’t …” she stopped talking and kissed him. If he had thought she got more beautiful when he was away, he was positive her kisses were even better. Warmth filled him, even though he didn’t feel cold before. Her long hair flowed down over him covering him in a silky blanket of red. Three months of loneliness were wiped away in seconds after their lips met. She had her hands on his face, but he didn’t even register the pain when she pressed against the bandages.
They were so busy snogging that neither one heard Madam Pomfrey opening the doors to the infirmary, until Ron spoke. “Will you two stop that!” he ordered. “That is something we don’t need to see.”
Ginny pulled away from Harry and whispered another, “I love you,” before turning on Ron. “Then don’t watch…” She stopped talking as Ron, George, and Bill started laughing. “What is wrong with your three?”
“Nice eyes, sis,” laughed Bill, who was in control of his laughter. When Ginny gave him a strange look, he continued, “Your black eyes, they are impressive.”
“Black eyes, what black eyes,” she exclaimed with a high-pitched voice. Hermione conjured a mirror and handed it to her. Ginny looked into the mirror and screeched as she turned to Harry, “You proposed to me, with me looking like this?”
Harry smiled at her. “Your still beautiful to me,” he assured her.
The rest of the room went silent. Both Harry and Ginny realized this and turned to look at them. Hermione, Mrs. Weasley, and Fleur were beaming at Ginny, while the men seemed to be glaring at Harry. Ginny stepped away from the bed and lifted her left hand to show them the ring. The three women converged on her with their congratulations.
Harry looked at the men surrounding him. They didn’t seem to be glaring at him with hatred. “Well Ron, I suppose you’re going to hit me again?” he asked his best friend.
Ron shrugged and stepped forward and snatched his sandwich off the tray. It never made it to his mouth, as Ginny was suddenly there grabbing his hand. “That is Harry’s sandwich, Ron. Not yours, put it down, and what does he mean ‘hit him again’?” she asked while glaring at her brother.
Ron smiled at her and said, “I told you I was going to hit him one.”
“You hit him in his condition. Ron, you git,” she screamed at him. “You could have seriously hurt him.” She stood there breathing heavily while glaring daggers at him.
Ron shrugged his shoulders and looked slightly embarrassed. “He didn’t look that bad, at the moment,” he mumbled. “Besides, I only hit him once.”
“No more,” demanded Ginny glaring at her brothers. “What problems Harry and I have are ours to work out. Do you understand me?” she yelled so loud her voice echoed off the walls.
“No problem sis,” laughed George. “If we wanted to punish Harry, we couldn’t do anything worse than have him marry you.”
The three boys laughed openly at George’s comment, Mr. Weasley and Percy smiled while trying to hide it from Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny yelled at the same time, “George!” the room went silent for a second before the three women started to talk again.
Harry was watching Ginny show her ring to Hermione, her mum, and Fleur. Each one would look at it then gush. It seemed such a strange thing to do. The ring was nice but each one had already seen it when the other was shown it. Harry laid there and figured it was one of those female habits that have always confused him, like how they always traveled in packs.
“So Harry,” said George, with a gleam in his eye.
Harry could tell from that look that George was going to take the mickey out of him. “Yes?”
“Did you plan to propose this way?” George asked. “I mean it worked. She could hardly say no to you lying there all busted up. Did you surprise her with the ring? You know. Have a special plan?”
Harry was going to tell him no, but George interrupted him. “Let me guess. You put it in a bedpan and pulled it out and told her that you had something special for her?”
Harry, Ron, Bill, and even Percy and Mr. Weasley started to laugh at his comment, but Ginny and Mrs. Weasley turned at the same time and yelled, “George!” The men started to laugh even harder at this causing all of them to receive glares from the women.
Ginny walked over to the bed and looked at the sandwich that Harry was supposed to have been eating. “You’re not eating Harry,” stated Ginny. “Madam Pomfrey told you to eat then take the potions within an hour.”
“I’m not that hungry,” whined Harry.
“Doesn’t matter, eat!” she handed the sandwich to him. Harry took it and bit a mouthful off and started to half heartedly chew it.
“Excuse me,” said a voice from the other side of the Weasley crowd, Ginny turned to see who spoke. When Fleur stepped aside, Harry saw Gwenog Jones and another Harpy standing there. The other player was busy trying to catch a glimpse of Harry. While Gwenog was not paying any attention to him, the other Harpy was looking like a star struck first year staring at Harry.
“Ginny, could we talk for a second?” asked Gwenog.
“What do you want to talk about?”
“Well, I am offering you a position as the reserve seeker for our team,” stated Gwenog, with practiced poise and delivery.
The room erupted in excitement. Ron was congratulating Ginny along with everyone else except Harry who couldn’t get out of bed to hug her. Their enthusiasm was curbed when Gwenog cleared her throat. “There is a condition Ginny. We leave on a world tour starting on May 1st, and won’t be back to England until December. The Headmistress said that you could take your NEWTs before leaving.”
“What about the Tri-School tournament in May?” questioned Ginny?
“I am pretty sure that without France, it will be canceled,” stated Harry from his bed.
“Harry is correct,” confirmed Gwenog. “The Headmistress also said that. I am going to need an answer today, Ginny. I am sorry for putting this pressure on you, but if you turn me down, I’ll need to find another reserve seeker. What do you say?”
Ginny turned and looked at Harry. He was in shock that she would even consider turning this down. “Take it Ginny! This is your dream, go for it. I’ll wait,” reassured Harry.
Ginny looked at everyone in the room. This was her big chance to play Professional Quidditch, She may hook up with other team, but this one is a guarantee. Biting her lip, Ginny calmly said, “I’ll take it.”
Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Reconnecting
Harry opened his eyes trying to get his bearings as to where he was. Slowly he sorted through the memories in his mind. He was in the Hogwarts’ infirmary. He was also engaged to Ginny. The last thing he remembers is drinking that blasted red potion. He must have fallen asleep immediately upon finishing it. If that is the case then today must be Sunday. He started to wonder what time it was, but his watch was on his left hand which was tied down by Madam Pomfrey’s bandages.He was secured down to the bed so tight that he could only lift his head to look around. The entire room was empty. Evidently Ginny had been released, because she isn’t here. Slightly disappointed, he dropped his head back down on the pillow. Suddenly his body told him that he had to get up.
“Madam Pomfrey,” he shouted, hoping that the nurse would hurry up and release him. It felt as though his bladder might explode at any time. “Madam Pomfrey!” he shouted louder. He heard the shuffling of feet and lifting his head he saw her walking towards him.
“Yes, Mr. Potter?” she asked.
“I need to use the loo,” he said hesitantly, slightly embarrassed to announce this. “You will need to release me. Please hurry,” he desperately pleaded.
“Now, now, no need to get your knickers in a bunch, Mr. Potter.”
“I am not wearing any,” he retorted.
“All right, go ahead,” she told him.
“What. I can’t.”
“Yes. You can don’t worry,” she reassured him. “I had cast a spell last night.”
Harry looked at the nurse and relaxed. To his surprise he heard a sound as if he was using a bedpan, but he knew he didn’t have one in the bed. After getting relief, he smiled at her and thanked her.
“You should be happy, that is more pleasant then the Muggle method,” she said as she levitated the bedpan and walked off to the loo.
Harry laid there staring at the ceiling. The realization of his confinement was quickly setting into him. He couldn’t move but to lift his head a few inches and move his right arm. Even though he was in a bright and open room, he felt confined as if he was stuck in a dungeon somewhere.
Hearing the doors open and close, Harry lifted his head to see Ginny walking across the infirmary towards him. She looked radiant this morning. Her black eyes were gone. Her hair flowed and bounced as she walked. Merlin, did he ever miss seeing her. She had that radiant smile that Harry would go through hell and back to see. He laid there straining against the restraints to keep his head up so he could watch her walk towards him.
The one thing she had that seemed peculiar was a large stack of magazines. There had to be thirty in her arms. She walked up to the other side of the bed next to him and used her knees to push the bed closer to him. When it was practically beside his, she dropped the magazines down onto it. She walked around the bed and kissed him before sitting down.
“Good morning Harry,” she said cheerfully. “Are you ready to start planning our wedding? Good! Let’s get started,” she rattled off without giving Harry a chance to reply. “I was thinking about a spring wedding. What do you think? I know summer weddings are the norm, but I like spring, unless we decide to get married in the winter. Maybe, we could get married somewhere there is lots of snow. No! that wouldn’t do. Would it Harry, I will have white on and I wouldn’t stand out against the snow. Fall would be nice….”
“B-but, Ginny,” squeaked Harry. He was frightened by Ginny and the way she was acting. She was rambling on about a wedding that was years away. Her voice kept getting higher and she kept talking faster with each sentence.
“Yes, Harry, a fall wedding would be nice, particularly if we can catch it when the leaves are changing. Well, if we have a wedding in the fall we could use some of the natural foliage in the bouquets. That sounds like fun doesn’t Harry.” She grabbed one of the magazines off the bed and opened it to a premarked page. “Here Harry, look at this bouquet. Doesn’t it look nice, and this magazine here has another style of bouquet that we think would be wonderful. Of course, that would also depend on the dress, and the location. Where are we going to have this wedding? I know Mum will want it at the Burrow, but I was wondering about someplace else. I’ve heard in the Mediterranean, there are little islands around Greece that you can rent the entire island. Now that would be just grand, wouldn’t, Harry?”
“G-Ginny, w-what is w-wrong with the B-Burrow,” he stuttered out. Ginny was scaring him. He never figured her for this kind of fiancé. She has become a monster.
“Harry,” she said while snapping her fingers in front of him to get his attention. “Here look in this magazine, I marked the pages that I wanted you to look at. Let me know about what you think about those weddings, and how we could do that in ours. Here these two have caterers and halls to have the reception. These three here have information about men’s dress robes. You will need to look through all of them and write down your ideas. After you’re done then we can compile information for…”
“Ginny, love,” Harry pleaded with her. He had to stop this madness. “We have plenty of time to plan the wedding, and…”
“We need to start now, Harry. We are planning on getting married in another four or five years. Merlin only knows, it will take that long to get all the details worked out for our perfect wedding.” She stopped talking and stared at him; her brown eyes boring into his green. “You do want a perfect wedding don’t you, Harry? I thought you would want a perfect wedding. If we are going to have a perfect wedding we must start planning now. So you need to start looking through those magazines, now, Harry.”
He laid there staring at the person who had just become his worst nightmare. He had been rather put off by the way that Fleur had been planning her and Bill’s wedding, but Ginny had become a hundred times worst. He looked at her as she stared at him. Mustering all of his courage, he spoke with a trembling voice, “Ginny, dear, I was hoping for a small quiet wedding.”
“You what?” Ginny replied. She stopped talking though and looked away from him for a second and snorting. “I can’t keep this up. Oh, Harry, I wish I had a camera so you could see the look on your face,” she said laughing. She fell over on the other bed and held her sides, because she was laughing so hard. Suddenly other laughing could be heard in the room, Ron and Hermione appeared from under Harry’s Invisibility Cloak. Ron had tears running down his face, and Hermione was laughing so hard that she was hiccupping.
Harry looked at them and smiled. He had just been pranked by his friends. He smiled at them relieved that Ginny was joking. He didn’t know if he could handle her acting like that. The other three laughed for another minute, while commenting about the look on his face the entire time. Hermione said, “He didn’t look that scared when he faced the Horntail.”
“Ginny, please promise me you won’t become like that. It will make me mental,” pleaded Harry.
Ginny sat up and looked at him. “I promise that I won’t become another Phlegm. Well, maybe in the last couple of weeks, I might get a little crazed,” she reassured him.
“So whose idea was this?” asked Harry.
They all looked at Ron, who smiled at Harry. “I figured you’d enjoy it, mate. I remember your reaction to my brother’s wedding. Besides, I figured we all owed you a little misery after the past few months.”
“Did you two come in here with Ginny?”
“We have been in here for awhile, Harry. We couldn’t be sure when you would wake up,” stated Hermione.
A realization hit Harry. “You were in here before I woke up and — and you watched me,” exclaimed Harry, in shock that they had watched him relieve himself.
“Oh Harry, relax,” said Hermione.
“Yeah, mate, it isn’t like we saw anything,” Ron laughed.
Harry felt his face get warm from embarrassment. He felt slightly violated that they had been in the room, but Ron was right he wasn’t exposed. Still, it seemed wrong. Changing the subject, Harry asked, “I take it everyone has forgiven me for leaving the way I did.”
Hermione and Ron looked at each other and then at Ginny. “We understand why you left,” stated Hermione. There was a tone in her voice that told him, he wasn’t completely forgiven. “The Minister and Mr. Rostis explained why they had to use you, and what the mission was about.”
“Yeah, my father seemed to soften up a little when he found out about the Muggles being attacked like they were,” Ron said, while avoiding the looking Harry in his eyes.
“Then what is wrong,” asked Harry. He could tell that they were upset about something.
“Did you kill six French Aurors?” asked Ginny. All humor was gone from her voice; it was now tense and filled with concern.
“I didn’t, but six were killed. Blythe killed one, when he hit her and she fell into a ravine we were fighting beside. Monique killed the other five. I guess you could say that she killed five. Two were definite; she used the Killing Curse on them. The other three fell to their death when they tried to Apparate.” He looked up at their confused expressions.
“We were walking along a ravine high in the mountains. Monique, Rostis, and Blythe were dressed as Muggle tourists, and I was following behind them under my cloak. Someone shot Stunners at the other three from across the ravine. I was able to stop them.” He saw the questioning looks on their faces. “I fired a Blasting Curse at the snow piled above them. They were buried under it when it slid down on them.
“I gave Monique my cloak so she could find her relatives and Apparate them back to the safe zone. After she left, French Aurors appeared above us, and hit us with Cruciatus Curses. They would hold them on us, and then lift them to ask us ‘where were they’. The second time they did this; I was able to turn on them and attack. When I did this, I disarmed a witch and started to use her wand.” Hermione gasped at this statement, but Harry kept talking. “It helped that I could curse two people at the same time with Stunning Curses, but it made me weak to do that. I was also using it to sustain a Shields, while using my Holly wand for firing spells at them.
“After some time, Blythe stirred. While he was gaining his feet, a witch appeared behind him. I hit her with an Impediment Hex, and he kicked her, sending her over the edge of the ravine. That was probably — hold on — there was one killed when I dodged a Killing curse and it hit a person behind me. So it is possible that Blythe didn’t kill that witch. Well, where was, oh yes. Blythe took Rostis who was still unresponsive and Apparated him back to the safe zone. He never returned. The French had cast tracking spells on us. When he appeared at the safe zone, three French Aurors also appeared and he had to deal with them until Rostis could help.”
“I was stuck fighting with the French on the mountain, until I knew that everyone was safe. I was using both of the wands and kept getting weaker with each spell. Eventually, I was so weak that I couldn’t even hold my arms up. A French Auror pointed his wand at me. I am almost positive that his wand tip was glowing green, before Monique killed him and another with Killing Curse’s.”
Harry stopped talking to look at his friends. He wanted to see if they were disgusted with Monique’s actions or if they understood. They all seemed to understand. “The rest of the Aurors left us alone. Monique though heard them cast the tracking spells. When she Apparated me away, she didn’t go to the safe zone, but to a path on the edge of a cliff. She cast an Anti-Apparition ward around us, just before three French Aurors appeared. They were repelled by the ward into the chasm below. I passed out after that, and the next thing I know we were in Spain, on some mountain top by one of the Basque caves.”
“Basque caves?” asked Hermione.
“Yes, they were created years ago when the French, Spanish, and the Basques were at war. Only a Basque can see them or enter them. They are all over the Pyrenees. Monique was able to move her relatives from one cave to another, by using a magical portal. The Basques were very creative sorcerers, and were experts at making charmed items. There are stones in the caves that give them heat and light that have been operating for over four hundred years.”
“Cricket, Harry that is amazing. Did Monique tell you how this is done?” gasped the excited Hermione.
“No! I don’t think she got to that spell. She brought back chests of books that she found in the caves. The French and Spanish destroyed the castle that served as their school and Ministry, but they must have hidden their teachings in the caves. Monique took them to Grimmauld Place and worked almost nonstop on translating them.”
“Oh, that is a shame then they probably burned up in the fire,” said a dejected Hermione.
“No, the chests were the only things that survived the fire,” he said. The thoughts of all that was lost in that fire washed over him. He had a hard time controlling his grief. When he looked at Hermione, she also looked as though she might cry.
“I’m never getting or befriending another House Elf ever again,” spat Harry.
“Why?” asked a shocked Ron. “I’m sure you could afford one.”
“The last two died trying to save me,” he shot back at Ron. “I can’t deal with losing anyone else like that.”
The room became quiet after his last statement. Until Ginny broke the silence, “What do you mean ‘losing anyone like that’.” Her voice was strained as though she was trying not to yell.
“I don’t want another House Elf. I can live without them,” he said softly. “I can’t live without my friends and loved ones. The thoughts of you are the only thing that gets me through tough situations.”
There was an awkward silence for several seconds until they heard the shuffling of Madam Pomfrey’s feet against the stone floor. She squeezed herself between the two beds and placed a tray on Harry’s bed. It had a plate of small finger sandwiches and a pitcher or Pumpkin Juice.
“It is time for you to eat, Mr. Potter,” the nurse announced. “I am assuming that you are hungry after not eating in nearly twenty hours.”
“Yes, I am,” replied Harry.
“Good. Now, are you feeling any pain where you have been burned?”
Harry tried to move his body, but found it impossible with the restraints. “I am feeling fine, Madam Pomfrey. Could you remove these restraints? I don’t think that I could even feed myself.”
“No. You will have those restraints on until tomorrow. By that time you should have enough skin grown back that you won’t tear it again. Unless you want to look like Alastor, when you get older?” Madam Pomfrey raised an eyebrow waiting for his answer.
“I am fine. I will wait until tomorrow,” sighed Harry; the thoughts of wearing them another day making him miserable. He picked up a sandwich, and looked at the size of the plate. “Am I supposed to eat all these sandwiches?”
“No, I figured that you needed plenty, considering Mr. Weasley will probably nick a few for himself,” she said while smiling at Ron.
Ron didn’t even look embarrassed as he grabbed a sandwich from the plate and stuffed it in his mouth. Hermione slapped his arm, as the nurse went back to her office. After swallowing the sandwich, Ron turned to his fiancé, “What, Harry wasn’t going to eat that one.”
“Only because you ate it first,” she hissed at him.
“You didn’t want that sandwich did you Harry?” asked a smiling Ron.
“No, mate, I didn’t like that one. What type was it,” replied Harry.
“Corned beef,” Ron said with a bit of a sour face.
“At least you swallowed before you spoke this time, Ron,” added Hermione.
“Yeah, well, after all your lectures, I would be a fool not to remember that,” responded Ron as if he was talking to a school teacher. Hermione started to say something, but Ron spoke first,” You know mate; I kind of miss going on death defying missions with you. This is the first time in eight years that I haven’t risked life and limb with you. Maybe I should join the Aurors, and then you and I could be partners again.”
Hermione turned ashen at Ron’s comment, but kept quiet. Harry suspected that they had had this discussion before. “I suppose if you start training I might be able to be your trainer.”
“Harry, you haven’t taken your NEWTs, and you will be at the most one year ahead of me. It is a three year program,” countered Ron.
“Actually, I have taken my NEWTs and passed all of the ones necessary to be an Auror…”
“What? When? How?” the three asked together.
“While I was at Grimmauld Place, They also started my advanced Auror training. I won’t be coming back to Hogwarts…”
“What!” exclaimed Ginny as she stood up from the bed.
“Ginny, I no longer need the classes here. Gawain promised to send me here every Saturday to help with the training. I would have the rest of the day off,” he said hoping to placate her.
Ginny looked at him for a second before walking over and picking up the tray, before sitting down and placing it on her lap. “I guess if that is all I can see of you, until I leave with the Harpies, then I will have to accept it.” She poured him a cup of Pumpkin juice and helped him sip it. She also picked out a roast beef sandwich and started to feed it to him. Ron went to grab another and she slapped his hand, to Hermione’s amusement. Ron sat there rubbing his hand as Ginny fed Harry his sandwich.
“You know mate. I am a little disappointed in you,” stated Ron.
“Oh, you are, are you? Why is that?”
“I figured you could have bought Ginny a much bigger ring,” he said while pointing at her finger. “That thing isn’t much bigger than Hermione’s, and we all know how much gold you have in Gringotts.”
Harry looked at his friend and saw the smile on his face. He knew it was some friendly banter, and relaxed. “I had looked at bigger and much more expensive rings, but this one made me think of Ginny. You do like it, don’t you Ginny?” asked Harry. He did have some doubts if she truly liked her ring.
“I love it,” she assured him with a smile. “I am not the type for some big gaudy thing. It is perfect, so Ron can shut up.”
“Well, I guess it’s time for me to go,” stated Ron as he stood up from the bed, pulling Hermione up with him.
“Harry,” started Hermione. She seemed to be unsure what to say. “Take your time, be patient, and heal properly, and — well, I am glad you’re safe.”
“Yeah mate, be patient,” said Ron, before he grabbed a handful of sandwiches off Harry’s tray before Ginny could stop him.
Harry watched his two best friends walk out of the infirmary. Ginny sat there and fed him another sandwich and helped him with the Pumpkin Juice. What Ron and Hermione had said was going through his mind. “Be patient.” Why would they tell him that? He looked up at Ginny’s face. She had a sad expression on it.
“Ginny, what is wrong, love?” he asked her. She glanced at him, but quickly looked away. “Are you regretting saying, yes?”
“No, Harry it is not that,” she quickly replied. “It was a shock that you asked me, but I do want to marry you, eventually. It’s just that so much has changed in the past few months.” She stopped talking and stood up to sit on the other bed so she could face him. She didn’t say anything, but she sat there looking scared.
“Can we talk about it,” he asked, as he realized what Ron and Hermione were referring to with their comment.
“Yes, I would like that,” she said. “I have been helping other girls who went through the same thing with Walden. Many of these girls have problems because of being raped. Some have difficulties with men touching them; it reminds them of the rape. What they can remember of it.” She stopped and looked Harry in the eye. She looked as if she might cry. “I am afraid that you will want to snog or just hold me, and I will suddenly pull away from you because of that. It won’t be because I don’t love you or want you, but because of what happened. I don’t want you to be angry with me. All right Harry, can you understand that?”
“Yes, Ginny, you will never need to worry about me understanding that. In a different way, I was expecting to have to rebuild our relationship all over again. I never expected you to say yes to me.”
“Then why did you ask?”
“Because I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. If you would have said no; I would have put the ring away and waited until later. I wasn’t going to give up on you. Just like you never gave up on me for all those years.”
Ginny stood up again and lay down beside him, so that her back was barely touching his right side. She gently pulled his right arm around her shoulder and kissed it. “I never told you that I have a similar reaction when I wake up from a kip. Ever since my first year, if I wake up suddenly, I panic that Tom had possessed me again. I know it’s impossible. You took care of that, but it still scares me. It usually hits me if I fall asleep while studying and I wake up suddenly unsure where I am and what I have been doing.”
Harry wanted to pull her tight to him, but hesitated for fear that she might become upset. He didn’t know that she had this problem with dealing with Tom possessing her. “Thank you for telling me that Ginny. You know I will always be there for you.”
Ginny pulled his arm tighter around her, and kissed it again. “Can I ask you something about the night Walden attacked me?”
Harry was waiting to have her ask him why he ever left her. “Sure love, anything you want to know,” he said hesitantly.
“What happened with Walden, when you entered the room?” she asked softly. “I need to know to help me deal with it. Not knowing or remembering is terrible. You always have questions about what happened in your mind.”
Harry took a deep breath trying to remember that night. It seemed so long ago now. “I wasn’t in the room very long. I was looking at the Marauders Map and knew you were trouble. I blasted the door open and walked through. You were on a table fighting with Walden.”
“Fighting? Was he trying to shag me?”
“He was trying to get your clothes off, Ginny. Your robes were ripped open,” he said trying to control his anger at the memories. “Why must you hear this,” he hissed.
“I need to know, Harry.” She turned and looked him in the eyes. “It does help me get closure, much like accepting someone’s death, by having a memorial service. I want try and put this all behind me.”
“You were on a table with your robes ripped open. Walden was still fully clothed standing over you. You were fighting him by grabbing his hands while twisting turning away from him. He stopped when he saw me walk in.” Harry stopped retelling the events then. He didn’t want to tell her what he said.
“Did you two talk, fight or did you just curse him? You said that I was fighting him. Did I kick him in the crotch I remember kicking someone?”
Harry couldn’t help but chuckle. “No, you kicked me. Ginny, he stepped away from you, and — and said ‘that you wanted it’. That is all he said because I hit him with some spell, and drove him into the far wall.” Harry stopped talking then as the anger he felt that night came back to him. “I almost killed him. I thought about using the Killing Curse. I thought about how I would end up in Azkaban and never see you again. I returned to help you that was when you kicked me. You kick very hard for being so heavily drugged.” Ginny giggled a little at his comment. “After you realized who I was, I took you straight to Madam Pomfrey. Professor McGonagall showed up and insisted that I go to the Ministry.” Harry’s voice started to shake as he fought back tears from the next memory. “I felt so horrible leaving you. Listening to you call for me, telling me that you loved, cut me up as I walked away.”
They lay together for several minutes, after Harry finished his story of that terrible night. He was worried that he had told her too much, but it was true. Would she be angrier at him for leaving her? She told him that it would help accept and heal from the events of that night.
“Thank you, for telling me, Harry,” she said quietly. She lay there for several more minutes, before speaking again. “I read Monique’s letter. I found it in your robes along with the cloak, and two wands. No one figured out that you are using two wands.” Ginny snuggled herself back against him a little more. “She really admired you. She was happy that you were so dedicated to me. You know she wrote that you were probably the first true friend in her life.”
“She had told me something like that. She also wanted to get back to Neville. He was her first boyfriend,” he added to her statement. “How is Neville taking the news of her death?”
“He is upset, but he wants to apologize to you, Harry.”
“He doesn’t have to. I can understand.” He lay there enjoying the feeling of having Ginny so close again, after being separated for what seems like an eternity. “Do I need to apologize for anything else to you, love?”
Ginny chuckled and kissed his arm again. “Not now, but I am sure I can think of something before long.” They both laughed at her quip, as she moved to get even closer to him.
Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Two Weeks Until Easter
Saturday morning was perfect at Hogwarts. The gently breeze was cool, while the bright sunshine that shone between the fluffy white clouds was warm. The students were all excited to be outside on this beautiful day. The morning was spent watching the Quidditch team play pickup games. The Triwizard tournament was cancelled when Beauxbaton withdrew from the competition.Professor McGonagall decided that the school and the team should still play Quidditch. On this Saturday, two more in April, and one weekend that Ginny won’t be able to play in May, the team would go to the pitch and Madam Hooch would randomly pick players to be on each team. Since no single team would be from one house, it forced all the school houses to cheer for each other. This left Ginny feeling strange, it was the first time that she ever saw Gryffindors cheering for a Quidditch team that had Slytherins on it, and also the Slytherins cheering for a team that she was flying on. Of any changes over the past year, this was the one that seemed so strange to her. House competiveness was at its fiercest during Quidditch matches.
That was this morning, but now this afternoon, she and Harry were walking hand in hand towards the Quidditch Pitch. He didn’t see this morning’s match, because Madam Pomfrey insisted he stay in the infirmary. He was healed, but she was making sure he didn’t over exert himself today. He has been getting better every day this week. The first two days he slept more than he was awake. Each day after he spent more time awake, he was finally allowed out of bed to walk two days ago. Ginny helped him that day. It was difficult for her seeing Harry so weak and uncoordinated. He had to regrow so much muscle that he had to relearn how to walk and balance himself. He was walking better today, but he still had a limp. She had no idea how he was able to walk across the grounds last week to see her, but he did.
Ginny moved the fingers on her left hand so she could feel her ring on her finger. It was new enough that she still felt it there without rubbing it with the other fingers, but she wanted to feel that heart shaped stone. The one that represented Harry’s heart, with these thoughts, she squeezed his hand a little tighter with her right. She glanced over at him. They were both wearing Gryffindor Quidditch robes that had Potter 7 on the back.
“I’m not walking too fast for you? Am I, Harry?” asked Ginny, out of concern for him.
“I am fine,” he huffed. “I am not as weak as Madam Pomfrey thinks.”
“You had a hard time walking two days ago.”
“I had been in bed for five days. My legs forgot how to work in that time,” he replied angrily. “I’m sorry, Ginny,” he sighed. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. I just want to get out of that blasted infirmary.”
“But! You still don’t want to do this?” she questioned him, staring at him out of the corner of her eye. “Do you?”
He grimaced a little. “I don’t think it is a very wise thing to do. That is why I don’t want our engagement picture put in the Daily Prophet. It has nothing to do with being seen with you. I am just concerned….” He stopped talking, and stared straight ahead at the photographer and reporter from the Daily Prophet standing on the Pitch by the goals closest to the school.
Ginny stopped walking and tugged on his hand to pull him around to stare at her. They have been having the same argument ever since she suggested putting an announcement in the social pages of the Daily Prophet. “Everyone knows we are together, or have been together now, Harry. The French Auror showed up at the Burrow, even after that bloody picture of you and Carmen appeared in the Prophet.” She stopped when Harry winced at her statement. She lovingly placed her free hand on his cheek. “I don’t care about being in danger.”
Harry’s face drew taught as he stared at her. “It seems that everyone that I ever loved is now dead, Ginny. I don’t want it to be you too. Having this picture in the paper makes you a huge target.”
Ginny couldn’t help but smile at him. She was prepared for this remark. “So, Fred was the only one out of my family that you cared about, including me? What about Hermione, I guess you don’t like her very much?”
“Ginny, you know that isn’t true,” replied Harry, hurt by her accusation.
“Besides Voldemort is dead, and all of his closest Death Eaters are either in Azkaban or going there very soon. I love you and feel the same way as everyone else who knows you. You are worth that risk, Harry.” He smiled a watery smile at her comment. Ginny had a hard time not snogging him, but she had just put on makeup for the picture. “You really are worth the trouble, love,” she lovingly cooed, and then she changed her tone. “Besides if you are concerned about your hair. The picture will be taken from your right so your lack of hair on the left won’t show.” His hair had been burnt off on the left side of his head. There were magical potions to regrow skin, but nothing for hair.
He laughed at her cheeky remark, and resigned himself to the picture and article. “Why do we have to wear Quidditch robes, and why do both of them have Potter 7 on them?”
“I thought it would be a nice touch. Why are you grousing about wearing your old Gryffindor robes, Harry? I could have decided to have you wear the new school robes. They are rather lovely don’t you think?”
Harry shook his head in resignation. “Those are the ugliest robes that I have ever seen. Who thought them up, the Headmistress?”
“No one has accepted responsibility, but I think she was behind it. Trying to build school unity and all that rot,” she joked with him. “Harry, relax and smile for me. Look on the bright side; this will give you something to start another scrap book with. Let me assure you, that I have things under control here. Come on handsome, let’s get our picture taken.”
Ginny turned and led him to the pitch. The photographer was a nervous little man. He wore plain well worn burgundy robes with a wide brim pointed wizards hat of the same colour. The hat had a large chartreuse plume sticking in the band that was so large and long that the only way it could possibly stay in was with magic. He was barely as tall as Ginny, with a triangular shaped head. His large watery grey eyes gave him an appearance of a House Elf. The reporter was a middle aged witch whose attire was rather plain. She wore neat black robes, and her face and brown hair could be described as average. She seemed a little nervous, but not as jumpy as the photographer.
Ginny approached them leading the reluctant Harry by the hand. “Hello, I’m Ginny,” she said brightly.
The reporter stepped forward and offered her hand to them both. “My name is Alli. It is short for Allison, and the photographer’s name is Stewart. Everyone calls him Stew.” Ginny shook her hand and Stew’s. She had a firm grip, while he nearly rattled Ginny’s inside with his over enthusiastic handshake. When they offered their hands to Harry, he reluctantly took them. Even though he obviously didn’t want to do this he was being polite.
“I received your Owl, Miss Weasley,” started the reporter.
“Please call me Ginny,” she politely interjected.
“All right, Ginny, you wanted a guarantee that the picture and article won’t be published unless you get final approval,” stated Alli.
“Yes, that is correct.”
“Very well, normally we wouldn’t grant such a request, but considering the past history that you two had with articles in the Daily Prophet. I can fully understand. I will Owl the finished article to you in a few days. Is that satisfactory, Ginny?”
“Yes, that will be fantastic,” Ginny cheerfully responded. She could feel Harry relax beside her. She hadn’t told him about her conditions on the paper.
“All right, then, shall we begin,” announced Alli. She looked at Ginny, who nodded her approval. “Good. Let us get the picture while I ask you several questions. Did you have something special planned, since you requested this meeting on the Pitch?”
“Yes, I did, Alli,” responded Ginny. “I would like to get the Pitch’s goals and the school in our background if that is possible, and I would like the right side of Harry photographed.” Harry blushed bright red, as Alli and Stew smiled at him.
“Ginny, when did he propose to you?” asked Alli. Stew quietly moved around the pitch and looked for the perfect angle for the picture.
“Last Saturday.”
“Have you set a date for the wedding?”
“No! We are not planning to get married for several years. Harry is training to be an Auror, and I have just been accepted to play for the Holyhead Harpies,” she said gleefully.
“Congratulations, again, Ginny,” responded Alli.
“Over here please,” requested the photographer. He was standing and pointing at a spot. Ginny and Harry walked over and stood at the place he was pointing to. He moved them a little to the left then the right, and adjusted them so they were looking at each other. Ginny had her left hand on Harry’s chest and stared into his eyes. The photographer was staring at them as he positioned his camera; with a purple flash of light it was done. “That should be all we need for a picture,” stated Stew.
Harry and Ginny stood there staring at each other. Ginny barely registered the words that Stew had said as she stared in Harry’s green eyes. She could feel the love coming from his eyes. She felt her face get closer to his as he leaned down to her. The entire rest of the world disappeared as his lips came closer to hers. He stopped moving towards her and looked into her eyes, asking permission. For the past week, he had been hesitating before snogging or even putting his arm around her, until she acknowledged him. With a slight nod from her, Harry closed the distance and gently kissed her. The warmth of his kiss washed over her leaving her light-headed. As he pulled away from her, Harry whispered, “Love you, Ginny.”
Alli cleared her throat at that time, bringing them out of their trance. “Is there anything else you would like to have in the announcement, besides your parents names?”
“No that should be fine,” said Ginny, as her head stopped spinning.
“All right then, I should be able to Owl you the picture and accompanying article in a few days. It has been a pleasure meeting the two of you,” said Alli, as she held out her hand to them. After Harry and Ginny shook her and Stew’s hands, they left.
Ginny watched them walk off the Pitch as she held Harry’s hand. They had the rest of the afternoon and evening together before Harry had to leave. “Well Mr. Potter, what would you like to do the rest of the day?” she asked suggestively.
Harry smiled at her. “I would like to go see Winky.”
Ginny surprised by his statement didn’t say anything at first. “Getting another House Elf, Harry?”
“No, not for me. I was going to ask her about working for Andromeda. I imagine that she needs help with Teddy. I was going to see them tomorrow.”
Ginny squeezed his hand. “Always thinking of others, aren’t you, Harry.” When he looked down at her, she grabbed his face and pulled him into a kiss that ended up as a snogging session on the Pitch.
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Harry had stayed at the Burrow the week after leaving Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione couldn’t take him in as a guest, because they were still trying to portray that they slept in separate beds. That probably still happened the way those two argued and fought with each other. Harry was sure there were many nights when they sat in each bedroom until the other apologized for whatever it was they had done.
Sunday was a feast at the Burrow. Andromeda brought Teddy over. Harry spent a great deal of time playing with this nearly one year old boy. With Teddy’s birthday coming up, Harry made a mental note to have a birthday party for him and to buy him a toy broom like Sirius bought him. The toddler was now able to walk around the furniture and he could crawl across a room in a blink of an eye. Andromeda thanked him when he told her that he had arranged for Winky to help her. He added that he was going to pay the House Elf, when Hermione cleared her throat. He wasn’t sure how he was going to break the news to Winky that she was getting paid.
His return to work was exceedingly difficult. He spent the entire week filling out paperwork for various cases and to help Gawain keep up with the workload. He was informed that he was going to be partnered with Rostis for the remainder of his training. Harry was getting the feeling that they were pushing him through the training process. Gawain still talked about when he took an administrative position in the department, not if he would. Harry was unsure if he deserved being promoted above everyone else. He didn’t want preferential treatment, because he was afraid that it would only cause resentment in the future.
Kingsley had been having meetings with Harry almost every day, asking his opinion on various aspects of Magical Law Enforcement. The Death Eaters trials were the main subject. He also talked to Harry about the Muggle-borne’s that lost their magical possessions last year. The Death Eaters and Umbridge would strip the Muggle-borne’s of their gold as well as their right to perform magic. Now the Muggle-borne’s want the Ministry to repay them for their loss, the problem was the Ministry was nearly broke. The Death Eaters kept all the gold for themselves. Harry mentioned that the Ministry should make the Death Eaters repay the Muggle-borne’s, since most of them were from wealthy pure-blood families.
Friday, Harry found himself in front of the Wizengamot pleading that they pass this law to take the holdings of convicted Death Eaters. The law finally passed. It was called the Potter Restitution Law. It stated that all convicted Death Eaters, who were sentenced to life in Azkaban, would have their holdings in Gringott’s transferred to a vault where it would be distributed to the victims of the Death Eaters. The one clarification to the law was that if a family had a vault only the percentage of the holdings belonging to the convicted Death Eater could be removed. The goblins at Gringotts agreed to do this when asked. Harry was surprised, until Kingsley said they didn’t care who had the gold as long as it was in their vaults.
The long days at the Ministry left him drained and tired. He barely had the energy to do more than eat and go to sleep after coming home. The one thing he did do was check his Muggle post box in the London post office. He found that Dudley had been writing him, while he was on assignment. Harry would take the time to write to him and Ginny, before sleeping the night away.
The engagement announcement appeared in Thursday’s Daily Prophet. The paper had published the announcement just as Ginny had wanted it. The picture wasn’t in the social pages, but the front page. He didn’t think that Ginny had wanted that, but at least they put the picture that she wanted in and the accompanying article was brief and didn’t once call him the boy-that-lived or any of his other monikers.
The picture caught Harry’s eye. He was impressed how it turned out. The photographer had the towers of the school on the background, with the goal posts of the Pitch. Harry didn’t look as if he had his hair burnt off on the left side of his head. They stood there in the picture and stared lovingly at each other, with Ginny’s left hand rested on his chest, showing the ring. Harry knew that the picture was taken before they kissed, but the images stared at each other, then his image would lean in and gently kiss her. Their images repeated that cycle every minute.
He had a definite reaction to seeing their images doing that, he wanted to go to her and snog her senseless. There were other things he actually wanted to do, but he can wait. After all, they have the rest of their lives together. The memory of last December first when his detention was lifted keeps coming back to him, increasing his desire for her. There had been times the past week that he looked at her and it found it difficult to keep his hands off her, but he must. After what had happened to her, he can’t betray that trust. He will wait for her, and learn to control these feelings. Ginny had been through a terrible ordeal, and he must be sensitive to her feelings and insecurities.
It was so hard to believe that she had any insecurity, but he now knew that to be true. When she told him about waking up in fear, because of her memories of being possessed by young Tom Riddle, Harry was shocked and ashamed. He never knew that she had problems stemming from that experience. He was a fool to think that she wouldn’t. At times he still worries if the actual Horcrux is gone, or lying and waiting inside of his head.
While he was confined to his bed at Hogwarts Ginny would bring her books and study beside him. One evening she fell asleep, and when she woke up, he could see the flash of fear and terror in her eyes. It was gone as quickly as it appeared. He reassured her that she just fell asleep studying. She was embarrassed because of her reaction, and quickly brushed it aside.
In some ways, Harry felt good that he was there for her. This was something she never told anyone else, she even made him promise not to tell Ron and Hermione. It felt good to know that she had confided things to him that she told no one else.
Saturday morning had him at Hogwarts assisting the instructors. He was amazed that the class was still working on things that they had covered in the fall. He had always thought of himself as a poor student, but now he isn’t so sure. Maybe the worries of defending the Magical community interfered with his study time. Hermione also didn’t help his confidence. She truly was one of the best students, ever.
Harry wasn’t in a good mood this Saturday. He had received some bad news today. It seems that two weeks after Easter, he will be going to Azkaban with Rostis. Ginny will be gone to play with the Harpies when he returns from that place. He must tell her this afternoon. At least they will have Easter break together. He was really starting to understand why Mr. Weasley was concerned about them rushing into married and family life. With his hectic schedule and the demands of Ginny’s Quidditch career, they would have only a few fleeting minutes with each other. That would be no way to start a family.
Harry closed his eyes and sighed as the trainee’s emptied from the classroom. He was only helping and observing, but it appears that the recruits are still clueless. He had to remind himself that he, unfortunately, had a great deal of experience dealing with dark wizards. Pushing all his thoughts about work out of his head, he left the classroom and walked towards the library. Ginny told him that she would be there studying every spare minute of the day, until she takes her NEWTs.
When Harry entered the library, she had an entire table to herself, because no one else could possible sit at it with all the books piled up. Even though she was facing him, she didn’t see him entering the room. Her head was down staring at a book while she scribbled notes on a piece of parchment. Her long hair was pulled to her right side leaving her neck exposed.
Harry stood there mesmerized at her beauty. It was obvious that she wasn’t trying to look her best, but she was radiantly beautiful. Her brow was creased and her nose scrunched up as she concentrated on her studies. It was early spring and she hadn’t spent much time in the sun so her skin had a porcelain look. Her freckles were faintly visible. She had always told Harry how she hated her complexion, but he found it so captivating. There were smudges of emerald ink on her face from her stained fingers that stood out against her milky complexion. She must have been writing and revising so fast that she didn’t wait for the ink to dry before touching it.
Her hair shimmered as she looked from the book to her notes. He enjoyed seeing her graceful neck thinking about the times he had kissed it. He focused in on her lips as they twisted with concentration. When she bite her lower lip and dragged it through her teeth, Harry almost gasped. Taking a deep breath to control his emotions, he slowly walked over to her table. He stopped at the end of the table and waited for her to notice him. Ginny closed the book she was reading, set it in a pile of books, and reached for another when she saw him standing there.
“Oh,” she said surprised. “How long have you been standing there, is it noon already?”
“A little after actually, I can assume that you haven’t stopped for lunch?”
“How can I, Harry? I must get ready for NEWTs by the end of the month.”
“I know, Ginny. How can I help you?”
She sat back and rubbed her temples leaving ink smudges there also, as she looked at the stack of books in front of her. “I guess you can help me find research material,” she said.
Harry almost couldn’t stop himself from laughing at her. She now had ink smudges on her temples, cheeks, and the tip of her nose. He pulled his wand, and went to clean some of the smudges off, but she backed away from him. “You have ink on your face and fingers.” Ginny looked down at her hands, and cursed under her breath, and allowed him to clean her up. After removing the smudges from her, he went through the books and cleaned them of all ink smudges so Madam Pince won’t have a Hippogriff.
The rest of the afternoon and evening they sat in the library so Ginny could study. Harry kept finding books for her and looking up the subjects that she needed, while Ginny read them and made notes. They had covered all the subjects that Ginny was taking, she still had a great deal of work to do, but it was mostly revising. Because Harry had just taken his NEWTs, he helped her by telling her what to concentrate on and what not to.
After stopping at eight o’clock, Harry insisted that she get something to eat. He led her down to the kitchens to get some sandwiches. The House Elves wrapped them up and put them in a picnic basket with Pumpkin juice. He took her outside for dinner by the lake. It was raining, so he conjured an umbrella and blanket that was Impervious to water for them. Sitting under a huge umbrella by the lake they silently ate their dinner while the gentle rain made soft background music. Ginny looked too tired to finish eating, as she kept yawning.
“I’m sorry that you had to spend the day with me in the library,” she apologized.
“It’s all right. I know how important NEWTs are.” He hesitated before continuing. “Next weekend is Easter break, and I am hoping that we could spend it together, having fun.”
“Why wouldn’t we?”
“Well if you spend it studying, that might take some of the fun away. I was hoping to take you on a couple of dates to be alone with you.”
“Harry, we will be in the same house…”
“No we won’t. It seems that your parents still don’t trust us to control ourselves. I am to stay at Shell Cottage when you come home from break.”
“What! Why?”
“It seems that your family heard about us sleeping together the first night back at Hogwarts. They assumed we did more than just sleep.”
Ginny glared at Harry for a second then turned her gaze out to the lake. “I am sorry, that my parents don’t trust us. Why can’t they treat us like mature adults, instead of children?”
Harry laughed a little at her comment which turned her glare back at him. “I think they consider us adults, Ginny; adults who are randy and in love.” Ginny turned her face down and smiled at his comment. “I think they remember what they were like at our age,” he chuckled.
Ginny’s smile turned to a glare, as she growled at him, “Thanks for ruining my dinner, Harry.”
“Anytime, love, anytime.”
Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Easter Traditions
Petunia Dursley hustled between the clothing racks and displays with precision of a seasoned shopper. She had clutched in her one hand her Easter dress. She has once again managed to find a suitable dress for more than fifty percent off the regular price. It has become an Easter tradition for her to go to a department store on Saturday afternoon scour the sales racks for something new to wear to church tomorrow.Not only was acquiring a dress for a bargain at the last minute important to her, but the time that she spent was also factored in. Today, she might have set a record. She has been shopping for only thirty minutes. Years of doing this had helped with the process. She now knows which stores have the best sales and also where the discount clothes are displayed. She should have enough time when she gets home to finish all the preparations for tomorrow’s dinner. This day couldn’t have progressed better.
Gone were the days when she went to the stores and spent time to shop. Vernon appreciates that she wasn’t one of these women who spend all day looking at and trying on clothes, only to buy none. Of course, that would be preferred to women who spent their husband’s hard-earned money on dresses that they only wear once. Vernon will be happy with the price she is paying for this new dress, and she will wear a shawl to cover up the stain on the shoulder. No one tomorrow will notice the difference and compliment her on her nice new Easter dress.
As she moved around shoppers trying on various accessories, she thought back to her youth. She and Lily used to do that on rainy days. Mum and Dad would bring them into London, and they would spend all day playing dress up for them and each other. That was when she was young and didn’t realize how annoying she and her sister were being. Even though they spent the afternoon laughing, it was annoying to the other shoppers who wanted to buy clothes.
Still, she couldn’t help but smile when she remembered those times with her sister. If she hadn’t been so jealous of Lily growing up, life might have been different. Not that it was all that bad now, but her little sister might still be alive. Lily had always been the one that everyone gushed about. Even in grammar school the boys all wanted to be around her, and the girls were all her friends. It became a little annoying knowing that everyone always admired Lily and her long red hair, sparkling green eyes, cute face, petite build, and her bubbly little laugh.
A sound to Petunia’s left made her stop walking. She looked to her left when she heard that laugh, that bubbly happy laugh. That was when she saw it, for a brief second, a swish of red hair moved between two racks of clothes. She stood there shocked wondering if she had imagined hearing the laugh that sounded so much like Lily’s. If it had been just the laugh, but she saw the long red hair flowing behind a petite girl or woman. She couldn’t tell how old she was, but she was attired similar to how Lily had dressed when she was older. She had a knit hat on and a long lose knit scarf. Lily used to love wearing things like that.
Petunia found her direction changing, as she walked towards the specter of her sister. As she peered around the clothing racks, she saw her. The redhead was wearing sunglasses now and was looking at them in a mirror on a kiosk. She couldn’t see her eyes, but her features are strikingly similar to her sister’s. Then she did it. She let out a giggly laugh, one that bubbles with joy and happiness, just like Lily’s.
Almost against her will, Petunia walked up behind this girl. It looked to be a girl; she couldn’t be any older than Dudders. The closer she got to her. The more similarities she had with Lily, when she was older. They way she exuded confidence, the way she beamed happiness from her face, and the way her smile made every boy want to be friends with her. Petunia never really talked to her in those years, those lost years, but she watched her sister. The local boys used to ask Petunia about Lily, if she might fancy them. It was a bitter pill to have to listen to the same boys that Petunia wanted to date beg her for a chance at her sister. If she hadn’t been so jealous then, then maybe things would have been better for all.
The mystery girl saw her staring at her in the mirror and turned to face her. “Excuse me,” she said in that pretty little voice. “Can I help you?”
Petunia’s voice failed her as she tried to remember Lily’s face and not the one in front of her. They can’t be the same, but maybe it was magic. That was it; could it really be Lily back by magic? “Yes, who are you?” Suddenly Petunia clutched onto her purse and new dress as James Potter stepped out from the other side of the kiosk.
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Ginny stared at this strange middle-aged woman in front of her. She had seen this lady watching her from the mirror. She was tall, gaunt, blonde, and had a face like a horse. She also looked as if she might faint or have a seizure. She was clutching on to her large handbag and the floral print dress so tight her knuckles were white.
“Excuse me, can I help you,” Ginny asked, but the lady continued to stare.
“Yes, who are you?” the lady asked, then suddenly clutched her purse and dress tighter, as she seemed to sway.
“Aunt Petunia?” asked Harry. Ginny turned and looked at Harry, who had walked around the kiosk. When she looked back at this woman, she had suddenly straightened up and stared at Harry and her differently.
“Harry, thank heavens that is you,” she said, as if a burden was suddenly lifted off her chest. “What are you doing in a store like this?”
“Ginny and I are doing some shopping. She is home from school for Easter break.”
The woman, Harry’s Aunt Petunia, looked appraisingly at Ginny then back to Harry. “I am just here buying my Easter dress. I must get going. Work to be done at home. I must get things ready for tomorrow’s meal, and then make sure the house is clean. Harry,” she said with an awkward nod. “Ginny, is it.”
Harry jumped a little as Ginny elbowed him in the ribs. “Oh, I forgot to properly introduce you. This is Ginny Weasley, my fiancé. Ginny, my Aunt Petunia.”
Ginny reached out her left hand to shake with her, so that she could see the ring. Aunt Petunia’s eyes weren’t on her hand, but her own eyes. Ginny realized that she still had sunglasses on, and Petunia couldn’t see what colour they were. With her free hand, she slid the dark glasses down the bridge of her nose showing Aunt Petunia her chocolate brown eyes. The woman seemed to breathe a sigh of relief seeing Ginny’s eye colour.
“Pleased to meet you, Ginny,” Aunt Petunia graciously said. “Well, I must be off if I want to get everything done today. Happy Easter, Harry, Ginny,” she said before backing away.
“Happy Easter, Aunt Petunia, tell Dudley I’ll write him soon as the holiday is over,” he said to her retreating back. After his Aunt left, he turned to her,” that was rather unexpected, don’t you think.”
“Yes, it was. I think she saw a ghost, Harry.”
“What ghost?”
“Me. She was looking at me very strangely, as if I was somebody who wasn’t supposed to be here.”
Harry turned to face her. He gently held both of her shoulders, “I am not marrying you because you look like my mother, Ginny. Besides, looking like her isn’t a bad thing is it?”
Pulling Harry’s hands off her shoulders, she kissed him on the cheek, “No it isn’t. Now, let’s change the subject to what we are doing here. We are supposed to be buying you clothes to wear, not me.”
“But you look so much better trying on clothes than what I do,” he said trying to talk his way out of buying clothes.
“No, you don’t,” she snapped at him, and grabbed his hand and dragged him off to the men’s section.
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The London evening was cool and moist. There was a fine mist in the chilly air that made people wear extra warm jackets, but on the upper deck of an open topped double-decker bus sat Ginny and Harry, alone. She was wrapped up in the long loose-knit scarf and hat he bought her this afternoon. The light mist was making her face and clothes wet. She could have cast an Impervious Charm, but the cool misty air seemed to add to the romance of the night. They had just come from dinner with Bill, Fleur, Ron, and Hermione. Those four were down on the lower level of the bus. Their spirit of adventure had left them in their old age. Ginny could forgive Bill and Fleur. She was eight months pregnant and he was staying with her. Ron and Hermione, those two were a different story. They couldn’t see all the marvelous lights the city of London had to offer down there in the enclosed area. Sitting here cuddled next to Harry watching the night life of London pass you by, was a perfect romantic evening to Ginny.
In many ways, Ginny was glad the others were on the lower level, because when she gets the urge to snog Harry. She doesn’t need to worry about offending her squeamish brothers. That urge has been building in her all day. He took her shopping this afternoon in both Diagon Alley and Muggle London. They had a wonderful dinner with everyone, and now he was taking her to the Crank Rockers Café.
She enjoyed seeing the varied expressions that Ron and Hermione made when that place was mentioned. Ron got a goofy grin, while Hermione wore a scowl. Ginny couldn’t wait. It sounded like an outrageous and fun place to go. Just thinking about Harry taking her places like this caused the ‘urge’ to get stronger.
She looked over at him and watched the moisture running off his pale face. His emerald eyes staring into hers made her pulse quicken. After seeing his Aunt Petunia, Harry talked to her about why he wanted to marry her. Even though he didn’t necessarily say it in the most eloquent manner, he still convinced her that he loves her for being her.
Ginny leaned over more so that she was practically sitting on his lap. She pressed her lips to his, reveling in the warmth of them. Running her fingers through his hair, she deepened the kiss. Harry responded at first, then hesitated, and finally continued in a subdued manner.
Since returning, he has been almost afraid to touch her without expressed permission. Even though she truly appreciated his respect and caution, she still missed the times when he would grab her and snog her senseless. If she had never had the experiences with Harry, before Walden attacked her, then she might not be so trusting of him. However, he would never hurt her, and she had asked him to stop in the past when they were snogging and more. He always did. His respect meant the world to her now, and had helped her heal from Walden’s attempted rape.
Ginny moved again and now she was straddling Harry on the seat. She slid her hips forward to press her body closer to his. She felt his hesitation to wrap his arms around her and pull her tight against him. She missed that aspect of their relationship. Ginny broke the kiss and leaned her forehead against his. “What’s wrong, Harry?”
“Nothing is wrong. Why do you ask?”
“You don’t seem to want to snog me, tonight,” she said as she stared into his eyes. She saw him react the way she thought he would. He seemed unsure and hesitant.
“I was concerned, with all that has happened to you…”
“You mean when Walden tried to rape me,” she said cutting him off.
“Yes, Ginny, I want you to feel comfortable and confident that I would never do that,” he said, stressing the last five words.
“I do trust you, Harry. I always have. You have already proven yourself to me. I never felt like an object with you, and you always respect my wishes and stop, if I ask. That type of faith in you helped me heal after his attack. I knew that all men were not like that, because I have one that loves and respects me.” Ginny stopped talking and stared at him looking to see if he understood what she said. “When you hold me tight, I don’t feel afraid, Harry”
She kissed his forehead. “I feel safe.”
She kissed his nose. “I feel protected.”
She kissed his lips for a second. “I feel loved, so please hold me.”
She kissed him again, but this time he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight to his body. She could feel his emotions flow through his body to hers. It was like stepping from the shade into the warm summer sunshine.
“Oi!” shouted Ron, from the stairwell. “Will you two stop it? We need to get off the blasted bus.”
Ginny pulled her face away from Harry’s and stared into his eyes. She saw the overwhelmed and dazed look he gets from a good snogging session. It had been months since she saw that look in his eyes. He had been very cautious and noble with her since his return. This was the first time he had relaxed with her and her bloody brother had to interrupt it. “We will be down,” shouted Ginny. “Bloody tosser,” she mumbled under her breath, which brought a chuckle from Harry.
Ginny stood up and took Harry’s hand and led him off the bus. They moved in with the other four who were waiting in line to get in the Cafe. Ginny saw that the place served food. “We could have eaten here, Harry.”
He chuckled under his breath, “With Ron, we probably will.”
They stood in line for several minutes to get in. This day in Muggle London, made Ginny realize one major difference between Muggles and the Magical community. No one stared at Harry and her. More people were looking at Bill’s scars and Fleur’s radiant beauty, then Harry. Here, he was just another person, unlike in a magical location in England where everyone gapes at him. Ginny enjoyed having Harry all to herself, and not to have to share him with everyone around them.
When they stepped inside, her eyes lit up with excitement as she stared at the interior. It was filled with people. They seemed to be wall to wall. The walls themselves were completely covered with pictures and musical instruments. The lights blinked and reflected off highly polished surfaces all around them, as they bumped and moved through the crowd. One could barely talk to the person next to them as the music seemed to thump through them.
Bill was in the lead and was trying to push his way through the crowd. Many of the people seemed to be dancing and moving to the music where they were standing not even bothering to go to the dance floor. People kept bumping into Ginny as she followed in line behind Fleur, who was behind Bill. Harry was behind Ginny and placed his hands protectively on her waist. The last man who bumped into her tried to chat her up.
Ginny was so mesmerized by her surroundings that she bumped into Fleur when she stopped. They were somewhere near the dance floor. Bill had turned and tried to get everyone to circle around him. Harry, Hermione, and Ron bunched in tight to them.
“I can’t see any booths available,” screamed Bill, trying to be heard over the music. Even though Ginny was within an arms length of him, she still could barely hear him. “Why don’t you wait here, I’ll get the first round.” Harry reached in his pocket for money, but Bill ignored him and walked away.
Ginny looked at everyone’s facial expressions. Fleur seemed peaceful and serene. Ron and Harry both had giddy smiles on their faces, but Hermione looked like a mouse in the Hogwarts Owlery. “Having fun, yet, Hermione,” shouted Ginny.
Her bushy-haired friend turned to look at Ginny, and pointed to her ears, while speaking. It sounded like she said she couldn’t hear. Ginny couldn’t resist the chance to have a little fun at Hermione’s expense. So, she again asked the same question, but quieter while cupping her hands around her mouth and pretending to be shouting. Ron noticed this and smiled as Hermione again shook her head and pointed to her ears. Ginny was going to do it one more time when someone grabbed Harry and hugged him.
She didn’t need to see the girls face. She could tell by her build and her long straight raven hair that it was Cho Chang. Ginny’s hand twitched to her wand, but Ron caught her hand and held it tight. She wasn’t going to curse Harry. He was standing there with his arms out to his sides, while that slag had her face buried in his shoulder and her arms around her neck. She tugged to pull her arm away from Ron, but he wouldn’t let go.
Harry pushed Cho away from him. It was obvious that she had been drinking for some time. Her face was slightly flushed, and her eyes were glassy and slightly bloodshot. Suddenly Ginny couldn’t hear the music anymore. The only sounds that she was hearing were Harry and Cho’s conversation.
“Harry, happy Easter,” exclaimed Cho. Her words were slightly slurred.
“Happy Easter, Cho, Have you met everyone else,” answered Harry coldly, as he gestured towards everyone standing there.
Cho looked around and blushed when she made eye contact with Ginny. “Congratulations Ginny, I saw your engagement announcement. Front page of the Prophet, that is impressive,” Cho clumsily said.
“You did. I never would have guessed,” hissed Ginny venomously. “How’s Michael?”
Cho recognized the hatred in Ginny’s voice and stepped back from Harry. “Michael. Michael Corner, we broke up back in the summer. It was a mutual thing,” she nervously said.
“I never expected to see you in a place like this, Cho,” interjected Hermione. “Being a Muggle place and all.”
Cho looked at Hermione sheepishly. “I came here with a friend.” She turned and pointed off to another place in the bar. “We come here on occasions. It seems all the good ones at the other places are already taken.”
Ginny bristled at her comment, as it seemed to be directed at Harry being taken. “I just got accepted onto the Holyhead Harpies, Cho,” sneered Ginny. “I am going to enjoy crushing the Tornados.”
A cowered Cho looked at everyone before waving goodbye and melting back into the crowd. When she was leaving, she bumped into Bill, who was returning empty handed.
“Hey, follow me,” he shouted. “I found us a couple of seats at the bar.” He grabbed Fleur’s hand and pulled her into the crowd. Everyone else followed them, until they came to the bar. A man and a woman stood up and Bill gave them some money as they abandoned their seats. Fleur took one seat, but no one else sat on the second one. Ginny was sticking to Harry’s side; after all, Cho seemed to come out of thin air.
Bill reluctantly took the other barstool and started passing shot glasses to everyone, but Fleur. After everyone had a glass, he stood up and proposed a toast, “Here is to the two youngest Weasley’s and their future spouses. Welcome to the family.”
Everyone downed the shot together; Ginny could feel the liquor burn down her throat, and she noted a distinct flavor of licorice. She looked over and Hermione was choking while Ron patted her back. Bill let out a hearty laugh that seemed to have a bit of a barking sound to it. “The first one is always the toughest, Hermione. So, let’s have another,” he declared and turned to catch the bartender’s attention. In what seemed like only a second he had another round of shots for everyone.
“What is this stuff,” asked Hermione.
“Something that is popular in the eastern Mediterranean, it is an anise liquor. Keeps you warm on a chilly night, but it isn’t like they need that over there,” explained Bill as he passed out the glasses. “It doesn’t seem right to have one toast when two people have gotten engaged. So, same toast as last time; bottoms up.”
Everyone again downed the shot. Ginny could feel the liquor warming her up inside. Bill was right. The second one was better than the first. “So what is the third one like?” asked Ginny with a lopsided smile.
Bill wagged a finger at her. “Oh no you don’t, at least not yet. You don’t need to get pissed this early in the evening, baby girl.”
Ginny stuck out her tongue at him, which brought laughter from everyone else. “If we are done drinking, then I want to dance.” She grabbed Harry’s hand and dragged him in the direction that she thought the dance floor was.
She gave up trying to find the actual dance floor and found an opening in the crowd and turned to him and started to move to the music. It wasn’t the most elegant dance, but it made her feel good to move next to him. They both held each other’s hands while moving to the sound of the music. It was nothing like she had ever heard before, but that didn’t make her not want to dance. Soon the only thing she was thinking about was the rhythm of the music, and having Harry move in unison with her.
She kept closing her eyes and imagining that they were alone, not in the middle of a crowded bar. She would open her eyes to see Harry smiling down at her. His expression was one of happiness and serenity. It made her feel good that he was probably very happy. He was having the type of moment that so many people take for granted, dancing with his fiancé on a date. This is what this man, this hero, has always wanted from life, not being responsible for saving the entire world.
Ginny released her grip on his hands and stepped in to hug him. Even as she tightened her hug around his chest, she still swayed to the music. The music was a fast driving beat, but they were holding each other and slowly swaying to their own song. He held her tight against him as he moved. Laying her ear to his chest she listened to another beat, his heart. Even through the loud booms of the music and the noise of the crowd, she could still hear the steady thumping rhythm of his heart.
Ginny didn’t know how long they danced together, nor did she care. She wanted to make up for all the days when they were apart at Christmas, and all the days in the future that she won’t be able to hold him. It seemed too cruel to live like that, but she did understand that they each have opportunities and commitments that keep them apart. She knows that he would always be there for her. He won’t be leaving her. As though she needed to remind herself, she twisted the ring on her finger. Harry was too noble to ignore the commitment that he has made.
A familiar voice interrupted them, “Excuse me Harry, I would like to dance with my sister,” said Bill.
“You do?” asked a shocked Ginny.
“Yes. I do,” replied Bill, who found her comment rather amusing.
Harry stopped dancing and stepped away from Ginny, breaking the magical moment she was having. “Sure, I’ll be at the bar,” he said, before leaving he bent down and kissed her.
Bill placed a hand on her hip and took her hand and started dancing or slowly moving on the floor. She could see his eyes were bloodshot and it smelled as if he had had a couple more drinks as the smell of licorice was strong on his breath.
“I have a hard time thinking of you as a beautiful woman, Ginny,” he said, while staring at her. “I can still remember that precocious little spitfire that you were when I was still living at home. You always seemed to be missing a tooth, had a dirty face, and at least one scraped elbow or knee.” He stopped talking and laughed. “If it wasn’t for your long hair, we would have told everyone that you were a boy. Who would have thought that you would have turned into such beautiful woman?”
“Bill,” Ginny said in a stern voice, “You’re married. I’m engaged, and this is so bloody wrong.”
Bill through his head back and laughed. “You always have been cheeky, sis.” He became silent and stared back off the direction that Harry had gone. “I’ve been talking to Harry, about you.”
Ginny stopped dancing and pulled away from him. “What did you say?” she hissed. “Life is difficult enough with us without my family interfering…”
Bill held up a hand to stop her rant. “Calm down, all right, let me finish, you have no idea how hard this is for me.” Ginny calmed down and they went back to the pretense of dancing. Bill sighed and looked at her for a second, before speaking again, “Your fiancé is a wonderful man. Whenever he talks about you, his eyes light up. The subject of your sleeping arrangements was brought up. I told him it was because we had heard the two of you shared a bed the first night back at Hogwarts.”
“We didn’t shag, Bill,” spat Ginny. “I was cut up about returning to that place. Remembering Fred and all the friends that I lost there, he was comforting me that night. Why is it that everyone immediately thinks we were shagging?”
“Calm down, Ginny,” soothed Bill. “He told me all that, and more.”
“What more was there?”
“He told me that you were crying and didn’t want to be alone that night. He said that he held you and comforted you trying to take away your pain. When he was talking about that night, Ginny, was when his eyes lit up. He told me that that night he realized what loving someone was about. It was about being there for them, helping them, comforting them, and loving every second of it. I remember that well because of the look on his face. He was talking straight from his heart, sis. He truly meant it.”
Ginny was fighting back the tears in her eyes. They weren’t from sadness, but from hearing what Harry had said to her brother. That night he was there for her, he offered a shoulder to cry on and never asked anything in return. Yet, because of that night, everyone, her family and the students at Hogwarts think they shagged. If all of them only knew what really happened that night.
Bill cleared his throat and looked even more awkward. “I realize we all have misjudged you two about that night. I also know that Harry isn’t going to chuck you to the side and move on. He wants to spend the rest of his life with you, sis, and I couldn’t think of a better man.” He cleared his throat again. “I can’t believe I am saying this, but here it goes. If you don’t want to go home to the Burrow, you could spend the night at Shell Cottage. I’ll deal with Mum and Dad.”
“What?” asked a shocked Ginny. She had stopped moving and stared at her eldest brother.
“I am not telling you I want you two to shag. But — but I want Silencing Charms, and you need to talk to Fleur,” he hastily said. “If you even would want to do that, it is your decision.” He let out a long sigh. “I know what it is like to love someone. Whenever I am not with Fleur, I feel hollow, like I am not complete. In a month you will be leaving on an around the world tour with the Harpies, and Harry will be here trying to save us from Dark Wizards. I just know that if I was in your place, I would want to spend every second with the one I love.”
Ginny stood there and stared at her brother. She couldn’t think of anything to say to him. So she kissed his cheek. “Thank you for understanding, big brother.”
“Come one, dancing with my sister really isn’t any fun, to be truthful about it. We need to get back and you need to talk to Fleur.”
“What do I need to talk to her about?”
“As I said, you may not want to, but in case you do, are you prepared?” he cryptically said with a raised eyebrow. Ginny realizing what he meant blushed furiously.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Harry pushed his way through the crowd back to the spot at the bar where Fleur, Hermione and Ron was. Fleur was sitting at the bar looking too beautiful for a woman eight months pregnant. Men kept eyeing her up, but Ron would almost growl at them, making them move on. Ron and Hermione both had beers in their hands. Hermione was now actually smiling and enjoying herself. It looked like Ron had been able to get her to loosen up a little.
When they saw Harry returning, Ron turned to the bar and bought a beer for him. He met Harry before he even made it back to Hermione and Fleur. “Let’s go and talk, mate,” said a slightly drunk Ron, as he handed Harry the beer and put an arm around his shoulder. They moved back into the crowd away from the others.
“Ron, I really don’t want to dance with you. I don’t think this is that type of place,” joked Harry. He was wondering what his best mate was wanting, as he sipped on his beer.
“Ha ha Harry, I have no intention of dancing with you,” laughed Ron. “Besides, Hermione would get jealous. She is funny like that.”
“Damn good of her too,” responded Harry.
Ron looked sheepishly at Harry for a second then down at the floor and everywhere but at his face. “Look, mate, I know, I have been an arse towards you at times.”
“What are best mates for,” replied Harry.
Ron laughed at his comment. “She is my little sister, mate. I just realized that — well — that you’re serious about her and all.”
“I have told you that I never wanted to hurt her, Ron. I didn’t want to put her in danger.”
“I know. I know. Look, I can’t think of any way of saying this, but to come out and say it. If you don’t want to go to Shell Cottage tonight, and Ginny doesn’t want to go to the Burrow, then, well, we have a spare room,” he nervously said, while turning three different shades of red. “I want Silencing Charms, Harry. I don’t want to hear that.”
Harry stood there in shock at what Ron had just told him. “Hermione told you to do this, didn’t she?”
“No, not really, well not exactly,” he stuttered out. “All right, maybe she suggested it strongly, but I need to realize that you two are meant for each other.” He put his arm around Harry’s shoulders and turned towards the bar again, before stopping again. “I don’t want to hear about you bragging about it to anyone either.” He stated dangerously to Harry, while pointing his finger in his face.
“You don’t need to worry about that, mate,” laughed Harry. He walked to the bar with Ron.
When they reached Hermione and Fleur, Ron went to stand next to his fiancé. She put her arm around Ron’s waist and looked up into his eyes for a moment. It looked to Harry as though they had a private conversation without even saying a word, because she smiled and hugged him closer, before turning to Harry. “So, Harry are you coming over tonight?” she asked him.
Harry felt embarrassed by her question, leaned down next to her ear, and said, “I think that is up to Ginny to decide.”
“I think we can say that is a yes,” responded Hermione slyly. “Here she comes now.”
Harry turned and saw Ginny and Bill emerging from the crowd. When she made eye contact with him, her facial expression changed slightly. He couldn’t tell what it was about her, but she was different, more alluring, if that is possible. Before she could reach Harry, Bill stepped between them and nodded to Fleur, who left the bar stool and grabbed Ginny’s hand. The two women waved as they disappeared into the crowd. Harry stood there confused by what just happened. He felt a hand land on his shoulder and turned to see it was Bill’s.
“A little hint Harry. Women never go to the bathroom alone,” Bill informed him. “Hey, how about a shot?”
“That’s all right Bill, I’ve got a beer.”
Bill pulled Harry towards the bar by the shoulders. “No excuses, Harry. You are going to have another. After all, we need to drink to the Potter Restitution Law. That new law will hurt those arrogant Pure-bloods where they will feel it the most.” Bill turned to call the bartender down to him. He ordered up two more shots and handed one to Harry. “Here is to the man who set our world right again,” toasted Bill, before he downed the shot.
Harry did the same thing, but not as enthusiastically. Bill wiped his lips with the back of his hand and stared groggily at Harry. “Harry,” he slurred heavily. “Ginny loves you. She loves you more than anything else in this world.” Bill stopped talking as he seemed to lose focus and swagger a little. “Don’t hurt her. She might be tough as dragon scales on the surface, but you could crush her. In here,” he pointed to his heart.
“I have no intention to hurt her, Bill,” pleaded Harry confused by Bill’s comments. “I thought you knew that. We talked about her this week. You know how I feel…”
“You can still hurt her.” He stopped and glared at him with his bloodshot eyes. “I don’t care if you have saved the world. I will hurt you if it is the last thing I do.”
“But — but Bill.”
Bill seemed to soften his look. “Harry, be gentle with her. Please,” his tone turned to almost begging.
“Yeah, sure, don’t worry. I won’t hurt her. I love her. You don’t hurt the one you love...” Harry stopped when someone touched his back and he recognized Ginny’s flowery scent even through the odors of alcohol and perfume.
“Come on Harry let’s dance some more,” requested Ginny, her voice was lower suggestive.
Harry nodded to Bill who was leaning against the bar, with Fleur reprimanding him for getting destroyed. Ron and Hermione smiled at Harry as he left with Ginny to dance again. When Ginny stopped pulling him through the crowd, she turned, pulled him in to her, and attacked his lips. Harry was so confused by everything that has happened tonight that at first, he stood there as her tongue slid in his mouth. Putting everything else out of his mind he pulled her close and intensified his kiss. They stood there in the middle of the busy dance floor intensely snogging, without caring who saw them. Ginny eventually pulled away from him.
“I love you, Harry,” Ginny huskily spoke into his ear. Then started to feather kisses down his neck.
“I love you too, Ginny,” groaned Harry, trying to keep his emotions under control. “What is going on with Bill?”
Ginny stopped kissing his neck and pulled away from him and smiled. “He is having a difficult time with me growing up,” she happily said. “At least he is accepting it, unlike the rest of my family. Harry,” she stopped and placed a hand on his cheek to look him in the eye. “He told me that if we would want to. We could stay at Shell Cottage tonight.”
“Shell cottage?” a confused Harry started to ask, before he realized what she meant. He snorted with humor at the situation. Only to see Ginny give him a hurt look, “No, don’t be upset, love,” he pleaded. “Ron just told me a little bit ago that we could use their spare room tonight.”
Ginny stared at him for a second, before her hurt look changed to a huge smile. They stood there holding on to each other laughing about the situation. “My brothers can be such prats,” Ginny laughed into his chest.
Harry gently kissed the top of her head. When she looked up, he kissed her forehead and worked his way down to her lips. For several minutes they snogged, before Harry pulled away, and asked her, “Do you want to stay at one of the places?”
“Yes.”
“I thought you wanted to wait until we are married?” Harry asked.
“Do you Harry?” she asked him.
Harry was caught off guard by her question. He didn’t but if she still did. “I promised you that…”
“That is not what I asked,” pressed Ginny.
Harry hesitated for a second. “No, I don’t, but I won’t unless you…”
His words were stopped by Ginny’s lips on his. After a few seconds, she pulled away, “Yes, Harry I do. I couldn’t be more committed to you after we are bonded as I am now, and I feel that you are that committed to me also. You are committed to me, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I am,” he said into her ear. They held each other close and moved slowly as more vigorous dancers kept bumping into them. “What did Fleur want with you?”
Ginny looked up at him. Her face was slightly flushed, “She gave me a potion, to be safe.”
“Safe?” asked Harry, before he realized what she meant. He remembered what Bill said to him about being gentle with her, and a lump filled his throat. He was starting to get nervous about what was going to happen. Now, he wasn’t sure if he was ready for this. What would happen if he makes a fool of himself?
“Harry,” Ginny said nervously. “I hope I can make you happy tonight.”
Harry almost laughed at her statement but decided she might misinterpret his laughter. “You could never disappoint me, love,” he reassured her. She relaxed back next to his body. Harry could feel her curves press against him, and his longing for her only increased. “Besides, I can assure you that you will be best I ever had.”
Ginny laughed into his neck, “That will be true for both of us, you prat?”
They spent the rest of the evening dancing and occasionally stopping by the bar to get a drink. They even danced apart a couple of times, but most of the night was spent in each other’s arms. Bill had sobered up some, because Fleur had stopped him from drinking. The three couples left the establishment at around two in the morning laughing and joking with each other.
They walked about a block and a half and had taken a couple turns trying to find a place where Muggles wouldn’t see them call the Night Bus.
“Harry,” Hermione spoke up. “You and Ginny could probably walk over to our place, if you don’t want to Apparate.”
“Zey are coming to Shell Cottage,” countered Fleur. “Aren’t you?”
Harry and Ginny looked at each other and realized they never settled on which offer to take. When they did that, the other four realized what had happened and started to laugh at the circumstances.
“Harry, do you know Silencing Charms that will still allow me to hear the ocean?” asked Ginny.
“Yes, I do.”
“Then Shell Cottage is where we will go,” she decided.
“The ocean,” said Hermione dreamily. “That would be so romantic.”
Harry noticed that Fleur whispered something in Bill’s ear, and he turned and looked at her in shock, before conceding. “Ah — my wife reminded me that we do have two spare rooms, if everyone would be so inclined?”
Hermione looked at Ron, who seemed uncomfortable with the situation, but turned around and nodded a yes. Ginny started sniggering which turned into a loud laugh. Everyone stood there and looked at her as if she had gone mental. After she noticed that no one else was laughing, she announced, “We have a new Easter tradition in the Weasely family.”
After the laughter from Ginny’s observation died down, Ron lifted his wand up, and called the Night Bus. With a loud bang the violently purple bus appeared in front of them. A gangly redheaded man stepped out and Ginny immediately groaned and tried to hide behind Harry.
“Well, well, it’s the Weasley’s,” the worker loudly announced. “Hi there William, and Ronald, am I right, and that must be little Ginevra beside…” he stopped talking as his mouth hung open while staring at Harry. He was as tall as Ron, but thinner. His face was pointy and had long red hair that stuck out from under his hat pointing in various directions. He had a pale complexion with freckles splattered all over his face. “Bloody hell, it’s Harry potter himself. I read about my cousin getting engaged to the famous Harry Potter.” He stepped forward and started to shake Harry’s hand vigorously. “I bet my cousins have told you all about me?”
“No, I am afraid with everything else going on, I mustn’t been listening,” replied Harry. He didn’t like this person. He didn’t know why, but, even though he was a Weasley, he didn’t like him.
“Brian, stop shaking Harry’s hand,” ordered Bill. “Harry, this is Brian Weasley, my first cousin. Now that you have been introduced can we get on that blasted bus?”
“Yes, yes, you may. All you need to do is pay,” he looked around to figure out what the total cost would be.
Harry handed him two Galleons and told him to keep the change. As they were boarding, Brian kept talking about himself. Harry found out that he was a year older than Bill, and he was proud of finally landing a good long-term job. It didn’t take long to realize that Ginny and her brothers really didn’t like this man either. He tried to remember if he had seen him before, and he couldn’t be sure if he was at Ginny’s seventeenth birthday party.
It was nighttime so the bus now had beds instead of chairs. Bill and Fleur hopped up on one bed and sat crossed legged in the middle of it. Ron and Hermione took another, while Ginny and Harry took a third. There was one other empty bed on the bottom floor, and one that had someone sleeping in it. Harry could have sworn he saw the person lean up and stare at him when he sat down with Ginny.
With a bang the bus took off, sliding the beds helter skelter around the bottom floor. When they collided, Harry nearly tumbled off. Bill, who was holding onto Fleur with his arms around her belly, laughed at him. With each turn and sudden stop or start, they would try to crash their beds together. The bus trip quickly became a game with colliding beds. The laughter of the three couples filled the bus, as Brian Weasley stared from the front of the bus.
How long they bumped around like that, Harry didn’t know or care. The air was filled with his favourite music, Ginny’s laughter. They held onto each other, occasionally stealing kisses between the collisions of their bed with the others. The laughter and the games quickly stopped though as Harry saw at one stop the person sleeping in the other bed stand up and point their wand towards him. He was in the center bed of the three, with the other two smashed up against his on each side. Ginny had her back to the person and couldn’t see what was happening. Panic took over his reflexes, as he grabbed Ginny and yelled, “Attack!” He pushed with all his might and flung them both off the bed.
“Avada Kedavra!” screamed the attacker, who turned out to be a witch.
Harry felt the curse sear the air above him and heard an explosion as it collided with the front of the bus. The bus suddenly shuddered and then spun out of control. As it did, the beds swirled around inside of it colliding with Harry and Ginny. He tried to hold on to her, but they were separated when a bed hit their extended arms. The bus stopped violently with a loud bang.
Harry reached up to the top of his shirt and pulled his Holly wand. He stood up and turned his wand to cover the bus area. He was off to the side halfway up the bus. No one else was standing up. Brian screamed and ran out the hole in the front left corner of the bus that the Killing Curse had formed. Ernie was only a step behind him. The bus was now sitting in the Atrium of the Ministry. Harry had known that the Ministry had placed a Charm on the Bus so that if anyone used a powerful spell while on the bus it would immediately Portkey it to the Atrium, where the attacker would be trapped. He started to look around the windows for the Aurors on security duty to appear, while watching for the witch to appear.
“Harry,” screamed Ginny. “Harry, where are you?” she yelled again in a panic.
Suddenly the witch stood up, she jumped up on a bed oblivious to Harry standing there and pointed her wand at where Ginny’s voice had come from. “Avada..”
She never said more than the first sound of the killing curse as Harry’s stunner slammed into her chest. She flew backwards off the bed and collided against the back windows cracking them before falling on the floor of the bus.
As soon as his Stunner stopped her, Harry was running over top of the beds to get to her. He leaped over top of Ginny on the way. She yelled at him to stay down, but he ignored her. He had one thing in mind and that was to stop the threat of the witch. He leaped off the last bed and saw the witch lying crumpled on the floor. He kicked her wand away and bound her from head to foot with ropes.
The rest of the bus was now coming to its senses. He saw Hermione, Ron, and Ginny stand up with their wands at the ready. Bill and Fleur was nowhere to be seen, though. He heard Fleur let out a groan, and then suddenly a bed flew up in the air. Hermione quickly shot it to the side. Bill stuck his head up with his wand at the ready. “Is it safe?” he asked.
“Yes, for now,” answered Harry. “All of you need to get to the Floo system, now!” he demanded.
“No!” screamed Ginny. “You are not playing the hero, Potter.”
“I said leave, all of you,” he snapped back at her. “Fleur needs to get to St. Mungo’s, and you need to get out of here. Aurors should be here any second and we can take care of this bloody witch and secure the bus. How is she, Bill.”
Fleur almost on cue grabbed her stomach and let out loud moan. “Not good, Harry. I think she is going into labor and the baby isn’t due for another month and half,” Bill said, his voice filled with concern for his wife and unborn child.
Ginny pushed beds aside to get to Harry. “You are not staying here, where people are trying to kill you. Damn you Potter, you are coming with us,” she ordered him.
“No! I said for you to go without me, and I mean it. Remember, Hogsmeade Ginny!”
She looked as if Harry had slapped her across the face as tears formed in her eyes. She turned on her heels and marched over to Fleur. Hermione joined Ginny to help Bill with Fleur. Ron walked towards Harry, as Harry pulled his second wand. Harry was watching the steps going up to the second floor, and the area outside of the bus. He was turning around in place with each wand pointing a different direction.
“Harry, Ginny is right,” said Ron, when he got close to Harry.
“No she isn’t Ron,” he hissed t his best mate. “I wasn’t the target. Get Ginny out of here, as soon as the Aurors come.”
Ron stood there looking at Harry in shock. “Why would…”
“Get over there and protect her,” ordered Harry. “Here come two Aurors, now.”
Two Aurors came running out of the lifts towards the bus. Harry watched as they ran with their head down, not even looking for possible threats on the upper decks. If there were any more attackers up there they could have killed these two without any trouble. He was seething that two Aurors were that careless. He recognized one to be Savage. The other must have been his trainee. Harry moved forward from the stairs to meet them when they walked onto the bus. They looked through the windows, saw him, and relaxed. They didn’t even have their wands raised when they entered through the hole that was blasted in the front of the bus.
“Where have you two been?” demanded Harry. He didn’t care if these were his superiors. They were not acting as one should in this situation. “Did you see anyone on the upper decks?”
“Ah, no,” replied a puzzled Savage.
“You prats didn’t even look did you?” Harry hissed at them. “Savage, you escort this group to the Floo network. They need to go to St. Mungo’s. You come with me,” Harry said to the trainee. “We are going to the upper levels to be sure that no one else is up there to attack them.” Everyone in the bus looked at Harry in shock. “What are you looking at? We need to coordinate this. Bill, Ron, pick Fleur up and carry her to the Floo. Ginny, Hermione, Savage provide cover. Wait until we go up the stairs before you move. Everyone understand what they are to do?” When no one said anything, Harry asked them again. That time everyone nodded yes.
Harry moved to the stairwell, to get ready to run up it. The trainee was standing behind him shaking. He looked over and made eye contact with Ginny. She was glaring daggers at him. He knew there will be hell to pay later, but he didn’t care he wanted to make sure she was safe. “Let’s move,” he shouted.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
The morning sun shining through the kitchen windows hurt Ginny’s eyes. She was preparing Apple pies today for Easter. She hadn’t been able to sleep, for worrying about Harry. The last thing she saw was him running blindly up the stairs of the Knight Bus, as she was running for the Floo.
“Where the bloody hell is he,” Ginny growled under her breath.
“Ginerva, I will not have that type of language in my house, and especially from my daughter,” yelled Mrs. Weasley. “Now stop what you are doing, you are ruining the pie crust.”
Ginny looked down at the pie crust that she was rolling out, and saw that it was as thin as parchment. In a pique of anger he pushed the rolling pin and it hit the dish with extra flour for dusting the board sending a small cloud of flour up into the air.
“Go, get away, if you are going to act like that,” demanded her mother. With a couple swishes of her wand the mess was cleaned up and she took over the chore of making fruit pies for the Easter dinner. “Why don’t you go for a kip, like Ron and Hermione?
“Where is he?” asked Ginny. “We received an Owl that everything was safe and they were questioning witnesses three hours ago. Why isn’t he home?”
“Harry is an Auror. They write a lot of reports. He might just be writing reports. Why don’t you have a Calming Draught and go for a kip,” pleaded her father.
“No, when he gets here…”
“Harry’s here with two…” Mrs. Weasley announced.
Ginny ran out the kitchen door so fast that it slammed against the outside wall. As she stormed across the garden, she saw two Aurors who were walking with Harry turn and almost run away from him. Ginny didn’t have her wand out; she deliberately left it in her bedroom, because she might throw curses in her fatigued and irritated state of mind.
“Where have you been, and don’t you ever tell me to leave like that again,” she shouted across the garden to an approaching Harry.
“Ginny, I really can’t talk until these two take Hermione, Ron, and your statements about what happened last night,” responded Harry, in a surprisingly calm voice for one who was about to have a painful experience.
Ginny stopped her approach and looked at the two Aurors. They seemed to be wary of her. “Fine,” she snapped. “I’ll go wake Ron and Hermione, we will give our statements, and then I’ll curse you into oblivion.” She finished talking and turned and walked back into the house. Her anger increased even more as she could hear Harry laughing behind her.
The next hour the two Aurors had tea and took the statements from Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. After they finished writing everything down, everyone gathered in the kitchen around the table to hear what the Auors had to say. The older Auror, Bennington, spoke. He was a paunchy wizard with receding black hair; his full round face had a slight red tinge, as though he was always too warm. “We have determined that the Witch, Natasha Lestrange attacked alone, when she tried to kill Miss Weasley.”
“That is wrong, she tried to kill Harry,” countered Ginny.
“No, Ginny, when she stood up the second time to fire the Killing Curse it was directed at you, not me,” stated Harry calmly.
Ginny sank back away from the table. Now she realized why Harry was so adamant about her leaving. She suddenly felt very thick. She had once again lost her temper for the wrong reasons. “I’m sorry, Harry,” she apologized. She kept her eyes down, too embarrassed to look anyone in the face. She suddenly became very tired, once all the anger left her. Harry moved from across the table to put his arm around her and support her.
“I want to know, how you can be so positive about the Witch’s intentions,” questioned Hermione. “She could have lied to you.”
The two Aurors exchanged looks with Harry, and chuckled. “Mr. Potter made sure she wasn’t lying. Well, we must be going. I hope the rest of your Easter goes well,” said Bennington, as he left.
The kitchen was quiet with what the Aurors had said. It was as if everyone was afraid to ask Harry how he made sure she wasn’t lying. “I used the Leglimency spell on her, after we gave her Veritaserum. I doubt there are any secrets left in her right now that we don’t know,” he quietly said, as he went back to sipping his tea. “We went to St. Mungo’s, before we came here. Fleur is doing well, and Bill is staying with her.”
The silence only seemed to deepen, with his statement. Hermione seemed to be uncomfortable and shifted beside Ron. Ginny didn’t know what to do. Mr. Weasley broke the silence, “Why did you interrogate Lestrange? I thought that was left for upper level Aurors?”
“Gawain and Kingsley had been training me to do this,” Harry said. “Technically, I am not permitted to do that, but I couldn’t wait for one of the upper level Aurors to show up.”
Ginny looked up to see him staring lovingly at her. “I couldn’t take the chance that there were more of them. I had to find out if you were still at risk. She was after you Ginny, to hurt me. She was angry because she lost three-quarters of her family’s fortune with the restitution law. We found our engagement picture from the Daily Prophet in her robes.”
“I see, thank you,” she meekly replied. Fear and uncertainty was filling her up, and all she could think to do was stare into her mug of tea. She could see him telling her not to join the Harpies. She would be alone where someone could attack her. It would be like him or one of her overly protective family members to tell her to not go.
“Ginny,” said Harry, breaking her from her thoughts. She turned her gaze up to him. Concern filled his tired bloodshot eyes. The lines of fatigue on his face made him look years older than what he was. “Please be careful when you are traveling with the Harpies. Hopefully, you will be going to places that don’t know me, and that we are together…”
Ron’s snort of laughter stopped Harry’s conversation. “Not bloody likely, mate. After Voldemort, Australia, and France every magical person in the entire effin’ world knows who you are.”
“ Language young man,” scolded Mrs. Weasley.
“You still want me to join the Harpies?” asked a surprised Ginny.
“I could hardly take an opportunity like that away from you, love. She was acting alone, so there isn’t a network of Dark Wizards plotting against you.” He stood up and kissed the side of Ginny’s head. “I am really knackered. Could I go up to my room for a kip, Mrs. Weasley?”
“Yes dear, Easter dinner should be ready shortly after noon. We will wake you when it is ready,”
Harry waved to everyone and plodded up the stairs to Fred and George’s old room. Ginny watched him go. She was in shock that he would let her leave the country now. She was sure he would try to hide her away and protect her. Finishing her tea she stood up from the table. “I need to go for a kip also. So wake me with Harry.”
“I’m sorry Ginny. I used your bed earlier, instead of a camp bed,” apologized Hermione.
“I can change the sheets in a flash,” offered Mrs. Weasley.
“No need, Mum. I am going to crawl in with Harry.”
“NO YOU ARE NOT,” screeched her mother.
“Yes. I am,” replied Ginny just as sternly.
“I will not have any of my unmarried children doing that under my roof!”
“I won’t be doing anything but sleeping,” snapped Ginny. Her mother cast her a dubious glare. “I will leave the door open, sleep on top of the covers, with my clothes on,” she stated, then continued with almost pleadingly. “I just want to be close to him, that’s all.”
Silence filled the kitchen, as everyone stared at the youngest Weasley. It seemed like an hour had passed in the second or two it took for Mrs. Weasley to respond. “All right dear, I’ll be up to check on you.”
Ginny hugged and kissed her mum and dad, before climbing the Burrow’s steep stairs. She walked up to Fred and George’s old room and opened the door without knocking. Harry was lying across the bed on top of the old patchwork quilt. His shoes were off and it looked like he fell asleep taking off his shirt. It was unbuttoned, and he was snoring softly.
Ginny walked into the room, and gently buttoned his shirt back up. He woke up with a start and nearly knocked her over. “What — what are you doing here?” he asked totally confused at the present situation. “You’ll get in trouble…”
“Shh, relax Harry, Mum and Dad know I am here,” she softly told him trying to calm him down. “Tuck your shirt in, and crawl on top of the covers.” Harry still looked at her with a puzzled expression.”I told them we would be dressed, on top of the covers, with the door open. It was either agree to that or have a battle that would have destroyed half the house. I am too tired for that, so lie down and budge over so I can lie down also.”
Harry lay back on the bed, and watched her as she kicked her shoes off and crawled in beside him. She fluffed up a pillow and placed it beside his. “Good night, love,” she said as she kissed him gently on the lips. He was so tired that he responded almost automatically. She wasn’t disappointed at his lack of emotion. She was just happy that she was here beside him.
As she moved back against him and snuggled closer, he placed his arm over her shoulder surrounding her with his presence. She laid there for a few seconds falling asleep when she heard him whisper to her or maybe it was to himself. “I almost lost you, tonight. I almost lost the reason I came back.”
A tear rolled down her cheek as she heard and felt Harry’s slow deep breathing. He didn’t need to say anymore than ‘came back’ for Ginny to know, because he had always told her that she was the main reason he came back from the world of the dead. So he might have a chance for a life with her.
Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Bodacius Brenda
Author's Notes: There is a several month jump in time between the last chapter and this one.
Harry leaned against a tree at the outer edges of the local park enjoying the sunshine on his face. Kids were playing while their parents watched them sporadically between sharing gossip and recipes. It was late afternoon, and he had been sitting here for several hours. The exact time wasn’t relevant to him. His sole purpose was to rid himself of the stench of Azkaban. It wasn’t an odor that anyone could smell rather a feeling that you were befouled by being there. Fresh air was the only thing that could rid Harry of that stench. He could almost smell the free fresh air again. When he finally does, he will go to his new home a short distance away.
He had just finished working his second tour of duty at Azkaban. The place was a horrible monument to pain, suffering, and death. The Dementors might be gone from that place, but while they were there, they took every ounce of happiness from the entire building and surrounding grounds. There are areas in that building that freezes your blood from the residual pall of the Dementors. Everyone feels it, but no one comments on it while there. To think about those vile creatures, makes the conditions even worse for the guards stationed there.
Feeling the chill wash over him from the memory, Harry closed his eyes and turned his face up into the sunlight. Today was a perfect day for early October to recover from Azkaban. It was partly sunny and the breeze was refreshing. When winter comes, he doesn’t know what he will do to rid himself of that feeling, but just being in the sun and fresh air works for now.
Looking around the park to find a something that will bring happiness to him, he located the perfect sight. A small girl being pushed on a swing by her father, she had long red hair, similar to Ginny’s. It wasn’t Ginny that Harry thought about when he first saw this girl, but his mother. He recalled the memory of Professor Snape’s, and waited to see if this girl would jump off the swing and float gently to the ground.
Ginny eventually came to his mind, as he watched the girl’s long red hair fan out behind her, as she swung forward, like a satiny red comets tail. It encompassed her tiny body as she swung back to her father. His thoughts then turned towards the father. With each push his daughter glanced back at him with loving adoration in her eyes. Harry began to wonder if he might ever get an opportunity to be in that man’s situation. To be able to play with a little red-haired girl, who adores you for simply pushing her on a swing? His thoughts returned to Ginny, because if he would ever have any children it would be with her.
Harry opened the briefcase that was lying on the ground beside him. To anyone looking at him in this Muggle playground, he would appear to be perfectly normal, as his Uncle Vernon would say. He was wearing black long sleeved turtleneck sweater, black jeans, black trainers, and he was carrying a briefcase. His wands were in the briefcase that he always kept his hand on. He removed from the briefcase something unusual in the Muggle world, a rolled-up piece of parchment.
He decided to buy a house in the Muggle community of Bristol for several reasons. First was to escape the eyes of the magical community. When he first discovered the magical world at age eleven, he never wanted to return to the Muggle world. Now, he enjoys the privacy of living around Muggles. He can walk around and not be stared at by admiring witches and wizards. Here, he was a normal person who everyone seemed to ignore.
Harry opened Ginny’s latest Owl. He had received it only a week ago. It had been five months since she left with the Holyhead Harpies, on a world tour. She has been in every Scandinavian country, several locations in Russia, and now was hopping from one Eastern European country to another. At the end of the month, the Harpies will be playing the Bulgarian National team and Viktor Krumm. The Bulgarians had won the World Cup last year, because Krumm had captured the Snitch before the team could fall behind. Harry had already asked permission to take an international Portkey to the match to see Ginny.
With the hectic pace of the matches, Ginny has been playing Seeker once or twice a month. They have been playing a match a week, and many times the starting players aren’t physically ready from the last match. She didn’t capture the Snitch during her first match, because she took a Bludger to the shoulder. However, she captured the Snitch in every match after that.
Seeing Ginny play wasn’t the reason he wanted to go to the match. He just wanted to see her. There were many times when he ached to see her, touch her, and hold her again. That is why he brought the Owl out, reading her words and smelling her perfume on it makes him feel close to her again.
Dear Harry,
I love you and miss you terribly. It has been very difficult to be away from you, even with the insane pace that we are working. We just played the Ukrainian team yesterday and lost. Everyone is so tired and nursing injuries of some type. Gwen told everyone that she admired us for flying as hard as we did without proper rest. The team’s healers have been working as hard as we have fixing broken bones, bruises, and a variety of injuries that come with this game.
Gwen has sworn an oath to us that she will never agree to do this again. It is ridiculous, that we play a match a week for nearly a year against teams that play once a month. It is amazing no one has totally collapsed on our team.
We still have been received well by all the countries, even though the fiancé of Harry Potter is playing on the team. We always get extra security around the Pitch and hotels, because of me. I haven’t been to a country yet, that didn’t know who you are. Gwen doesn’t mind, too much. The week after our engagement picture appeared in the Daily Prophet. The Harpies office started to receive a hundred Owls a week inquiring about tickets and the team’s schedule, and I guess it hasn’t let up since then. We haven’t played to an empty Pitch yet.
I remember how annoyed you would get as people stared at you during school. I truly understand now. It is that constant feeling of being observed and that there is someone looking over your shoulder. Oh, how I hate that.
Merlin, I miss you. It is mostly on our days off that the loneliness is the worst, like today. If you would just Owl me and tell me to come back to you, I would.
I am sorry for writing that last thing, but I truly feel that way. I almost siphoned off the words, so you didn’t feel bad, but I didn’t. As much as I hate being away from you, I enjoy seeing different places meeting people and playing this ruddy sport. Most everyone on the team feels the same way as I do. They all miss their husbands and families, but this is also an exciting and wonderful experience.
I can’t wait to see you in Bulgaria, but I am disappointed that you will only be able to stay for twelve hours. Getting international Portkeys are so difficult, it’s a bloody shame, because I need to spend time with you. Hopefully, the match will be a short one. The Bulgarians are the International champions and we are pretty battered up. I would love to spend time snogging you, and so much more.
I really hated having our special night taken away from us. I know I write and tell you this with every letter, but it is true Harry. I love you so much that every time I even think of you it makes me randy and then lonely. So maybe at the end of October, when you come to see us play, we could spend some time and make up for that night. I know that I have always wanted it to be special, but at least my private hotel room would be better than in some broom closet at Hogwarts. Even though I thought about that the last Saturday that we were together at Hogwarts.
I need to stop writing and thinking so much about loving you. It hurts too much to think about you being in that awful place, and I am here playing Quidditch and moving from one fancy hotel to another.
Cold showers do help! Believe me I have had many in the past five months. That is the problem with having such a fit fiancé like you!
Enough about me. I hope you are doing well at Azkaban and that awful place isn’t making you feel too horrible. I worry about you in there with everyone who hates you. I don’t know how you can stay calm around them. I know that you are not alone there, but… Please be careful, I need you to make my life complete, Harry. You write me and tell me how much you love me, but it can’t be as much as I love you. No one could love someone more than I love you. Please! You have done your part in keeping the world safe. Please keep yourself safe, for me!
Love,
The future Mrs. Ginny Potter
P.S. The next time you see Walden in Azkaban, tell him that Ginny sends her regards.
Harry finished reading the letter and lifted it up to his nose taking in the faint scent of her perfume. The letter was several days old, but that intoxicating scent still lingered enough for him to detect it. Closing his eyes, he thought about her, the last time he held her. It was by the main gate of Hogwarts. They stood there clutching onto each other, not wanting to let go. He knew he was staying beyond his curfew, but neither one cared.
Several times that day, he had looked at her and wished they had a truly private place to be. He had been around her long enough to know that she felt the same way. She never had to write and tell him that she had even considered a broom closet, for him to realize she felt that way. Most of the day they didn’t even snog but sat quietly together holding hands.
Taking another sniff of the parchment he could almost feel her hand in his; imagining the warmth of her touch, the shine of her beautiful brown eyes and the soft sensual touch of her lips on his.
Harry’s eyes flew open, as he realized he was getting himself worked up again over her memory. He looked down at the parchment and laughed at her claim he couldn’t love her more than she loves him. He found that statement hard to fathom, because she was everything that made life worth living. Without his desire for her, he wouldn’t even be here. It gave him strength when he needed it.
Feeling his love for Ginny move through him, the effects of Azkaban were pushed out of his system. Putting the owl away, he looked around and listened to the children laughing and playing. Whatever residual despair that was in him was now banished. Harry stood up ready to go to his house. He finally realized what it will take to get rid of the pall of the Dementor’s; love and simple joy. He will need to find a place where children laugh and play in the winter and he can think about Ginny. That should help him fight his depression.
Those conditions could be met by seeing his godson, Teddy. He will be at the Burrow tomorrow, when Harry gets there for the weekly Sunday get together. Ron and Hermione will also be there along with Percy and his new girlfriend Audrey. George was always hit and miss. From what Harry has read from Hermione’s Owls, he has been showing up with Angelina Johnson the past two Sundays. There will also be Bill, Fleur, and their new daughter, Victoire. She was born on May second. The day after Ginny left with the Harpies. It may be too early to tell but she might have many of her mother’s Veela qualities.
Harry walked out of the park and toward his house. It seemed strange to be living in a place like this, but it suits his needs and he can keep in touch with Dudley. His cousin was attending Sussex University, and was studying to become a police detective. Every time Harry thought about this major turnaround in his cousin, his smiled. Dudley should be able to think like a criminal, since for his first fifteen years he was one. If it wasn’t for that Dementor’s attack, then he still might be one. It made Dudley see the type of person that he was, and it made him want to change.
When he came back out of hiding, Dudley applied to the college and was accepted. He still doesn’t know that the Ministry helped a little. However, they haven’t been helping with his studies which he has been taking seriously and been doing very well.
Harry guessed that everyone deserved a second chance at life. Professor Snape made the best of his and Dudley had completely changed his around too.
Harry scrunched up his face. It wasn’t for the sunshine that was striking him on the face, but it was the thoughts of a certain prisoner in Azkaban; Walden Ridgebit. It would be difficult to nearly impossible for Harry to allow him a second chance, for what he did. It wasn’t just Ginny, but the others. The tosser received a reduced sentence of twenty years, because he agreed to a lesser sentence then to have his case to go trial. He also agreed to testify against his own father.
He was taught how the make the Potions by his father, Gordon Ridgebit. His father also taught him how to perform the Memory Charm. After Walden’s testimony, several of Gordon’s classmates were discovered to have been raped by him at school. The Ministry still hasn’t found Gordon Ridgebit. He fled the country after resigning his post at the Ministry, and emptying his vault in Gringotts, leaving his wife destitute.
Harry kicked at a stone that was along the side of the road in frustration. It seems that no matter what he can do, evil people will still be around, and get away from prosecution. However, that cannot deter him from trying to stop that from happening. He has been doing something unheard of in the Ministry. He has been studying some of Dudley’s books on Muggle police procedures. He hoped they could be useful in improving the Magical method of fighting Dark Wizards.
The present thought seemed to be using more powerful magic than the opponent, but that doesn’t always work. He noticed that Dudley’s books mentioned set procedures for various problems that might happen. He looked through the first book and realized that the Auror department could benefit from some of these ideas. He has been reviewing some of Dudley’s more advanced books of actual field operations and security at correction institutes.
This time at Azkaban, he spent working on improvements to the security procedures, but, he should say, he was to implement security procedures. They barely did more there than lock the cell doors and stand around and watch the main gate. He remembered the shock when he asked what the procedure was to repel an attack from the outside. The ranking officer stared blankly at him and said “to repel it”. He had studied a book of security of correctional institutes and found many techniques that could be made even more efficient with the use of magic. When he gets home, he will write Ginny, and then revise his reports to Gawain.
Harry was feeling good from his day at the park and the short brisk walk to his townhouse. He could have Apparated to his patio in the back garden, but he wanted to stretch his legs and work his muscles. It made him feel alive and energized, and he will need it for tonight.
He walked up his short walkway to his stoop and froze in his tracks. He had Charmed the front door to indicate if anyone was in his house. It was a simple warning that many wouldn’t even notice, unless they were looking for it. There were seven horizontal cracks in the paint near the door jamb, indicating that there were seven people in his house.
Checking the street, he saw it was empty. He opened his briefcase, took out both wands, and slid them up opposing sleeves. Then he knocked, he stood with his back to the door and his fingers on the ends of his wands; ready to pull them in a split second.
The door opened and Harry heard a familiar voice ask, “Who are you?”
Turning to face his cousin, Harry stated coolly, “I live here, Dudley.”
“Ha — Harry,” stuttered Dudley. Even though Dudley towered over Harry, his voice wavered with concern. Dudley had with the change in his nasty attitude a change in his eating habits and was now in rather good shape. He still has a large head and beefy neck, but his body was no longer as wide as he was tall. He had broad muscular shoulders and large strong arms. His chest was twice as round as Harry’s, he was still thick through the middle, but it was no longer fat, but muscle. He had taken to the training procedures needed to be a boxer, and it had transformed his physique.
Harry grabbed his briefcase and walked past his cousin and into his house. There was a small foyer with a tile entry way and hooks to hangs coats. It opened to the downstairs which was basically one large room to the left of the foyer that was divided up into various sections. There was an area that had a veneer dining room table and five chairs. The table was now loaded down with Chinese takeout boxes, paper plates, and several laptop computers. The kitchen was through a swinging door on the other side of the dining room table. The rest of the downstairs was living room. There was another door to the powder room under the stairwell near the kitchen door.
Harry turned to look in his living room and saw six people sitting and watching a football game on his telly. When he stared at them, the telly started to fade out. He knew his magic was interfering with the reception, but he didn’t care.
“Harry, I can explain,” pleaded Dudley.
“Who are all these people?”
“They are my study partners for my sociology course,” said Dudley nervously. “We have Ralph, Barry, Carl, Lauren, Dickie, and Brenda. Everyone, this is my cousin, Harry.”
When Dudley mentioned his name, everyone looked at him in shock, except the one he called Brenda. She looked at him like he was a piece of meat. “Dudley! Kitchen, now!” Harry walked quickly towards the kitchen with his briefcase in his hand. He pushed the swinging door open not even looking to see of it would hit Dudley on its return swing. He walked to the far side of the room, by the back door. When Dudley entered the kitchen, he pulled his wand and cast a Silencing Spell.
Dudley cringed at the sight of the wand. “Harry what are you doing?” he whispered.
“I have cast a Silencing Spell. You can talk normally now,” replied Harry. “Now…”
“Harry we have been using this place for team meetings. The dorm and study areas are too crowded and full of distractions. I always clean up afterward,” pleaded Dudley. “I thought you told me that I could use it.”
Harry relaxed a little, but only a little. “Why did they react when you introduced me? It seemed a little more than just that they have been caught,” he inquired. “You certainly didn’t tell them I’m a wizard?”
“No, I didn’t do that. I would have to be barking to do that,” laughed Dudley. “but, well, I told them that you did top secret work for the government.”
Harry relaxed and let out a sigh. He was relieved that was the reason they looked at him like they did. “All right, I was worried for a second. You have kept people out of my bedroom like I stated when we agreed to you using this place.”
“Not to worry, no one is permitted to go up the stairs, cousin. I keep a close watch on that. Most Saturday’s we meet here, we work nonstop until late afternoon, then get some take out and watch some telly. I am not going to mess up this arrangement.”
“Thanks Dudley, I am going to fix myself something to eat, and then go upstairs to get a shower and change.”
“Harry, those blokes, and Lauren and Brenda, all think you are some spy, like James Bond.”
Harry groaned as he realized the comparison Dudley was drawing up.
“I told them that you were my influence to study Criminology. They asked what exactly you did, and why you disappeared for six weeks at a time. That’s when I came up with the story of you being some secret agent for MI6.”
“Brilliant,” was Harry’s sardonic response. He turned around and opened the icebox.
“I don’t think anything would be good in there after six weeks.”
He pulled out some lunch meat, cheese, lettuce, and condiments to make a sandwich. He walked over to the cupboard and opened it to remove still fresh bread. He looked at Dudley and smiled. “Magic, Duddykins.”
Dudley laughed at his cheeky comment. “I better get back out before they think you are in here torturing me for information.”
“Dudley, please be careful about using my name. There might be some people who want to get to me, and they wouldn’t think twice about going through you.”
“All right, I’ll be careful,” Dudley replied before walking through the door to the rest of the house.
Harry assembled his sandwich and opened his briefcase. He took out a copy of a Special Forces manual and started to glance through it. He sat there in his kitchen eating his dinner, while his cousin and friends watched the telly in the next room. It seemed like such a huge swing of situations. The same cousin that made his life hell for his first fifteen years was now a close friend of his. He even has been helpful to Harry at his job.
An hour later as the sun was setting; Harry stood up from the kitchen table and stretched. He needed a shower and a change of clothes. He walked out into the living room section of the house. The dining room table was cleaned up. All the food boxes were closed and repacked in the bag they came in. The laptops were closed. It looked like they were getting ready to leave. He walked over and noticed the football game was still going on.
“Dudley, how much longer will you be here?”
“Not much Harry, The game is about over, unless they go into overtime. I doubt that will happen, so we should be on our way soon.”
“I am going to take a shower and get changed. Go ahead and lock up if I’m not back down.”
The student identified as Dickie stood up to shake Harry’s hand. He reminded Harry of Seamus. He was about the same height and stature, but he had blonde hair, grey eyes, and spoke with a cockney accent.
“It’s a pleasure to meet ya ‘arry,’ he said, as he extended his hand to shake. “I would a thought ya cousin ‘ad called or emailed you to let ya know we were ‘ere.”
Harry smiled at the comment as he quickly shook then released his hand. “Pleased to meet you Dickie, but Dudley can’t contact me where I work. He could have only left a message here.”
Dickie stared wide eyed at Harry, and the rest of the students seemed to let out a collective, “wow”. Harry turned from their gaze of amazement and silently cursed himself for adding to their inflated image of him. He slowly climbed the stairs to his bedroom. There were only two bedrooms up here and a conjoining bathroom, His bedroom was the one at the front of the house, the largest one. The other bedroom he had turned into a study with all his magical books and supplies in it.
He walked into his bedroom and lit a candle. He had electricity in it, but many times he would only use a couple of candles to illuminate the room. He looked in the closet for some loose-fitting jeans and a baggy shirt to wear as he worked on the reports. Pulling out socks and knickers, he tossed his clothes on the bed and walked towards the bathroom. Stopping by the door he looked up at picture he had of Ginny. She was on her broom. He stared at her for several minutes thinking about the next time they meet.
After washing, he stood in the shower for a long time letting the warm water run over him. He couldn’t get the thoughts of seeing Ginny in less than a month out of his mind. Realizing how randy he was getting he turned the hot water off and stood under the cold for a bit, until he started to shiver. He stepped out of the shower and walked into the bedroom drying his hair.
“Now there’s a lovely sight,” a female voice purred.
Harry pulled the towel from over his head and stared at Brenda lying on his bed. The covers were turned down and she lying naked except for his knickers.
“I see you picked these out. You want them. You can take them off me.”
Brenda was a fit woman. She had short fashionably coiffed hair which was black with red highlights. Her skin showed a dark bikini tan, and she looked like she exercised. However, she wasn’t Ginny, and the only woman who will ever get into that bed will be Ginny.
“Get out of my bed,” he ordered her, as he grabbed his jeans and shirt off the floor and quickly pulled them on.
“Where would you like me?” she asked suggestively. “You don’t need to do that unless you want me to take them back off of you.”
“Out of my house,” he hissed at her comment. She was obviously someone who felt that no man could resist her. She was wrong
“Don’t you think I’m beautiful? I have always wanted to shag a spy. It sounds so thrilling.”
Harry’s head was pounding at the indignation of this slag. She wasn’t going to leave. “You are not my fiancé and she is the only other person who gets into that bed. Now get out!” he shouted the last three words.
She stretched herself out on the bed and slid his knickers off and kicked them in the air. “Your fiancé won’t ever know…”
She didn’t finish her statement, because Harry with a flick of his wrist threw the sheets and divan from the near side of the bed over top of her. She let out a little squeal at suddenly being covered while he stood a metre away from the bed. He saw her clothes and again with wandless magic flung them onto the bedclothes before completely wrapping her up in them. With one fluid motion, he grabbed her off the bed and flung her over his shoulder. Either his anger or his magic made her feel as light as a feather.
She started to scream and squirm as he walked out of the bedroom and towards the stairs. He heard a commotion down the stairs. As he turned to walk down them, Dudley was coming up.
“I thought you promised…” shouted Harry at his cousin.
“I told everyone that no one was to go into your bedroom,” nervously pleaded Dudley. “We thought she went to the loo.”
“Yeah, Dudley told all of us that the upstairs was off limits,” assured Ralph. “I almost wet myself last week because he wouldn’t let me use the upstairs loo.”
Harry turned and looked at Ralph. If he wasn’t so angry at this slag, then he might have even laughed at his comment. He was at the bottom of the stairs by this time, and started towards the door. “Well, this one can’t come back. You will have to find another member of your team.”
The entire group agreed with Harry. He opened the door at the same time Brenda freed her head from the divan. “What are you going to do?”
“You are leaving my house and never coming back,” he said as he opened the door and set her down on the stoop.
“But I’m naked.”
“I’m sure you are used to that,” snapped Harry.
“I’ll cry rape,” she hissed at him, as she tried to keep the covers from falling off her.
“Prove it, Brenda,” challenged Dudley. “With your reputation and our witness statements, if you are going to file charges then call the police now,” he demanded and handed her a cell phone.
She glared at him for calling her bluff. “Piss off you big oaf,” she hissed at Dudley.
She didn’t say anything more as Harry slammed the door in her face. He turned expecting everyone to be upset, but they all were happy that Brenda was gone. It was Carl that spoke first, “Don’t worry about her, rumor has it that she had shagged her way through last year. I know she never did anything with the group this year. So good riddance to her.” The rest of the group agreed with him.
“Well, we need to get going, cousin,” stated Dudley. “Maybe I’ll see you next weekend then?”
“Yeah, I guess I will be here,” Harry responded weakly. He shook Dudley and the rest of his group’s hands as they left. Closing the door behind them he turned and ran his hands through his hair. He was all worked up inside and wasn’t sure about what to do. When he saw Brenda lying on his bed naked, an image of what he thought Ginny would look like in the same situation flashed through his mind. Now he can’t get that image out of his mind. Letting out a huge sigh, Harry trudged up the stairs for another cold shower.
Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Twelve Hours
Ginny stood among the others watching the Portkey arrival zone. She nervously awaited his arrival. She was a short distance away from the Bulgarian Pitch where the Harpies will play the Bulgarian National team. There was a steady flow of spectators arriving for the match that was supposed to start within an hour, both people from the towns around the Pitch and from the Portkey zone. People were appearing almost every minute or two in the zone. Ginny was dressed in her Quidditch robes and had already warmed up for today’s match. She needed to make it back to the locker-room within fifteen minutes for last minute instructions and to get ready for the match.Her brother Charlie and his girlfriend Theresa were standing beside her. He was sulking, because of Ginny’s comment earlier. He had asked if Harry and she would want to go out after the match. Ginny told him the only place they were going was back to her hotel room. After a tirade that reminded Ginny of her mother, he hadn’t said another word to her.
Another group appeared in the arrival zone and Harry wasn’t with them. They stood there trying to get their bearings. Since joining the Harpies Ginny has Portkeyed more than she ever had in her life. Long distance Portkeys can disorient you from the extended time spent spinning. There was a Potion that can be taken to lessen the effects, but your head will still be a little wobbly. The zone was roped off and security was high as everyone had to be checked with Probity Probes before leaving it. There were many Bulgarian Ministry officials surrounding the area to enforce the security measures.
Ginny was aching to see Harry. It had been so long since they were last together. The thoughts of his vibrant green eyes staring lovingly into hers made her breath hitch with anticipation. He had a special look and smile when he looked at her just before he kissed her. The thoughts of seeing that look again made her even more impatient. She hated being separated from him. She had spent so many lonely nights with an aching heart since she left. It was actually worse than when he was away hunting Horcruxes. Then she wasn’t that sure how he felt about her. Now that she knows he wants to spend the rest of his life with her, it makes her longing for him ten times worse.
Another group appeared in the zone; a familiar head of messy raven hair moved at the far side of the group. Everything became distorted as tears of happiness filled her eyes threatening to spill out. She felt herself moving around people to get closer to the exit from the zone, but she didn’t even realize her legs were moving.
He turned and stared at her making her stop. She stood there soaking in his features. Everything about him was perfect to her. His perpetually messy hair seemed to invite her to run her fingers through it. She could stare into his vibrant green eyes for hours and never get bored. It was as if there were stories, adventures, and dreams just for her in those beautiful eyes. The shape of his face and the curve of his jaw only enhanced his features especially his mouth. His smile made her weak especially his special smile. It was different. The ends of his lips turned up a different way and made her want to capture them with hers. He was even the perfect height for her. When she was in his arms, she fit perfectly so that she could lay her head on his shoulder and feel surrounded and protected by his arms.
Someone was pushing her back from Harry. She looked up and realized that she was almost in the exit, and one of the security guards wanted her to move back. Stepping back a bit, she moved and jerked around so she could watch Harry move through security. He was moving quickly, but it seemed like hours for him to get out to her.
He stepped from behind a guard and stared at her. Neither said anything to each other, as they stared. It was just a second that seemed to hang in the air. Suddenly their lips collided, and she was in his arms. Her one hand grasped his hair pulling his face closer to her. The other hand was around his back pulling his chest against her. She could feel his hands in her hair and round her back. The pressure of their embrace was almost painful, but it also was intoxicating like the taste of blood in her mouth. Even with the intensity of her embrace, she wanted closer to him. She wasn’t sure if he pulled her up or if she had done it, but she now had her legs wrapped around his waist.
Eventually, he left her lips and shifted while feathering kisses back to her ear. “I’ve missed you so much,” he whispered in her ear.
The feel of his breath on her neck sent shivers down her back. “Really, Harry, I hadn’t noticed,” she whispered in his ear. She could feel him chuckle through their embrace, it caused her to chuckle and soon they were still embracing each other while laughing.
“Oi, enough of this public display, you two,” grumped Charlie. “Ginny, you need to get back to the locker-room. The match starts in twenty minutes.”
Ginny released her grip around Harry’s waist and set her feet on the ground. She stared up in those beautiful green eyes. “I’m sorry Harry, but I need to go.”
“I know, love,” he softly replied and kissed her forehead.
“After the match, Harry,” Ginny said, then she stopped short of saying that she was going to shag him senseless. “After the match, Harry, we will finally finish.” She pulled his face down and gave him one more passionate kiss. “After the match, love,” she said as she stepped out the warmth and comfort of his embrace.
Stepping away from him, every part of her was screaming to return to his arms. She saw Charlie standing there glaring at her. “Don’t you even start on Harry, or you will regret it,” she threatened her older brother.
He smiled at her remark. “I have no problem with the two of you being together, but not in public, sis. You two just gave all the reporters tomorrow’s headlines.”
“I don’t care,” she quickly retorted. Turning she took another look at Harry. She shouldn’t have done that because the urge to jump in his arms came back to her. Gathering her strength, she started to walk backwards away from him. “After the match, Harry,” she said before turning around and running away, before she changed her mind.
She ran through the crowd of spectators towards the Harpies locker-room. She was trying to put Harry’s presence out of her mind and concentrate on the match, but it was nearly impossible. As she entered the locker-room, she was finally able to concentrate on the match. The familiar sights of the team getting ready helped her.
All first-string players were getting ready for the match. This was the one match that Gwen had been focusing on. If they could play respectfully today, then the team would draw even more people to the Pitches next year. It was also a matter of pride for the team; a chance to beat the world champions. No one was giving them a chance to win. The closest odds the Harpies had been given was forty to one odds of winning. They were beaten up, tired, and position to position outmatched, but they weren’t going out there to lose.
Greta and Zelda were dressed and going through their routine of pacing and hitting each other occasionally. Laura, Rikki, and Cathy were talking to each other and the reserve Chasers about strategy. The Keeper Karen was stretching her long limbs. Sara was in the loo vomiting. She was the most nervous about this match, going up against Viktor Krumm. Ginny walked past them all and to her locker. She sat down and braided her hair up before pulling out her gloves and broom and sitting down.
She closed her eyes and tried to force the thoughts of Harry out of her mind. She needed to remember all the things that she had seen over the past six months of playing and watching the matches. After each match, she would write down techniques and tendencies that she had seen from the opposing Seekers. She had reviewed her notes last night and this morning, even though she wasn’t planning on playing. It was just part of her prematch procedure.
Gwen’s voice broke her out of her trance. Everyone gathered around the coach, as she talked to them about not being intimidated by the other team and to play their hardest. Everyone voiced their consent before taking the field. Ginny walked to the sidelines and looked around the stands to see if she could see Harry. It took her several minutes, but she finally found him sitting in the sea of dark green dressed Harpies supporters. He saw her and gave her thumbs up. Ginny smiled and waved at him. She felt bad hoping that Viktor would capture the Snitch quickly, so she could have more time with Harry.
The match started out with the Harpies jumping out to a forty to nothing lead. The Bulgarian team looked slow and listless. Last night the Harpies were invited to the Bulgarian Ministry for a dinner. When they left the Bulgarians were toasting to today’s victory, and Viktor Krumm setting the Quidditch record for consecutive captures of the Snitch. That seemed to put the fire in Gwenog’s eyes about this match. From the look of the team, they must have stayed very late toasting to today’s victory, and the record. They are looking slow and almost amateurish.
For the next hour, the Bulgarians and the Harpies traded goals, giving the Harpies a forty-point lead. Greta and Zelda were smacking all their Bludgers at Krumm. He had seen the Snitch once and was heading for it when he had to dodge a Bludger. After he lost sight of the Snitch, Ginny turned and looked up at Harry. He was sitting beside Charlie, and they were both jumping with excitement over the match. Ginny couldn’t help but smile at Harry, as he enjoyed himself while acting like a normal person.
Over the next hour the pace of the match never slowed. The two teams had been trading goals the entire time. Viktor and Sara both had a chance at the Snitch, but neither one could capture it. The Bulgarians were aiming their Bludgers at Sara trying to knock her out of the match. Ginny again looked up at Harry sitting in the stands cheering on her team. After she sat there and stared at him for a couple of minutes, he looked down at her. He flashed one of his special smiles and Ginny forgot everything else but his smile and those soft inviting lips.
“Red,” Gwenog growled Ginny’s nickname, from beside her. “Get your head in the game.”
Ginny snapped her head back around and stared in Gwenog’s angry hazel eyes. “Sorry,” she started to say, but the coach cut her off.
“We have a chance to win this, but I will need every player to contribute. Including you.”
Ginny turned around and started watching the players intently.
“Watch their Keeper Zograf, he is over committing to the first move. You noticing that?” asked the coach.
Ginny watched as Rikki flew towards the goals. She faked left and went right. The Keeper bit hard on the first move and Rikki had a wide-open goal for a score. “He bit hard on that fake. He looks like Ron playing goal,” she stated.
“Good of you to notice, watch their Chasers play Ginny. They are also slow to react to moves. I heard that they were up until four o’clock this morning toasting today’s victory,” the coach growled. “Look over at their reserves; they are giving them Pepperup Potion. I think they might be making some changes here soon, when they do, I want to make some changes also. I want you to go in as a Chaser.”
“What, why me?”
“I’ve seen you fly at Hogwarts, Red. You’re very good, and you match up well against their Chasers. They tend to be bigger and stronger, but not very fast and agile. With your Seeker skills, you can easily outmaneuver them and their Keeper. Ginny, most Seekers don’t have the accuracy that you do throwing the Quaffle, and most Chasers aren’t as agile as you. I want to start running up the score. If we get a wide enough of a margin then we can let Krumm have the Snitch and the consecutive capture record, but we will have a victory.”
Ginny looked at her, and then studied the Bulgarian players. Everything Gwenog had said was true. Their team seemed to be slow and sluggish. They were playing decent defense, but they weren’t quick enough to get the Quaffle past Swan. The Bulgarian players up in the air all looked sick except Viktor. For the next few minutes Gwenog and her sat on the bench and discussed strategy about how to attack their Chasers and Keeper. With every idea, Ginny was getting more excited; they may win this match after all. If they can keep Viktor away from the Snitch until they have an insurmountable lead. The only unknown factor was the Bulgarian’s reserves, and how good they are.
The Bulgarian coach called for a time out, bringing the game to a temporary halt. When the Harpies made it to the bench, Gwenog called everyone together. “I am going to make a couple of changes. Rikki and Laura are out, and Red and I are going in. You two are playing great, but I have a plan. Cathy you need to concentrate on defense. Red and I will press the attack. Greta and Zelda keep Krumm off balance. You are doing a great job. We can win this, ladies. They are all hurting from celebrating today’s victory last night. Let’s embarrass those arrogant wankers,” she shouted to the team. “All right everyone on three,” she said as they all put a hand in the middle of the group. “One, two, three,” said Gwenog.
“Harpies,” they all shouted and broke apart.
Ginny walked out onto the field as Gwenog told the officials of the changes she was making to the lineup. When her name was announced, two distinct shouts could be heard from Harry and Charlie. She turned and waved to them, but, as soon as she gripped her Firebolt and took to the air, her mind was completely on Quidditch.
All the Chasers formed a circle above the official. Ginny looked around at them. The Bulgarians had replaced all of their Chasers but kept Zograf at Keeper. She could feel her heart race with excitement at the possibility of scoring goals. She missed that feeling while training for and playing the Seeker position.
The Quaffle flew up, and Ginny took it from the others. Her broom was faster than the other Chasers on the field, and, being lighter and more agile, she could outmaneuver them. She quickly wove her way down the Pitch not even bothering to pass the Quaffle to anyone. It seemed as though everyone on the Bulgarian side was stunned at her actions, because they were trying to get into her passing lanes. She made one fake with her broom and sent the Quaffle through the center goal for an easy score.
The Bulgarians had the Quaffle next and when they came into the field of play, Gwen and she pressed the attack. Cathy stayed between the Quaffle and the Harpies goal, while Gwen and Ginny attacked their formation. Caught off guard by their aggressive attack the Bulgarians fumbled the Quaffle giving Gwen an easy goal.
The next three times the Bulgarians handled the Quaffle. They didn’t make it to mid-pitch before Gwen or Ginny had stolen it and turned it into a goal for the Harpies. The score was now a ninety-point advantage for the Harpies and they had only been playing for ten minutes. The Bulgarian coach couldn’t call a time out for another hour, unless there was an injury. Ginny could feel they had an opportunity to jump into a commanding lead against the reserves.
The next time the Bulgarians had the Quaffle they sent two Chasers out after Gwen and Ginny while the third tried to weave around them, but Cathy and Karen blocked the shot on goal. Cathy came forward with the Quaffle. At mid-Pitch, Ginny flew across in front of her and they faked a handoff. The Bulgarians took off after Ginny leaving the Pitch wide open for Cathy to score.
With the next possession of the Quaffle, Ginny took off and used her speed and flying abilities to confuse the Bulgarian who was trying to keep her out of the play. Ginny accustomed to the wicked fast moves of the Snitch was able to do this, while keeping an eye on the Bulgarian with the Quaffle. She flew up under him and punched it out of his arm with her left and switched hands on her broom so fast that she caught it with her right hand. As soon as she had it secured under her arm. She stopped her broom and pointed its nose at the ground. As she flipped over, she rolled on the broom, and performed a forward upside down loop with a roll. In a second, she was flying the other direction at the Bulgarian goals, and everyone else was still flying at the Harpies’. With a quick fake she scored again. The Pitch was almost silent, except the small group of Harpies’ fans, who were going wild with excitement. She could hear Harry, Charlie, and Theresa screaming her name.
The Bulgarians glared at her as they flew past her to get the Quaffle. Ginny was feeling great. She was in what’s called ‘the zone’. Everything was slowing down to her. She could feel where everyone on the pitch was without looking at them. She demonstrated this with her next goal. Two of the Bulgarian Chasers had locked on her when she took the Quaffle from Cathy. She led them around the Pitch as they tried to get close enough to knock the Quaffle from her. She even had them scraping the grass and flying right next to the stands, before flying straight for the goal. The other Chaser was waiting there helping their Keeper. She couldn’t see Cathy or Gwenog, but she knew instinctively where they were. She faked to the right taking the Keeper that direction. She turned sharply to the left, drawing the three Chasers with her between her and the left goal. Without looking, she flipped the Quaffle back to Gwenog, who was flying straight to the center goal. They were now up by one hundred and twenty points.
The next two possessions were slower, as the Bulgarians kept weaving and passing. They seemed to be trying to get the Harpies’ Chasers out of position to allow them an easy goal. However, the plan didn’t work as Karen was able to block the shot. Gwen, Ginny, and Cathy started up the Pitch passing the Quaffle between each other. The Bulgarians were settling down and playing a stronger defense now. The one-time Ginny had the Quaffle in her hands she saw out of the corner of her eye, a flash of gold. She turned slightly to see Viktor Krumm after it, while Sara was on the other end of the Pitch. With a quick adjustment she went on a collision course with him. She tightened her grip on the Quaffle and the broom, preparing for the impact.
Viktor never saw her coming. Her left shoulder collided with his right sending him tumbling out of the path of the Snitch. The shock of the impact sent pain through her entire body, but she ignored it. As she flew back towards the other Chasers she could hear the hissing and booing from the Bulgarian fans. She knew that Krumm had lost sight of the Snitch with the hit, and, as they scored the next goal, she celebrated knowing they were ten points closer to a victory.
She looked towards the Bulgarians bench and saw all the starting Chasers standing holding their brooms with steam coming out of their ears. They had just taken a Pepperup Potion. It must be getting close to the time when they can call a time out. Ginny and Gwen again pressed the attack on the advancing Chasers. The other team seemed to be playing keep away from them, as they didn’t seem to want to advance beyond mid-Pitch. What they didn’t notice was Cathy had left her defensive position and intercepted the Quaffle with a clear shot at the goal. This time Zogrof made a save, knocking the Quaffle back onto the field of play. Ginny though caught the free Quaffle and sent through the right goal. They were now one hundred and forty points ahead. Twenty more and Viktor can have the Snitch.
A sound caught Ginny’s attention. It was the crack of a Beater’s bat on a Bludger. It was a sound that had happened with great frequency the entire match, but this one was different. Ginny turned to see a Bludger flying straight towards Sara, who was staring into the stands looking for the Snitch. Ginny tried to yell, but her mouth couldn’t work fast enough. The Bludger collided with Sara’s bent unprotected knee with a sickening crunch. It all seemed to be happening in slow motion to Ginny.
Sara screamed in pain as her leg buckled in an unnatural way. She clung onto her broom as her leg dangled limp and twisted below her. Whistles were being blown, and the game was halted as Sara slowly descended to the Harpies bench.
Ginny flew towards her, watching her grimace in agonizing pain. If Ginny hadn’t been through the battles in her life and seen people terrible hurt and mutilated, she might have been sick. Many of the Harpies turned their heads away, unable to stomach the look of her leg.
Ginny hopped off her broom and lent a hand to the healers as they helped Sara off her broom. Ginny worked with them only doing what they asked her to do. They quickly had Sara sedated and was checking the leg to see the extent of the damage. While this was happening, Ginny felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw Gwen staring at her.
“Get your Seeker face on, Red. You are going to need it,” stated the coach.
Ginny nodded and looked once more at Sara who by this time had a silly look on her face as the sedatives had taken away all of her pain. Ginny walked back to the huddle in front of the bench. “Red,” started Gwen. “You need to relax and focus on keeping Krumm from getting the Snitch.”
“What? You don’t want me to capture it?” retorted Ginny, with a cheeky remark. She wondered if she had overstepped her boundaries when Gwen stared at here for a second.
“I forget who I am talking to at times with you, Red,” laughed the coach, as she clapped a hand on Ginny’s shoulder.
Ginny wasn’t sure what Gwen meant by that remark but was happy that she didn’t get into trouble from it. Taking her Firebolt in her hand, she stepped out on the Pitch again, this time she was looking at it from a Seekers point of view. It was a cloudy day but dry so far. She looked up to the west from where the weather was coming from and looked like she might get wet before long. Getting ready for a possibility of rain, she went and got her goggles and strapped them on. As she walked away from the bench the announcer stated that she was now going to play Seeker. She could hear Harry’s distinctive whooping at the sound of her name.
Flying up she decided that she had better shadow Krumm. She can’t take the chance of him finding the Snitch and winning the game. They were too close to a victory to let that happen. When the Quaffle was tossed up, she flew up and sat in what is called his back pocket. He turned and scowled at her, before taking off at full speed.
Ginny followed him staying dangerously close to him. They were flying so their feet skimmed the grass surface and as high as was possible, before taking several passes through the field dodging Chasers as they flew up and down the Pitch. The entire time Ginny was close enough to him to reach out and grab his broom’s bristles. After several minutes of this chase, he stopped and slowly glided around the Pitch with Ginny in his back pocket.
She would move between the four quadrants behind him, upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right. Every time she moved; he would glance back. She was making the moves quickly and decisively, which looked like she was going after the Snitch. The Beaters were keeping up their assault on the Seekers, causing her and Viktor to constantly change their flight paths. It was little more than an annoyance to her. She could almost feel the Bludgers flying towards her. The only exception was when she was hit her first match. She was too nervous and excited to be able to concentrate properly.
She flew like this for a considerable amount of time. The Snitch was extremely well hidden. Many times, it will literally hide from a Seeker, but people in the stands and on the bench can see it. Today she had only seen it once and that was when she blocked Viktor. She was looking for it, while keeping tabs on Viktor, and looking out for Bludgers.
Time passed without notice as Ginny looked for the Snitch. The battle between the chasers raged on. It was much closer now, with both sides scoring goals. The Harpies lead was slowly dissolving. If Krumm catches the Snitch, they lose the match.
She was still switching positions behind Krumm, so she could get a better look around the pitch. One time she moved from the lower left to the upper right, he took off straight ahead. Ginny was slightly higher than he, so she took off and looked over him for the Snitch. It was three of four metres in front of him moving quickly away. Ginny leaned down tight to her broom and forced it to accelerate to its maximum. She shot up beside Krumm in a blink of the eye. They flew side by side after the Snitch. It turned and twisted like no other Snitch she had ever seen before. Flying full out, she could barely keep up to it, and it could even turn on a sickle even at these speeds.
Every turn it made was a sharp one. Ginny and Viktor kept smacking into each other. This was professional Quidditch. The rules were actually more relaxed in this league. The two Seekers didn’t just bump into each other there were elbows and knees jutting out to knock the opponent off the trail of the Snitch. Luckily, the Harpies all wear something like an armored corset. Krumm kept running his elbow in her ribs, but he hit the reinforced area of the corset. Ginny had elbowed him a couple of times in the arm and kneed him in the thigh as they collided. This battle between the two Seekers went on as they circled the Pitch. Finally, the Snitch gave them the slip. They were all flying along at top speed, when that ruddy little golden ball with wings changed direction and plummeted straight down. They couldn’t stop quick enough and lost sight of it.
Ginny and Viktor hovered in the air exhausted from the strenuous pursuit of the Snitch.
“You play strong for girl,” said Viktor.
Ginny wasn’t expecting him to talk and was caught unaware. “Er — thanks. That was nothing, really. No worse than trying to get the final pork chop left at dinner with all my brothers,” she said.
Krumm chuckled at her comment, and he moved his broom forward. She followed him with the tip of her broom even with the bristles of his. They glided along like that searching the area for that golden ball. “Quidditch is fun game, but it is game. Gin-nee,” said Krumm, without looking back at her.
“I know that, Viktor,” stated Ginny, she also didn’t stare at him, but kept her eyes moving for hopes that she might see the Snitch.
“Even though it is a game, I play it to vin,” Viktor assured her. He had sincere intensity in his voice.
“I feel the same way.”
“Good, right now ve fight each other to vin, but later ve can still be friends and maybe share a drink.”
“Yes, I would like that. The one who doesn’t capture the Snitch buys,” she said with confidence.
“Good, I like Cognac,” he yelled back to her, with humor in his voice.
Ginny saw to the left a little golden ball flying five metres above the grass. “I like champagne, expensive champagne,” she stressed before taking off towards the Snitch. A crack of a Beater’s bat and she readjusted her flight path. That little bit of movement allowed Viktor to catch up to her. They were once again side by side trading elbows, knees, and the occasional foot and hand trying to knock the other Seeker out of contention for the Snitch.
Ginny started pulling out in the lead. Her Firebolt was slightly faster than his custom-made broom. She was reaching out for the Sntich, ignoring Viktor as he hammered away at her with his shoulder and knee. The shoulder didn’t hurt too much, but the knee was pounding at her thigh and each collision brought a new wave of pain. She ignored it and focused solely on the Snitch as her hand kept getting closer to it. She heard a sharp crack of a bat, but barely had time to swerve away from the Bludger.
It was hit by one of the Bulgarian Beater’s a few metres away from her. The Bludger hit her left shoulder and scraped across her back ricocheting off her right cheek and sending torrents of hot pain down her right leg.
She lost focus and when she regained it, she saw that the Snitch was gone, but Viktor hadn’t captured it. Stretching her back out, she tried to get rid of the painful knots that the muscles were forming in reaction to the Bludger hitting them. She glanced over and saw Harry had run down to the front of the elevated seating area and was practically hanging over the rail watching her. She forced a big smile and gave him thumbs up, indicating she was all right.
She went back to shadowing Viktor, while stretching her back and moving her leg. She will have a huge bruise there, but that is why George and Ron have been shipping her Bruise Remover every few weeks. It is a rough sport. They hadn’t made it an entire lap around the Pitch when, Gwen called a time out.
Ginny floated down to the Harpies’ bench. She was the first one in, and immediately two of the teams Healers descended on her and started waving their wands checking her over.
“Red,” started Gwen. “Have you been watching the scoreboard?”
“No, I’ve been busy,” she cheekily replied.
“We are losing our lead. It is now down to one hundred points. The Bulgarians are playing with renewed energy. They act as though we embarrassed them earlier.” The coach stopped and bent down to look Ginny in the eyes. “I am going to ask something of you that I shouldn’t ask of one so new to the game. You need to capture the Snitch. We can’t outscore them.”
“I’m trying, Gwen.”
Gwen looking slightly embarrassed. “I know,” she said, before stressing. “But they are going to try to knock you out of the game Ginny.”
“I know, but it isn’t like they are firing Unforgivables at me.”
Gwen stood up and looked at Ginny, before mumbling something to herself that Ginny couldn’t hear. “Relax, while I rotate some players. You are playing way above you age Ginny,” Gwen complimented her, before walking over to the other players.
The healers gave her two potions to drink. She drank them quickly ignore the bitter taste and then the salty taste. She could feel the pain from the Bludger hit on her arse decrease. Stretching the tightness of her muscles away, she looked up and saw Harry staring down at her. She hoped on her broom and flew to him. She was shocked when she first started to play professional Quidditch, how much the players interact with the fans. It was nothing like at Hogwarts.
She hovered in front of Harry as he stared at her. “Are you all right,” he shouted to her. Her presence had set off a series of spontaneous cheers and well wishes, along with some rather inappropriate requests by the males in the stands.
“Yeah, I’m little sore, but fine,” she yelled back to him.
“You were brilliant out there, Ginny. Absolutely brilliant,” he shouted at her.
He looked down at the bench, which drew Ginny’s attention down to Gwen and the rest of the team. She was waving for Ginny to return.
“Good luck and I love you,” shouted Harry.
“Thank you and that is no way to wish a Quidditch player good luck,” she stated loudly, so he could hear. When he looked puzzled, she tipped the broom over and flew to him grabbing the back of his head pulling her to him as she kissed him passionately. It was an aggressive needful kiss, and it was just what Ginny needed. She reveled in his taste and the way he returned the passion of the kiss. She broke it and moved slightly away from the stands. “That is how you are supposed to wish me good luck,” she laughed.
“I’ll remember that,” Harry said with a huge smile.
As she flew back to the bench, the Harpies’ fans were going wild. She had stirred them up with going to talk to Harry. Gwen didn’t do much more than tell everyone to keep working hard and flying smart, before they broke for the game.
Ginny took flight again, and this time her heart was as light as the feeling of being on a broom. She loved that feeling, and it made all her aches and pains go away as she focused in on the task of capturing the Snitch.
Ginny flew patiently around the Pitch. The lights were on as it had become dark. The thick grey clouds covered the sky, so no one saw the sun set. The diffused lighting made it even more difficult to see the Snitch. It seemed as if someone had taken that miserable golden ball when they were on time out. She was just about to give up following Krumm and try another strategy, when he took off after something. She leaned into her broom and followed him at full speed. He twisted left then right, before turning the broom straight down. She followed right behind closing the distance on him. She noticed the ground quickly approaching, and also that he wasn’t reaching for the Snitch. He had her in the Wronski Feint.
She immediately switched her foot position, so her feet were on top of the foot pegs and changed her hands, so they were under the front of the broom’s handle. She had done that in less than a second. It was all she had. Krumm had pulled out of his dive. She was traveling faster and if she would try to stop the broom her momentum would drive her into the ground. She pushed down on the foot pegs driving the rear of the broom down and pulled up on the front of the handle willing the broom to suddenly climb. She was traveling so fast that, even though the broom responded, her momentum caused her to hit the ground.
Her face collided with the handle splitting her chin open. Her knees, elbows, and hands dug into the turf as she moved along the ground changing direction. As hard as she hit, she flew away from the ground even harder and faster. She had almost no control as her broom ricocheted off the Pitch’s turf. When she looked up to see where she was going, she saw a surprised Viktor Krumm.
He had stopped and turned to watch her hit. She was moving so fast that she couldn’t stop if she tried. She flew straight for his chest. He tried to duck out of the way, and almost made it, except, Ginny stuck out her left knee and hit him. Hard! So hard, in fact that it felt like her leg was being torn off. Shockwaves of pain shot up her side and down her leg. Her leg, lodged securely against him, turned her and her broom. She felt her shoulder hit something hard and heard a grunt of pain. She was flying awkwardly to the left and it felt like she was being pulled off her broom.
She pulled her knee in and rolled the broom to her right. She was free of Krumm. She heard a loud thud and the sound of something breaking. Stopping in the air, she looked down and saw Viktor lying on the ground ten metres below her. He laid there motionless, for a second. Ginny started to get concerned that she had killed him. There was no sound in the Pitch, until he emitted a loud groan and tried to sit up. The Bulgarian Healers were there in a second, working on him, and pulling his broken broom from under him.
Ginny went to the Harpies’ bench to have the Healers look at her leg and shoulder. When she landed, everyone descended on her. She had a hard time understanding what they were saying. Rikki silenced them. She had taken over for Gwen who was in as a Chaser now.
“That was amazing, Red. You collided with Krumm and tore him right off his ruddy broom, when you hit him in the ribs with your knee. I don’t know if he has another broom or not. Merlin, this is great. Without his normal broom our chances are getting better all the time,” she excitedly exclaimed.
Ginny flopped down onto the bench. Every fiber in her body was aching from the collision and the ones previous today. The Healers quickly came over and started to wave their wands over her. She sat there and looked down at herself. Her hands elbows and knees were battered and covered in dirt. One of the Healers looked at her one knee and lifted an open flap of the torn robe to expose her scraped and bloody knee. Soon they were waving their wands reciting incantations over her knees, elbows and left hip, while handing her potions to drink.
While they were working, the rest of the team had flown in from the Pitch. Everyone was congratulating her on her flying and brave performance. Everyone was speaking at once, and it all sounded like a lot of noise to her. The bench area was in front of the Harpies’ supporters and they were also shouting, cheering, and even singing. Ginny ignored all of them and tried to remain focused on the match.
Not being able to see the Snitch has been bothering her. She has excellent eyesight. In fact, it is considered to be twice as good as most. She never could figure out how Harry had been able to play Seeker with his bad vision, because seeing the ruddy golden ball first was critical to capturing it.
“What are they singing?” asked Gwen.
Ginny turned her attention to the stands where some of the fans were singing some strangely familiar tune. The entire bench area went silent to better here the song. Soon the jumble of words started to become louder and the fans were singing in unison.
She might be a young witch,
But no one else will catch that Snitch.
Hey everyone have you seen,
That Weasley is our Queen.
Ginny snorted with laughter, as the rest of the team stared at her. She went to tell them about Ron’s song at Hogwarts when they started the second verse.
Her hair is long and her legs skinny,
But hey everyone that’s our Ginny.
Hey everyone have you seen,
That Weasley is our Queen.
Ginny stood up and growled, “My legs are not skinny.” She pushed her laughing teammates aside to find her broom. In a flash she was up in front of the box where Charlie and Harry were leading the singing. “My legs are not skinny,” she yelled at them.
Harry and Charlie turned to look at her. The rest of the crowd cheered wildly at her appearance. Even though she was angry hearing everyone chant her name had caught her off guard.
“Sorry, sis,” shouted Charlie over top of the cheering crowd. “We couldn’t think of anything else that rhymed with Ginny. We had considered ‘oh my golly her middle name is Molly’, but that wasn’t much better.”
Ginny ignored him and turned to Harry, who was standing there beaming at her. “I supposed the whole song thing was your idea?” She looked away from them as the threatening rain had arrived. The drops fell lightly on her.
“I thought it was fitting,” he replied. “Come closer, I want to speak to you.”
Ginny edged her broom closer to the rail where he stood. “What are you going to tell me now; that my arse is huge and has a big bruise?” He laughed at her remark, making her even angrier.
“No love, get closer,” he said above the clamor of the crowd around them. When Ginny got close enough to him, he reached out and pulled her close so he could speak in her. “I love you. You are flying absolutely brilliant today, and I am so proud that you are my fiancé,” he spoke in her ear. “Also, use the Wronski Fient on him.”
Ginny was enjoying the closeness of him. Feeling his breath on her ear sent shivers down her spine. His last statement caught her off guard.
“What, he just pulled it on me. He will be looking for it.”
Harry pulled away and pointed at the pitch. Viktor Krumm was sitting up and yelling at a younger Quidditch player. “I think that is the reserve Seeker, Ginny. Looks like Krumm doesn’t want to be replaced,” he told her. “The Bulgarian big shots are all here expecting him to set the record for consecutive captures. He is pressing. If you give him a good fake, then he will bite.”
Ginny watched Krumm’s body language. He wasn’t moving smoothly, but he walked off the field and picked up another broom from the bench area. He had a pronounced limp as he walked back towards the Pitch. Watching him, Ginny felt her confidence growing. He was injured and playing to get the consecutive capture record. Ginny felt Harry tug at her shoulder. When she turned back to him, He grabbed the back of her head and captured her lips. She closed her eyes and a sensation went through her with an exhilarating shock. Suddenly there was no one else in the Pitch but the two of them. She didn’t even feel the rain falling and running down her face. The only sensation she felt was his lips pressed against hers and their tongues dancing in her mouth.
He then broke the kiss making the rest of world come back to her. She looked into his glazed green eyes. There were raindrops hanging on his lashes, as he stared at her. She had grabbed his hair and was now dragging her fingers across his cheek, leaving muddy streaks tracing the contours of his face.
“I just wanted to wish you good luck, Ginny,” he said to her.
Everything was coming back to her now. She was on the Bulgarian National Pitch, playing Seeker against Viktor Krumm, she had to go back into the match, and it was now raining hard enough to make seeing the Snitch nearly impossible. “Thank you,” was all she said as she flew back onto the Pitch.
She had to get her mind focused on Quidditch, so she hovered with her back to Harry trying to ignore the fans as they sang that awful tune “Weasley is our Queen.” The rest of the Pitch was quiet. The Bulgarians all seemed to be shock that they were behind against a team that isn’t even ranked in the top twenty the world, and their star was being stymied by a rookie Seeker. As she thought of all these things, her confidence came back to her. Harry may have a point. Krumm could be pressing that would make him vulnerable to the Wronski Fient.
Gwen appeared beside her and stared at her for a second. “I see by your eyes your head is back in the game. Good, we need you Ginny, if we are going to win this,” she barked at her. Gwen was tired as they all were. The time of being nice had long ago passed by. Now everyone was starting to play on adrenaline and determination.
“I’m ready, Gwen,” answered Ginny, then she turned her attention elsewhere seeking out the blasted golden ball that would ensure a Harpies victory.
When the match finally restarted, the rain was a steady down pour. She could barely see fifteen metres in front of her. Krumm had put aside any pretense of friendship. He wanted to win this, and he wanted to win it now. She went back to her old strategy of staying in his back pocket and moving periodically to a different area. Again, every time she moved; he would look back at her. They flew like that for some time, before Ginny tried her move.
She was up to his right or above him towards the stands. She could still see the people through the sheets of rain. She made a right-hand turn and took off full speed towards the center of the Pitch. She heard Krumm curse in Bulgarian, as he followed behind her. She leaned up on her broom with her right hand out as though she was trying to catch the Snitch. She could feel him trying to catch up to her. She would turn, dive, and ascend to keep him from getting to close. Then a perfect opportunity arose, the Chasers from both teams were flying straight for her. She flew up over them, and then turned her broom straight down to the ground. He would have to follow her exact path and wouldn’t be able to intersect her downward descent because of the Chasers.
As she flew towards the ground, she shifted all her weight to the back of the broom. Her right arm was still straight out in front of her, until the last possible second. She whipped her right arm under the broom tip and drove her heels down on the foot pegs pulling her out of her dive. Her left hand kept her chin from smacking the handle this time. She was barely out of the turn when she heard a curse in Bulgarian, a loud snap, and then a squelching thump.
Whistles were blowing to stop the match. She pulled her broom to a stop. Viktor Krumm was lying in a puddle of muddy water whatever colours that were on his robes were now all muddy brown. The front of his broom was sticking up out of the Pitch’s turf, and the rest was still lying between it and him. He didn’t get his broom tip up fast enough and it stuck in the soft muddy earth.
Ginny though wasn’t celebrating, because Viktor wasn’t moving. She lowered her broom down to check him, but the Healers got there first. They waved something under his nose, and he jerked away from it. With a sigh of relief, Ginny flew to the Harpies’ bench. She sat down and looked at the other soaked players. She could see their fatigue. The Bulgarian Chasers were larger and stronger. They were wearing the Harpy’s Chasers down as the game went on. She looked up at the score and swallowed a lump that appeared in her throat. The Bulgarians were now leading by ten points.
She sat down on the bench. It was up to her to win this match. As she sat there, she could hear Harry screaming her name from the stands. She slowly grabbed her broom and flew up to him. He was standing by the rail again, but there were not that many fans left in the stands.
When she got close to him, he again grabbed her and pulled her into a fierce kiss. Even though she enjoyed his emotions, she didn’t return his passion. When he broke the kiss, he looked intently into her eyes, “You can win this, love. I know you can. Don’t doubt yourself…”
“I can’t see the bloody Snitch in this rain, Harry,” she yelled at him. “How am I going to win this? Tell me!”
“You can win it. Don’t give up hope. Try another strategy to find it. There must be some other way to locate it. I believe in you. You can do this.” He stopped talking and kissed her again. This time she returned the passion, he broke the kiss, and said, “Good luck, you need to get back out there.” He stepped away from her and waved goodbye.
She flew back down to the bench thinking what he had said. What else could she do? Why was it that she has barely seen the Snitch all night? She didn’t have much time to think about it, as the match soon restarted. Krumm wouldn’t let her follow him anymore. He would hover until she went first. She led the way across around the Pitch. Every score by the Bulgarians weighed heavy on her. She needed to find that Snitch and soon, before all hope is lost. Krumm was now on the reserve Keepers broom, and he was having problems handling it. If she could see the Snitch the match would be over. Krumm would never be able to keep up with her now.
When she heard the Bulgarians were a hundred points ahead, she sighed to herself. She had not seen the Snitch in this rain for hours now. The game is quickly getting out of hand. She must find it. What a few hours ago seemed so positive has now all gone in the opposite direction.
Ginny stopped on her broom. She can’t believe that she and Viktor hadn’t thought of that before. They had been flying so close together all night that the Snitch could just match their speed on the other side of the Pitch. She wheeled her broom around and flew back the opposite direction. Viktor kept flying the other way. She had reached the halfway point from where she changed directions, and still no Snitch. She was starting to worry that she had made a mistake. Then suddenly she saw it flying straight for her. A night of frustration was ended with a quick acceleration and a precise grab.
She floated towards the Harpies’ bench with her hand held high. Holding that elusive golden ball gave her such relief that in her fatigue emotional state tears were flowing from her yes, but no one noticed as they mixed with the rain.
She seemed all alone as the official announced that the Holyhead Harpies had won the game seven hundred eighty to seven hundred and thirty. It was a second later that the entire team converged on her. It was insanity as teammates patted her and congratulated her. Words of thanks, congratulations, and praise bounced off her and around her, but she ignored them all. She tried valiantly to work her way free of the crowd. She wanted to see Harry. It was over. She wanted to see Harry.
When she finally was able to get herself free of her teammates, reporters were there to ask her questions. She didn’t answer any of them. She kept herself moving to find him. With all this mayhem surrounding her, she finally saw a familiar face, Charlie. He seemed to appear out of nowhere and grab her up in a bear hug.
“You bloody did it, sis,” he screamed in her ear. “Skinny legs and all.”
Ginny laughed at his comment. “They are not skinny. Where’s Harry?”
Charlie relaxed his grip on her and looked at her with a somber face. “He had to go home. Most of the fans from England left already. Harry waited as long as he could, Ginny. He had to run, after he kissed you goodbye. He had to get to the Portkey zone in five minutes.”
Suddenly she remembered that when this match started, she wanted Krumm to finish it quick, so she could have a special night with Harry.
“Harry gave me something to give to you,” Charlie said, as he leaned into her. “His shirt. He said you wanted it. Blimey, you’re only engaged and already you are taking the shirt off his back.”
Ginny gave a half-hearted laugh at her brother’s comment. She had asked Harry for something that she could have so she could always feel like he was with her, with his arms around her. She had never asked specifically for the shirt, but it was perfect.
“I don’t want to be here, Charlie, could you help me get to the locker-room and then to the hotel?”
Charlie wrapped a big meaty arm around her and started to push through the crowd that was milling around them. Everyone was trying to ask her questions, but she didn’t want to talk to anyone. All she wanted was a shower and some time to miss Harry. She can’t believe that she let this opportunity pass her by. She had always been angry at him in the past when he would be saving the world instead of spending time with her. Now she was the one who had put her job before their relationship.
Why couldn’t they be normal people? Why was it that he was always saving the world? Why did she have to be so competitive that she put a game before the man she loved? She knew the answer even as she considered the questions. Because that was the way they were, those attitudes and actions are why they love each other.
Charlie stopped at the locker-room door. Ginny pushed through it to the quiet inside, or she hoped for the quiet inside. Everyone was celebrating as if they had just won the World cup. She moved towards her locker but was intercepted by Greta and Zelda.
“Let’s go celebrate, our Queen,” Greta demanded, as she laughed at Ginny’s new nickname.
“We will find something to celebrate with before getting destroyed,” Zelda told her like it was a wonderful idea.
Ginny cringed at these two holding her around the shoulders. They were the two most morally corrupt people she had ever met, when it came to sex. They were always looking for someone to help entertain them. Ginny had seen them constantly taking men to the hotel rooms. There were several times that she had seen them talking to women, also. The thoughts of their offer made her skin crawl.
“No thanks, I am too tired for that. I want to go my room and get some sleep,” she said refusing their offer.
She pushed away from them and worked her way through the pandemonium that was the locker room. When she got to her locker, she placed her broom in the holder and started to strip off her Quidditch gear. When she first pulled off her gloves, she noticed that the dirt, or now mud, was all the way up her fingers. She looked down and saw her engagement ring was packed with mud. Through the muck though the heart shaped ruby glistened. She stared at it for some time thinking about how that sight was so much like her and Harry’s relationship. Even with all the problems and “muck” it was still beautiful.
She tore the rest of her robes and tossed them in the laundry bin. Casting a cleaning spell over her, she rid herself of the mud and dirt, before dressing in her normal robes. She grabbed her broom and tossed the hood up on her traveling cloak, before leaving the celebration of the locker-room.
She met Charlie outside, and he and Theresa escorted her to her room. They were also tired and cold, since it was three o’clock in morning, and they have been standing in the rain for hours. Before wishing her a good night, Charlie handed her Harry’s shirt. Once inside, she drew a bath, stripped all her clothes off, and crawled in to soak. Her body was a mess now. There were bruises everywhere on her from the constant collisions with Krumm and the other players. She would probably use up all the bruise salve making them disappear. She will need to have Ron and George Owl her some more.
After her bath, she sat on her bed and rubbed out all of her bruises. Fatigue was quickly overtaking her, as she could barely keep her eyes open. She finally picked up Harry’s shirt and put it on. It was a long-sleeved button down white shirt. When she buttoned it up, the feel of the cotton fabric against her bare skin knowing it had touched him recently made her almost groan with pleasure. She lay back on the bed and pulled the collar up around her face. As she breathed in his scent, she started to miss him so much more. Her entire body ached not from the Quidditch match, but from the need to be with him. To have him wrapped around her like his shirt was against her bare skin. She had long ago lost any doubt about having a physical relationship with him. Now she needed it. She needed him, to complete her, to satisfy her.
A knock at the door brought her out of her present thoughts. She ignored it. She didn’t want any company now. The only person she wanted in her room was Harry and he was back in England. Whoever was at the door knocked again, annoying her even more.
“Our Queen, we have a present from the conquered realm of Bulgaria,” shouted Zelda. Her voice was heavy and slurred.
Ginny heard Greta laugh at her pronouncement. They must have the bottle of champagne from Viktor Krumm. She laid there debating whether to get up to get it or ignore them. They knocked again even louder this time.
“Our Queen we have your present,” they shouted in unison.
“All right, I’ll be there she shouted at them.” Ginny stood up and grabbed her wand. With a couple of passes of her wand she disarmed all the shields and Charms on the door. She opened the door with her right hand and stood there holding the doorknob and her wand in her hand. Zelda and Greta were obviously drunk from the flush on their faces. They each had a large drink of some type in their hands, but no champagne bottle.
“Your present, my Queen,” they said in unison, as they stepped aside and bowed as though presenting something to her.
Ginny looked and only saw some man standing on the other side of the hall drinking a large sniffer of some brown liquor. He was handsome with black flowing locks, tanned skin and a handsome face. He was only attired with a silk bathrobe and leather slippers. “Where’s my champagne?” she asked the two teammates.
“Oh, we have something better than champagne,” stated Greta. “Olaf.” The man turned and looked at them. He appeared to be extremely bored as he turned to look at them, but his expression changed when he saw Ginny standing there on the door wearing only Harry’s shirt. “Olaf,” continued Greta, “is here to help you get over missing your boyfriend,” she said roguishly.
“Dis is her. Vell, I shall enjoy this then,” he said with arrogance. He stepped forward towards Ginny. “You, my dear, are going to have all your dreams come true.” He pulled loose the tie of his robes and let them fall open exposing his naked body to her.
Ginny realized what these slags had thought. They actually thought she would shag anyone, and this arrogant arse thinks he could satisfy what she needs. “No one touches me, but Harry,” she growled. Letting her anger and frustration out, she flung the door the rest of the way open, allowing her wand arm to be freed, and hit all three of them with Bat-Bogey-Hexes.
Greta and Zelda screamed and stumbled away. Olaf stepped back but started to curse her in Bulgarian, and then he threw his sniffer of liquor at her. The action was so quick that she couldn’t completely avoid it. It splashed on the shirt, and covered Harry’s scent with the stench of liquor. Her anger at him only grew as he destroyed her connection to the man she loved. She lowered her wand at him as he flung wildly at the Bat shaped Bogeys on his face. Pointing the wand at his exposed crotch, she mustered all her anger and frustration again and screamed, “Furnunculus!”
If anyone in the hotel wasn’t awake from the noise, they were making at four o’clock in the morning. They were awakened as Olaf’s agonizing screams rent the air.
Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Torn Asunder
It was late at night and the windows to Ginny’s hotel room were wide open begging for some cool air. She was on the lower tip of the Arabian Peninsula, and the heat for December was unbearable. The wide blades of the ceiling fan rotated slowly stirring the hot night air in her room. She was sitting at a writing desk staring at a piece of parchment. She had written this letter to Harry four weeks ago; the day after she put Olaf Venya in the hospital.She didn’t know that the Furnunculus hex could be so damaging to a man’s crotch. She also didn’t know that he was a son of the Head of Staff for the Bulgarian Minister of Magic. He may have been an outcast of the family, but he was still the man’s son. Olaf enjoyed the free life of drinking and sex. His family cut him off of money, so he turned to selling his services. It kept him in liquor and places to sleep. Olaf’s reputation was one of the reasons Ginny made it out of Bulgaria with the team.
She had written the letter, but decided not to Owl it. It could open up a discussion that Ginny wasn’t really ready to have with Harry by Owls. It would be better if she told him about it in person. It would be too easy for Harry to get angry and demand she come home to him. If she ever found out he had the same thing happen to him, she would do that.
She was never prepared for the night life of a professional Quidditch player. She had never met one before, except Viktor Krum and Oliver Wood, and they never said anything about it. She was shocked and disgusted at first. Whenever they would eat in some pub or restaurant, men would be there trying to chat them up. It made Ginny feel uncomfortable. She wasn’t used to such aggressive people plying for sex. Then she saw something that made her angry. Many of the men had marks on their fingers where they had removed their wedding bands.
She had become close friends with Sara, Karen, Gwen, and Cathy because they were all married. All the other women enjoyed the attention lavished on them by these desperate men. Even her friends would at times have dinner with various men, but they were sure to keep things at the conversational level. Ginny had a difficult time doing this. She felt as if she was cheating on Harry. The entire situation reminded her of Australia when Harry was being pursued by the Tart Brigade.
She became immune to the offers of dinner and so much more. She had finally seen why these people did what they did. They were hollow inside. They were looking for something to fill them up, even for a night. She stopped being angry with them, and actually started to pity them. They were incapable of ever truly enjoying life, because they never appreciated the life they had.
After realizing what was wrong with these people, she had an epiphany about why she loved Harry so much. When she looked into his eyes, they weren’t hollow. They were filled with life whether it was happy or sad, it was still life. He would never end up like these poor sad individuals; sating their incomplete souls with the temporary company of others.
What would she do if he did? She had heard her teammates talk about men, and how they have a harder time controlling their urges than women. Hearing them talk, she became concerned about Harry. She knew how much she ached for him. If his urges were stronger, then could he control them? Would he wait for her? Could she forgive him?
She sat staring at the letter; a letter that could dredge up doubts about her, in Harry’s mind. She picked it up to put it back in her suitcase. No need to Owl it tomorrow. She will be seeing him in two weeks when she gets home for Christmas.
Harry had been assigned to Azkaban for the past four weeks to train the guards on the new procedures that he was implementing. He had spent three weeks with one group and was spending three weeks with the present one. Then he will be coming home for Christmas and going back to train the third group of guards after the New Year, when she will be in America.
Ginny opened her suitcase. She lifted out part of Harry’s Christmas present, a white silk negligee. Well, it was sort of a present to both of them. She placed the letter about Olaf under some of her robes, and closed the trunk.
The incident with Olaf didn’t get the publicity outside of Bulgaria, because the Head of the Games in Bulgaria protested the outcome of the match. He wanted the match to be forbidden and the results to be erased. He stated that the Harpies had men playing on the team. They played too physical of a game to be women. This brought outrage and laughter, many teams have women and men on them, and the Bulgarians were men anyway. The only thing his protest did was get the Harpies more international attention.
Ginny picked up another letter. She will need to Owl this letter tomorrow. Today they had a photo shoot and interviews with the Quidditch World magazine. Because of the Bulgarian protests, the magazine wanted all the Harpies to be in swim suits, preferably bikinis. Ginny borrowed a bikini from Sara, since she was about Ginny’s size. She needed to tell Harry about this, because their picture might be in the magazine. The magazine reporter had wanted to have a separate photo shoot with her alone, but she refused. She did grant them an interview about defeating Krum. Hopefully they won’t twist things around too badly. She just hopes Harry doesn’t get angry with her and demand that she comes home.
With a flick of her wand, the shutters on the windows closed. She had already warded the door. Casting Cooling charms on the bed, she lay down and tried to drift off to sleep.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
“Wake up! Gawain wake up!” ordered Wendy Robards, as she shook her husband.
“Hrrumpf, wa-what.”
“Wembley from the Ministry is here. He says it’s urgent.”
Gawain Robards pried his eyes open. If Wembley is here something drastic has happened. “Vance, what is it,” croaked Gawain at Wembley on the other side of the door. He sat on the edge of his bed trying to force himself awake. He had been having a dream, about retiring and moving to an island in the Caribbean.
“Sir, its Ministry business, sir, its urgent,” stated the nervous Ministry employee. Vance Wembley wasn’t an Auror. He was basically a messenger boy, but one with the credentials to be trusted with important messages.
“Tell me, my wife has security clearance,” he shouted through his bedroom door at Vance. “Because she can always extract information out of me with sex,” he whispered roguishly. Wendy threw her pillow at him. He picked it up and was going to toss it back at her, when Vance spoke.
“It’s Azkaban, sir,” his voice was shaky. “There is a prison break going on as we speak.”
Gawain’s arm stopped mid-throw. He and his wife stared at each other. The colour drained from her face as he was sure his had done. “I’ll be right there,” he shouted back to the messenger. He tossed on his robes and secured his wand. He slid his boots on and he was ready to go. Wendy had crossed the room to his side. He straightened up and stared at her.
They had been married for forty years, and she was probably the only reason he was sane. She had always been there for him. She was his anchor and security. She was a beautiful woman, even though some young man might look at her as being old, with wrinkles and graying hair. She had always been tall and long limbed, and even now after three children and forty years with a husband who was an Auror she still stood tall.
The wrinkles she earned with the first war with Voldemort. So many Aurors were dying and reported missing. There were times when he would not come home from assignments for months. She stayed at home and kept their house together and cared for their teenage children. He doesn’t think she smiled until Voldemort fell in 1981.
Her grey hair came with the last war. Gawain was no longer a subordinate Auror. He was on the front lines of the war, but fighting for the wrong side. He took great risks by setting Muggle-bornes free and hiding them from the Ministry. He had begged her to leave and live in America with their eldest son, but she refused. She wanted to be by his side. She talked about getting rid of the streaks of grey in her black hair, but he thinks they make her look more distinguished.
“I need to leave,” he said to her.
“I know. Let me know if I can be of any help to the wives.”
“I hope you won’t be needed,” he said, meaning every word of it. Wendy has taken her role as experienced wife of an Auror, to heart, and visits with other young wives, when their husbands are hurt or worse.
Gawain pulled Wendy into an embrace and kissed her long and tenderly. They both know that every assignment can be the last. Without any other words being said, they look at each other, before he left the bedroom.
Opening the door, Gawain walked past Wembley toward the Floo. “What is the status at Azkaban?”
“I am not sure, sir,” Wembley replied nervously. “We received a warning that there was an attempted breakout. I — well — I came straight away to get you.”
“Very well, Vance lets go to the Ministry and get ready,” stated Gawain as he stepped into the Floo.
Gawain stepped out of the Floo in the Atrium and walked directly to the golden lifts. He knew there was trouble when he saw a pale Dawlish walking towards him.
“Sir, we just received word that prisoners are trying to escape through the main gate,” Dawlish spluttered out.
“The outside stations and wards are they holding?” asked Gawain of Harry’s new innovations as they boarded the lifts.
“Yes sir. We received a report from the outpost stations. No one has escaped but the guards at the stations have come under attack.”
“Have all the Hitwizards and Aurors arrived for the assault team?” Gawain cut off Dawlish.
“Yes, we should be ready to go through the portal when we arrive…”
“Good, no time to waste.”
“…but sir, these new procedures that Harry Potter came up with them. Do you think they will work?”
Gawain turned and addressed Dawlish directly to his face for the first time. “Harry came up with the procedures, but I and the Minister of Magic both looked them over and approved them.” Dawlish didn’t reply, but turned and looked forward at the doors of the lift. Gawain did the same as he waited for the doors to open.
When the doors slid open, they stepped out and walked past the Auror office to the training area for the MLE Department. When he opened that door, he saw a room filled with forty wizards and witches. They were all grim faced as they prepared to stop a prison break.
“I need a vial of antidote,” shouted Gawain. Several of the attack force pointed to the end of the room where the portal was located at. Gawain walked in the direction they pointed and was surprised when Kingsley Shacklebolt handed him a vial with a bluish liquid in it. “You can’t go. You are the Minister.”
The Minister of Magic smiled at him. “I spent what seems like my entire life putting them in there. I don’t want them to escape.”
“Any word from Azkaban?” Gawain asked, and downed the vial. He cringed at the horrible taste.
“We just heard a minute or two ago that the Main Gate was blocked. Whatever that means?”
“All right, Minister Shacklebolt, do you want to lead this mission?” he asked, while tossing the vial in a bin.
“It’s your department,” the Minister replied.
Gawain drew a deep breath for courage. There was nothing that scared him more than the possibility of a prison break. He had been thinking how this could have happened. Harry had come up with a brilliant plan. It was simple, but it covered all possibilities. As he swallowed again to get rid of that horrible taste in his mouth, a realization occurred to him. They didn’t have the potions to subdue the prisoners at Azkaban. They had only been brewed last week. The antidote for it was done two days ago. Merlin, it is good that they didn’t do this two weeks ago that would have left this group in even more danger than it was already.
Harry had found a potion in the Basque books of magic. It was different than anything he had seen before. It created an odorless colourless gas that would interfere with a person’s movement for an hour. It didn’t knock them out, but made it so they couldn’t move their arms and legs. The amazing thing about this was it can be absorbed through the skin, so anyone using the Bubblehead Charm would still be affected by it. They had designed special weapons that launched glass canisters of this Potion into dangerous areas. If you had the antidote, then the gas wouldn’t affect you.
“All right,” shouted Gawain. “We have all had practice runs for this assault. This time it will be real, remember we move in teams of twos, with everyone covering the ones moving. All right, first two go through the portal.”
Gawain and Kingsley stood and watched as team and after team of partners walked through the portal. It was another innovation from the Basque books. The only way on or off the island now was through this portal which was in a high security section of the Ministry. It would be extremely difficult to escape now. When twenty of the group had walked through the portal, Gawain looked at the twenty that were to remain here as back up and to prevent escapes. Walking at a steady pace, he and Kingsley stepped through the portal.
The sensation was completely different than any other magical form of transportation. You felt like you were being stretched out like taffy, and then you snap back into place at the other end. He smelled the bitter cold salt air of the North Sea, as he appeared on the island. There was a ten foot stone barricade in front of him. He stepped around it, followed closely by Kingsley.
The scene in front of him was surreal. The island was stark, just a jumble of stones and rocks that sat barely above the water. There were floating orbs surrounding the island bathing it and the prison in bright bluish white light. The prison itself was a four-sided stone structure with shear walls that rose fifty metres above the ground. The outside walls formed a trapezoid, with the smallest wall being the entrance. There were no windows below the halfway point on the walls. If someone wanted to jump from that height, then let them. The entrance gate though was gone. In its place was a pile of rubble with a gap above it. It appeared that the wall above the gate had collapsed.
Coming from the entrance gate was a path and half-way from the gate to the portal were two blocks of stone. Or they appeared to be blocks of stone. They were made to be as high as a man, but were cut out in a “C” shape that a man could fit into these things. The openings were open to the path protecting the guards from attacks from the prison and the area around. The stations were now battered. There were large chunks of stone blasted away from them, and the guards had to crouch down to hide from attack. This puzzled Gawain, because there were wards that should have prevented this from happening.
“All right, I want team one to proceed to the guard stations. Remain there with the guards, until team two make it up, and then send the guards back. After that, I want one team to remain at the stations while the rest move up to what’s left of the entrance. Spread out at the entrance and wait until I get up there for further orders. Go!”
Gawain crouched down and watched as team one ran up quickly to the station. As soon as they reached it team two took off, while everyone else watched to make sure no one was going to attack. It was an efficient method instead of everyone running to the entrance. The risk of being ambushed was greatly reduced.
As all the teams moved into place, Gawain questioned the two guards. “What exactly happened here?”
The guards looked at each other, and then the taller one spoke, “We heard the alarm go off, about — what — twenty minutes ago. We activated the wards on the path and activated the lights. We heard fighting inside but nothing coming out until ten minutes ago. Then the doors cracked open and two prisoners ran out. One hit the wards beside the path and was knocked out. The other tried to run past us, but when we stood up, he turned around and ran back inside. After that they tried to curse us from the door. At first the wards deflected all the Curses, then they started using the Killing Curse. It blasted through the wards and started to destroy our protection.” The man stopped talking then looked at his partner. “Then it sounded like a battle was starting up again inside. There were several — what would you say — explosions.” His partner nodded. “They rocked the doors, then finally the last one — what was that about five minutes ago — the doors fell and the wall above it collapsed. We haven’t heard a thing since, sir.”
Gawain looked at Kinglsey, who also looked puzzled. The teams were in place by this time. He and Kinglsey ran up to the entrance. The pile of rubble was much larger than he first thought. It looked like quite a climb to the opening at the top. After catching his breath, he pointed to team seven, and pointed to the top then his eyes to indicate to be lookouts. They slowly crawled up the scree. When they reached the top, he sent another team up with canisters of potion.
The canisters were in tubes that a witch or wizard could launch with a tap of their wand. He watched as they also reached the top of the pile unmolested. If there were anybody waiting, it would seem that they would have attacked by now. He watched as the second team launched the glass canisters into the opening. The breaking of glass told him that soon everyone in the entrance area would be immobilized.
He sent two more teams up to enter the prison to see what was happening. They crawled up and through the opening, as he waited outside. The entire time this was happening no one spoke a word. The only sounds were the breaking of waves and the whistle of the wind.
“Sir, you need to see this,” shouted one of the team members that entered the prison. “It appears secure, sir.”
“All right,” shouted Gawain, as he stood up. “I want team one to stay on the ground. Teams seven and five stay in place, everyone else inside.”
Gawain started climbing the pile of cracked and broken rock. It was newly broken as the edges were sharp and brutal against the skin on his hands. Every step seemed to create a new nick, scratch, or cut on him. When he finally reached the top, he looked in. The entrance hall was dark and he couldn’t see anything.
“Sir! Sir, down here,” shouted a witch from below. “It’s Harry Potter, sir. I think he is still alive.”
Gawain slid down the inside of the pile as quickly as he could. He could feel tiny tears in his robes and various places on his body. When he reached the bottom, his eyes had adjusted to the darkness. What he saw shocked him. There had been a terrible battle in here. The lookout stations were destroyed and the guards’ bodies lay on the floor by them. The walls were pock marked from missed Curses. He took a step and slid, but was able to keep himself from falling. That was when he realized what he was stepping in; blood. It was seeping out from under the stones. The entire place stank of blood and death. He looked over to where the witch had called to him. She was kneeling down over a body that was curled up in the fetal position on the floor. He went to look and kicked something. He saw it was a severed limb. He looked around and saw two arms and two legs lying haphazardly on the floor, and then he saw the torso and head of Fenrir Greyback. His face was contorted in pain. Gawain couldn’t help but smile to himself at seeing the Werewolf’s agonizing death face. If anyone deserved to die like that it was him.
He finally made it over to Harry.
He was ashen, and he was barely breathing. Gawain tried to roll him over, but when he did something stopped him. He looked and saw chunks of wood sticking out his back like spines on a dragon’s back.
“I want him taken to St. Mungo’s now!” screamed Gawain.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Gwen listened to the rustle of her bath robe and the Ministry official’s dress robes, as they walked down the carpeted hall to Ginny’s room. Her stomach was in a knot at what she was about to do. Ginny was a special person. A warrior at the tender age of fifteen, when girls are worried about acne breakouts she had to try not to be killed by Death Eaters.
Gwen had seen this in her eyes when they first met at Hogwarts. Ginny Weasley had a look in her eyes, a look that reminded her of her own father’s eyes. A look of someone who has seen death and suffering at the hands of another. Gwen’s father had been an Auror. He was also a Slytherin as she had been. The Death Eaters wanted to recruit him, but he wouldn’t have anything to do with them.
He might have been proud to be a pure-blood, but he didn’t condone torture and murder of others. She still remembered the day when the Ministry official told her that they believed her father was dead. She was at Hogwarts studying for her OWL’s, when they came to tell her. Now she was the one to be the bearer of bad news.
“Ginny, wake up,” shouted Gwen as she pounded on the door. Her hits were so vigorous that the door shook on it hinges. When she didn’t hear an immediate response, she cocked her arm to hit the door again.
“Who is it?” asked a groggy Ginny, from the other side of the door.
“It’s Gwen; there is someone here from the British Ministry.” She could hear movement in the room and Ginny saying some incantations, probably to lower the wards on the door.
The door flew open and a disheveled Ginny Weasley stood there facing them with fear in her eyes. “Is Harry…” she started to say, but couldn’t finish.
Gwen felt a tug on her heart. How hard it must be for this girl. Even though she was eighteen now, she was still a girl in many ways. How can she live with the fear that the love of her life could be killed at any minute? She remembered how that fear had eaten away at her own mother making her age beyond her years.
“No, Miss Weasley, he is in St. Mungo’s and the Minister sent me to retrieve you and bring you back,” stated the Ministry employee, Maureen Zorn.
Ginny seemed to visibly relax. “Thank Merlin, I’ll be ready in a minute. Gwen, can you take care of my broom? I’ll take my suitcase with me,” she said organizing her thoughts; she stopped talking and looked at Maureen. “I can take my suitcase with me, can’t I?”
“Yes, you may,” Ms. Zorn replied.
Ginny turned and without any embarrassment removed her night clothes in front of them and started to dress. She was so intent and getting ready that she had started to disrobe with the door open to the hall. Gwen ushered Ms. Zorn inside and closed the door behind them. Ginny was running around the hotel room throwing personal effects into her suitcase at an extremely fast pace. She didn’t even seem to want to use magic. Even though she may have looked in control to a casual observer, Gwen knew her insides were twisting up with concern. Even knowing this, Gwen was both impressed and saddened that Ginny was able to handle things like this. Her only concern should be what to wear to impress Harry, not what to take to the hospital when he is in there possibly dying.
Ginny was dressed and had closed her suitcase. She walked up to Gwen and looked her in the eyes. “I don’t know when I’ll be back…”
“Don’t worry about it Ginny. You will always have a spot on this team. Now, you need to be off,” Gwen assured her. She grabbed Ginny and hugged her trying to give her support. Ginny returned the hug, making Gwen feel better about her actions. “Go, I’ll take care of things here.”
Gwen watched as Ginny moved down the hall with Ms. Zorn. She could only hope that everything would work out for them. As she had gotten to know Ginny on this road trip, she had never seen anyone so in love with someone as Ginny was in love with Harry.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
The world was spinning out of control, and Ginny couldn’t get it to stop. She hadn’t taken the traveling potion for an international Portkey. Anytime you travel more than a couple hundred kilometers by Portkey you need to take some potion to prevent what was happening to her right now. She couldn’t see straight, and her stomach was churning so bad that she was having trouble keeping whatever was in it down. A hand clutched her chin and poured something down her throat. As she tasted it going over her tongue, she recognized it as the anti-sickness Portkey Potion.
Slowly the world stopped spinning and her stomach settled down. She looked around and saw she was in a sterile looking room. There was only one door in the room and no windows. It didn’t have furniture of any type either. It was a stark beige room with three people in it; herself, a groggy Ms. Zorn, and Kingsley Shacklebolt, who had a flask in his hand.
“Are you feeling better, Ginny,” asked Kingsley.
“Yes — ah — yes I am,” she said, as she tried to stand up. “Where are we?”
“The secure Portkey area of St. Mungo’s, we are outside of the Minister’s private hospital room. I had Harry placed in there for security reasons.” He stopped talking to Ginny and turned to Ms. Zorn. “That is all, thank you.” With a pop, she Apparated away.
Ginny was finally able to stand. “Take me to him,” she insisted, while trying not to order the Minister of Magic.
“I will, Ginny, but I need to talk to you about him first…”
“What?” snapped Ginny. She didn’t like the sound of this. Fear clawed at her; is he beyond hope or what is wrong with him?
“Harry is being operated on,” the Minister informed her with his deep solemn voice. “However, he seems despondent. He hasn’t spoken since we found him.”
“Was he cursed?”
“We don’t know, but that isn’t what we think it might be.” The minister stopped talking and looked at her to get her attention. “Harry was at Azkaban. There was an attempted breakout tonight. We are not sure what happened, but Harry was one of the few we found alive. Ginny,” Kingsley tightened his grip on her shoulder. “We think Harry killed some of the prisoners to keep them from escaping.”
Ginny felt her stomach turn over again, it wasn’t from the Portkey. It was from the fact that Harry had killed someone. She knew how he hated that, and how it must be eating at his soul. “He was justified in doing that. Killing escaping prisoners, I mean.”
“Yes, they had killed guards and were trying to escape. Most of them were Death Eaters, we think.”
Ginny looked at the Minister when he said “we think.” It seemed like a strange thing say. Certainly they know who was involved by now. “I want to see him,” she stated firmly.
He turned without saying anything and walked through the only door in the room. It led to another room of the same colour, but this one had furniture in it. There were chairs, low tables, and two sofas all covered in some benign blue and grey pattern. There was also a woman sitting in the room reading a magazine by the light of a lantern. She was tall stately and had slightly wrinkled face and her hair was black with silver streaks running through it. She looked vaguely familiar to Ginny, but she assumed she was a hospital administrator or something like that and only acknowledged her with a nod of the head. Ginny placed her suitcase at the end of one of the sofas.
Her eyes focused on the wall at the other end of the room. It had windows which were now covered on the other side with heavy hangings. In the center of the wall, was the door. Its window was also covered with the same hangings. As she approached the door, Kingsley stopped and looked at her. “It is a mess in there Ginny. No one would think poorly of you if you can’t stand to be in there.”
Ginny hardened her gaze on the Minister. “I will deal with whatever he is going through, now please take me in there.” She had lost her patience and started to raise her voice at him. She wanted to see Harry and see him immediately.
When Kingsley opened the door, Ginny’s heart sank as the sight before her ripped it out. The room was white and brightly lit. Harry was on a table in the centre of the room. He was lying face down with his chin supported by some V-shaped pillow. His arms were strapped into place as he was struggling against the restraints. The rest of his body was strapped to the table, because it shook as he fought against the pain.
A male healer was standing to Harry’s left. He was old with sparse black hair, round face with large jowels and sallow skin. He wasn’t very tall and in his one hand was a wand. It pointed at a piece of wood that he was extracting out of Harry’s back. He looked to be cutting this elongated shard of wood out of Harry’s back, as blood flowed from around it.
Another Healer was standing on the other side of Harry. She was slightly taller than the male healer. She had her brown hair tied back in a bun, and on her long nose were a pair of half-moon glasses. They were not wired rimmed like Professor Dumbledore’s but black horn- rimmed like Percy’s. She was using her wand to siphon the blood off Harry’s back. Even though she was siphoning it off quickly, the white sheets surrounding Harry were stained scarlet.
Ginny couldn’t hold herself back. She ran past Kingsley and knelt before Harry trying to let him know she was there. When she made eye contact with him, he quickly averted his eyes so she couldn’t look in them. “Harry, I’m here for you,” she whispered to his face, but he didn’t respond. He moved his head to look at the floor.
“Don’t move Mr.Potter,” growled the male Healer. “Whoever you are Miss you must leave. Minister, I insist that she leaves.”
“Darius, you old prude, that is Ginny Weasley, Mr. Potter’s fiancé,” scolded the female Healer.
“I don’t care Maris,” responded the Healer Darius. “We are working here and cannot be having interruptions.
“I am not leaving,” stated Ginny. Her tone was hard and unyielding even though she didn’t yell. “I won’t be in your way. I am here for Harry.”
“She stays,” ordered Kingsley.
Darius grumbled something under his voice, before speaking aloud. “If you are staying then don’t interrupt my work is that understood?”
“Yes. I’ll be here on the floor comforting Harry.” Ginny was able to keep her face at the same level as Harry’s by kneeling on the floor in front of him. The floor was hard tile, but she didn’t even worry about her knees hurting, because she was so worried about Harry. He wouldn’t look at her. Even though she knew his mental state was fragile right now. He not acknowledging her still hurt.
“Harry, love, look at me. I’m here for you,” she whispered again in his ear, while running her fingers through his tangled and dirty hair. His hair was matted and crusty with dried blood, making running her fingers through it a difficult thing to do.
“I have the wood out, now we need to clean the wound. Are you ready Mr. Potter?” asked the Healer Darius. Harry nodded his head. “Good, get ready.”
The Healer tapped his wand to a glass flask on a tray that was hovering over the bottom half of the table. The flask he tapped had a pearly white Potion in it. He then pointed his wand at Harry’s back and the potion left the jar and flowed out of the end of his wand. He filled the cavity in Harry’s back with the Potion. Suddenly, Harry started to shake from pain. Ginny could tell that the Potion was hurting him, as a groan left his lips.
“You’re hurting him. Stop it,” she demanded of the healers.
“We have to. It is the only way that we can be sure to prevent infection in this type of case,” replied Darius haughtily. “The wood was contaminated with Werewolf urine and feces. For some reason the ministry gave Fenrir Greyback a wooden bed, which he ripped to shreds two nights ago when he transformed. He must have marked it like a wolf. Then today the escaping prisoners were using the broken pieces of the bed for clubs.”
Harry suddenly collapsed down on the bed exhausted from the reaction of the Potion. Sweat was forming on his brow, and Ginny wiped it off with her bare hands.
“There let’s extract that and check it again,” stated Darius.
He tapped his wand to an empty flask and then placed its tip at the opening of Harry’s wound. A sucking sound could be heard and the glass flask started to fill up with a sickening solution. It was greenish-yellow like pus with streaks of red through it. When he had finished siphoning out the wound, he refilled it with the other portion.
“Can’t you give him something for the pain, or put him out,” Ginny asked.
“No, we need to know when the solution doesn’t hurt him anymore. His skin and tissues are already infected. We need to get all of the infection out, because otherwise it will spread through him like a wild fire,” lectured Darius. “Mr. Potter, does that hurt?”
Harry shook his head, no.
“All right lets remove the cleaning agent and close up this wound.”
Ginny turned her attention to Harry. She was worried sick about him. Why was he being so distant? “Harry,” she whispered in his ear so softly that the Healers wouldn’t be able to hear. “I’ll be here with you, until you are well. Then maybe we can take care of a few things that we’ve been wanting to do.” She added suggestively, hoping she could get a reaction out of him.
“You need to find someone else, Ginny,” he said, while staring at the floor.
It was the first thing he had said since she arrived, or according to Kinglsey since they found him, and it tore through her with searing pain. She had to stop to control her raging temper. She wanted to pull her wand and curse him for saying such a thing.
“I don’t want someone else,” she replied through gritted teeth. She waited for him to say something else, but he didn’t. “Why would you say that? Why would you say such a horrible thing to me? You know that I love you and I want no one else.”
Again Harry didn’t reply to her. He laid there and stared at the floor, avoiding her eyes. “Look at me,” she shouted, alarming the two Healers. “Look at me and tell me you don’t love me. Look me in the eyes and tell me that, Harry.”
“Miss Weasley, please calm down,” asked Healer Maris.
Ginny took a deep breath to calm herself and placed bother hands on the sides of his face, forcing him to look at her. “Look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t love me.”
He let his eyes move up and stare in her eyes. “I’m a monster. I am no better than Voldemort or any of the Death Eaters. I’M A BLOODY MURDER!” he screamed the last sentence.
Ginny was shocked by what she saw in his eyes. She saw pain, confusion, and regret, but even that couldn’t describe the awful feelings that she saw. Even when Harry had been depressed and sad, his eyes never looked this lifeless and torn.
“You are not a murderer, Harry. You are a protector. You protected the world from evil. I don’t think there is anything you could say to convince me otherwise. I will never give up on you,” she told him while watching his eyes and face for reactions. What reactions she saw, were troubling.
“Miss Weasley, we must get this last piece of wood out,” Darius informed her. “It appears to be the deepest. If you could hold Mr. Potter and make sure he doesn’t move. I am afraid that this will hurt, a lot.”
“I’m here for you. Grab on to my hands or arms and squeeze, love. I’ll take the pain for you,” she whispered reassuringly to him. She leaned her forehead against his and kissed him tenderly on the lips. They were dry and even though they didn’t appear cracked, she tasted blood. She held him and looked in his eyes again whispering, “You are not a murderer Harry. I cannot believe that you would willingly kill someone.”
Suddenly Harry’s eyes opened wide as healer Darius started to cut the large chunk of wood from between his shoulders. Ginny stared intently into his eyes hoping to give him strength. His hands tightened painfully around her forearms. His strangled groans of pain disappeared. As she stared in his eyes the emerald green irises became black.
Suddenly everything around Ginny became black. After a second, she noticed some type of formations in the darkness. She recognized them as blocks of dark stone. The realization of what had happened shocked her. She was now in Harry’s memories. She had somehow performed Legilimency on him, and she was moving through the halls of Azkaban in his memories. She was seeing what he saw, and hearing what he heard.
The hallway was square and poorly lit. There had been sconces that produced light, but they had all been blasted off the walls. The only light entering this long hall was from the end where it opens out into the Entrance Room. The sconces seemed to still be working there, plus there was the extra illumination of all the spells that were being fired. It appeared as though the prisoners were at the entrance gate, trying to get out. The sounds of spells being cast, and curses both magical and verbal were being said. The sounds making a jumbled echoing noise as it reached Harry’s ears.
He stopped as he neared an intersecting hallway. Ginny could sense apprehension in his action. The halls were so dark that if he wasn’t cautious then someone could surprise him. The noise of the fighting at the end of the hall was loud enough to cover the sound of any nearby footsteps. He moved forward cautiously raising both wands.
Ginny couldn’t sense the wands in his hands, but she could see them at the periphery of his sight. It seemed so strange to her that she could see and hear, but couldn’t sense anything else.
When Harry reached the intersection prisoners flowed out of both side hallways. They appeared almost instantly. Ginny could barely see them before Harry had Stunned the first two. Sending them hurling back onto the ones behind them. The sound of the curses echoed in the stone halls. Harry adjusted his stance and put the rest of them in Full Body-binds before tying them up with rope.
A scraping sound from behind caused Harry to turn, he never made it around, as suddenly something collided with his back and drove him to the floor. His sight and hearing was affected by this. They became distorted and at first seemed to fail as a white flash occluded all sight.
Harry was on the ground twisting, when another wave of pain made his sight become distorted again. Ginny could hear what he heard, and it sounded like splintering wood. She realized that he had been hit from behind and the person had broken off the wood that had been protruding from his back to take another swing at him. He twisted despite the pain and Stunned the attacker. Ginny watched as the wizard flew backwards and landed with a crunch on the stone floor.
Harry turned back over and forced himself to stand up, or that is what Ginny concluded he was doing. Everything was a jumble of confusion .The floor and the wall appeared in his sight, as he seemed to be pushing himself upright.
She could feel him standing wobbling back and forth as he supported himself with his hand against the wall, as he listened to the voices from echoing back to him from the Entrance Hall.
“They can’t get out, there are shields up, and guard posts.”
“Destroy them. Kill the guards.”
Immediately Harry heard curses being cast.
“Nothing is getting through the shields. We can’t destroy their protected walls.”
“Don’t worry about the walls. Kill the guards.”
“Who made you the new Dark Lord, Dolohov?”
“Avada Kedavra,” Dolohov shouted, as a heavy thud indicated that his curse found its mark. “I did Macnair,” he sardonically hissed. “I am not the Dark Lord. We cannot reorganize right now. Potter has turned the British community against us.”
“Make him pay,” shouted several voices.
“Kill him,” shouted others.
“No!” yelled Dolohov over the others. “Potter won’t care if he is dead. We want to make him suffer for taking away our freedom. We get all his friends.”
“Death to the Blood traitors,” cried several.
“And the Mudblood,” yelled others.
“I get the Mudblood Granger, and Potter’s blood traitor slapper,” yelled a harsh sounding voice.
Ginny knew that voice. It was Fenrir Greyback. Harry also recognized it, as he let out a strangled, “no.” that caused him to cough. The sound was disgusting and when Harry pulled his hand back from covering his mouth it was covered with blood. He moved his right hand and whispered, “Episkey.” His vision became cloudy again as his wounds sealed themselves around the pieces of wood sticking in his back. A moan of pain escaped his lips.
“What was that?” yelled Dolohov, and they all went silent, except for two voices shouting the killing curses at the guards outside. “Greyback, checkup the hall. See who made that noise.”
“Why should I do that Antonin,” he growled.
There was a flash of light and a yelp. “Because I said so, Fenrir,” hissed Dolohov.
The stones of the hallway flew by as Harry started running down the hall. As he ran, he tapped the top of his head with his wand. Ginny by this time seemed intune with his memories that she knew he was Disillusioning himself. He ran out into the center of entrance hall. None of the prisoners seemed to notice him there. The hall was a wreck. There were dead guards lying below lookout points that were nearly destroyed by spell-fire. The prisoners were all huddled by the large metal doors waiting to get out. The doors were standing slightly ajar to allow the prisoners to fire curses at the guards outside. Fenrir Greyback was walking with his wand up towards the hall way which came out in the center of the wall opposite of the doors.
Harry waited until Greyback was not more than an arm’s length away from him. Greyback stopped and sniffed the air, and stared intently at Harry. He realized that someone was close, but he never had a chance. “Reducto!” shouted Harry. Suddenly he was no longer Disillusioned, as he fired two curses at Greyback.
The scene was horrifying as Greyback’s right arm and left leg was severed. His wand still being gripped by the hand of the severed arm. Blood spurted from the torn sockets, as he fell to the stone floor.
As soon as the Curse was fired, Harry became invisible again. He took two steps to the left and turned towards the doors. All the prisoners were staring trying to figure out what had happened to Greyback. He had been so close to Harry that no one had seen him cast the curses. As they stared with their wands up, Harry prepared himself. Even through his memories, she could feel him drawing up all his magical power. “Confringo!” He screamed. His hands disappeared as the silver beams the thickness of his arms shot from his wand. They split the air with the sizzling crackle of lightning. The prisoners all fell, either from the power of the spells or the fear they were aimed at them. The spells collided with the bottom hinges of the doors. The silver beams seemed to absorb into the hinges for a fraction of a second, before they and the stones around them exploded. The force of the explosions showered the prisoners with splinters of steel and stone. Harry took several steps forward, while the prisoners were lying on the ground covering themselves, before flattening himself out on the ground.
“That was Potter,” someone screamed. Suddenly the air above Harry was rent with numerous spells. There were only about six prisoners with wands and they were firing spells as quickly as possible. They all hit the back wall sending a shower of stone fragments all around Harry. Harry laid there breathing heavily. Ginny didn’t understand for a second until she realized that the Blasting Curses must have drained him magically.
The spell fire from the prisoners stopped when Dolohov yelled and lifted his arm. There were stone fragments from the back wall scattered all around the Harry, and on him. Dolohov was searching for any signs of Harry when his eye locked on the odd formation of stones on the floor. He tried to curse Harry, but Harry was faster.
As Dolohov lowered his wand and started to cast the Killing Curse. Harry fired two of his unique shields out from his wands, one after the other. They flew out like an arc of energy plowing into the crowd sending them backwards into each other. Dolohov was hit square in his chest sending him backwards and the Killing Curse shot harmlessly into the ceiling of the hall.
Harry leapt up on his feet, and before the prisoners could recompose themselves, fired two more Blasting Curses at the middle sets of hinges. The explosions rocked the hall again sending more metal and stone shrapnel into the crowd of prisoners.
Harry dropped his Disillusionment Charm. He started Stunning the prisoners with the wands, while dodging curses fired at him. He had them down to three wand wielders, before Dolohov Imperiused another prisoner and used him as a human shield. Before Harry could Stun the other two. Dolohov started Ennervating the Stunned prisoners. The rest, in turn, Imperiused other prisoners to use as shields. Dolohov sent two of the Imperiused prisoners out to attack Harry.
“Go ahead Potter Stun these,” jeered Dolohov. “When you do, I will be ready. I will send you to meet your parents and that mangy Werewolf friend.”
Harry couldn’t see Dolohov from behind his human shield. What he did shocked Ginny. With his left wand he cast a Levicorpus on the prisoner blocking Dolohov. The action was so sudden that Dolohov couldn’t react, before Harry screamed, “Avada Kedavra!”
As Dolohov’s dead body went hurling back into the crowd of prisoners the entire atmosphere changed. The prisoners were scared. Many screamed in surprise that Potter, the disciple of Dumbledore, cast the Killing Curse. The prisoners that were still Imperiused returned to become physical guards for the remaining wand wielders.
Harry unleashed a furious array of Curse, Hexes, and Jinxes into the crowd, creating even more confusion as they tried to dodge every one of his spells. In the confusion, he turned to the final two hinges holding the doors on. Even though the prisoners that still had wands were firing Curses at him. His focus was entirely on destroying their escape route. Pulling both arms up, he screamed,“Confringo!” The hinges exploded as before, but the doors and doorway didn’t immediately fall. The doors hit the floor while upright with a heavy clank, sending shock waves through the floors.
The prisoners turned to stare up at them for a second, before they fell inward onto them. The prisoners in their disorder and fear fell over each other as they tried to escape. The doors never gave them a chance. Even though they hesitated for a second before falling, when they did, it was sudden, quick and violent. Only a few were able to avoid being completely crushed underneath the falling steel doors, and they were caught by and an arm or a leg as they tried to jump free.
After the concussions and dust churned up by the falling doors, was over screams of injured prisoners filled the room, along with another sound, the creaking and snapping of stone. Harry looked up at the walls surrounding the doorway to see fissures forming outward from the destroyed stone. As he stood there watching, the archway collapsed sending tons of broken stone down on top of the doors.
He stood there staring as though he had no idea what he was doing. Ginny seeing this through his thoughts could feel confusion and pain. She didn’t know how she could, but she knew he was confused. He turned to look around the hall and take in the destruction of it. The only other living person was Greyback and he was bleeding profusely, as he tried to pull his wand out of his severed hand. Harry stood there and stared at him. He had his hand on his wand, and was pulling it free.
“Never thought you had it in you, Potter,” wheezed the Werewolf. “You might have made a good Death Eater.”
He grasped the wand and tried to point it at Harry, but Harry had both his wand up again…
Suddenly Ginny was back on the tile floor of the hospital room staring at Harry’s green eyes. They looked cloudy. Her head was spinning, but she was brought to her senses when Healer Darius yelled, “Miss Weasley, we need your help. We are losing Harry. He is bleeding out!”
Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Healing Harry
“Miss Weasley are you all right?” asked a frantic Darius.Ginny looked up from Harry’s face and saw both Healers staring at her. “Yes, I — I’m fine.”
“We have been calling to you, but you weren’t responding,” stated Maris excitedly. She spoke so quickly that Ginny had a difficult time understanding her. “We need your help if we are going to save Harry. You need to help support his head, hold him down, and aspirate him.”
“What’s aspirate?” asked Ginny, but the two healers didn’t answer. Maris waved her wand over Harry making his restraints disappear. Darius was working on the hole in his back as blood poured out.
“Support his head,” ordered Maris, as she pushed on Harry’s right side rolling him towards Darius.
Ginny gently grasped Harry’s head. He was still alive, but barely. His breathing was very weak, and it had a strange gurgling sound to it. “Don’t worry, Harry. I am right here. They will take care of you, love,” she whispered reassuringly in his ear. He was barely conscious, but, when she looked in his eyes, she saw fear. She had never seen him so afraid in her life. The man, who walked to his death for the safety of others, was now afraid to die.
“Ginny, move,” ordered Maris. She was holding a tube in her hand. She moved Ginny out of the way to access Harry’s mouth. She then commenced to shove the tube into his mouth and apparently down his throat. After getting it in place, she tapped the tube with her wand and whispered some spell. A sucking sound could be heard from the tube. “Ginny hold this in place. Make sure it doesn’t pull out even the slightest. It is important. The last piece of wood had penetrated Harry’s left lung, and now his lung has filled with blood. We must make sure that his other lung stays clear, or he will drown in his own blood. Do you understand this hose must remain working until we get the bleeding stopped?”
“Yes, I understand,” Ginny tried to say. It seemed like her mouth didn’t want to work, but she must have said something because Maris nodded and returned to the side of the table. Fear was consuming Ginny. The fear that Harry was dying in her arms made her eyes well up. She looked away from him. She couldn’t let him see her crying. Blinking back the tears, she took a deep breath to control her emotions. With the bravest face she could form, she looked at Harry again. The fear in his eyes almost made her break down and cry, but she didn’t. She couldn’t for his sake.
The tube was making a horrible sucking sound, like a straw at the bottom of one of Fortescue’s milkshakes. She looked up at the two healers and they were working frantically also trying to drain the blood out of Harry’s lungs, using the wound in his back. Harry was getting paler by the second. She could feel him gripping her arms as he laid there. It felt like he was holding on to her as though she was an anchor to keep him from drifting into the netherworld.
Ginny’s feeling of helplessness was growing every second. She could only watch as the two healers tried to save Harry. She had no idea how to comfort him and reassure him, because she wasn’t so sure of his recovery herself. Leaning down she kissed him gently on the forehead. When she first made contact with her lips, she became scared. Harry had slumped slightly in her arms. She pulled back and saw that he had relaxed from her kiss. She kissed him again, and whispered, “You are going to be fine, Harry.”
He started coughing. His entire body shook from the coughs. This brought glares from the healers, especially Darius. She couldn’t do anything to stop his coughing. Merlin only knows what it must feel like to have a tube stuck down your throat sucking blood out of your lungs. It can’t feel good. Ginny did all she could to hold and support him, until the coughing was finished. Maris checked the tube and nodded at her that it was still in good shape.
Healer Darius tapped one of the white cleansing Potions with his wand and then started to place his wand in the open wound.
“What are you doing,” hissed Maris. It sounded as if she was trying to whisper but failed miserably.
“I am cleaning out the contaminants,” he growled at her.
“You should seal the wound.”
“If I do, he will die of an infection. I am the expert here, so leave me be,” He stated rather loudly. “Hold on tight to him Ginny.”
Darius shoved his wand inside of Harry’s wound. Ginny could see the Potion disappearing from the flask. She didn’t see any coming out of the wound though. After emptying the first flask of Potion, he tapped another one. By this time, Harry started to shake from the pain of the healing Potion. Ginny tightened her grip on the hose making sure it kept his lungs clean. As more of the potion entered the wound, Harry’s convulsions worsened. Suddenly Ginny grimaced in pain; Harry was biting down hard on her finger. She had been holding the tube in its proper place, by running her index finger along the tube
in Harry’s mouth. She didn’t need or want to look down as she could feel his teeth cut through the flesh on her finger. She was also concentrating on holding him in place until the convulsions stopped.
“Don’t let that tube slide, Ginny. It is vitally important,” stated Maris.
“I don’t intend to,” replied Ginny through gritted teeth. She was concentrating on anything but the pain in her finger. As Harry shook on the table, she started to think that he might actually bite her finger off. Harry stopped convulsing and collapsed like a rag doll.
Healer Darius immediately started to siphon out the wound. He filled two flasks with horrid looking Potion. He looked up at Maris. “We don’t have any more, do we?”
“No, I am afraid not,” she sadly replied. “The rest we have on stock is being used in other operating rooms,” Maris informed him.
“I guess I should seal it up.”
Darius bent down and pushed his wand deep into the hole in Harry’s back. It seemed as though he had placed his entire wand into the opening. Ginny watched silently as the Healer went about sealing up Harry’s wound. She bent down and kissed his hair this time. “I told you that you would pull through.” She looked in his eyes and still saw fear. A fear so over whelming that she couldn’t comprehend why it was there.
“There he is all closed up,” stated Darius. His haughty voice from earlier was gone. He now sounded tired and slightly defeated. “Thank you, Miss Weasley for helping, the two of us could never have done that properly. Maris let’s roll him back over.”
The two healers rolled Harry over, laying him face down. When he first went face down, his coughing came back. Ginny was getting large globules of blood coming through tube.
“Mr. Potter,” stated Healer Darius. “Your wounds have all been sealed. I want you to remain face down and still for another day. Healer Maris will be getting your Potions to drink. You will be staying in here for a week. I want to be sure that an infection doesn’t start up in you. Well, good day to you.” With that the healer walked past Ginny and left the room.
“You can take the tube out now, Ginny,” said Maris. Her tone of voice had also changed.
Ginny gently pulled the hose out of Harry’s mouth. She was having a hard time doing this because she was afraid of hurting him. When she finally extracted the entire length of hose, she held it up for the Healer. Maris gasped at the sight of Ginny’s hand. Blood was now running down the back on her hand and soaking into her robes.
“Ginny, why didn’t you say something?” asked a distraught Maris. “Here, I will have you fixed up in a jiffy.” She tapped her wand to Ginny’s bleeding index-finger. Immediately the cut healed and leaving only minor traces of pink to show where the it had been at. “Now, Mr. Potter, I am going to get some Potions for you to take. I hope you are hungry, because after you drink all of these you won’t be. The last one that I will give you will be a Dreamless Sleep Potion. It will help you sleep without tossing and turning. You won’t be waking up until this evening, and then a Healer will check you and give you another round of Potions. I will probably be here tomorrow morning when you awake again. All right, I need to see our Potion Master.” She stopped talking and walked out of the room.
Ginny rolled off her knees and sat down in front of Harry on the floor. She was looking at him trying to think what to say to him. Her mind was swirling with so many things now. “Did you intend on letting me see your memories of Azkaban?”
Harry looked at her shocked. “You were in my mind?” he wheezed out. His voice was barely audible and raspy, because of being aspirated.
“Yes, didn’t you know? I figured you did something to allow me access. I have never performed Legilimency before.”
He shook his head. “I didn’t try to do anything, but I am weak, and my resistance is down. I haven’t stopped thinking about th — that.”
“Harry, you didn’t do anything wrong. You were trying to protect the public. Please don’t feel remorse for those vile people. How many people do you think they have killed without remorse,” Ginny was trying to keep her voice calm, but it was difficult, as the sight of Harry’s mental state was bothering her. “You are not a monster. You are not like Voldemort.” She shifted position again and was kneeling in front of him. She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him softly on the forehead. “I love you Harry. I will not give up on you…,” She kissed him on the lips. “…because I believe that you are a good and loving person.”
Ginny tilted Harry’s head up a little, so she could look in those lost and pain-filled eyes again. “I will not tolerate any more talk about me finding someone else,” she cheekily said to him. “I have invested too much time in you to let it all go to waste. Do you hear me, Mr. Potter?”
Seeing Harry smile was worth all the mental anguish she went through earlier. She wanted to throw her arms around him and hug him, but she was afraid to hurt him. She sat back down on the floor and stared at him. There in front of her, his smile faded. All shades of happiness left his face to be replaced by sorrow and regret. It cut her up to see this happening all over again.
“I love you Ginny,” he whispered. “I really do, but I am so afraid. I am afraid of ending up like Voldemort.” He was almost crying now. The fear on his face was heart wrenching.
“No, you are not like him. You never have been,” she stressed, even more urgently.
He shook his head wearily back and forth, before speaking again, “Talk to Hermione and Ron. They will understand what I mean. Ginny, I am so scared of what I’ve done to myself.”
Ginny was left speechless with his last statement. She couldn’t understand what he meant by it. What was it he had done to himself? She didn’t care what he did. She will do whatever she can to make him feel better. She reached out and took his hand, trying to give him comfort while rubbing circles on the back of it with her thumb. That simple act seemed to help him, so she sat there holding his hand while running the scene from Azkaban through her mind over and over again.
Healer Maris walked through the door from the waiting area holding a tray with several large flasks on it. “Miss Weasley, let me get you a chair. There is no need to sit on the floor.”
“I’m all right, thank you,” replied Ginny. As she adjusted her sitting position, to keep her legs from going numb.
The Healer set the tray down and used her wand to create a low chair for Ginny. Turning back to the tray she picked up the smallest flask. It held a Potion that was no larger than a cup of tea. “Here Mr. Potter, drink this,” she ordered as she handed the flask to Ginny. “It will be easier if someone else holds it for him,” she told Ginny with a wink.
Ginny leaned forward and helped hold Harry’s head up so that he could more easily drink the Potion. He drank it without complaint. Ginny could smell vanilla and cinnamon from the Potion. After Harry finished it, she handed the flask back to Maris. “What was that one for?”
The Healer smiled at her. “That one was to cover the taste of the others. It had no other purpose. We have found it easier to get people to take their medicine of we can cover up the horrid taste of it.” She leaned in even closer to Ginny and whispered, “Especially the blood restoring Potion, it tastes like raw liver, yecch.”
Ginny smiled at the Healer’s expression, as she took the next Potion from her. It was much larger, almost half a litre, and was a thick amber colour and the odour almost made her gag. She again helped Harry drink it. She couldn’t believe that he finished it completely, only stopping to catch his breath once. She repeated that for the next Potion. It was a deep scarlet red that smelled like raw liver. The appearance and smell made her nauseous, but Harry finished it without complaint.
When Maris handed her the last Potion, she hesitated. “If you want to say good night to him, you had better do it before giving this to him. It is a Dreamless Sleep Potion. He won’t last but a few seconds after finishing it.”
Ginny bent down in front of Harry. The entire time that Maris had been there he hadn’t said a word. She put her mouth next to her ear so that his was next to hers. “You are going to go to sleep. I will be here when you awake, love. I will take care of you. You need not be afraid of anything, all right.”
“Thank you,” he whispered in her ear. “I love you.”
His simple statement made her feel so much better. She kissed him gently on the lips. The taste of the last Potion nearly gagged her. After kissing him, she helped him drink the last Potion. Within seconds of finishing it, he was asleep.
“There are people in the waiting area that want to speak to you, Ginny,” said Maris. When Ginny gave her a puzzled look, she continued, “Your parents along with Ron and Hermione. Darius told them that Harry made it through the surgery and that you were in here with him. No one wanted to disturb you.”
Ginny looked down at Harry sleeping on the table. She wanted to talk to them, but she didn’t want to leave Harry alone. She promised to be here when he woke up.
“Go on, now. He will be asleep for twelve hours, and I also need to clean up in here. So, get yourself out there and spend some time with them. They are practically mental with concern.”
Ginny looked at the room. There was blood everywhere, on Harry, the operating table/bed, the sheets, and the floor. The room was truly a mess, but she hadn’t cared before, because she was so focused on Harry. “All right, I guess if he will be asleep for a while,” sighed Ginny.
She was almost afraid to talk to anyone. What will she say to them? Should she tell them about Harry’s mental state, how he thought he was just like Voldemort. Gathering up her courage Ginny walked towards the door leading to the waiting room. She stopped to look back at Harry. He was peacefully sleeping. She looked at the pink marks on his back where they extracted the pieces of wood. Taking a deep breath, she walked through the door waiting for the interrogation on the other side.
As soon as she stepped through the door, her mother jumped up and ran to her. She was dressed in her old threadbare house robes, and her hair was a mess. Ginny almost put a hand up to stop her mother from hugging her. She didn’t feel like being comforted right now with Harry being in the state that he was. When her mother enveloped her in her arms, Ginny didn’t respond to the hug.
Her mother pulled away from her and stared at her. “What’s wrong dear? Harry is all right. Isn’t he?”
Ginny looked at her mother’s face. The concern for Harry was etched in the frown on her face and the wrinkles of worry around her eyes. She looked past her mother and noticed Ron, Hermione, and her father was also standing there watching her.
“He will recover physically, but it is his mental state that I am worried about.”
Her mother turned and ushered her towards one of the sofas in the room. Ginny didn’t resist. In many ways, it felt good for someone to comfort her right now: when her world seemed to be spinning out of control, when the love of her life said he’s a monster, when she was clueless as to what to do next. She felt herself sit down with her mother’s arm still around her. Her father sat on the other side of her. Ron and Hermione sat on the sofa facing them.
“Ginny, we are all here to help you and Harry,” assured her mother.
“Thank you, it is just that Harry…” she stopped talking and thought of what to say. “Harry seems to hate himself right now.” She looked across to Hermione and Ron staring at her. She wanted to ask them about what Harry said.
However, she noticed the woman who was in this room before she went into the operating room. Staring at her, Ginny asked, “Excuse me, but who are you?”
The stranger smiled warmly at her question. She didn’t seem to be put off by it at all. “My name is Wendy Robards. I am here as — well, to help.” She must have noticed Ginny’s confused expression, because she went on to explain. “Auror spouses have an understanding. We help each other through difficult times like what you are experiencing. Sometimes it helps to have someone who has gone through similar situations before.”
Ginny was impressed with the explanation. She appreciated the thoughtfulness of Mrs. Robards being there, but she needed to ask some private questions of Ron and Hermione. “I don’t mean to be rude, Mrs. Robards, but there are some private things that I would like to discuss with my family.”
“I can understand why you would want to keep things private, Ginny, but let me have a chance to talk first.” She waited for Ginny to respond to her request.
“All right, I’ll listen.”
“You are not alone,” Mrs. Robards started off. “I am pretty sure I know what is wrong with Harry’s mental state. He killed some of the prisoners. Am I correct?”
Ginny had to keep from jeering at the statement “some of the prisoners”. From what she saw, he killed them all. “Yes.”
“I have had the pleasure of talking with Harry on several occasions, when he was over at my house for dinner. Gawain had invited him over on several occasions to ensure he got a good meal.”
Ginny almost laughed when she could feel her mother stiffen with the comment about a good meal. “Yes, he wrote me about those dinners.”
“He reminds me of Gawain when he was training to be an Auror,” stated Mrs. Robards. “I was really quite amazed at The Famous Harry Potter being so humble and helpful. He had a love for life and thought it was precious. Gawain still thinks that way, even after he had to kill someone in the line of duty.
“Ginny,” her gaze intensified, as she repositioned herself on the chair. “That was the most troubling time we ever had together. We were always afraid of He-who-must-not-be-named, but it was different. We were there to support and watch over each other. When Gawain killed that wizard, it seemed to crush him. All his ideals were shattered with that act. The Ministry told him he had done what was right, but that didn’t help.
“Gawain became an Auror, because he thought using the Dark Arts was a crime against humanity. Yet, to save others from suffering caused by a Dark Wizard. He used them. He killed someone. It made him question everything he believed in his job, his sense of justice, and himself. It is a terrible paradox that people who want to rid the world of murderers must at times choose to kill. It crosses that line of knowing which side you are actually on. Are you really the one that is doing the right thing, or are you just another animal given the right to kill, by society, to protect society? What was once black and white suddenly became cloudy to him, and also me. I loved him for his sense of what was right and noble. I knew he wasn’t evil sanctioned by society, but a man who had to resort to an evil act for the right reasons.”
Mrs. Robards stopped talking and took a sip of tea. Ginny could feel her mother shifting uncomfortably beside her, and her father had reached across Ginny to comfort his wife. Ron and Hermione were sitting in a way that it looked as if they were joined at the hip, while holding hands. They weren’t making eye contact with anyone.
“We were informed that Harry had killed to stop the prison break,” stated Mrs. Robards. “Ginny that doesn’t make him a bad person or evil. What he did was within his rights as an Auror and a guard. He knows that, but that doesn’t mean that he likes himself.” She stopped talking and gave her an appraising look. “Ginny, dear, don’t be surprised if he wants to break up with you.”
“What, who told you,” exclaimed Ginny, shocked that she said that. The rest of the room sat up in shock at what Ginny had revealed.
Mrs. Robards smiled warmly at her. She almost looked as if she might start laughing. “I am sorry,” she chuckled. “I am not laughing about your reaction or the present situation. Looking back to Gawain and my troubles, it is difficult not to laugh. You see, Ginny, Gawain felt dirty. He felt he was no longer good enough for me. I could see Harry thinking the same thing about you. I can tell by the look in his eyes when he talked about you that he saw you as being special, better than everyone else in the world.
“Gawain just picked a very bad time to tell me. This all happened when our first child, Jason wasn’t more than six months old. Gawain had been given time off until an investigation could be completed, and his mental stated improved. He was off work for about a month, until he was given clearance to go back.
“His first day back, I thought everything was fine. He was able to put everything behind him and move on with his life. What I didn’t know was he still thought of himself as a dark wizard and felt I would be better off without him.
“Instead of going to work, he went to a barrister to file for a divorce from me. I was feeding our son, when he opened the kitchen door. I stood up and ran to the back door to see why he was home with our son still attached to my breast. There stood Gawain holding the papers to start the divorce proceedings. He told me what his plans were, and I became enraged that he would even consider that at a time like that.
“I was so angry that I wanted to lash out at him. I was holding Jason and couldn’t put him down to grab my wand, so I kicked Gawain. Hard! Very Hard! He crumpled to the kitchen floor and laid there for at least an hour.”
Mrs. Robards stopped talking and laughed at the scene playing before her eyes. Ron and Hermione were quietly sniggering to themselves, while her parents seemed to be slightly more subdued.
“Harry told me to find someone else,” stated Ginny. The laughter stopped in the room at her statement. “I wanted to curse him for saying such a thing. I was in too much of a panic about his physical condition and was able to manage my anger. He thinks he is just like Voldemort.” Ginny looked over at her brother and Hermione. She wanted to ask them about Voldemort but decided against it. “I told him he wasn’t, and he didn’t need to feel any remorse for what he had done. He had the right to do anything he could to stop the prison break.”
“Ginny, you shouldn’t have said that!” shouted Hermione. Her sudden outburst made everyone jump. “He needs to feel sorry and remorseful. What he did was a terrible act, and…”
“He acted properly, Hermione,” retorted Mr. Weasley. Ginny had never seen her father so animated. “He performed his duty as an Auror, with full authority by the Ministry.”
“What he did was legal, Mr. Weasley. However, it wasn’t ethical, and it could make him end up like Voldemort.”
“Harry! End up like Voldemort. Harry Potter a Dark Wizard,” scoffed Mr. Weasley.
“Yes and no, he might not become a dark wizard, but just as bad off, because he has killed someone.” Hermione was searching for a way of saying something, which she didn’t want Wendy Robards to hear.
“I cannot believe that you think that Harry could end up like Voldemort. That Molly could end up like Voldemort,” insisted Mr. Weasley.
The entire room went silent. Mr. Weasley scrubbed a hand across his face, while everyone else stared at Mrs. Weasley. Ginny had forgotten about her mother killing Bellatrix Lestrange. She started to recall after the battle, how her mother had been in a terrible state. She had always assumed it was because of Fred’s death. Maybe it wasn’t the only reason.
“Mum, what did you feel like after you stopped Bellatrix?” asked Ginny. She felt her father’s arm over her shoulder again trying to comfort her mother.
“Terrible, I could barely function to do my normal daily activities. Ginny, dear, I almost left the family, for many of the same reasons that Gawain wanted to leave his family. Your father gave me the courage and love to continue on. It wasn’t until after we had saved all those people down in Australia, that I started feeling alive again.”
“Does she look like Voldemort, Hermione,” stated Mr. Weasley.
“It isn’t on the outside, but the inside. Murder splits the soul of the murderer. The only way to prevent that or heal it is to feel remorse for the killings,” stated Hermione.
“She is right, Arthur,” Mrs. Weasley stated very simply. “I needed to realize that and allow myself to feel remorse for killing Bellatrix, before I could start to come around and act normally.” Mrs. Weasley grabbed Ginny’s hand and gently squeezed it. “I may regret killing Bellatrix, but I don’t regret why I did it. Even knowing the pain, it would cause, I would do the same thing again in a heartbeat.”
Ginny put her arms around her mother and hugged her. She couldn’t think of anything else to do to thank her.
“How do you know that Hermione?” queried Mr. Weasley.
“It’s in a book that I have. I — I can’t talk right now,” Hermione said as she shot a side-ways glance at Wendy Robards.
Mrs. Robards noticed it. “If you are concerned about revealing anything top secret, I can assure you that I have clearance to top secret information. Hermione, if this information will be helpful in the future to Ministry officials who find themselves in Harry’s situation, I want to know it. There have been good people who couldn’t deal with what they did and fell apart: some committed suicide, others drank themselves to death, and others turned dark.”
Hermione looked at her and bit her bottom lip, while she was doing that, Ron spoke to her. “Hermione, they don’t need to know everything. Do they, love. Maybe if we tell them some of it, it will be enough.”
“Ginny, how much has Harry told you about our mission?” Hermione asked.
“Not much more than what he revealed to the Wizengamot, Hermione. I really don’t want him to relive that experience.” Ginny laughed a rather sad and forlorn laugh.
“All right, well, when we were trying to accomplish our mission, we learned a great deal about what happens when a person murders using magic. It appears that the soul is split or torn in two. The only way that it can be healed is for the person to feel remorse for killing someone.”
“What if that person doesn’t feel remorse?” asked Mrs. Robards. “What difference does it make?”
“It leaves your soul torn forever,” emphatically stated Hermione.
“You will need to explain more than that,” retorted Mrs. Robards. “I want to know how you came to these conclusions.”
“Stop it!” shouted Ron. He had stood up and was standing in front of Hermione, as though he was protecting her. “You people will need to trust us. We have been sworn to secrecy on these matters. Hermione has already told you what you need to know. If that isn’t good enough for you, then you all can sod off.”
“Ron,” exclaimed Hermione, shocked at him telling his parents to sod off.
“Ronald, don’t you speak to us that way,” growled Mrs. Weasley. “We raised you better than to talk like that.”
“Maybe you did, Mum, but I am tired of everyone wanting us to revel things that we promised to keep secret. Stop interrogating Hermione, she can’t tell you anymore. Don’t you think the two of us are just as worried about Harry as anyone else in this room?”
“Would you tell Minister Shacklebolt your secrets,” asked Mrs. Robards. “I can tell that you two don’t trust me. If I were to get Kingsley, would you explain it to him?”
Ron looked at Hermione and they seemed to nod to each other. “Yes, we can do that,” replied Ron.
“Good! I’ll get him and be right back here.” She stood up and marched out of the room.
Everyone else sat there in silence. Ginny watched as Ron sat down and wrapped an arm around Hermione, comforting her. It hurt Ginny to see that. It wasn’t that she was actually jealous. She just wanted Harry to be there, so she could try to do that to him. It would make her feel better than she feels now. She felt useless. What she had done might have been the wrong thing to do, but she will try to correct it.
The hangings on the windows to the operating room suddenly opened. Healer Maris had opened them with a flick of her wand, before opening the door. “Everything is cleaned up in there. You may go back in if you wish, Miss Weasley. Remember that he will not be waking up for at least eleven more hours. Good day to you,” she finished addressing Ginny and left the room.
Ron and Hermione had walked over to one of the windows, while Maris was talking to Ginny. They stood there staring through the glass at Harry. Ginny stood up with her parents and joined her brother and best friend at the window.
“He looks so pale,” uttered Hermione. Her voice was so low that she might actually have been saying it to herself.
Ron tightened his grip around her waist to reassure her. “He will get better, Hermione. You don’t need to worry about that.” He kissed his girlfriend on the side of her head. “Ginny, what exactly had happened to him. Did anyone tell you?”
“He was hit with a broken board that left pieces of wood imbedded in his back. One piece had punctured his lung.”
“Blimey,” muttered Ron.
“Does anyone know anything about Legilimency?” she asked everyone in general.
“I know what it is, but why do you want to know?” replied her father.
“Can you perform it accidently?” she could feel everyone’s eyes shift towards her.
“No, I don’t think you can do that,” stated her father thoughtfully. “One must be trained to perform it with a wand, and there are even those few who can perform it wandless.”
“I just did it. I entered Harry’s mind and saw what happened at Azkaban through his eyes and ears. He didn’t even know that I was in his mind.”
“How? When?” asked a shocked Hermione.
“When they were taking out the last piece of wood, he was in a great deal of pain. I was looking in his eyes telling him that I was there for him, when suddenly I was seeing what happened through his memories.”
After Ginny had stopped talking, everyone was quiet. She wasn’t sure why they were, but they were. Her mother had her arms around her shoulders. Her father was behind her slightly to the other side of her from her mother. He looked deep in thought and his eyes went from the sleeping form of Harry to her. Ron and Hermione were looking at her reflection in the window. They all seemed to be standing without speaking for an unnaturally long period of time. It was Ron who asked the question that seemed to be on everyone’s mind.
“Who did he kill — er — what happened,” he mumbled out.
“Dolohov and Greyback seemed to be leading the escape. They had many of the prisoners at the main gate and were trying to get out. Harry was running up a hall to confront them, when he was attacked by several prisoners. One hit him with a board, lodging the pieces of wood in his back. While he was recovering from the attack, he heard Dolohov tell everyone that they shouldn’t go after Harry, but us. Greyback insisted on seeking revenge on Hermione and me.
“Harry went mental with anger. He partially healed his wounds and went on the attack. He wasn’t trying to kill them all, just trying to keep them from escaping. He did kill Dolohov with the Killing Curse and I am pretty sure that Greyback died of his injuries also. The rest died when he destroyed the main gates and the wall above them. They were all huddled by the gates. The prisoners only had six wands amongst them and were using the other prisoners as shields. When the gates and wall collapsed, they couldn’t run fast enough to avoid being crushed.”
Ginny finished talking and leaned against the glass staring at him. She was lost as to how to heal him; how to take away his pain and make him whole again. Her mother started doing something strange. She started to braid Ginny’s hair.
“You know my dear that we are all here for you and Harry. You don’t need to do this alone.”
“I want to be the one to help him. I appreciate all your help and support, but I want to be there for him.”
“Ginny, dear, you will need help with this. You also have your Quidditch career to think about,” countered her mother, while working with her hair.
“I have already told Gwen that I might not be back for a while. She said that she would keep a spot open on the team for me.”
“Well, if you are going to insist. I still think you should take Harry back to the Burrow and stay out of the public eye, until he is well enough. Merlin only knows what the public will think about what has happened. Some will probably congratulate him, and others want him put into Azkaban. He will need some time alone to get his mind right again.
“I know that going to Australia was good for me. It gave me some time away from the insanity that was happening here. Having you four also helped, it made me feel good to see all of you finally falling in love.” She finished securing Ginny’s braid, and put a hand on each of her shoulders. “We will need to surround Harry with people who love him. Hopefully, that will help him, as he endures all the internal torment that comes with what he has done. It helped me, dear.”
Ginny reached up and placed a hand on her mother’s hand. It felt good to hear her mother talking like this. Knowing she had the support of her parents, Ron, and Hermione, gave her the encouragement to feel that she could actually do this. If they would have fought her, it would have made life much more difficult on her and Harry.
The door at the other end of the room opened. Minister Shacklebolt, Gawain Robards, and Wendy Robards entered the room. They all had serious expressions on their faces as they walked up to the Weasley’s at the window.
“Hermione, I understand that you have some important information that you won’t reveal, because of security reasons.”
“Yes, Minister, it relates to what we did when we stopped Voldemort.”
“It is related to making Horcruxes?”
“Yes, it is.” Hermione’s voice changed and started to sound like a professor lecturing a class. “To make a Horcrux, one must split their soul, by murdering someone with magic. That act splits the soul allowing the person to place their soul fragment into a vessel and that vessel becomes a Horcrux.
“The only way for an individual to release their soul fragment from the vessel and reconnect or heal their soul is to feel remorse for what they have done. I therefore assume that anytime that a person commits a magical murder then they split their soul and can’t repair it until they finally feel remorse for killing.”
“What if it’s self-defense,” countered Gawain.
“I don’t know, but I would imagine that it makes no difference,” she stated.
“So, you are saying that all someone has to say is ‘I’m sorry’ and they are healed,” Gawain tested her.
“I don’t think so. It is something almost that basic. It doesn’t matter what you say, but what you think.”
“What happens if someone doesn’t feel remorse for what they did?” asked the Minister.
“They will end up like Voldemort…” Hermione was interrupted by the muttering of the three. “Hold on, When I said end up like Voldemort, I didn’t necessarily mean a dark wizard. Harry crossed the veil, when Voldemort hit him with the Killing Curse during the battle. He saw what Voldemort’s soul looked like in the afterlife.” Hermione stopped talking and shuttered a little. “It was a horrid thing as he described it. A mangled twisted replica of a human being, and it appeared to be wracked with pain. That is what awaits those who cannot feel remorse for killing, like Voldemort.”
Ginny was suddenly filled with dread and understanding. She now realized why Harry was so afraid, but she was also worried for her mother. Did her mother feel enough genuine remorse to heal her soul, could Harry? She didn’t want to think about their deaths, but she didn’t want either one to feel pain in anyway.
She reached out and grabbed her mother’s hand again. When Kingsley walked in, they had separated from each other and now stood side by side. She could feel her mother trembling. Her father already had an arm around her shoulders, so the only thing she could do is hold her hand for support.
“So, if someone feels genuine remorse they will be saved from this eternal suffering,” questioned Kingsley. He almost sounded sardonic when he asked the question.
“Look Minister, we are telling you about things that no one else have any idea,” countered Ron. He looked to be angry but kept his voice under control. “Very few people have ever made a Horcrux, and Harry is the only person that I have ever heard of dying and returning to life again.”
Kingsley held up his hand to quiet Ron. “I didn’t mean to say that I didn’t believe you. It just seems too easy to me to avoid this horrible fate. All a person has to do is to say ‘I’m sorry’ and they are automatically better.”
“It isn’t as simple as that,” stated Hermione. “In the book that had information about Horcruxes, it described the rejoining of a person’s soul as terribly painful. I don’t think it is as simple as saying ‘Oops I didn’t mean that’. If one is truly sorry, it is internally painful to them. Voldemort felt no remorse. He felt no pain for killing others.
“I am sorry if I don’t have any more proof than what I can offer you now, but I am concerned about Harry. He has seen things that have him scared. He believes these things that I have told you. I am not trying to tell you that you are all wrong. I am just trying to tell you what we have learned. I am just trying to help my best friend. All right?”
“Hermione, I didn’t actually mean to belittle you or tell you that you are wrong. I am just trying to understand what you are saying, so this information can be used to help others. You are not the only ones in this room who are concerned about Harry. However, there are others who have gone through the same anguish that he is going through right now. I want to be able to help them also. As the Minister of Magic, it is my responsibility to help all of the magical society.”
“Minister, you can’t tell others about how we discovered this,” stressed Hermione.
“Not everyone, but we may have to tell some Healers so they can help others.”
Kingsley kept talking to Ron and Hermione, but Ginny tuned them out. She turned again to look at Harry sleeping on the bed. She was afraid for him. She didn’t want him to suffer, but if he must do that now to help him later, than she will support him and reassure him until he is better.
Without saying anything to the others, she opened the door and walked into Harry’s room. He was all she could focus on now. Sitting down on the chair that Healer Maris conjured, she gently stroked Harry’s hair. It was still dirty, but she didn’t care. She was trying to comfort him. He might not be able to feel her touch, but that didn’t deter her from touching him. Running her fingers over the contours of his face, she leaned forward and kissed him gently on the forehead.
“I am here for you, love,” she whispered to him. “I know you can’t hear me, but I want you to know that even though you may hate yourself right now, I still love you. I will always love you and will be here for you even if you don’t want me. Hermione told me about Voldemort. I know you are worried, but I believe what she said about the need to feel remorse for killing. She said that you will feel pain because of it.” She stopped and kissed him again. “I want you to know that I will be here to help kiss away the pain. I won’t let you suffer alone, no matter how much you want to. You are not alone anymore, Harry. You have me now for the rest of your life, and beyond.”
Ginny moved her hands out over his shoulders to gently embrace him as she leaned forward to lay her head next to his. She let out a contented sigh to be near him again, when she heard the door shut behind her. Looking up she saw her father walking towards her.
“Harry is very lucky to have someone like you, pumpkin.”
Ginny was slightly taken back by her father’s praise. “I just love him, and only doing what anyone in love would do.”
“Not everyone would be able to take the troubles that seem to follow Harry. You are a very strong woman, and I couldn’t be prouder of you.” He pulled his wand out and conjured a chair to sit in. After he sat down beside her, he continued to talk. “I came in here to talk to you about Harry’s healing process. Let us help. By us, I am including your mother, Ron, Hermione, and even Andromeda and Teddy. Please don’t try to push us away and try to take care of Harry by yourself.
“If it had not been for the trip to Australia, I am not sure that your mother would have recovered so quickly. It was seeing everyone happy and together at Regi’s house that put your mother’s pain behind her.” He stopped again and looked at her then the windows, as if he was checking to see if anyone was listening. “I believe what Hermione said about the damage one does when they kill another person. If anyone had deserved to die for their crimes it was Bellatrix. I just know that your mother had had terrible nightmares because of what she did. Ginny, I think that she still has them at times. Don’t tell her that I know. She tries to keep them from me, but I can tell when she has had a restless night.
“The thing I wanted to tell you that this will be a long and tedious process. Please don’t lose heart if Harry doesn’t respond quickly. He will come around. With you by his side supporting him and letting him know he is deserving of your love; he will overcome this.”
She was surprised that her father would say that. He had always treated her like a six-year-old. It had always bothered her, but now he just spoke to her as if she was a full-grown adult, not someone to be protected and mollycoddled. “Thank you, Dad,” she barely said. Her throat was tight from emotion from her father’s praise.
He stood up and kissed her he gently on the head. “Sometimes I have a hard time remembering that you are a grown woman, Ginny, but you have become a very beautiful and mature woman. It kind of makes me feel old,” he laughed at his last statement.
Ginny also chuckled at his statement. It made her feel good to realize that he saw her that way. It had seemed that he would always look at her as some immature little girl with pigtails and missing teeth. She watched as her father left the room. He walked over to her mother and put and arm around her. He whispered something in her ear, before looking back at Ginny. Her mother walked away from her father and opened the door to the room. She walked over and sat down beside Ginny without saying anything. Both of them sat there in silence for a while.
Ginny turned her attention back to Harry. She wanted to touch him and speak to him to let him know that she was there.
“I am thinking about having Christmas towards the end of the month, possibly combining it with New Years,” her mother said, suddenly breaking the silence in the room.
“What?” The mention of Christmas caught Ginny completely off guard.
“Bill and Fleur wanted to take Victoire to France for Christmas. They could do that and still have Christmas with us. That would also give Harry some time before we completely fill the house with people.” She smiled at Ginny. “Hopefully we will be able to have him in good spirits by then.”
“What Mrs. Robards said about others having turned dark, to drinking, or — or suicide bothers me. I won’t let that happen to Harry, Mum. I won’t. I can’t,” Ginny choked out the last words as tears threaten to fall. She stopped talking to control her emotions. She needed to be in control. She needed to be strong, if Harry is going to survive and fully recover.
“Ginny, you will not be able to do this alone. Didn’t your father speak to you about this?”
“Yes. He did, Mum. I’ve been away from Harry for so long that I ache to be near him. I don’t want to leave his side day or night. I don’t care what you and Dad thinks. I want to be with Harry. It isn’t like we will be doing anything, or that we have ever done anything. I just don’t want to be away from him. I know you two think that we have been shagging. Hell, Bill and everyone at Hogwarts thinks we did that night before the memorial service…”
“Didn’t you!”
“No! We didn’t. I was cut up about returning to the school. I couldn’t get the memories of the battle out of my head. I crawled into bed with Harry so he could comfort me. I just needed someone to hold me. He did that. He held me, kissed me, and told me he was there for me. He took away my pain that night. I can now remember the battle without breaking down because of what Harry did for me. Now it is my turn to heal him.”
Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Nightmares
“Welcome Potter, I am so glad you could join us,” laughed a familiar high-pitched voice. The sound of Voldemort’s laughter raised gooseflesh on Harry’s arms.“Yes, it is so good to see wittle itsy bitsy baby potty again,” cackled the voice of Bellatrix Lestrange.
“Never thought you had it in you,” hissed Voldemort. “You were always so weak so much like that Muggle loving Dumbledore. Always afraid of using the power that you had; always too noble. HA! You’re not noble now Harry. You are one of us.”
The sound of laughter filled Harry’s ears. Everything was dark around him. He was becoming aware of his surroundings. He was lying face down on bare rock, and his eyes were still closed. Forcing them to open he noticed that the air was filled with an eerie green light and he could hear the dripping of water. Lifting his head, he realized that he was back in the cave where the fake Horcrux had been hidden.
He sat up and saw that no one else was here. He was all alone. He stood up to look for the boat so he might escape the island. It was gone. He was alone on the island surrounded by a lake infested with Inferi. Hearing a splash, he turned and noticed that out of the water two hands grabbed the rocky shores of the island he was standing on. Soon other hands appeared out of the water, followed by the bodies of the Inferi.
He saw the dead body of Fenrir Greyback appear out of the water, next to him was Antonin Dolohov and Rodolphus Lestrange. The prisoners that he had killed at Azkaban all started to appear. Their stiff emaciated bodies jerkily moved towards him. He turned to run away, but they had completely surrounded the island. He had nowhere to run. He reached for his wands, but he couldn’t find them.
An ice-cold hand grabbed his arm. Its ragged fingernails dug painfully into his flesh. He jerked his arm out of it grasp, tearing open several lacerations. Another hand grabbed him, again clawing at his flesh, then another and another. He swung his arms to escape their icy grip, but for everyone he pushed away two more hands replaced it. He could feel himself being pulled towards the water. All the way the Inferi were inflicting cuts on him as they mercilessly clawed at him.
“I’m sorry,” he screamed at them as he fought for his life. “I didn’t want to kill you. I am sorry!”
Voldemort’s high-pitched laughter rang throughout the cave. It was accompanied with Bellatrix’s cackling laugh. “It will do you no good to beg for mercy now, Potter. You are one of us now. There is no turning back. Hahahaha!”
Harry continued to push and fight to get free from the Inferi, but he couldn’t escape them. All the while he could see the icy black water getting nearer. Tears of grief were bitterly forming in his eyes as he cried for forgiveness and mercy, but the Inferi showed him none. He could feel the grip of the icy water around his legs. It seemed to freeze his flesh and cause his bones to ache. The water was splashing over the rest of his body as he fought with the Inferi. The people he had killed. Soon they had a hold of his hair and were pulling him under the water.
As the water surrounded him, he saw others down there. Voldemort and his other Death Eaters were waiting for him in the inky depths of the lake, their mangled spectral bodies floating weightlessly in the water. Opening his mouth Harry cried again, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to kill you. I didn’t want to kill you. I was only protecting my friends.”
“Harry, Wake up,” a familiar voice called for him.
“Wake up, your having a nightmare,” it said, as the Inferi clutched at his body.
Swinging his arms he collided with the Inferi that were holding him down. Once free he swam up to the surface of the lake, but hands once again grabbed him and shook him.
Harry’s eyes popped open and he saw he was in his hospital room. He twisted on his bed trying to escape the grasp of the Inferi. He pulled back his arm to throw a punch, when he realized that it was Ginny that had a hold of him. She had several red welts on her face. One was at the corner of her mouth. Her lips were starting to swell, and he could see a trickle of blood running down from her nose.
“Harry are you awake?” she asked, while staring at his face.
He immediately slumped down on the bed, as grief took him over. He wasn’t grieving for the people he killed, but for Ginny. “I’m so sorry, Ginny. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“It’s alright, Harry. You were having a nightmare. Besides, I’ve had worse playing Quidditch,” she said, as she let go of him and wiped her nose. “Do you want to talk about it?”
He laid there and stared at the dark ceiling. There was a single candle burning in the room, only slightly illuminating it. He turned to look at Ginny. He didn’t know why she was here. She knew what he had done. Yet, she has never left his side for the past two days. She was always there to help him, to comfort him, and to reassure him. “How can you stand to be around me?”
“It isn’t bad now that you have had a bath,” she joked with him. “Before, it was pretty difficult though.”
He couldn’t help but smile at her comment. He hadn’t been able to bathe completely until last night, for fear of infecting the wounds. Even though he had had sponge baths, he was rather offensive, until he finally bathed last night. “You know what I mean, Ginny.”
“Well, I am partly responsible for what you did. You did that to protect me, so I am just saying thank you.” She leaned forward and kissed him gently on his cheek.
The icy sensation that had encompassed him during his nightmare was pushed out of him by the warmth of her love. “I’m the luckiest man alive to have someone like you.”
Ginny smiled at him. “You say that now but wait until I ask you to change our baby’s nappies and you will be wailing about me being a task master.” She laughed her pleasant laugh that always filled him with joy. “I need to clean up a little. Do you want me to get you some tea and call for breakfast, since it doesn’t look like either one of us are going back to sleep this morning.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Then that is a yes,” she said as she walked towards the loo.
He watched her walk away from him. She was so beautiful that she seemed to brighten a room whenever she entered it. He couldn’t stop thinking about what she had just said. The thoughts of having a family together seemed like a dream to him. He had always wanted a family, and to have one with Ginny would be more than he could ever hope to have. A part of him seemed to be telling him that he shouldn’t even think about it, because there was no hope for a future with her. Yet, another part of him hung onto that possibility with great tenacity.
Before he had become a murderer, the thoughts of marrying Ginny and having a family were what helped him keep going through life’s difficulties. Now though, he didn’t feel as though he deserved her. She was everything beautiful in the world. She brightened any room that she entered with her smile. Even her temper had a dangerous beauty to it, like a summer thunderstorm with its brilliant lightning display. He no longer deserved her, now that he has murdered.
Professor Dumbledore had told him about how murder would split the soul. He had even seen the results of it, but that didn’t stop him. He was so afraid of what Greyback would do to Ginny and Hermione. Dolohov had plans for the rest of the Weasley’s. He had to stop them, but he didn’t necessarily have to kill them. Even now as he has replayed the scene in his mind, he has tried to think of other ways to have stopped them. If he could have stunned all six of the sorcerers with the wands, then he could have subdued them, but they had Ennervated each other as fast as he could Stun them. If only he had known of better more powerful spells like Professor Dumbledore knew. He wouldn’t have needed to have killed them. If he had studied harder while at Hogwarts, he wouldn’t have needed to become a murderer.
“Was the dream like the others you had?” asked Ginny, as she held out a mug of tea for him. The welts on her face were healed along with her bloody nose.
Harry thought back to last night’s dream. “It was almost the same. I think. It did seem a little different, though.” Ginny sat on the side of his bed and tossed her long hair over her one shoulder before sipping on her tea. The sight of her neck and face framed by her mane of crimson hair took Harry’s breath away.
“What seemed different about it?”
Sipping on his cup of tea, he swallowed, but didn’t feel the warmth of it fill him. He was already filled with warmth from her presence. He thought about the dreams, tonights and last nights. They were almost identical, but something was slightly different. “It seems as if there were fewer Inferi in tonights.”
“Really, less Inferi,” Ginny said hopefully. She had placed a hand on his arm when she said that, and her eyes were filled with hope. “Hermione and the Healers will be happy to hear that.”
Harry started to laugh. “I am sure Hermione will be writing everything down about my dreams, just like at Hogwarts the obsessive note taker.” His laughter suddenly died. “Have you told them about your injuries, because of my dreams?”
“No! There’s no reason that they need to know that.”
“I don’t mean to hurt you, Ginny. I am — the dreams seem so real and I am so afraid…” He stopped talking as the fear of being in that cave came back to him. Ginny set her tea down on his nightstand and wrapped her arms around his chest. Feeling her arms around him, comforting him, he pulled her tighter to him with his one free arm. Her head came to just below his chin. Suddenly all fear was pushed from him. The only thing he knew now was Ginny was there for him. Kissing the top of her head, he whispered, “Thank you for being here.”
She didn’t say anything but lifted her head and stared in his eyes. The love he saw in her beautiful brown eyes took his breath away. Her freckled face was mere inches from his. Her lips were so close so enticing that he had to kiss her. Leaning his lips into hers he gently kissed her. It was heavenly bliss to feel her lips. They didn’t break apart but gently kissed for a little longer. He couldn’t hold back any longer. He deepened the kiss reveling in the taste of her. He reached out to pull her tighter to him, when suddenly his legs were burning.
He let out a little scream and Ginny also jumped back, as Harry came to his senses and realized that he had poured his tea on him and Ginny. They stood there on opposite sides of the bed staring at the tea stains on their robes for a second before they started laughing at each other.
Ginny used her wand and got rid of the hot tea from both of their robes. “I guess we shouldn’t have gotten carried away with ourselves. A nurse will be here soon with our breakfast and to check your wounds for infection.”
Harry looked at her across the bed. He could feel his guilt creep back into him now that she wasn’t touching him. She was giving up so much to be with him, to help a murderer.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
“How many were there?” asked Hermione with her quill positioned above her parchment.
“I’m not sure,” groaned Harry. “What does it matter how many there were?”
“You said that in last night’s nightmare there were less Inferi than the previous four nights, so how many less?” Hermione asked the question again.
Harry ran his hand through his hair and let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t know maybe half as many as the first night,” he harshly responded. “So, does this mean that in five more days I won’t be having anymore nightmares?”
Hermione stopped scribbling on her parchment and looked at Ron who was beside her.
“Harry, mate, my mum still gets them from when she killed Bellatix,” said Ron nervously.
Harry had known that because Mrs. Weasley had spoken to him the first day he was awake. He had been shocked by her admission to feeling the same as he does now. She also gave him hope for different reasons. One was because she had overcome this feeling of guilt and worthlessness, and the other was because she was one of the most decent and kindest persons he has ever known. Yet, she had killed someone. Realizing those two things seemed to help him on his road to recovery. He still had moments when he hated himself and felt he wasn’t worthy of having friends like his, but those moments are coming less frequent.
“I know, Ron. She told me about it. I just wish they were over, and I would stop…” He stopped talking and looked at his friends. He didn’t want to continue what he was going to say. He didn’t want them to know he had been hurting Ginny during his nightmares. Instinctively, he raised himself on the sofa he was on and peered into his hospital room to see if she was still sleeping on the bed.
“What do you want to stop, Harry?” questioned Hermione.
Harry looked from her questioning look to Ron’s and couldn’t say it. “I wish it didn’t take such a toll on Ginny. She isn’t getting enough sleep with being up most of the night keeping me calm.”
Ron guffawed at Harry’s comment. “If you think she is going to leave you alone at night or anytime, you are barmy. It would take a gang of Aurors to drag her away from you.”
Harry laughed at his best mates’ comment. “I just wished I wasn’t such a burden on her.”
“Harry, she is doing what she wants to do. She couldn’t stand being away from you when you are hurting. Please don’t ask her to leave,” warned Hermione.
He paced to the open doorway between the rooms and back to the sofas. “Has she talked about my nightmares?”
“She has just told us about you having them and waking you up,” stated Hermione. She gazed at him with a penetrating gaze. “Why?”
Harry paced back and forth again and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He didn’t want to say anything because Ron will pummel him, but he’s tired of hurting Ginny. “I am hurting Ginny,” he said barely above a whisper.
“You are what?” shouted Ron and he stood up, his fist clenched, and his face scarlet red.
“When I am having the nightmares, I try to fight off the Inferi. I end up hitting Ginny. I don‘t want to hurt her anymore, but she won’t leave.”
“Oh, is that all,” said Ron calmly. He sat back down beside Hermione. “Mate, we kind of figured with the dreams you had been having that you were thrashing about. You haven’t hit Ginny after you are awake…”
“No! I would never. Don’t you see? I am hurting her. I swing to hit an Inferi in my nightmares, but I end up hurting her.”
“You haven’t hurled on her?” asked Ron. “Hitting is one thing, but I remembered when you were having your nightmares with Voldemort, you would wake up and hurl. Doing that on her would be just nasty.”
The golden trio shared a laugh at Ron’s comment. Harry felt good laughing about his problems with his friends. He was most grateful that they weren’t angry at him for hurting Ginny. It was something that he had to tell them. It had been bothering him and now that others knew about it and understood. He just wished he could control himself better while dreaming so he wouldn’t hurt her.
“Any other questions Hermione?” Harry asked.
“No, that is all for today, I will finish writing up this report for the Healers. This is important research we are doing Harry. I hope you realize that I am not asking these questions to annoy you. Ron’s Mum has had to answer many questions about her experience with this, along with any other Aurors who have killed in the line of duty. I am just excited about being able to help out with the research. I even bought some Muggle books on the subject.”
“Yeah poor girl has been suffering so much sitting around researching and reading all the time,” Ron added sardonically. Hermione playfully elbowed him while Harry chuckled at the comment. “So, are you going to accept the Order of Merlin that they want to award you?”
“No, not for this, but they will just award it to me anyway,” grumbled Harry. “It was practically my fault there was an escape. I came up with the new procedures to secure the prison, and there was still an escape.”
“Now Harry,” started Hermione in her bossy tone. “You know that isn’t true. It was that guard who tried to torture Greyback. If he hadn’t gone down there with his wand, Greyback would have never gotten it off of him, and the prison break would have never happened.”
“I know Hermione, but I still feel a little guilty.”
“Of course you do, you are Harry Potter and that is what you do,” teased Ron. “The general public isn’t upset with you. The only ones voicing any complaints are the people who want all the Death Eaters executed. Even France hasn’t started their “Harry Potter is a murderer” claim again. I guess Fleur’s parents said that you are now a hero in that country too. They were all quite distressed that so many important people were corrupt in their government.”
“Alberto Sabatini was a huge help with convincing them that we were attacked for protecting Muggles,” said Harry. “I guess I was lucky I saved his life back in Grimmauld Place.”
Everyone stopped talking as the door opened coming from the Apparition and Portkey Room. It was a hospital worker pushing a cart with lunch for Harry and Ginny. Even though she wasn’t a patient, the hospital has been giving her meals with Harry. The worker was a young man probably in his mid twenties. “I have meals here for Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley.” He said excitedly. “I was wondering if I might — um — be able to get an — um — autograph.”
Ron and Hermione looked at Harry and smiled at him. He felt rather embarrassed to be asked for an autograph by a man who was older than him. “You want my autograph?”
The man looked shocked at him. “No, not yours Mr. Potter, I wanted to get Miss Weasley to sign my copy of Quidditch Today.” He pulled a magazine off the tray. He held it up and on the cover was a picture of Ginny grabbing a Snitch. The headlines were flashing calling her, The Harpies Sexy Siren Seeker.
“Where did you get that mag?” Harry asked the man.
“At the Hospital’s news stand.”
Harry looked at Ron, who stood up and started out the door. “I’ll be back with as many as I can buy, Harry,” said Ron as he walked away.
“I’ll wake Ginny,” said Harry, as he walked into the hospital room. He was enjoying this. It was Ginny’s turn to deal with the publicity. He knew that Quidditch Today was the most popular Quidditch mag in the entire world. He gently jostled her to wake her up. She grumbled something about sleeping a little longer, but he pulled her hair back from her face and tickled her cheek. She swatted at his hand, before rolling over to look up at him. As she slowly gazed up at him with sleepy eyes, Harry was captivated how lovely she looked.
“You want me to move to make room for you?” she asked with a husky voice.
Seeing her like this made Harry want to close the curtains and do just that, but he forced back those feelings. “I woke you up because the attendant with our lunch wants your autograph.”
Ginny gave him a strange look. “My autograph?” she asked.
“Yes, love, you are on the cover of Quidditch Today.”
Ginny sat up in bed immediately and stared out the door of the room to see an overly anxious young man staring back at her. She looked at Harry and he saw panic in her eyes, before she jumped off the bed and ran to the other room. He walked behind her curious as to why she was acting this way.
Ginny’s fan was a little shorter than Harry and slighter built. He had a thin pointy face and straight black hair that he was trying to fix to look his best. When Ginny reached him, he nervously smiled at her. “Miss Weasley could you sign my mag for me,” he said, as he held it out. Ginny took it from him without saying anything. She stared at the front cover a second before breathing a sigh of relief. “My name is Barty Bringe,” he said. “Could you sign it to Barty Bringe?”
“Ah, yeah, sure, I don’t have a quill,” Ginny stated.
Harry watched from behind her as she took Hermione’s quill and started to sign the front cover. Barty though stopped her. “Not the cover, I want you to sign the fold out.” He flipped the mag open and unfolded the center page of it.
From behind, Harry could see a picture of someone with long red hair and a lot of exposed skin, before Ginny grabbed it out his hands. Hermione who was closer to them stood up from the sofa. She had a shocked look on her face. Ginny turned back to him. She had the mag clutched to her chest. She looked to be almost in tears. “Harry, I didn’t know that…”
Her plea was interrupted by Ron coming from the Apparition Room with Gwenog Jones. “Hey, Ginny, look who I found down at the stand,” yelled Ron. He had several Mags under his arm and was in the process of looking through one for the article.
Gwenog stepped around him and apologized as she ran to Ginny, “I am sorry Ginny I didn’t know that they would put that picture in the mag.”
Ginny stepped past Barty and started towards Gwenog. “Gwen, how could they do this without my permission?” she nearly screamed at her coach, while shaking Barty’s mag in her hands.
Ron had stopped walking, as he had suddenly unfolded the centerfold. His eyes bulged in his face as he stared at the picture of his sister. “Bloody Hell!”
Hermione immediately turned on him. “Ronald! How could you look at that! That is your own sister!”
Suddenly, Barty grabbed Ginny’s arm and spun her around. “Would you please sign the mag and give it back.” He had grabbed her so quickly that when she spun, she let out a little squeak as though he had hurt her.
The room went completely silent as Barty suddenly flew backwards from Ginny and was suspended from his heel hanging at the far side of the room. Harry held his wand up supporting Barty, as he walked up to him.
Ginny ran to Harry in fear of what he was going to do. “Harry, he didn’t hurt me. He caught me by surprise.”
Harry continued to walk towards Barty. When he was standing so he could look him in the eyes, Harry final spoke. “Don’t you ever lay a hand on her again,” he hissed out dangerously.
“Please don’t kill me,” pleaded Barty. He immediately dropped to the hard tile floor with a loud thump.
“If I was going to kill you, you’d be dead,” growled Harry. He felt Ginny’s hand on his arm. He turned and saw that she appeared to be ready to cry.
“Please don’t hurt him. I am sorry this happened…”
“Could I look at this picture?” he asked her.
When she handed him the mag, his stomach tightened. He never expected Ginny to do something like this. It seemed so out of character for her to pose for pictures of this type. Opening the mag, he quickly found the centerfold. Ginny was in a brown bikini. The top seemed to be too small for her, but other than that, it looked like she was just someone walking on the beach. Her hair was fanned out behind her as she walked into the wind. Harry’s breath caught in his throat seeing her picture, because she was so radiantly beautiful. There were others walking beside her that weren’t in the picture, and she was talking to them as she walked. He stood there transfixed. Even though she looked so beautiful in the picture there seemed to be something wrong with it. When he finally looked up from the picture, everyone was staring at him. Ginny was biting her lip with tears welling up in her eyes.
“You look fantastic in a bikini, Ginny,” he calmly said.
“You’re not angry,” asked Ginny.
“Not at you, besides I thought a picture like this would have had less clothing.”
“It was supposed to be of the entire team in bikinis, not just me. I am sorry. I was going to tell you about this, but the pictures and the interviews were five days ago. I had written a letter to you warning you about it, but I got called here and it completely slipped my mind.”
He stared at her reaction to this. She seemed so ashamed of having her picture in the mag. He gently stroked her cheek and cupped his hand under her jaw. “I said that I am not angry at you. If you say that you didn’t know about the picture than I believe you.”
Ginny turned her face to kiss his hand, and whispered, “Thank you.”
“Well that is all nice and sweet, but I want my mag back,” stated Barty from behind Harry.
Harry still had it in his other hand. He turned and stuck it out to him. “Here, don’t expect any autographs either, now leave.”
Barty grabbed the mag and walked to the door. “You celebrities are all bloody mental, you know that,” he said before leaving.
Ron waved goodbye to him with one finger, but Hermione didn’t seem to notice, because she had her nose buried in the magazines article. “Ginny, you said that the picture was supposed to be of the entire team?”
“Yes.”
“Here is a picture, and it looks like they used it to get that centerfold of you.” She opened two magazines, one to the centerfold and one to the picture of the entire team. “The people beside you in the team picture are also beside you in your centerfold.”
“I knew they had to do something like that, Hermione. I only had the team picture taken with that bikini. Believe me, I quickly covered up as soon as I could.” She let out a little sigh. “They wanted to have a private picture shoot with me, but I said no. I guess it really didn’t matter. They got their picture anyway.”
“Ginny,” interjected Gwenog. “I am so sorry about this. I knew you would be upset about this. I just wanted you to know that I didn’t authorize them doing the centerfold. The team picture I thought was a good idea. It would definitely prove that git from the Bulgarian Ministry wrong.” She finished talking and stared at Ginny apprehensively waiting for her to respond.
“I believe you,” said Ginny. She then turned to Harry. “The Minister for Games of Bulgaria claimed that I had to be a man to defeat Viktor Krum. He tried to have the match cancelled to keep Viktor’s steak alive.”
“A man?” questioned Harry.
“Actually, most of the team was supposed to be men,” replied Gwenog. “I think the team picture in bikini’s disproved that theory.”
Harry looked at his girlfriend and laughed. “That must have been one desperate individual to come up with that load of bullocks.”
“Ginny this article is really very complimentary,” stated Hermione. “Here it says ‘Ginny Weasley in her first year of playing professional Quidditch could possibly be the next great Seeker. Her performance during the Harpies match with the Bulgarian national team exemplified that. She not only broke Viktor Krum’s streak of capturing the Snitch, but she also scored several goals as a reserve Chaser.’ Pretty impressive praise, Ginny.”
“You should have seen her. She was amazing,” boasted Harry.
Hermione smiled as she turned her magazine around and showed Harry a picture. It was of Ginny and him snogging in the stands. “The caption reads ‘Ginny Weasley gets a good luck kiss from her fiancé, Harry Potter, during a break.’ Nice picture you two, did you know they were taking it?”
Harry felt his face get warm, at having his picture taken while snogging Ginny, but he was happy they put that picture in the paper.
“Here it talks about how Ginny feels about you, Harry,” said Hermione cheerfully. “’Ginny Weasley is not available. She makes it quite clear to anyone who dares approach her. A prime example was after the Bulgarian match when’…” Hermione abruptly stopped talking and glanced up at Ginny then Harry.
“When what?” asked Ron.
“Yes, Hermione, what else did it say?” asked Harry. He could feel Ginny stiffen when Hermione stopped talking. “Ginny what happened?”
Hermione and Ginny stared at each other, as though they were trying to talk by telepathy. Harry noticed that Gwen also had become nervous about something.
“What happened Ginny?” asked Harry again. Ginny stepped away from him and stared nervously up at him. This did nothing but raise his apprehension about what she was hiding from him.
“Harry, please don’t get angry until I can explain. All right?” pleaded Ginny.
“Well hearing that isn’t helping, but I’ll try. What happened?”
“After the match, I was upset that you had to leave,” she said as she seemed to be searching for words. “Greta and Zelda our Beaters wanted to go out and celebrate, but I told them no. I just wanted to go back to my own room and go to sleep. Well Charlie escorted me to my room because the place was mayhem and I couldn’t get through the crowds of fans. He also gave me what you had left for me.”
Harry remembered leaving her his shirt for her to wear to bed.
“I went in my room and took a bath and had just put on your shirt to go to bed when someone knocked at my door. I asked who it was, and Greta and Zelda said they had a gift for me from Bulgaria. I thought it was the champagne that Viktor owed me from our bet.”
“Vicky owed you champagne?” interrupted Ron.
“Yes, we bet on the match. If he captured the Snitch, I was going to buy him cognac.” Ginny stopped talking and stared off in space for a second. “He never did get me the champagne. Any way where was I? Oh yes, when I opened the door, Greta and Zelda had a male prostitute for me.”
“What!” said Harry, his anger quickly building.
“Harry, Ginny has always been true to you. It was Greta and Zelda, those two have the morals of dogs in heat,” pleaded Gwenog.
“I was angry at them, and it only increased my frustration at you needing to go home before we could spend some time alone together. I hit all three of them with Bat-Bogey Hexes.”
Ron let out a loud snort of laughter. “That’s my sister,” he said proudly.
“Well, Olaf had a large drink in his hands, and threw it all over my shirt. That made me even angrier, because now I couldn’t smell your scent on the shirt anymore. So, I hit him with a Furnunculus spell, I didn’t realize that it would do so much damage to his exposed willie.”
“His exposed what?” snapped Harry angrily.
Ginny seemed to jump a little at his comment before cutting him off. “Yes, he was only wearing a robe. He opened it when Greta and Zelda introduced him, and the ruddy bastard told me that ‘my dreams were going to come true’ that’s when I hit them with the Bat-Bogeys.”
Harry stood there stoic. He wasn’t actually angry, but he wasn’t exactly happy about what he had heard. It made him wonder about what else Ginny had been exposed to while away with the Harpies.
Ginny stepped up to him and place one of her small delicate hands on his forearm. She looked up in his eyes. “Are you upset with me?”
“I never knew that there were such things as male prostitutes,” he said. “Where would they find one?”
“It isn’t difficult, Harry. I never told you about everything that happened on the tour, because I thought you would be upset with me. I was afraid you would think that I was being unfaithful to you and start shagging others over here.”
Harry looked up at Gwenog Jones and them back down to Ginny. “What type of things?”
“Harry,” interjected Gwenog. Her voice carried an authority to it. She stepped forward and laid a hand on Ginny shoulder. “Don’t be upset with Ginny, she had no clue to what life was like on the road. It isn’t uncommon to find men who want to shag a female Quidditch player. It is something to brag about, I guess. Ginny was shocked at this. Of course, there are several members of the team that rather enjoy satisfying these men. Because we spend a great deal of time in hotels, we also run into the usual seedy characters that inhabit them. Male prostitutes along with female ones are just a few of them. Everywhere we went there was always someone wanting to buy us dinner or drinks. Ginny never took anyone up on any of those offers.” Gwenog stopped talking and looked down at Ginny, before continuing. She seemed to have remembered something but didn’t say anything. “Harry, she has always been faithful to you. Almost everyone on the team knew this, but those randy Beaters are not that sensitive to anyone in a relationship like that.”
Harry stood there trying to sort things out in his mind. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling right now. It was somewhere between betrayal and jealousy. He believed Gwenog and Ginny that she had been faithful to him, but why didn’t she ever tell him everything.
“I think that the two of you need some time alone to talk,” said Hermione, as she grabbed Ron’s arm and tried to move to the door. Ron resisted her and glared at Ginny, Gwenog, and Harry. He looked to be angry, but couldn’t decide who to be angry with. “Ron, let’s go,” growled Hermione through clenched teeth.
“All right, Hermione,” spat Ron. “Harry remembered what I said about when you are awake. All right!”
Harry looked up at him. “I’ll remember.”
“And you,” Ron said pointing at Ginny.
Ginny turned and directed all her anger and frustration at her brother, as she pulled her wand and pointed at his face. “Sod of Ronald,” she shouted so loud that her voice echoed in the room. “I don’t need you accusing me of anything that didn’t happen.”
Hermione gave Ron a hard shove and he started walking towards the door.
Harry saw that they were leaving with all the magazines. “Could you leave one of those mags, Ron?”
He tossed one on the chair closest to the door. “I’ll talk to you two later,” he said threateningly, before leaving with Hermione, who had turned and gave Ginny and Harry an apologetic look.
“Ginny, could I talk to you before I leave,” asked Gwenog.
Ginny looked at Harry then at Gwenog before nodding. They walked over to the hospital room and closed the door. Harry watched as they talked in there. Gwenog seemed to be pleading with Ginny about something, but Ginny kept her gaze downcast. He turned away and went to get the magazine on the chair. He picked it up and started to read through it. There were several pictures of the team in it, but most of them were of Ginny. He walked back over to the sofa where he was sitting before and sat down to read the article.
He couldn’t focus on the words. All he could think about are all the men and teenage boys who are going to be staring at Ginny’s picture. He sat there and stared at the first page intent on reading it, but never making it past the first word.
The door to his hospital room opened and Ginny and Gwenog walked out together. They both had somber expressionless faces. Ginny sat on the sofa facing Harry, while Gwenog left after waving goodbye to him.
“I didn’t tell you about the night life, because it bothered me so much to see it.” She turned her left hand over so he could see the ruby heart of her engagement ring. She took the index finger of her right hand and gently moved the heart back and forth on her finger. “I always thought that when someone gives or gets a ring it is a sign of commitment. Probably a third of the men, who were chatting us up, had wedding rings. They didn’t even care if we knew they were married to someone. I was afraid that you would get angry with the situation and ask me to come home. As much as I hated seeing that kind of thing, I loved the rest of it. Moving from one city to another living in expensive hotels and playing Quidditch all day long, it was almost a dream come true. Harry, I am sorry that I didn’t tell you. I had planned on telling you when I got home, but other things made me forget.”
“I’m not angry with you, Ginny. In fact, I am not sure what I feel right now. I am somewhere between jealous and angry at all the ruddy blokes out there who have been chatting you up,” Harry stopped talking and ran his hand through his hair. “I guess I am feeling the same thing that you felt when we first got back together. Then everyone was calling me the most eligible wizard, and now you are this Sexy Siren Seeker.”
Ginny stood up and walked up to him. She stood there and stared at him for a second before bending down and gently grabbing his face. She kissed him passionately, and pushed him back against the sofa, as she straddled him. Harry instinctively wrapped his arms around her and returned the kiss with just as much passion. He slid his one arm up her back through her silky hair and the other he grabbed her arse and pulled her in tighter to him. She arched her back and raised her head up pulling his face to her neck. He nibbled at her ear and ran a series of kisses down her throat. He enjoyed hearing her groan with pleasure.
She repositioned herself and pulled away from him, so that she was looking in his eyes. Her lips were slightly swollen and face was flushed, but her eyes caught his attention. He was spellbound by the look in her chocolate brown eyes. They were soft loving, and more. He felt like he could look all the way into her soul through her eyes.
“I have grown up a lot on the road,” she huskily said. “I realized that because a person makes a promise that they are not bound to it, but you have always kept your promises to me.” She leaned in and gently kissed him and even playfully nibbled his lip as she pulled away. “The men and also the women, whom spent all their time looking for someone to satisfy their longings for a night, they all had empty eyes. Not like yours Harry. I’ve heard tell that the eyes are the gateway to the soul. Their eyes were empty and hollow, but yours are filled with life and love. I never realized what I had in you, until I saw the other side of life.” She stopped talking and started to snog him.
Harry responded to the snogging, but inside he was starting to have doubts about what she said. He truly didn’t feel that good of a person. He definitely didn’t feel whole again.
Stopping again, Ginny looked him in the eyes. “I love you with all my heart. The day we get bonded will make no difference in my heart as to how much I love you or am committed to you. As far as I am concerned, I am already your wife, Harry.”
She slammed her lips into his as she ran her fingers through her hair. His heart was thumping against his ribs with excitement after what she had said. She feathered kisses back his cheek to his ear, where she whispered, “Make love to me.”
“What?” he said or thought he said. He was so worked up right now that he wasn’t sure he could even speak.
She pulled back and said it again. “Make love to me.”
“B — But we are in a hospital room. Nurses and healers could come in at anytime.”
“Lock the doors.”
“They don’t have locks.”
She slumped a little at his last comment. “I’m sorry Harry. I just have waited so long thinking that a piece of metal would make all the difference in the world. It doesn’t, if the people don’t truly love each other. I truly love you, and I know you feel the same about me. I don’t need to wait any longer to be sure. Whenever you are ready, I am also.”
She kissed him once more, before she started to get off his lap. Harry was having another internal battle. He was wondering if he was now the biggest prat in the world for turning her down. He wouldn’t be comfortable knowing that at anytime someone could walk in on them, and he still wasn’t even sure if he was good for her. He loved her but was he actually good for her.
Ginny curled up beside him and laid her head on his shoulder. He leaned into her while trying to decide if he should take her up on the offer or wait. She was the most beautiful woman in the world to him. His thoughts were interrupted when the door from the Apparition Zone flew open.
Arthur Weasley walked through the door and yelled, “Ginevra Molly Weasley, what were you thinking!”
Ginny sat up and stared at her father in shock. Harry had a hard time keeping from laughing. He was covered with soot and ashes. Parts of his robes were still smoldering. He had a burnt-up copy of Quidditch Today in his hand and what hair he had looked to have been burnt off.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
“Your move, mate.”
Harry ignored Ron’s comment as he stared at the chessboard. He was seeing what he never had before, a chance to beat Ron. Ron has been distracted today and had allowed Harry to possibly win. Moving his bishop, Harry announced, “Check, mate.”
“What?” exclaimed Ron, as he stared at the board. “That isn’t a checkmate, it is only check.”
“That’s what I said, mate,” teased Harry.
Ron looked at him and then back down to the board. Hermione, who was sitting beside Ron, smiled up at Harry. They were sitting in the Burrows sitting room. It was decorated for Christmas which was tomorrow. Harry was sitting on an ottoman with his back to the fireplace, while Ron and Hermione sat on the sofa. The chessboard rested on the coffee table, and the remains of their lunch beside it. The official Christmas celebration will be in a week, when Bill, Fleur, Victoire return from France. Even with the actual celebration a week away, the Burrow was fully decorated for the holiday.
“While you are looking at the board, Ron, I want to go upstairs,” said Harry, as he stood up from the ottoman.
“Checking on Ginny again?” asked Hermione. She smiled up at him with her know-it-all smile.
“I was going to the loo, and I might peak in and see how she is sleeping,” countered Harry.
“She is probably the same as the last three times you’ve checked on her, Harry,” laughed Hermione.
Harry sat back down on the ottoman with a sigh. “I don’t think she is sleeping at night. I am so worried about her. Maybe you could talk to her, Hermione. Tell her to get some sleep. I don’t need her to watch over me. My nightmares aren’t that bad anymore.”
“Harry, we have told her that. She is just concerned about you. She is just doing what she wants to do.”
“These past few weeks have been a nightmare to her also,” sighed Harry. “With that picture appearing in the mag like that.” Harry started to chuckle. “I wish you could have seen your father when he came into the hospital room, Ron.”
Ron laughed at Harry’s comment. “Your move, Harry. I wish I could have been there in the lift when he heard those blokes from maintenance making rude comments about Ginny. You would think he would have realized you shouldn’t cast an Incendio spell in an enclosed space like a lift.”
“I am glad you and George haven’t been too judgmental of her. She has had enough of that from your dad and Percy,” Harry said, as he made his next move.
“Well Harry it was a bit of a shock to see your little sister on a page like that. You are right, that she had a bikini on, but still it was a shock. I don’t think I will get used to being called Ginny Weasley’s older brother. You would think I would be used to though after all those years of being Harry Potter’s best mate.” Ron stopped talking and moved his knight to take Harry’s bishop. “Your move.”
Harry looked down at the board and studied what Ron had done. “It just seems like I am causing Ginny all types of problems. Did she tell you that the other Seeker doesn’t want to play after Christmas? Sara had her leg broken during the Bulgarian match and doesn’t want anything like that happening again. Gwenog wants Ginny to return to the team after the holidays. I don’t know if Ginny will return. Maybe if you two talk to her…”
“Forget it Harry,” Hermione said cutting him off. “The only way that she would do that is if you stop having nightmares. She is doing what she wants. She is willingly staying up all night to watch over you. Besides, I didn’t think you would mind her spending the night with you.”
Harry felt his face get warm. He wanted Ginny with him but sleeping beside him not standing watch over him. Harry suddenly saw a move. Moving his queen, he sat back and looked at Ron. “Checkmate, mate,” he said with a laugh.
Ron looked down at the board and shook his head back and forth. It was the first time that Harry has ever beaten him at Wizard’s Chess. Ron sighed and looked at Hermione for a second. Harry could tell that something was on Ron’s mind. He noticed that Hermione was giving Ron some kind of nod, as though he should talk to Harry. Ron cleared his throat nervously. “Harry, I was thinking about putting in my application for Auror training. George really doesn’t need my help anymore. He is pretty stable now that he has Angelina in his life. I would really appreciate if you could put a good word in for me.”
“Why would I need to do that, Ron? You passed all your NEWTs, and you have an Order of Merlin first class, also. I can assure you that the Auror department will accept your application with no problems.”
Ron and Hermione looked at each other again. “I was wondering if there is a possibility of us training together.”
Harry scratched his chin. “I doubt it. I am almost done. The best chance of that would be if I was your trainer.”
Ron visibly brightened at the idea. “All right, I could handle that. It would be like the old DA.” He leaned over and kissed Hermione. “Well I need to get back to the shop. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow for Christmas at the Grangers, Harry.”
Hermione turned to Harry. “Yes, Harry, my parents are expecting you to be there. My father wants to repay you that fifty thousand pounds you loaned him.”
“He doesn’t have to, Hermione.”
“Yes, he does, Harry,” stated Hermione. She stood up to leave with Ron.
“Hermione,” said Harry nervously. “Do you need to get back to the Ministry, right now?”
Hermione looked at him, with a questioning look, “Why?”
“I was — um — wondering if we could talk,” he struggled to say.
“All right.” She kissed Ron once more, before he Flooed to the shop. After Ron left, she walked over and sat down on the sofa. “What do you want to talk about?”
Harry started to talk, but he nervously looked around the Burrow. “Could we go for a walk?”
“Outside?”
“Yes.”
“Harry, it is freezing cold out.”
“Please Hermione, it is important,” he pleaded.
Grudgingly Hermione stood up, and they both went and pulled on their traveling cloaks, before walking out into the cold winter air. Harry started walking around the house to the orchard with Hermione walking behind him. The snow was halfway to their knees and it crunched with every step. The sun was out making the snow a brilliant white. With each breath they puffed out large volumes of steam into the bitter cold air. It had been an extremely cold day even for December twenty-fourth. Harry finally stopped when they reached the barren trees of the orchard. He turned and looked at Hermione trying to muster the courage to talk.
“Has Ginny ever talked to you about me?”
“What? Harry, she talks about you all the time. What is this all about Harry? I am freezing out here.”
Harry rocked on his numb feet several times before finally spoke. “Ginny wants to — to take our relationship further.”
Awareness shown on Hermione’s face and a slight blush to her cheeks she realized why he was talking to her. “Harry, why are you telling me this?”
“I have no one else to talk to. I can’t really talk to my best mate. I doubt Ron would appreciate it.”
“I realize that Harry, but what do you want me to tell you. You do know…”
“Yes, I do,” he quickly said. “I want to make her happy. When we snog it is wonderful, I think she is enjoying it also, but I am not sure. I just want to make her happy Hermione.”
“I can assure you that when you two snog, she is more than just happy,” Hermione sniggered.
“Really,” sighed Harry sending a large puff of steam out of his mouth.
“Harry, don’t worry about making Ginny happy. She loves you. You will always be able to make her happy.” Hermione stopped talking and laughed to herself. “I never thought I would ever have a conversation with you about this. If you are still unsure, Harry. I would recommend that you get the book “The Magic of Love.” I highly recommend it,” she said with a roguish smile.
Harry felt queasy thinking as he thought about Hermione's comment. Seeing his best friends snogging was uncomfortable enough. He did not want to think about anything else they got up to. "Hermione, I have one more favor to ask of you."
"What is it, Harry?"
"Could you pick up Ginny's Christmas present? I was planning on picking it up when a got off duty at Azkaban. It is at a Muggle jewelery shop. I already paid for it and everthing."
"Sure Harry, I will do that. Now lets go inside," she demanded. "I am freezing."
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Molly Weasley woke up on Christmas day. The sun wasn’t even up yet. She laid in bed thinking about having a lie in. She was going to the Grangers today, so she didn’t need to prepare any big meals. The Weasley’s Christmas celebration would be next week when Bill and Fleur return from France. She decided to get up anyway and see how Harry and Ginny are doing.
His nightmares have been waking him up every night. Ginny has stayed up all night to make sure he was all right. They would usually be awake drinking tea, when she would make her way down to the kitchen each morning.
She should go down and wish them Happy Christmas and have some breakfast with them. Maybe Ginny would have breakfast ready, she had been doing that also. Her daughter has become such a young woman taking responsibility for Harry’s care. She only wished that magazine hadn’t printed that picture of her. Maybe she was wearing a swimsuit, but it still made her appear to be a scarlet woman.
Molly pulled on her favourite threadbare house robes and walked out of her bedroom. She walked down the stairs, instinctively missing all the loose floorboards on the way to the kitchen. She finally made it to the kitchen. She looked around and saw that it was empty.
She turned and ran up the stairs to Ginny’s room where Harry and she had been sleeping. She stepped through the doorway nervous that something was wrong with Harry. She stopped at the sight before her eyes. Harry was sound asleep with Ginny in his arms. They were both in the camp bed set up for him. It didn’t look like Ginny had slept in her bed. Molly stood there and watched her daughter peacefully sleep in the arms of her love. It looked like Harry had finally had a peaceful night sleep, and the alarm didn’t even go off.
She stared at her daughter’s face. It was so peaceful. It has always amazed her that no matter how old her children get; she can still see their baby faces when she looks at them sleeping. Ginny sleeping there looks so much like she did when she was only a little baby. Suppressing a tear of joy from falling down her cheek, Molly Weasley quietly closed the door to her daughter’s room and returned to bed.
Chapter 43: Chapter 43 A Christmas Together
Harry looked in the mirror as he tried for the millionth time in his life to get his hair to lay flat. He was getting ready for the Christmas/New Years Eve Celebration at the Burrow. He and Ginny had been working all day in preparation for tonight. Ginny had been in the kitchen most of the day baking and cooking with her mother. He had helped also, but he also was spending time checking on Christmas decorations. To be more specific, he was making sure that George, who had been popping in and out all day, wasn’t sabotaging any of the decorations.Ever since he and Angelina Johnston have been dating, he has been more like his old self. He still has times when he will be distant and surly, but they are coming less and less frequently. With his return to normalcy, George’s love of pranking had also returned.
Harry had caught several things he had done. Some he disarmed others he left. The fireworks stuck to the wood for the fireplace he disposed of, but the Muggle whoopie cushion stuck in the sofa he left for the party. He figured as long as it didn’t cause bodily harm or could possibly scare Victoire or Teddy, then a little fun would be nice.
Ron in the past week applied for an Auror job, because of George’s recovery. Harry admired Ron for helping his brother with the shop and recovery from the loss of Fred. It hasn’t been a total sacrifice for Ron. He has earned more money in the past year and half than he would have being an Auror. George had always harassed Ron while in school, but he treated Ron as a full partner, while they worked together. The partnership had helped Ron in other ways. He has become more confident than ever before. He also made contributions to the shop or the business. Those contributions have been more along the lines of defensive items. Fred and George had started to sell Shield cloaks to the Ministry before the war. After the war was over, Ron had suggested selling them to the parents of the students at Hogwarts; this made the defense products sales soar. The shop now has an entire line of defensive products.
Harry looked out the window of Ron’s old room. The glow of the outside decorations illuminated the melting snow and the foggy air. The heavy snows and bitter cold that had gripped England the past two weeks was finally over. It had warmed up and now it was raining a fine misty rain. That combined with the cold temperature of the ground created a bone chilling fog. It was actually a miserable day to be out, but the fog added something special to all the Weasley Wetstart-Everlasting-Fireworks that George and Ron created for today.
He couldn’t help but smile as he saw Father Christmas made of Fireworks flying around the Burrow, being pulled in his sleigh by eight tiny Hippogriffs. George had originally wanted dragons, but Mrs. Weasley told him no. There were stars stuck to the outside of the house that made it glow in the fog. Harry worried about Muggle neighbors seeing the glow, but it looked so beautiful at night that no one cared. It was Christmas after all. If the Muggles can put ten thousand light bulbs outside to illuminate their homes, than what was wrong with a few Everlasting-Fireworks.
With a sigh Harry walked out of the room and down the stairs to Ginny’s room. They dressed in separate rooms tonight, because of her parents and that bloody Caterwauling Charm that was activated when someone tries to shag one of the unmarried Weasleys. Harry remembered Rostis telling him that Mr. Weasley was good at Charms, but that Caterwauling Charm was exceptional. It somehow knows that the children are unmarried to begin with, and then it can tell when someone wants to shag them. How he ever was able to Charm the entire house and property to do that was just amazing.
He activated it on Christmas night. They had returned from the Grangers. The Grangers didn’t have a Floo connection so everyone had to walk to a secluded area and Apparate home. The night was bitter cold. The walk to a safe place from the Grangers and from the outside of the Wards at the Burrow had everyone shivering.
He and Ginny had slept together the night before without incident, so no one thought anything of them doing the same that night. The normally warm Burrow was chilly. Harry had gone to bed first. As he lay under the covers shivering, Ginny walked into the room from the loo. She was wearing her house coat, which she dropped to the floor in front of him. She was wearing a white silk negligee and that wicked mischievous smile that made Harry randy just looking at it. The negligee seemed to be made for her body as it followed all of her curves down to mid thigh, slightly revealing what was underneath. He was worried that she just wanted to sleep with him. With her in that, he would never be able to just sleep in the same bed with her. When she proceeded to reach up under the skirt part and pull down her knickers, Harry’s heart hammered in his chest along with other physical reactions. Her knickers hadn’t even reached the floor, before that bloody alarm kicked in. It filled the house with a wail that sounded like it might have been produced by a Banshee.
They slept in separate beds that night and every night since. The past week was hell for Harry, because all he could think about now was the sight of Ginny standing in front of him sliding her knickers off. They planned to go to his house tonight after the party and before Ginny leaves with the Harpies. He was hoping that she would bring that same negligee.
The team was going to the America’s for a New Year’s Day match. Ginny was due at the Harpies Pitch at two o’clock in the morning. They were due to leave via Portkey at three o’clock in the morning for America. Ever since that article appeared in Quidditch Today, the Harpies had sold out every Pitch they were scheduled to play in, and several more matches had been scheduled. It bothered Harry that Ginny was going to play that many matches without a backup. She will be a major target for Bludgers now that the mag claimed her to be the next great Seeker. He has had too many bad experiences with being a target not to worry about her safety.
The door to Ginny’s room was open, so he stepped into the doorway. The sight of her was breathtaking. She was standing in front of her mirror finishing her makeup. He enjoyed that she rarely wore any makeup and when she did it was never very heavy. She had a natural beauty all her own that didn’t need much help from makeup. She was brushing out her blush as she stood there staring in the mirror. She had a little eye makeup on, that accentuated her brown eyes.
Her hair shimmered in the candlelight of her room. It cascaded down to her waist. Ever since he told her how much he loves the feel of her hair, she has always left it hang loose, for him. He couldn’t see much of her royal purple dress, except below her hair and what was reflected in the mirror. The neckline plunged to expose some cleavage, but not too deep to bring the glare of her parents. It didn’t look as if it had sleeves as her bare arms and shoulders emerged from her glorious hair. The dress gathered at her waist and hung loosely to just below her knees. The lower section was just tight enough to show a hint of her curves. She was wearing black high heels.
As he stood in the doorway admiring his beautiful fiancé, she noticed him in her mirror. She smiled a coy smile at him while still looking in the mirror. The candlelight reflecting in the mirror showing her cheeks becoming slightly redder with her own natural blush. “What do you think?” she quietly asked.
“Magnificent,” was Harry’s choked reply.
She laughed her little laugh that he loved so much, making him even closer to setting off the alarm again. “I am glad you like my new dress robe. Hermione and I had a bugger of a time picking it out.”
“Yeah, it is pretty nice also.”
“Harry!” she said with a half pout, but that was quickly replaced with smile.
He realized something looking at her. Ginny was no longer a girl, but a mature woman. Her height wasn’t much different than when they first started dating. Her face had changed a little, becoming slightly thinner, but she was so different in so many ways. Her figure was definitely womanly. Her chest had become larger, and her waist was more defined. The main difference in her though was so much more. It was beyond the physical changes. It was her very actions and reactions. She was so mature, and it showed in her smile, her eyes, and the way she carried herself. As she stood here in her room, it became obvious to him. This is the same room that they shared a kiss on his seventeenth birthday. Then he thought how this room matched her so well. Now it doesn’t, she has outgrown her room. This was a teenager’s room, and she was a mature woman, at the age of eighteen.
“Some help?” Ginny asked as she held up the golden heart necklace that she has had since Australia.
Harry knew what she wanted without any more being said. He walked up behind her, as she held the necklace out to him. He took it and looked at the words “Harry loves Ginny” wrapped around it. He remembered last Christmas and all the pain he had caused her. Yet, she still loved him. He thought of this year and again he made her suffer. He chuckled to himself, as he realized that he has made her suffer through three Christmases in a row.
“What’s funny?”
“Not funny, ironic, Ginny. I seem to have a knack of making Christmas miserable for you.”
She smiled at him. “You always seem to make up for the suffering.”
Looking at her reflection in the mirror he became very serious. “I promise that I will never make another Christmas miserable to you.”
She smiled and shook her head at his promise. “You can’t keep that promise. Besides, it has rarely been your fault that some wankers cause trouble at Christmas time.” They stood there staring at each other in the mirror. She lifted her hair to allow him access to the back of her neck. “We need to get downstairs before the guests arrive.”
Harry refocused his eyes and was surprised to see her dress was a halter, exposing her upper back. He stood there looking at her when he heard her clear her throat. He tried to get the necklace clasped behind her neck while not staring at her and letting his mind think about the large amount of exposed porcelain flesh just below his hands. His hands were shaking so bad that he almost dropped the pendant twice.
“Be careful Harry, or you’ll drop that down my dress,” Ginny said with her soft sexy voice. “You will have to get it for me.”
Harry looked down to where the pendant would fall if he dropped it. His hands started to shake even harder and his throat went dry trying to focus and getting the clasp to catch the loop. His mind kept drifting to the thoughts of exploring for the pendant and so much more. He finally caught the clasp and released a breath that he had been holding.
Ginny dropped her hair and turned so she could clasp her hands behind his neck. “Thank you,” she whispered before pulling his face down to kiss him gently on the lips.
Harry thought he heard a high pitch squeal start around them. He realized that he needed to refocus his thoughts before he set off the alarm. He started to think; Flobberworms and Bubotuber Puss, Flobberworms and Bubotuber Puss, Flobberworms and Bubotuber Puss. The alarm kept getting louder even with him thinking about those disgusting things, but he was snogging the most beautiful woman in the world. Flobberworms and Bubotuber Puss, Flobberworms and Bubotuber Puss, Flobberworms and Bubotuber Puss, he thought to himself. When the alarm kept getting louder, he broke off the kiss.
Ginny seemed to sway with her eyes closed. Then they popped open and she started to whisper, “Flobberworms and Bubotuber Puss, Flobberworms and Bubotuber Puss, and Flobberworms and Bubotuber Puss.” The Caterwauling Charm quieted finally. She looked up slightly embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Harry. I guess, I am anticipating tonight a little too much.”
“Ginevra, Harry,” yelled Mrs. Weasley. “Stop whatever you are doing and get down here. The guests are going to arrive soon.”
They shared a laugh before walking downstairs hand in hand. The smells of the night made Harry’s stomach grumble with hunger. The smells of cinnamon, cloves, cookies, fresh baked bread, and roasted turkey filled the air with delicious odors. The smell of the wood smoke and pine trees completed the feeling of an ideal Christmas. They reached the bottom of the stairs and walked into the warm and comforting kitchen. As they walked around the table to see what Mrs. Weasley wanted, Harry noticed that someone had hung mistletoe up. He stopped below it and pulled Ginny into a kiss.
“That was for the guests you two,” snapped Mrs. Weasley.
When Harry looked up, he noticed that she was trying to suppress a smile. The kitchen door opened up and Ron and Hermione stepped in.
“Lovely decorations outside,” announced Ron loudly.
Hermione crossed the room and hugged Harry.
“Do you have everything,” whispered Harry.
“Of course,” Hermione whispered in his ear.
“Hey you two,” shouted Ron. He didn’t finish his statement because Percy and Audrey entered the kitchen.
Within minutes, the house was filled with laughter and talk. George had arrived with Angelina shortly after Percy. Charlie and Theresa were back from Romania. The Grangers arrived the Muggle method. They drove here. Cookies and other baked goods were disappearing quickly even with Mrs. Weasley trying to stand guard over them. It really wasn’t necessary, because she and Ginny had baked enough to feed all the students at Hogwarts.
The kitchen door opened again and this time it was Andromeda Tonks with Teddy Lupin. Harry moved through the crowd to greet them. Even though Ginny wasn’t with him when the door opened, she appeared beside him when he reached Andromeda and Teddy.
“Harry, Happy Christmas,” greeted Andromeda with hug then turned and hugged Ginny. “Happy Christmas, Ginny. Harry, Teddy here has been anxiously waiting to see you.”
“’arwy, fwy,” said Teddy.
“Teddy you are speaking,” gushed Ginny.
“’arwy fwy,” he said again.
“He has been waiting to see his Godfather Harry, so he can fly the broom Harry got him for his first birthday.” Andromeda pulled from her robes a little toy broom. Like the one that Sirius had bought him for his first birthday. Teddy let out a squeal at the sight of his broom and reached for it. “Here you go Harry, you can watch him while he flies with it,” she said with a smile. She handed him the broom and Teddy, who stretched to grasp the broom.
Harry was trying to hold his godson as the toddler wiggled in his arms to get a hold of his broom. “Ginny, a little help, please,” he pleaded.
Ginny snatched Teddy out of Harry’s arms and hugged the little boy. “We are going to have to let him fly, Harry, so get the broom ready,” laughed Ginny, as she tickled the toddler and made him squeal with delight.
Harry kneeled down on the floor and held the broom level for Ginny to place Teddy on it. Ginny sat him on the broom and the little boy grasped the handle and let out a loud squeal. Ginny looked at Harry and winked. “Away we go, Teddy,” she said, as she pushed Teddy on the broom.
The little boy wobbled a little as he slowly flew across the kitchen floor. Harry saw why Ginny winked, as the boy flew into the back of Ron’s left leg, who leapt up in surprise. The rest of the crowd helped to watch over Teddy as he flew through the Burrow. Everyone had their hands full keeping him from destroying the decorations. The coffee table, which had a winter scene with an ice-skating penguin, was moved out of harm’s way.
While Teddy was flying through the house creating havoc, Mr. Weasley was drinking eggnog and talking to Mr. Granger as though nothing was happening around him. Percy had caught Teddy before he could fly into the tree. Harry noticed that Teddy seemed to be directing the broom towards the tree. He wasn’t sure if the little boy could control the broom that well.
During the break in the action, Mr. Granger tried to find a seat. Harry didn’t notice until it was too late that he was sitting down on the whoopie cushion. When he plopped down on the cushion a loud noise was heard throughout the room. Everyone turned and stared at him, his face turned scarlet.
“John, it is more polite to ask someone to budge over,” teased his wife.
Mr. Granger reached under the sofa cushion and pulled out the whoopie cushion and looked accusingly at his wife. “How did you do that?”
She lifted her hands in feigned innocence.
Mr. Weasley glared at George, Ron, and then Harry. Everyone started laughing at the situation, and Percy released Teddy again to entertain everyone with his flying mishaps.
There was an announcement from the kitchen that Bill and his family was here. All the women immediately rushed into the kitchen to see the baby, Victoire. Harry looked at Ron and rolled his eyes, at the private joke about all these girls rushing to hold the baby. The cooing and gushing from the women in the kitchen had them laughing.
Soon Mrs. Weasley appeared from the kitchen proudly holding her granddaughter. She walked over and handed the baby to her husband, who eagerly took his granddaughter. Harry smiled at the look on Mr. Weasley’s face. He wondered if he would be as protective of his granddaughter as he was of his daughter.
Harry felt Ginny step up behind him and run her fingers through his hair, while he was kneeling down trying to keep Teddy from flying into the fireplace. When he looked up at her, she was looking at the baby in her father’s arms with a strange look on her face. He stood up and whispered in her ear, “Jealous?”
Ginny’s attention turned to him. “No, not really,” she replied. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“I wondered if it would bother you to see another girl replacing you.”
“No that isn’t what is wrong, actually nothing is really wrong,” she assured him, as she rubbed circles on his back while staring at the baby girl.
Harry felt his throat constrict as he realized what Ginny was thinking.
Mr. Weasley stood up with the baby and looked at some of his sons. “George, want to hold your niece?” George shook his head no, and Angelina scowled at her boyfriend. “Ron?” asked Mr. Weasley.
“No, that’s all right, Dad,” Ron laughed as he waved off the offer.
“Now, Ron you should learn how to hold a baby,” said Hermione a little too loudly from beside him. Ron snapped his head around as blood drained from his face. Everyone else in the room stopped talking and stared at the Hermione. Her face turned scarlet, looking like her father, at everyone’s attention. While everyone was staring at her, Teddy crashed his broom into the tree and squealed loudly, as it fell over.
“I meant for a long time from now,” spluttered Hermione. “I am not — er — meaning now,” she nervously laughed. Everyone regained their composure and Hermione’s parents quickly drank their eggnog asking for another.
As Harry was trying to set the tree upright, Mrs. Weasley asked everyone if they wanted to exchange presents or eat first. Every single redhead in the room shouted “eat”. This caused all of their significant others to chuckle. Placing the tree back in its original spot or someplace close to it, Harry turned to Ginny, who was holding a squirming Teddy.
“You want to eat in here or out in the kitchen?”
Ginny twisted her mouth up in concentration, as she contemplated the question. “I think in here would be best. You put him in the highchair and I’ll get him something to eat,” she said, offering the squirming child to Harry.
Harry held onto Teddy as he tried to twist out of his grasp to get the toy broom. “What highchair?” asked a frustrated Harry?
Ginny smiled indulgently at him as though he was gormless. She pulled her wand and conjured a wooden highchair. “That one, dear,” she chided him, before walking into the kitchen.
Harry struggled to get Teddy into the chair. That boy could twist and turn in directions that Harry thought impossible. After finally wrestling him into the highchair, Harry sat down on an ottoman in front of his godson.
“Bwoom,” demanded Teddy as he pointed at the toy broom on the floor.
“No, you will have to wait until the adults are done enjoying their dinner,” said Harry to this soon to be two-year old. Teddy clunked his forehead down onto the tray of the highchair and started to sob.
“Bwoom”
“No!”
“Bwoom”
“I said no!”
“Waaaaaaa!” screamed Teddy, as he clunked his head off the wooden tray of the highchair.
“Anything wrong, Harry?” asked a concerned Andromeda Tonks.
Harry snapped his head around and, when he saw her look of concern, felt his face become a little warm. “Nothing really, Teddy wants his broom and I told him he would have to wait.” When Harry said the word “broom”, Teddy let out a loud wail and pointed at it lying on the floor.
Andromeda Tonks smiled at him. “I see. He does remind me of Nymphadora at that age. All right, good luck with him, Harry. I am going back in the kitchen to eat.”
Harry sighed and ran his hands through his hair trying to block out Teddy’s pleas for his broom. He sat there with his hands on his head and staring at the floor, until Ginny sat down beside him. “What’s wrong, Harry,” asked Ginny sardonically.
“Nothing dear,” was Harry’s cheeky reply. “What would make you think anything is wrong?”
Ginny smiled as she placed a couple green beans on Teddy’s tray and some small pieces of turkey. The little boy stopped his wailing immediately and grabbed the longest green bean by it one end. He waved it around like a wand before biting off the other end.
Harry laughed at the boy’s sudden change of attitude and antics with the green bean. Ginny smiled as she took a spoonful of mashed potatoes and fed them to Teddy. The broom was quickly forgotten, and he was focused on eating.
George and Angelina came into the room. George had a plate filled so full that he must have used magic to keep it from spilling. “You two better get in there and get something to eat. Ron is inhaling as much as he is putting on his plate.”
“There should be enough, George. I helped cook today,” replied Ginny, as she placed another spoonful of mashed potatoes in Teddy’s mouth.
George sat his plate down and leaned down to stare at the happy little boy as he shoved a piece of turkey in his mouth. “Hungry little bugger, isn’t he.”
“George!” shouted Ginny and Angelina at him for calling the two-year old a “bugger”.
“Can you do this?” asked George. “Brrrrrrrrrrrrr.”
Teddy squealed with delight at the sound and tried to do it himself. He still had partially chewed turkey, green beans, and mashed potatoes in his mouth. Bits of the food flew from the little boys lips. George expecting that had stood up, but Ginny was sitting holding onto a bowl of mashed potatoes and couldn’t move out of the way of the projectiles.
Harry snapped up his left hand and created a small shield protecting Ginny from the bits of food flying from Teddy’s lips. Ginny glanced over at him in appreciation. He snapped his wrist and the shield almost caught George in the face. He was too fast for the move, so Harry let the shield disappear and the particles of food fell onto Teddy’s tray.
George went over and sat down beside Angelina, who slapped his shoulder for his latest prank. Ginny ignored him and went back to feeding Teddy.
Ron and Hermione entered the sitting room. He had his plate piled higher than even George’s. He sat on the end of the sofa, precariously balancing the plate on his knees. Hermione sat down beside him, with a disdainful glance at his plate. Ron ignored her actions and started shoveling food into his mouth.
“Leave anything for the rest of us, Ron?” asked Harry.
Ron swallowed the food he had in his mouth without chewing, before speaking, “Plenty mate, but you better hurry. I am planning to go back for seconds. Don’t want to pass up on the opportunity to get some good cooking.”
Hermione huffed at his last comment and slid away from him on the sofa. Everyone else in the room looked at the two of them and waited for an argument to start.
“Now, love,” said Ron with his most apologetic voice. “I love you and all, but you have to admit this food definitely outstrips anything you have ever made.”
Hermione turned and glared at him, not pleased with his attempt at an apology.
“Ron,” said Mr. Weasley from the entrance to the kitchen. “Your mother has about thirty years more experience cooking than Hermione. There were many meals that I ate out of courtesy and hunger when we were first married.”
“I bet you enjoyed getting good cooking then as much as I do now,” countered Ron. Hermione clicked her tongue and glared at him. Everyone else in the room laughed at Ron’s comment and Hermione’s irritation. Hermione turned towards her fiancé and started to say something. Harry, knowing what was coming, stood up. “I’m going to get something to eat. Ginny, do you want me to get you anything?”
“No, I’ll be fine, but you can take that with you,” she said, while nodding her head towards Teddy’s toy broom lying on the floor. Teddy was distracted attempting to pick up a piece of turkey on his tray and didn’t notice the two of them plotting against him.
Harry quickly snatched the broom off the floor and walked into the kitchen. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, The Grangers, Andromeda Tonks, Bill and Fleur Weasley were all sitting at the kitchen table, near the sitting room entrance, eating. Harry walked over to Andromeda Tonks and handed her Teddy’s broom.
“If it is all right with you, could you keep this?” Harry nervously asked. “I think Teddy has had enough flying today.”
“Of course, Harry,” she said as she took the broom from him. “How did you get it away from him?”
Harry picked up a plate and started loading it with food. “I waited until Ginny was feeding him.”
“You’re learning quickly,” Andromeda complimented him on his tactics.
Harry had filled his plate and was about to leave the room, but he remembered something. “Ah, Mrs. Tonks, I didn’t have time to get anything for Teddy for Christmas. I hope that is all right.”
“But you did,” she replied.
“I did? What?”
“You gave him justice. You killed the people who took his father and grandfather away from him.”
Harry suddenly felt ill. It had been days since he had thought about what he did at Azkaban. Everyone else at the table had tensed up at Andromeda’s comment. He tried to say something to her, but he couldn’t think of anything to say, so he took his plate to rejoin Ginny.
He walked through the sitting room lost in thought about what Andromeda said to him, and how she said it. She seemed genuinely pleased that he had killed those Death Eaters. He had killed the people who took her family away from her and Teddy.
“Harry, are you all right? We heard,” Ginny softly said, as she laid a hand on his arm.
He looked up and noticed everyone looking at him. Ron had even stopped eating with food still left on his plate. He didn’t know what to say to them, as they stared at him. He looked over and saw Teddy staring back at him.
“Nda-da,” the little boy said.
That little statement hurt Harry. “No. Harry.”
“Nda-da Harwee,” Teddy said this time.
“No, Teddy, I am not your Dad, but I will tell you about him, when you are older. He was a wonderful man, just like your mother was a wonderful woman.”
Teddy gave him a confused look. It might have been that look. Harry wasn’t sure, but at that moment he had an epiphany. What Andromeda said, suddenly made sense to him. He remembered how he felt when he learned his parents were murdered, and the murderer was still alive and on the loose. He remembered how that burning rage for revenge drove him to do stupid things and hurt people around him. How it put up walls between him and his friends.
Maybe, now, Teddy won’t go through the same type of feelings that he had. His parents are gone, but so are the murderers. Now maybe Teddy can move on and think only about the future instead of trying to get revenge for the past. It may be a weak justification for what he did at Azkaban, but it seemed to have made it suddenly seem not so terrible.
A gentle squeeze of Ginny’s hand on his arm made Harry realize, everyone in the room was still watching him and waiting for an answer. “I’m fine,” he said, but everyone still looked skeptical. “Honestly, I am fine. You don’t need to worry about me.” He used his free hand to grab Ginny’s hand. He pulled it to his lips and kissed it. “Relax, love, we can talk later.” Ginny finally seemed to relax and believe him.
‘I’m going to get something to eat,” she told him, before standing up. “You can clean up Teddy.”
Harry looked at his godson. He was a mess with food smeared on his face, hands, and the tray. Grabbing a cloth, he proceeded to wipe the toddlers face and hands clean. After finishing them, he cleaned up the tray before lifting Teddy out of the chair and placing him on the floor to play.
“Bwoom?” asked the toddler.
Harry groaned to himself as Teddy looked around for his most prized possession. He looked for something else to distract the boy but saw nothing that would be appropriate. Ginny had by now returned with her dinner and saw Teddy getting upset. She handed Harry her plate and walked to the pile of presents in the corner of the room. She started digging through them while muttering to herself. She finally stood up and produced a small square present for Teddy.
“Here Teddy, open this one, while everyone else finishes eating,” she said, as she offered the present wrapped in green and red paper.
The little boy pulled at the paper but didn’t tear any of it until Harry and Ginny started a rip down the one side. Soon though he had the paper off it and was shaking it joyously. It rattled as he shook it. Harry noticed that it was a Muggle item by the designs on the box. Ginny finally took the box from Teddy and removed the noisy prize from inside. It was a toy with interlocking plastic rings. Teddy shook them and squealed at the noise that they made.
“That’s a plastic Muggle toy,” stated Harry.
“What, is there something wrong with that?” tartly responded Ginny.
“No, it’s just that I was surprised.”
“I thought they looked like fun. We just need to make sure Dad doesn’t realize that or he will be stealing them from Teddy,” she laughed.
Harry and Ginny finished their meal as they watched Teddy play with his new toy. Soon afterwards everyone congregated in the sitting room and started to open gifts. Victoire received the most gifts from everyone with Teddy coming in a close second. Many of the couples saved gifts to give each other until tonight.
The most humorous gift was from Ron to George, with George’s to Ron’s gift coming in a close second. George gave Ron a box that once opened it had a boxing glove come out and punch him in the eye. It was a variation of the spy glass that Hermione looked into her sixth year. Ron gift was a box. A special box that was Charmed so it would stick to human skin but nothing else. George unwrapped it and looked at like it was the stupidest present in the world, until he tried to set it down. He quickly realized that he could not let go of it. At first everyone was upset at Ron, until he told them how to break the spell. Since it was Charmed to stick to human skin, then all George had to do was eat a Canary Cream. When he sprouted feathers, the box fell off.
It finally came to Harry and Ginny’s turn. Ginny had received a present from Millie and Kendra. It was a picture of them working at the St Mungo’s self-help ward for sexual abuse. Ginny seemed to glow with pride at the picture of the two of them.
Ginny gave Harry a Holyhead Harpies jumper like what she wears with the number seven and Weasley on the back. It was large enough for Harry to wear. When she handed it to him, she whispered, “You will get the rest of my present tonight.”
Harry’s heart hammered at the thoughts of that promise. He looked at her and calmly said, “I had plans for your Christmas present, Ginny, but some things came up.”
“I understand Harry,” she consoled him.
“I wanted to get you a custom made Firebolt.”
“Harry, those are extremely expensive,” she nearly shouted at him.
“I realize that, but you are probably one of the few professional Seekers without a custom-made broom.” She went to interrupt him, but he held up his hand to stop her. “I went to Quality Quidditch Supplies the day after I returned from Bulgaria. I asked about getting a custom-made broom. The man told me to Owl the factory and Mr. Mercury. Well, when Mr. Mercury found out whom I wanted to have the broom made for he refused to accept payment. He wanted you to represent the Firebolt brand. I figured that you wouldn’t mind getting a free custom-made broom, for some pictures. I was clueless at that sort of thing…”
“So he asked me!” stated George proudly.
Ginny turned and stared at George and then back at Harry. “No, Merlin, please no, not George.”
Harry had to keep from laughing, because he hadn’t asked George, but Ginny’s reaction was too good to destroy the moment.
“Why, yes, little sister,” continued George unaffected by Ginny’s reaction. “Who do you know is better at marketing? Why, just look at how the joke shop has taken off.” By this time Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were looking apprehensively at Harry. “The only thing you need to do is bring that bikini from…”
“GEORGE!” yelled Ginny and her parents.
Ginny turned and glared at Harry with fire in her eyes, but her expression quickly changed when he started laughing at her. Immediately afterward, George also broke out in gales of laughter.
“Ginny, relax,” spoke up Hermione. “Harry asked me to work with the Firebolt Company.” With that statement, everyone in the room relaxed. “The advertising campaign isn’t finalized, but I am sure you will like it.”
“What is it?” Ginny asked. “Please don’t tell me that I need a bikini.”
Hermione laughed at her expression. “No, actually I got the idea from Ron.”
He turned and gawked at her. “You did?”
“Yes, when you talked about getting a Nimbus broom, because your broom wasn’t good for anything but sweeping the floor. I proposed that idea to the company and they accepted that as the advertising slogan. The debate is whether you will be standing in the pictures or flying. The ad will have you in your Harpies uniform and will say, ‘If it isn’t a Firebolt, I use it to sweep the floor.’”
Ginny sighed at her statement. “I like that, thank you Hermione. Harry, it’s all right if you didn’t get me a present…”
“He did get you one, or I should say had me get you one,” stated Hermione. “Mum, Dad did you get that present out of the safe deposit box.”
“Yes dear,” said Mrs. Granger, as she pulled a rectangular present out of her purse. “Why did you keep it in our safe deposit box?”
“You’ll see Mum,” replied Hermione with great emphasis. She took the present from her mother and handed it to Harry.
“It wouldn’t be right for you not to receive a present from me on Christmas. I promised you that I don’t want to ruin anymore of your Christmases. Happy Christmas Ginny!”
Ginny took the present and gently tore off the gold coloured wrapping to reveal a leather box with gold trim. She gently opened the box and peeked inside. She suddenly became peaky and closed the box again. “Harry please tell me those aren’t real.”
“I hope they are real, Ginny. What’s wrong?”
“You can’t afford to be giving me a present like this,” she said pushing the box towards him.
“What did he get you,” seemed to be said by about everyone in the room.
Except Bill, who was over in the corner. “I think Harry could afford to buy you anything he wants, sis.”
Harry snapped his head over towards Bill. He was wondering how Bill knew so much about his finances.
“I haven’t been in you vaults Harry,” said Bill. “Gringotts has been going through some troubling times since the Wizengamot passed the Potter Restitution Law. In the process of checking the death Eaters Vaults, we found some inconsistencies with the financial records. We discovered that a group of Goblins working at Gringotts were stealing or as they put it “reclaiming possessions” from various vaults. From 1200 to 1550 all coins were minted by Goblins. This group, which was headed by your friend Griphook, was going through dormant vaults and taking all the gold from them. They would then use the gold that wasn’t goblin made and place it in other vaults to replace the gold they took.
“The Gringott family was furious about that and also that this group charged you for the replacement of the dragon and damages caused by it when you flew it out of the bank. The Ministry had promised to pay for all the damages caused by the three of you.”
“You paid for it all, Harry?” asked Ron.
“They took it from my vaults, so yes.”
“Well all 1,327,008 galleons have been returned to you vaults,” said Bill. A general gasp of the amount went through the room.
“Bloody Hell, Harry,” said Ron as he stared at him wide-eyed. “You have over a million galleons to your name.”
Harry turned and saw Ginny had strange expression on her face. He didn’t think that hearing he had so much gold would bother her, but apparently it did.
“Actually Ron,” stated Bill. “I am guessing that he has significantly more than that. You have the Black Family Vault and the actual Potter family vault which are both in the high security area. Those vaults require a minimum of a million galleons to be deposited in them. So whatever Harry bought you, sis, I think he could afford it.”
“Marry him now, Ginny,” exclaimed George. “Be sure you are in his will.”
Everyone laughed at his statement, even Ginny seemed to relax a little. Harry smiled at the comment. “She already is, and so are Ron and Hermione.” The three of them stared at him in surprise. “Who else do I have to give it to, my Uncle Vernon.” This seemed to break the tension in the room. “Open it Ginny,” he pointed to the box in her hands.
Ginny slowly opened the box and showed it to everyone. In the velvet lined box was a ruby, diamond, and gold jewelry ensemble. It consisted of a necklace, two bracelets, and two earrings. The bracelets were a singles row of rubies with a small diamond in between them set in gold. The earrings had three strands like the bracelet that dangled several centimeters. The necklace was a gold chain with thirteen strands of the rubies dangling at different lengths to form a vee.
“I see why you kept that in the safety deposit box,” exclaimed Mrs. Granger suddenly looking very peaky herself.
“Try them on, Ginny,” begged Harry. He watched as she gently took them out of the box and put them on without any help. The rubies and diamonds caught the light beautifully. He was amazed at how beautiful they looked against her skin.
“How much, Harry?” asked Ginny.
“It doesn’t matter, love. Do you like them?”
“Yes they are beautiful, but how much did these cost?”
“Ginny, dear, it is not polite to ask such things,” reprimanded Mrs. Weasley.
Ginny huffed at her mother’s reprimand. “Thank you, Harry,” she said, as she gently kissed him.
Mr. Weasley changed the subject by asking the Grangers about the different Christmas traditions that Muggles have. Harry went over to thank Hermione. He sat there and watched as Ginny played with Teddy on the floor. She was still in her elegant dress and was wearing her new jewels, yet she didn’t look out of place to be sitting and playing with a two-year-old. He could tell that something was wrong with her. It seemed as though the idea of him being so wealthy was disturbing to her.
Harry left Ron and Hermione and sat down beside Ginny. She looked up and gave him a small smile. “What is wrong, love?” he asked her.
“It’s nothing, Harry.”
Harry didn’t want to push the issue, so he sat beside her and listened to everyone laugh and joke while he and Ginny played with Teddy. The time seemed to pass quickly sitting there on the floor. He hadn’t even realized that it was getting close to midnight, until Mr. Weasley stood up and went to gather glasses for a toast to the New Year. Ginny seemed to be more cheerful, but he could tell that she was still bothered by something.
“Happy New Years!” everyone shouted. George released some small fireworks that bounced around the room. All the couples started to snog their partners.
Harry was still sitting beside Ginny with an exhausted Teddy. He leaned over to her and whispered, “Happy New Year, love,” before snogging her. Whatever was bothering Ginny, didn’t seem to affect her snogging ability. Harry’s head was spinning as he deepened the kiss. He ran his hand across her bare shoulders, enjoying the feel of her smooth warm skin and silky hair. Ginny started to pull him in tighter to her, when a certain young boy interrupted them. Teddy was trying to force his way between them to get their attention back on him. Harry pulled away from Ginny to accommodate his godson.
Soon people were walking around the Burrow clinking glasses of champagne together and wishing each other a happy and prosperous New Year. As Harry was going around receiving handshakes from the men and kisses from the women, he noticed that Ginny had disappeared. He became panicked, but soon remembered that they had planned on going to his house tonight before she leaves for the Americas.
By the time Ginny finally appeared downstairs again, the only people left were him and her parents. She had her Firebolt and suitcase. She was wearing her traveling clothes. She quickly hugged her parents’ goodbye and walked towards the front door.
Harry was there to open it for her, and he followed her out into the chilly night. The rain was just mist now, or it was the thick fog soaking their faces. Ginny stopped part way to the boundary of the wards and stared back at the Burrow. She seemed to be trying to soak it all in as though she might never return to the place. Harry not wanting to disturb her stood there waiting for her to say something or to start walking again.
“Do you still want to know what was bothering me inside?” asked Ginny without taking her eyes off the eclectic house.
“Yes.”
“You’ll think I’m barmy.”
“All right so you are barmy, what was bothering you.”
Ginny took her eyes of the house and flashed Harry a smile. “When I marry you, I will be wealthy.”
Harry stared at her for a second, before responding, because he couldn’t imagine why that would bother her. “That is quite a burden to bear, Ginny, but I imagine with a little time you will be able to deal with it.”
“You are an arrogant toe-rag, you know that,” she said while laughing. “All my life the entire wizarding world, and, in particular, the wealthy pure-bloods all looked down on my family because my father wanted to protect Muggles and was poor. It became a part of me. I have worn the mantle of poor-Weasley with pride all of my life. The two things that I immediately don’t like are Pure-blood fanatics and wealthy snobs.”
She turned towards Harry. “I am afraid that I will be treated like I am one of them, and eventually I will become one of those arrogant arses. Harry, I have spent my entire life hating them for treating my father with such disrespect. Now, I will be one. I don’t want to become another snobby pure blood, but I want to marry you. Please promise me that if I start acting like the Malfoy’s and the Fudge’s that you will stop me and put me in my place.”
Harry took her hand and tried to be as reassuring as possible. “I promise that if you start acting like a snobbish pure-blood, that I will do something about it. I will tell your parents and they will put you back on course.”
Ginny laughed at his comment and walked into his arms. Harry kissed her as the Santa Claus being pulled by Hippogriffs flew over their head. They walked to the edge of the wards while still holding hands.
“Are you ready to see my house?” asked Harry.
“Let me guess, twenty-three bedrooms and loos, with a hundred servants?”
“Yes,” drawled Harry, sounding like Draco Malfoy. “I decided that I could get by with only that many.”
Ginny laughed at his comment and voice. She stood there staring at him lovingly. Harry had a sudden inspiration. He leaned down and kissed her. Before she could put her arms around him, he Apparated.
The sensation was strange beyond words. They were pressed together as they were squeezed through a rubber hosepipe. They suddenly reappeared by Harry’s back door, in an enclosed portion of his back porch. Harry nearly fell backwards when the pressure was released. Ginny also seemed a little shaky, but she was the first to recover, as she hit Harry’s shoulder with the heel of her right hand.
“We could have Splinched, you prat,” she angrily said to him. She half-heartedly tried to pull away from him. Harry held her tight.
“Don’t move yet,” he whispered. He felt Ginny freeze in place. He could see a look of fear in her eyes. “Don’t worry, I don’t want you to set off any wards.” He took his wand and tapped an old hanging pot with it. “Use your wand on the pot now and it will recognize it the next time you are here.”
Ginny took her wand out and followed his instructions.
Harry led her inside to the kitchen. Ginny stood in the dark until Harry turned the lights on using a switch. Ginny looked shocked at his house. She walked around the neat kitchen. It didn’t appear as sanitized as his Aunt Petunia’s, but it was clean.
“You’re living as a Muggle.” It wasn’t a question, but a direct statement.
“Yes, it is close to the university that Dudley attends.”
“Are you going to want to live as a Muggle?”
Harry heard the concern in Ginny’s voice. “I will live however you want to live,” he assured her. He could see her relax at his statement. “Would you like to see the rest of the house?”
Her expression changed completely as she smiled at him. “Yes, let’s start with the bedroom, or is it bedrooms.”
“There are only two bedrooms and only one has a bed.”
“Lead the way, Harry.”
A lump formed in Harry’s throat. He suddenly became nervous about taking her to the bedroom. In the past when they had pushed the limits of their physical relationship, it had always been spontaneous and he never had time to think about it. Now he was a bundle of overexcited nerves at the thoughts of making love to Ginny.
Plucking up courage and self-control, he pushed the swinging door, leading to the rest of the house, open and led Ginny out of the kitchen. She followed along without saying a word. The few times he looked back; she was looking around at the house.
He pushed the door to his bedroom open and Ginny stepped through it. She was so calm and in control that it made Harry even more nervous. She set her suitcase down, opened it, and started looking through it.
“Where’s the loo?” she asked after finding what she was looking for.
Harry pointed to the door to her right. She walked towards it, but stopped when she reached the doorway.
“How do I get the lights to turn on?”
He walked over and flicked the switch. She watched him carefully then gave him a little shove out of the loo.
“Let me get changed,” she said with a sultry tone, as she held up that white satin negligee that she wore Christmas night.
Harry stood there dumbfounded as she closed the door on him. He could hear her taking her traveling clothes off, as he remembered the image of her in that negligee. Suddenly, he realized that he should do something to make his bedroom more appealing. He looked around and decided to light a few candles. He stood there staring at the loo’s door anticipating seeing Ginny walking through it. He realized that he was still wearing his traveling clothes. He quickly pulled them off down to his boxers. Looking at the bed, he thought that he should turn the covers down. Grabbing the divan on his side of the bed he gave it a sharp tug, and tried to flip it back, but it got twisted. Hopping up on the bed he started to straighten the divan, rather than walking around the bed.
“That’s an interesting pose,” laughed Ginny.
Harry felt embarrassed as he realized he was in all fours with his arse pointing towards the loo’s door. He looked back and saw Ginny laughing at him. He sat down on the bed and stared at her. She was absolutely radiant. Her long hair elegantly falling over her shoulders framing her milky white skin and white satin negligee. She stared at him while twisting a small strand of her red hair around her finger. She had a small smile that seemed to make her eyes sparkle with mischief. She took a slow step towards him, then another. Harry couldn’t do anything but stare at this beauty walking towards him.
She stopped in front of him, and wordlessly pushed him backwards onto the bed, before leaping on top of him. She seemed to stop and stare down at him for a long time as she straddled his waist. He could feel her warmth against his skin, making him almost too randy to even think. All he could do was try to keep focused on this moment with her.
She slowly leaned down to snog him. Her hair enveloped him with its scent of fresh flowers. Her brown eyes had a soft loving look to them. As her lips captured his, he regained use of his hands and allowed them to slide up over the soft warm skin of her legs and up the sides of the negligee, feeling her curves under its cool fabric. So many thoughts and desires were flying through his mind right now. He fought against the urge to grab her and make love to her. He wanted to take time and please her, but her snogging was making it difficult to resist the urge.
She suddenly stopped and sat back up on him. She had a satisfied smile on her face as she stared down at him. It was as if she knew she had him twisted around her finger. She was in complete control at this moment and Harry loved it.
“You don’t need these,” she softly said, as she removed his glasses. She turned and with a light toss landed them on the nightstand beside his bed.
“How will I be able to see,” he croaked out. He could barely even talk with the feelings and emotions that were coursing through him.
She lowered her lips down to his ear. “Use your hands Harry. I have heard that when you lose one of your senses the others become more acute.” Her warm breath tickled his ear and sent shivers down his spine, but, when she started to nibble on his ear and then his neck, he couldn’t contain himself any longer. He reached up and tugged on the thin satin strings over her shoulders. He dragged them down off her shoulders to the small of her back.
Closing his eyes the sensations he was feeling were intensified. The feel of her skin beneath his hands, her lips on his neck the warmth radiating from her body made him forget his fears and doubts about what to do and just act. He rolled her over trapping her underneath him as he supported himself on his elbows and knees. He closed his eyes, as he brought his lips crashing down onto hers. He pulled his lips away from hers after just a moment and moved them along her jaw and to her neck. With his eyes closed he could sense so much more. The way her skin tastes and feels under his lips. Her lips were firm and sweet. Her jaw and neck were slightly salty when he kissed his way down to her collar bone. He could almost imagine he felt every freckle as his lips touched them. As he kept lowering his lips on her, her skin became even softer warmer and seemed sweeter. The feel of this soft sensuous skin under his lips made him tingle with excitement. When he first started kissing her there, she seemed to pull back from him. He stopped but she pulled his head back down to continue.
He could feel her hands moving over his back, shoulders, and through his hair. His arms were at her side and were submerged in her silky hair. Her legs were caressing him as her feet ran up and down the backs of his legs. She would use her legs to pull him towards her then tried to slide his boxers down off him. Even with his eyes closed he could see in his mind the seductive image of Ginny lying submissively beneath him.
Ginny’s breathing was deep and seemed to be labored. She would occasionally let out a low throaty moan encouraging him to continue what he was doing. His heartbeat was pounding in his ears, but he could also clearly hear her heart beating. He was sure that it was hers, because it matched the pulse he felt in her throat when he kissed her there. His hearing was so acute he could even hear the deadbolt on his front door slide open as if it were a clanging gong.
Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Night Visitors
Author's Notes: I am finally posting the last four chapters of this story. Proofreading this story I was amazed how many spelling and grammatical errors it had. I hope everyone who read it enjoyed it. I would like to thank everyone who reviewed the chapters, especially Aurorofthelight and skiutahnum1.
His heart beat was pounding in his ears, but he could also clearly hear Ginny’s breathing. It was deep and seemed to be labored. She would occasionally let out a low throaty moan encouraging him to continue what he was doing. He was listening to her heart beating. He was sure that it was hers, because it matched the pulse he felt in her throat when he kissed her there.
His hearing was so acute he could even hear the deadbolt on his front door slide open as if it were a clanging gong.
Harry snapped his head up and stared in the direction of the bedroom door. Ginny seemed to be surprised at this sudden move, and went to ask something. A second later the front door was flung open banging against the wall. Harry thrust his hand towards his clothes on the floor. He thought about his holly wand being in his hand and Summoned it to him. He felt relief and comfort when the wooden wand colliding with his hand.
“Happy New year, cousin!” slurred Dudley from downstairs.
Harry relaxed hearing it was only Dudley. Ginny though let her displeasure show. She quickly pulled the negligee straps up over her shoulders and slid out from under Harry.
“What is he doing here,” she hissed at him.
“He has a key,” whispered Harry. He didn’t need his glasses to know she was angry with him.
“Get rid of him,” she said before walking towards the loo. She stopped and glared again at Harry, when another noise was heard from downstairs. It was the sound of girls giggling. She turned and stepped into the dark loo, closing the door behind her.
“I know you are here cousin,” shouted Dudley up the stairs.
Harry ignored his cousin, grabbed his glasses, and went to the bathroom door. No light shone under the door, so Ginny must be sitting in the dark. “Ginny, I am sorry. I hadn’t a clue he might show up,” he apologized to the door. He waited for a response, but none came. “Please forgive me, love.” Again no response came from the other side of the bathroom door.
“Harry, wake up,” whispered Dudley through Harry’s bedroom door.
Harry snapped his head around at the realization that his cousin was upstairs, an area that was strictly forbidden. “What are you doing up here?” Harry spat at his cousin on the other side of the door.
“I wanted to talk to you, alone.” Dudley sounded like he was almost pleading.
Harry took a deep breath to calm himself. His cousin sounded like he was fairly well destroyed, but that still didn’t excuse him for barging into his house, at this time of night. “What is it,” Harry tried to sound understanding, but it came out as only being slightly angry.
“Well, there is a girl I want you to meet...”
“Dudley,” Harry growled, as he tried to get dressed.
“She’s not a Brenda. Neither of them is,” Dudley stopped talking and laughed. “You won’t need to chuck either of them out onto the street naked.” He started to laugh even more. “You know that you are now famous at the university. Any time someone wants to get rid of some slag, it is referred to doing a Brenda.” Dudley’s laughter was getting louder along with his voice.
Harry opened the bedroom door and Dudley almost fell into the room. “I have a fiancé! I am not interested...”
“No, no, no, Harry, she is my girlfriend. Come on, I told her about you.”
“What did you say?”
Dudley grabbed his arm and started to pull him towards the stairs. “That you are the reason that I study Criminology at the University. They only know that your name is Harry, and not to ask what type of work you do.”
Dudley started down the stairs and Harry reluctantly followed. As angry as Harry was at Dudley before, he should at least meet his girlfriend before he chucks them both out onto the street. Besides many times going along with the drunk makes it a lot easier to distract them and send them on their way. Harry stepped out of the stairwell and followed Dudley towards the sitting area of his house. He could see two women or girls sitting on the sofa, there was a bottle of champagne on the coffee table. He couldn’t hear what they were saying but, by the way they were giggling, he could tell they were also pissed.
“Denise,” announced Dudley, as he quickly moved to the coffee table by the sofa. A pretty brunette stood up. She had a round face sparkling blue eyes and looked rather fit for being a larger girl. She looked good beside Dudley. “This is my cousin, Harry.”
Denise made eye contact with him. She glanced up at his hair which was probably sticking everywhere, but her eyes became glued on his forehead. He knew immediately why. Only magical people react that way to his scar. She was a witch.
“Your ‘arry Potter!” she exclaimed. She had a definite French accent.
Dudley was speechless when she said that. He tried to talk but no words came out.
“Your ‘arry Potter’s cousin,” she shrieked.
“How, how do you know who he is?” questioned Dudley.
“Harry, it really is you,” slurred a silky British voice from behind Denise. Cho Chang stepped around Dudley’s girlfriend. She looked like she might cry she was so happy to see him.
“Cho,” said Harry flatly to her, before addressing Dudley. “Your girlfriend is a witch, Dudley. Didn’t you know?”
“Dudley, are you a...” asked Denise, but Harry cut her off.
“No he isn’t. He is a Muggle.”
“You have Muggle relatives?” asked Cho, who was inching closer to Harry.
“She’s a witch Harry,” said Dudley jovially. Everyone looked at him. He started laughing loudly. “She’s a witch. I am dating a witch,” he roared with laughter, barely able to keep himself standing upright. He stumbled back against the settee across the coffee table from the sofa.
“Yes, Dudley we determined that already,” said Harry.
Denise puffed herself up in way that reminded Harry of Fleur. “Vhat iz wrong wit zat.”
Dudley looked to have controlled his laughing fit. “Denise was at my house for Christmas, and…” He started giggling again.
“Vell,” pressed Denise.
“Dad loves you. He thinks you are the perfect woman for me.” At this point Harry started to laugh along with Dudley.
“A perfectly normal type, eh , Dudders,” interjected Harry, as he took a break from laughing.
“Vhat iz zo funny?” snapped an obviously distraught Denise.
“Dad hates anything to do with magic.”
“I am not permitted to ever step foot in their house, because of my abnormality,” interjected Harry.
“Vhat!”
“My dad views anybody who has magic as freaks, an abomination. Growing up he told me it didn’t exist in good people. Why he even tried to beat it out of Harry when he was younger. He used to allow me to beat him up anytime I wanted.”
Harry sobered some at the memories of his youth. He noticed that Denise wasn’t laughing, if anything she only became more annoyed at Dudley’s last comment. Cho also was looking rather upset.
“Why, after Harry was dropped off on our doorstep, Dad made him sleep in a cupboard under our stairs until he received his letter from that school. The only time Harry was allowed out was to go to school or to work around the house. Even then…”
A bright light flashed and Dudley was suddenly propelled over the settee and into Harry’s telly and entertainment center. The telly exploded from the force of the large man colliding with it. Dudley fell to the floor. Denise and Cho looked shocked at what had happened, but Harry knew where that came from. He spun around put his hands out to his side and wandlessly cast a silver Shield between Dudley and Ginny.
Ginny was standing by the stairwell. She had her wand raised in her white knuckled fist. Her eyes were full of rage. She had changed into her traveling clothes. “Why are you protecting that slime, after what he had done to you?”
“Ginny, Dudley has changed. What happened at the house was between me and him and I am willing to forgive him. Please, try to do the same.”
Ginny lowered her wand a little and glared at Harry this time. “No, Harry, it wasn’t just what he did to you. You didn’t have to worry all holiday about what those vile relatives would do to you. My mother and I would always worry if they were even feeding you, because you would show up at our house looking like you had been released from Azkakban, after only a month at that place. No Harry this wasn’t just about what they did to you, but what they did to everyone who actually loved you and respected you. It took Mad-Eye and the Order threatening your aunt and uncle before they stopped abusing you. They never showed you a shred of decency growing up, and you want to forgive them.” When Ginny finished she had tears forming in her eyes.
“Dudley has changed, Ginny. He deserves a second chance. Please understand, I used to hate them, but they are my only blood relatives.”
Ginny lowered her wand, but her watery eyes were still full of fury and her jaw was hard set. Even though she was the smallest person in the room, she was, at this moment, the most intimidating. “You can lower your shield, Harry.”
“Please put your wand away.”
“All right,” she snapped at him. She placed her wand inside of her traveling cloak. “I will not curse him into oblivion, but I don’t have to like him either.”
Harry lowered his hands causing the silvery shield to disappear. “That seems fair enough, love.”
Ginny walked over to him and hugged him. She didn’t say anything, but he could tell that she didn’t want him to think she was angry with him. She pulled out of the hug and stretched up and kissed him. “Sorry about smashing up your furniture,” she said, before stepping away and glaring at Cho.
Cho had repositioned herself on the other side of Denise, who was looking rather confused at what had just happened. Dudley was kneeling by the smashed entertainment center staring at Ginny. Even though he had just been cursed and battered around he didn’t seem angry with Ginny. He stared at her in a peculiar way.
“She’s right Harry. I never have quite understood why you are so willing to forgive me.”
“You’re my cousin. If there was one thing that I realized or learned fighting Voldemort and his Death Eaters was that everyone deserves a second chance to turn their life around.”
“So, you tink zat I am a freak,” snapped Denise. She moved to Dudley’s side of the coffee table, and she stood there very stiff with her arms crossed in front of her chest.
Dudley stood up and wobbled a bit as he tried to walk to her, but she stuck out a hand to let him know that he could go no further. “Don’t touch me,” she ordered him.
“I don’t think you are a freak that is my Dad.”
“But you did once.”
“Yes, but...”
“You even used to beat up the Great Harry Potter because you thought him a freak,” she yelled at him, while pointing at Harry.
“Well, yes, but...”
“What made you change? Tell me, what!”
“I was kissed by a Dementor.”
Denise went ashen and nearly fell down. Dudley ignoring her demand of not being touched by him grabbed her. Cho was looking confused by what he had said. Harry had to correct him. “You weren’t actually kissed. I was able to chase it off before it did that.”
“But I thought you said that I was kissed?”
“A Dementor steals your soul when they kiss you. You would be in a sanitarium if it had actually kissed you.”
“I thought the Dementors wouldn’t do that to a Muggle,” asked Cho.
“It happened the summer after Voldemort returned,” he said and waited for Cho to remember that year. “Umbridge sent two Dementors to Little Winging to silence me from telling people that Voldemort had returned. They attacked Dudley and me.”
Dudley looked at Denise with an expression that Harry would have never thought possible back a few years, a sincere expression of deep concern. “I saw what a horrible person I had been to people not just Harry. I was disgusted with myself for being so vile. After Dedalus Diggle and Hestia Jones took Mum, Dad, and I away into hiding, I got to see that the magical people are human also. So, no, I don’t look at you people as freaks. Although that Diggle bloke, he was a strange dresser.”
Harry laughed at Dudley’s comment. Denise and Cho gave him a strange look.
Denise seemed to relax a little at Dudley’s last comment, but she still gave him an icy glare. She stared at Dudley who seemed unaffected by her icy attitude. This standoff went on for several seconds, but it felt like hours. Harry took this time to get a good look at her. She was as tall as he was, and as broad across the shoulders. Yet, standing beside Dudley, she looked average. She was dressed in what Harry recognized as fashionable clothes for Muggles. She wore a collection of bracelets on each wrist and her makeup was heavier than what he liked but it wasn’t offensive.
“I — I suppose I have no right to be angry with you,” said Denise. Her English was much better now she was more relaxed. “I did lie to you about being a witch.”
“I thought you weren’t allowed to tell people like me about your world,” countered Dudley.
“No, no we are not,” she said her posture relaxing even more.
“Harry has told me a little about the magical world, and how you lot keep it a secret. I know that relationships like this can be difficult, but I would like to try,” Dudley said with sincerity.
Denise’s icy glare melted away and she hugged Dudley. They stood there and snogged for a minute. Harry felt funny about standing there watching them. Seeing Dudley acting like this was strange, but sitting in the same room and watching him snog his girlfriend felt a little perverse. They finally broke apart and set down on the settee, practically sitting down on each other’s lap. Ginny tugged on Harry’s arm and directed him to sit in the chair, and then proceeded to sit on his lap. Cho was left to sit alone on the sofa.
“So how did the two of you meet?” asked Ginny in a very civil voice.
“Cho and I were Apparating from one university town to another, when I met Dudley down here,” explained Denise.
“Most of the good wizards are taken…,” stated Cho with a glance at Harry. “…many witches do that. Plus we were originally just out to have some fun and a few drinks. Witches have been doing that for years,” explained Cho speaking the first time since Ginny appeared. She still sat on the sofa as though at any second Ginny might attack her.
“I want to know something,” asked Dudley. “Why do you know about him? You have only been in England for less than a year.”
Denise laughed at Dudley’s question. She looked at Cho who also chuckled. “Dudley, you are a dear. Your cousin is the most famous wizard in the entire world. Everyone knows about him or Ginny. Also it was Harry who caused me to be here in England. Dudley, dear, I do work for the French government, but it is the Magical French government. Last year, your cousin Harry, uncovered corrupt officials in our government, they were using their positions to torture and kill Muggles. They were working for a Muggle developing firm, and did it for money. After all the corrupt officials were arrested, my Ministry needed someone who spoke English to work in the French embassy here in England. I looked Cho up, since she knew my older sister from the Triwizard tournament that was held at Hogwarts that Harry won.”
Dudley stared over at Harry than to Ginny, “Blimey, is all that true.”
“That is why I didn’t want you spreading my name around,” confirmed Harry. “Not everyone is friendly, some would not hesitate hurting or killing you to get to me.”
Dudley let out a low whistle at Harry’s comment. The room fell into an awkward silence, as no one was talking. Ginny sat on Harry’s lap and played with his hair.
“Would anyone like to have some champagne,” chimed the lonely Cho.
“I’ll get some glasses,” offered Dudley as he started to stand up.
“Dudley, I don’t have any champagne glasses. Sit down I’ll take care of it,” stated Harry. He took his wand out from the back of the neck of his jumper. He waved it in the air above the table and five wide champagne glasses appeared.
“Bloody Hell!” exclaimed Dudley.
The four other people chuckled at his amazement. Cho poured out the champagne for everyone. Harry and Ginny moved forward on the chair so they looked to be glued together at the side. Dudley looked over at them and gave them a strange look. Harry tried to ignore it, because after all Dudley has had his world turned upside down tonight.
Just before they were ready to toast, Ginny smiled demurely at Harry. “So who’s Brenda?”
Harry glared at Dudley, who was choking back a laugh. “She was a pest that I had to get rid of,” Harry said weakly.
“Oh, and why did you have to chuck her onto the street naked?”
“I — ah — oh, well that is difficult to explain, love.”
“Try!”
Harry took a deep breath to explain the situation, but Dudley saved him from having to do that. “She was a study partner from my economics class this past term at university. She was quite the slapper.”
“She was your study partner?” questioned Denise.
“Yeah, but there were several others, we chucked her from our group after she…” Dudley stopped and stared at Harry.
“It was something very similar to your incident with Olaf, Ginny,” continued Harry. “Dudley and his group were here when I came back from Azkaban. I went upstairs to my room to shower, and when I came out she was in my bed…”
“Your bed, the one upstairs,” snapped Ginny, as her eyes burned with anger.
“Yea, but Ginny, love, nothing happened. I told her to get out, but she was insistent. She thought I was some famous spy or something, and wanted to shag for that reason. When she wouldn’t get out, I — um — well — I removed her.”
“Removed her, and how did you remove her and chuck her outside naked?” questioned Ginny with a little more venom.
“She was wrapped up in the bed clothes. I didn’t touch her. I promise you that I didn’t touch her,” he nervously said.
“I never figured out how you were able to wrap her up in the bed clothes without touching her Harry?” asked Dudley
Harry glared at his drunken cousin. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a cushion from the sofa flying at Dudley who grabbed it before it hit him.
“Oh you used magic,” stated Dudley as though he never thought of it before.
Harry stared at Ginny, who was staring back at him stone faced. Dudley was shifting nervously beside Denise, and Cho seemed to be trying to suppress a laugh. The scene went unchanged for a few minutes making Harry very nervous that Ginny didn‘t believe him. “You believe me, don’t you, love,” he said stressing the word, love.
Ginny smiled at him and said, “of course, but I am still not happy you didn’t tell me sooner.”
“Here is to the New Year,” toasted Cho, breaking the tension in the room.
“and the many changes that it will bring,” said Ginny, as she looked sideways at Harry.
They all drank their champagne down together. Harry swallowed his champagne and turned to kiss Ginny. He stared in her eyes trying to tell her wordlessly how sorry he was.
“I know,” she whispered so softly he barely heard, before her lips touched his. They stayed like that ignoring everyone else.
“I thought you were supposed to be in the Americas to play Quidditch tomorrow, Ginny,” interrupted Cho.
Ginny pulled away from Harry with a significant sigh. “I am leaving for the America’s in…” she stopped talking to check the time. She sighed dejectedly “…an hour and half.”
Harry squeezed her tight to him, realizing they had missed their opportunity. Ginny looked up at him with a sad face. When he turned around to face the others, he noticed that Dudley was still staring at him with a strange expression.
“What’s wrong, Dudley?”
Dudley looked slightly abashed at Harry’s comment. “Mum was right about you two. You two do look like your parents Harry. You are almost the exact image of your father and Ginny looks so much like Aunt Lily”
“What? You called my mum, Aunt Lily?” Harry’s world was spinning. Dudley had never referred to his mum as Aunt Lily.
“Yeah, well, ever since Mum saw the two of you shopping last Easter she has been telling me about Aunt Lily,” Dudley nervously said. “I haven’t referred to her as that because well…” he stopped talking and walked over to the front door and grabbed something leaning against the wall. “Happy Christmas Harry! It is from Mum and I, but mainly Mum.” He handed Harry a rectangular box.
Harry grabbed the lid and slid it up revealing a photo album.
“Mum kept many of the original pictures, but made you copies, except for a few that were taken by your lot of your parents wedding.”
Harry felt Ginny caressing his back. He opened the album and saw a picture of his parents at their wedding. He had had a smaller version of it, but it burnt up when Grimmauld burnt. He was lost to what else was going on around him, except for Ginny who was looking at the pictures with him. She pointed to Sirius. He nodded yes to her unspoken question. These people in these pictures were identified on the side with his mothers own handwriting. Her maid of honor was Maryann McKinnon. He continued to look at the album as Dudley spoke.
“My mum really cared for Aunt Lily when they were young, but when she left for that school. Mum has always been one to want to have control over everything. She resented Aunt Lily for being a witch and leaving her, and then I guess they had a neighbor that went to the school also. He had caused my mum problems also, so she started resenting your mum more and more. After they turned sixteen, our mum’s hardly ever saw each other.
“After getting married, no one heard from Aunt Lily for months at a time. Our Grandparents died in a car crash. Mum couldn’t call or send a post to Aunt Lily to let her know. Mum planned the funerals and was getting ready to sell their parents house when your mum finally showed up. Well, I guess they had words. You know how my mum can get, and I guess Aunt Lily was just as hot tempered. Things got pretty nasty. That was the last time my mum ever saw yours alive.
“No matter how much my mum hated the magical world, it was only because it caused her to lose her only sister, Harry.”
Harry listened intently to Dudley’s tale. It matched with the memories of Snape’s. He was trying hard to control his emotions. It seemed that any time he thinks about his mother: emotions of the magnitude of her sacrifice wells up inside of him. Having Ginny beside him helped him right now. “I have learned from other sources some of what you said,” he said while choking back his emotions. “I didn’t know what happened with our grandparents though. Thank you for telling me that.”
He looked down at the photos again. He stared at the magical photos of his parents' wedding. They looked so happy together; maybe he had been barmy for thinking that his mother never really loved his father. That she only loved him as a second option. He didn’t know why that thought has hunted him. Actually he did, because of the memories of Snape, gave him doubt about why his mother would care for someone she so obviously detested all her life.
He turned the page of the photo album and saw a small redheaded baby dressed in pink sleepers being held by a blond woman with a redheaded man with green eyes hugging them both. He finally saw where his mother got her red hair and green eyes from. Aunt Petunia physically took after her father, but his mum had her father’s hair and eyes and mother’s physical build.
He turned pages and he saw picture after picture of his mother and Aunt Petunia growing up from infant to toddler to going off to grammar school. He saw his mum at the same ages as in Snapes memories. He could notice that as they grew older there seemed to be more distance between his mum and Aunt Petunia. He started to wonder if that was when his mum’s magic started to show, or when Snape started to spend time with her. He finally reached a picture of his mum in Hogwarts clothes. She was standing alone on what looked like platforms nine or ten at Kings Cross station. He turned another page and there was only one picture of his mum. It was the last picture in the album, and it caused his heart to constrict and all his doubts reemerged about his mothers and fathers relationship. His mother was standing in front of the Hogwarts Express. She was holding hands with Severus Snape as they looked at each other. She had to be at least thirteen in the picture.
Ginny pointed at the picture, and whispered, “Who’s that.”
Harry stared at the picture trying to read the looks on their faces. Did his mother actually love Snape as he loved her? This picture made it look that way.
“Harry, are you all right?” asked Ginny, a little louder with concern in her voice.
He looked at her. There was concern in her eyes also, he had told her about his concerns. He didn’t even know himself why it bothered him so much. Except that he almost needed to believe that his parents were actually made for each other, but were they?
“Yeah cousin,” interjected Dudley. “I was wondering who that boy your Mum was holding hands with. My mum would only call him that awful boy.”
“Snape, his name was Severus Snape,” said Harry.
Cho gasped at the name. “He — he was a Death Eater!”
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Harry and Ginny were standing in the Apparition area by his back door. The air was bone chilling cold, but Harry felt nothing. He was still numb from staring at the picture of his mother and Severus Snape holding hands.
“Harry, I am ready to leave,” stated Ginny harshly.
Ginny had become surly after the being interrupted by Dudley and friends. His mood had made things even more difficult for her. After seeing that picture he had barely said a word to anyone. He kept looking at it, trying to see any indication whether they were or were not a couple.
“Harry, I know you have this problem with your mother and father’s relationship. I think you should leave it go. Whatever happened in their past was obviously in their past. She looked loads happier with your dad than with Snape. It could have been a relationship like what you had had with Cho,” she stressed the past part with a great deal of venom in her voice.
“But, my mum hated my dad. It would be like Hermione and Draco ending up getting married,” stressed Harry.
Ginny snorted at the possibility of those to ever marrying. “Harry, I don’t know what happened and unfortunately there is no way you can discover either.” She stopped talking and stared at him for a second. “I don’t even know if it is any of our business anyway,” she stressed.
“But- but she’s my mum, and…” Harry trailed off as he couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“I know love,” she said softer. “But that was the past. We need to think of the future. What has happened has happened we need to think of the future, of our future.” She leaned up and kissed him, but pulled away before it could become passionate. “I will be back on March twenty-fourth to play the Chudley Cannons. That is a Friday, Harry, that will be the last match until the beginning of May. I want us to spend that weekend together Harry, alone. No, assignments, no relatives from either of us, make sure that you can do that Harry! I’ll see you then,” she snapped waspishly at him, before she disappeared with a pop.
Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Finally
Harry stared at the box of files on his desk. He had been cleaning up his cubicle this morning. Today he was finally going to receive his formal promotion to being a full Auror, even though he has been working as one for the past year. He often wondered why Gawain had never held the actual presentation before this time. He has been working on his own ever since last April, and everyone has been treating him as a fully qualified Auror. The only thing he has not yet received has been a cubicle with the other fully qualified Aurors. He has been stuck back here in the trainee area since last April.His working area wasn’t bad only a little cramped, but it would have been that way even if he had been given his own cubicle. Gawain has had him reviewing files of cases looking for inconsistencies or missed clues. The stack of files he had in his office covered an empty desk in the trainees’ area. This area was about the size of three cubicles, but it had six desks shoved in here. Luckily there were only four other trainee’s that worked out of the office at one time, there were always two working at Azkaban.
Harry grimaced at the thoughts of that horrid place. He had had his official inquiry into his actions during the prison break. He had been expecting to get reprimanded or even dismissed. They found his actions justified. His only punishment was that he no longer would be permitted to work at the prison. This judgment didn’t seem make sense to Harry, but he readily accepted it.
Kingsley and the Wizengamot also wanted to give him an Order of Merlin first class for stopping the breakout. He told them that he wouldn’t accept such a prestigious award for what he had done. He actually had to argue with Kingsley about it, until the Minister finally agreed to accept a third-class award. He still didn’t like the idea of accepting an award for what he did, but they wouldn’t take “no” for an answer.
Picking up the last file, he opened the folder and glanced through it. He had been doing this periodically to all the files trying to pick up missed clues. Sometimes a file will sit for days without him touching it, and he will pick it up and something will suddenly jump out at him. He has helped solve several cases and located dark wizards because of those clues he found.
With Voldemort’s entire inner circle imprisoned, the cases were not a high priority to be solved. Voldemort made one tactical error when he attacked Hogwarts. He brought his entire force of his most trusted and deadliest Death Eaters with him. He never planned on losing, but when he did, everyone with him that day was captured or killed. The only Death Eaters that weren’t there were the new inductees, useless ones, or Snatchers. Most of these didn’t even have the dark mark burnt onto their arms, making identifying them even more difficult.
After he and Ginny captured that group of Snatchers and low-level Death Eaters two Halloween’s ago, sightings of these sorcerers have fallen off. With the sightings, the arrests have fallen off, but the good side of this was the risks to the Aurors have also decreased tremendously. Harry truly appreciated that, because Ron has joined the ranks. He was such a green trainee that he doesn’t even qualify for a desk in the trainee’s area back here. He was at “puppy” status right now. He follows his trainer, Rostis, around like a little puppy. The only trainee’s who get a desk back here are ones in their final year. They rarely sit back here unless their trainer wants them to research something, so most of the time Harry has been back here alone.
Glancing down at the file in his hand Harry noticed, it was for Warrington, a Slytherin that he had gone to school with. He had joined with the Death Eaters after Dumbledore died. According to reports he had reached a high enough rank to have the Dark Mark burnt onto his arm. He was originally from a small village north of Edinburg, but he hasn’t been seen in that area for a long time.
Harry read over the past sightings. He glanced at them nonchalantly not really reading anything else but the locations. Then it appeared to him, there was a definite pattern to Warrington’s sightings. Pulling files from the box, he finally reached the map of the British Isles with attacks suspected to be caused by Death Eaters and Snatchers. Checking these locations and times against the sightings of Warrington, the pattern was even more defined. “Liverpool,” whispered Harry to himself.
“What’s in Liverpool?” asked Ron Weasley.
Harry snapped his head around and saw his best mate standing there. “Warrington, I bet. All his sightings are in direct lines between known attacks by Death Eaters and Liverpool,” stated Harry. “We need to get some Agents out there to try to locate and observe him.”
“Yeah, well, that’s all very interesting Harry, but you have a ceremony to be at in five.”
“Yes, right,” said Harry under his breath as he put everything back into the box for the files. “Let me grab my personal effects and we’ll be on our way.” Harry picked up a smaller box and turned to face Ron. “Let’s go! I want to get out of here by noon, so I can get everything ready for tonight.”
Ron snorted at his comment, as he stepped aside to let Harry pass. “You have plans with my sister after she loses to the Cannons.”
“Yes, I do. So you think your team will win?”
“Yes, I will never give up waiting for them to be victorious.”
“Well, Mate that is one thing I do admire about you.”
“What’s that, Harry?”
“You never give up no matter how great the odds are against you.” Harry laughed at Ron rooting for the Cannons. “I suppose you will be wearing your orange Cannon jersey.”
“Damn straight I am,” Ron said proudly.
“Yeah, you and the other three faithful fans.”
Ron punched Harry’s arm at his comment. They had walked to the assembly area, where they held ceremonies for the Auror department. It was an open spot in the hall in front the wall of honour, which held names of all the Aurors who died fighting the dark forces. Harry stared at the wall finding Nymphadora Tonks Lupin’s name and Alastor Moody’s. They were imprinted on a gold sunburst and crossed wands medallion. The sunburst and crossed wands was the symbol of the Auror Department. The sunburst represented the light and the crossed wands represented their fight against the dark arts. Standing there staring at the wall, Harry hoped that he never sees another name that he knows personally on here.
“Are you ready Harry,” asked Gawain, from behind Harry.
He turned and saw that everyone had arrived while he was staring at the wall. The entire department was here including the Minister of Magic, and one of his under-secretaries. “Sure. Let’s get on with this,” stated Harry somewhat impatiently.
He needed to get everything ready for tonight. He had to see Neville about getting some plants and then he had to go home and start preparing his house for Ginny. There were charms to be put in place. He had been reading the book that Hermione had recommended along with the book Ron gave him for his seventeenth. He wanted everything to be perfect for her tonight. Just thinking about it, he started to become nervous, because there was so much, he didn’t know about before reading those books. Now that he knew about everything involved for both him and Ginny, he was nervous that he might muck things up for her.
“Everyone, gather around,” ordered Gawain. “I would like to introduce to you Harry Potter, our new Director of Field Operations.”
Everyone started to clap, but Harry was in shock. This would place him as the third highest ranking official in the department. Turning his face to Gawain’s ear, he whispered, “Are you sure about this, I thought someone else older would get it. Someone more qualified like Dawlish or Rostis, not me, I am just learning my way around the Ministry.”
“Harry, look around you. Do you see anyone with a long face, besides Dawlish, that looks like they don’t agree with this?” Gawain handed Harry a bronze badge. It was the official symbol of the Auror Department; the sunburst and crossed wands. It was his symbol of status in the Ministry now.
Harry turned to look at everyone. They all smiled back at him and some even gave him a thumb up, congratulating him on getting the job. Dawlish though looked offended. Harry felt strange seeing so many older and more mature Aurors happy that he got promoted above them.
“Since the entire department is here,” said Kingsley stepping forward. “I would like to take this time to present Harry with his second Order of Merlin first class.” Kingsley held out a pin to him, as everyone again applauded him.
“But I thought I told you that I didn’t deserve it,” insisted a slightly embarrassed Harry.
“Yes. Harry, you did, and the reasons that you stated were correct. However, we considered that you had earned an Order of Merlin third class for your efforts physically repelling the breakout and added to that the fact that your changes in procedures ensured that the prisoners would not escape. Those procedures reduced the possibility that there will ever be another breakout. The Wizengamot and I are awarding you the order of Merlin first class for protecting the world from another prison breakout by using your wand and your intellect.”
Harry took the pin from him and stared at it in the palm of his hand. He wondered if the only reason they gave it to him was because of who he was instead of what he did. He closed his hand around it with a sigh. Maybe he will give it to Teddy when he gets older.
“All right you lot,” shouted Gawain. “The presentation is over. You can all go back to work now.” His announcement was greeted with grumbles, as the department started to disperse.
“Gawain, I think I have an idea about the Warrington case,” Harry said.
“Really, Harry, well come into my office and we’ll talk.”
Harry followed Gawain to his office. They were also accompanied by Kingsley, Ron, and Rostis. Harry felt this was a little strange but didn’t say anything. Stepping through the door to the Head of the Auror Department’s office seemed strange to Harry. He had been here a couple of times, but they were either busy discussing assignments or Ginny’s Quidditch accomplishments. Now though the circumstances and the entourage set Harry’s nerves on edge. Whatever Gawain was going to say, he will need to remind Gawain that in less than fifteen minutes he was leaving.
After everyone filed into the austere office, Gawain walked behind his desk and stood. It was a plain wooden desk, more like a rugged table with drawers. The top didn’t even have a fine polish on it, and the chair behind it was a high back wooden chair without padding. The only other chair in the room was another high back wooden one, and no one was moving to sit down in it either.
“Harry, as the new Director of Field Operations, you will be spending ninety percent of your time in the Ministry checking reports. The main reason you were chosen for this job was your uncanny knack of finding clues that others have overlooked.” Gawain stood there facing his desk as he spoke to Harry. He leaned lightly on both his hands that were placed on each side of a file folder. Finally, Gawain lifted his face to stare into Harry’s eyes. “However, there shall be times when you will need to take on field operations yourself.” Gawain looked around the room at everyone else. “Today is one of those times.”
“Hold on,” interrupted Harry. “I am leaving in ten minutes and not returning until Tuesday morning at eight.”
“Harry, this assignment is very important, the Ministry needs you to put your best effort into it.”
“I am leaving in ten minutes. This assignment can wait or someone else can take it,” stressed Harry. His anger rising. He was feeling as though he was being betrayed by these people, who he considered friends.
“Harry,” said Gawain forcefully. “We need you to take this assignment.” Gawain held up his hand to stop Harry from interrupting. “This woman has many connections to the British Ministry. She has been attacked in the past by various dark wizards and witches. We need you to take her into hiding and protect her.”
“No!” Harry’s statement wasn’t shouted. He wasn’t even that angry anymore. He was disappointed that Gawain would do something like this. “You told me how important it is to keep a healthy family life. Yet you are constantly giving me assignments that interfere with me ever having one.” Harry placed the bronze badge that Gawain had earlier given him on the desk along with the pin for his Order of Merlin first class. “I quit!” he said with little emotion.
He turned to walk away, but Ron caught him by the arm. Harry stared him in the eyes. His best mate’s eyes were unreadable to him.
“You can’t quit, Harry,” insisted Ron. “Don’t be so damn stubborn and take the bloody assignment.”
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Ginny stood in the middle of the Puddlemere United Pitch with her eyes closed savouring being back in Britain. The time traveling to other countries has made her appreciate home more with each passing week. It wasn’t just that everyone she loved was still here. It was also the country itself. She enjoyed the climate, how it made the land so green and lush. She didn’t mind the cool moist weather that much, all one needed to do was dress a little warmer. She had been to so many countries where the climate was so hot and dry that it made her skin feel as if she was a snake that was ready to shed her skin. The Pitches in those countries couldn’t compare to the ones in Britain. Their ground was hard and the grasses course, tough, and an unattractive shade of green.
Opening her eyes, she started to survey the ground and the Pitch. The grass was so soft under her feet and was a wonderful emerald green that reminded her of Harry’s eyes. As soon as the thought appeared in her head, she tried to suppress it. She couldn’t be thinking about him and focus on capturing the Snitch. The entire trip she has been counting down the days until today, or more specifically tonight. When this match was over, she was leaving with Harry. He sent an Owl to the Harpies for her this morning. It assured her that he will be ready for tonight.
She regretted being so waspish with him when she left for this trip. It wasn’t his fault that his ruddy cousin had interrupted them. It was good for Harry to have relations with his cousin, but it would have been better if it had been another time. Ginny wanted Harry so bad that she ached physically for him.
“Stop it, Weasley,” Ginny whispered, reprimanding herself. She had to refocus on the task of playing Quidditch today.
“What did you say, Red?” asked Karen Swan. She was also walking around Puddlemere’s Pitch.
“Just thinking about other things than Quidditch right now.”
“Let me guess someone with black hair and last name rhymes with gotter’, as in gotter shag that man,” laughed the Keeper.
“Shut up, Swan,” laughed Ginny. “let’s talk about something else. Oh, well, like this Pitch is huge.”
Karen Swan laughed at Ginny trying to change the subject. “It is the largest in Britain; the only one that would hold everyone who wants to see you.”
“Oh joy, thousands of randy teenage boys and old pervs, wanting to watch my arse. I had enough of that oversees. At least we will have Aurors here to keep the crowd under control.”
“And one Auror in particular,” teased Swan.
Ginny smiled and shook her head at her teammates teasing. “First we need to trounce the Cannons. I don’t think Gwen would be too happy if we lost to them.”
“We would be in the air practicing nonstop until the next match in May. No matter what our desires are,” Swan’s voice was serious, all joking aside. “I’ve always hated this Pitch. The corners of the stands are open, and when the sun starts to set it blinds the visiting Keeper.”
Ginny stared at the openings. The stands ran along the length and across the behind the goals, but there were no corners to them. There was an inverted wedge-shaped opening extending to the ground where the stands along the length and the ones across the goal area should meet. She could see that as the sun would set it would shine through the opening and at the goals area of the visiting team. “You think they did that on purpose?”
“It is why they prefer late afternoon matches also,” growled Karen. “All the teams have complained about it, but the Ministry regulators tell us that we have that option at our Pitches also. Bloody Bagman probably took a payoff to allow Puddlemere to build a Pitch like this. Oh well, no sense complaining about it. I’m off to the changing area.”
Ginny watched as Swan walked towards the changing rooms. It was still several hours until the match, but, as she stood there in the middle of the Pitch, she formulated a plan for tonight’s match. With a smile, Ginny decided to go and get changed. She walked towards the changing area and chuckled as two Aurors followed her. They have been assigned to her since she arrived. Everywhere she has gone recently she has had official escorts. They all would stay back from her to try and not interfere, but their presence was obvious.
She walked through the first set of doors leading to the changing area. This area was more of a public receiving area. It was equipped with comfortable chairs and tables for food, in case the team decided to throw a party after the match. Ginny had other plans tonight. There was a Ministry official standing there. She flashed a smile at him. He proceeded to blush slightly, even though he was an older gentleman, before giving her a nod to proceed.
The guard behind the second door was a woman. Ginny needed to identify herself to the Auror. She seemed to look Ginny over as though she was wondering why everyone was raving about this young redheaded girl. Ginny had become used to that too. So many women are so competitive that they seemed to be personally offended by the fact that Harry loves her and not them. At first this attitude bothered her, but now she doesn’t care.
She was now in the actual changing area. A turn to the right from the doors and Ginny saw her entire team in various stages of nudity. Some were completely starkers as they changed into their lucky knickers. Others were completely dressed. Ginny never considered herself squeamish about being around naked women, except for a brief time after Walden’s attack, but the sight of the changing area caused her some slight embarrassment at first. Walking past her teammates she found the locker that was designated for her. Standing there facing it she started her slow methodical process of changing for the match.
After about two hours, Ginny had finished dressing, her hair was in a braid, and she was sitting on the bench in front of her locker checking her broom. She loved that broom. It was the one that Harry had given her. Even though she should get a custom made Firebolt, she still felt sad at the thoughts of no longer riding this broom. The Firebolt Company had contacted her and even sent a photographer to Belize to take pictures that week. She had heard that the ads have increased interest in the broom, with mild sales increases. The brooms were so expensive that very few people could afford them.
Leaning back against her locker, she placed the Firebolt across her lap and tried to clear her head of all thoughts except capturing the Snitch. She closed her eyes and tried to slowly block all sounds out. She found being able to do this is important because during a match she needs to focus on one thing, and she can’t let the crowd noise and sights interfere with her plans.
She slowly started to ignore or block out the sounds of the changing room. The minor conversations were the easiest. She even heard the witch at the door talking to someone that she called “sir”. The door must have been open to the outside room because she could hear multiple conversations that sounded like interviews. The crowd was arriving as she could sense the noise of them filtering through the walls. Taking a deep breath, she slowly blocked out all those noises.
Without all that sensory information interfering, she could sense other things around her. She became aware of the smells of the changing area. She could smell the various creams and perfumes that her teammates wore. The other less pleasant odors were present also. Odors of old sweat from the collection of the uniforms. The smell of leather from shoes and the protective armor became clear to her. She could also smell various odors that were new to her. The odors of mildew and the cleaners that the janitorial staff used in the locker room became obvious to her.
She took a deep breath and tried to block these odors out and focus on her seeing and capturing the Snitch. However, there was another scent that she sensed, or her mind told her it was there. It was that familiar scent of Harry. She had been thinking so much about him lately remembering every detail of him: how his hair felt in her hands, the shape and firmness of his shoulders and back, the way his body fit against her. The taste of his lips, and the way his very scent could make her randy. It was as if all these memories were welling up in her, to confuse her and make her concentration weak.
“Get a grip, Weasley,” she growled to herself under her breath.
“Do you always talk to yourself, before a match?”
Ginny realized who was speaking to her and opened her eyes to see Harry kneeling down in front of her. His green eyes were staring into her brown. He was there so close and so very real. Without speaking she reached out and grabbed the back of his head and pulled him into her. All the sensations of being with him came back to her: her fingers in his hair, the feel of his lips and the taste of his tongue. She snogged him for a few seconds before pulling away from him. “You are interrupting my pregame routine.”
“So sorry,” he sardonically apologized. “I couldn’t wait to see you.”
She tore her eyes away from his and looked at the rest of him. He was wearing different robes. They looked to be a higher quality than what he normally wore. They were black but the stitches seem to be made of spun bronze like the medallion on his chest. She reached out and touched the sunburst and crossed wand medallion. “What’s this?”
“Technically, my badge. I have been promoted to the director of Field Operations,” he told her. “I am basically going to spend most of my time at the Ministry from now on.”
Ginny couldn’t suppress her happiness at hearing this. She knew Harry was good but being in the field as an Auror was dangerous. She grabbed him and snogged him again. “That was my congratulation snog,” she breathlessly said.
“Why thank you, Miss Weasley.”
Ginny slapped his shoulder at him teasing her. “Did you get everything ready for after the match?”
“Yes, I did.”
She felt herself become excited with anticipation for tonight. “You need to leave now Harry.” She told him without looking in his eyes. “I need to get myself prepare to play. I want to capture the Snitch quickly. The shorter the match the sooner we can start our weekend together,” she breathlessly said to Harry.
He stood up while staring her in the eyes. “Yeah, I guess the faster you catch it the sooner we will be…” he seemed to swallow nervously. “…together. I’ll be in the players’ family box with the rest of your family,” he said, as he stepped away from her.
“Hold on,” she said to him. She placed her Firebolt on the bench and grabbed her rucksack out of her locker. “Here,” she said as she shoved it at him. “Keep this. We can leave without me coming back in here.”
He gave her a goofy smile and said, “Brilliant as always.” He tossed the sack over his shoulder and left the changing area.
Ginny stood there watching him leave. She drew a deep breath and tried to refocus for the match. Seeing and snogging Harry had her all twisted up with anticipation for tonight, but she needed to focus on capturing the Snitch. Exhaling she sat back down and tried to get herself focused within the next ten minutes.
Ginny walked out onto the Pitch to the roar of the crowd. She was the last person out of the changing rooms. The Pitch was filled with people wearing the green and gold of the Harpies. When she appeared, they started to chant “Weasley is our Queen.” She has heard that so many times over the last three months that it doesn’t even affect her like it had originally. The energy from the crowd filled her up. It was intoxicating to feel this type of energy and adulation coming from so many.
Smiling she mounted her broom and took her pregame fly around the Pitch. As she flew close to the crowd, she heard so many men shouting things to her. Many of them were rather vulgar, but these gormless gits thought they were sexy or funny. Ignoring the crowd, she sought out her family. All her brothers were there along with their significant others. Harry smiled and blew her a kiss. She returned his smile but didn’t fly over to him. She flew back down to the team on the ground.
She wasn’t even listening as the referee went over the rules of the match. After the pleasantries were finished, the teams took to the air. Ginny was going to try something unorthodox today. She flew to the opening in the Pitch that the setting sun was framed in. Turning to face the Pitch, she watched as the referee released the Snitch. She smiled as her guess was correct. The setting sun reflected off the golden ball. She was able to follow it easily as it flitted around the Pitch. The entire time she was hovering there people were trying to talk to her, but she ignored them. She needed that Snitch and that was all she saw right now.
The Quaffle was released and the match began. Ginny barely noticed anything else as she watched the golden ball hovering by the brass goal post at the Harpies end. She slowly started flying to the right and increased her elevation as she went. She has come to believe that the Charm on Snitches gave them some type of sentient intelligence that they could sense when someone was trying to capture them. So, to get them it was best to sneak up on them. However, that wasn’t always possible.
The play was going in her favour. It was staying in the middle of the field and slightly to the right. The Snitch would have a hard time detecting her on the other side of the players. She could easily pick it out now that she had it in her sight. She often wondered how Harry could ever be a Seeker with his bad eyes. If it would not be right in front of him, he would never see it. Gwen has often told her that she has the best eyesight of any member on the team.
The Quaffle kept trading hands between the teams keeping everyone’s attention. Ginny heard a crack of the Beaters Bat and saw her chance to attack. Waiting for the Bludger to get close to her, she rolled away from it. She pushed the Firebolt to maximum speed. She flew out towards the stands, and back in towards the Snitch, which was still hovering in front of the goal posts.
Even at her fast speed everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. The Snitch looked as large as a Quaffle hovering there. She could almost count the beats of its wings as she accelerated towards it. She hadn’t even reached out to take it yet. There was plenty of time for her to do that. She was in the zone now. Nothing was going to stop her from capturing the Snitch. She was so close that even if it would sense her and try to fly away she could still grab it out of the air. Lifting her right hand from the broom handle, she heard a loud thump as the Snitch collided with her glove. Suddenly everything was back to normal speed. She rocketed up to the same level as Swan, where she held up her hand with the Snitch in it.
“The Harpies are getting ready to attempt a goal...Merlin’s broom, Weasley has captured the Snitch!” exclaimed a familiar voice doing the commentary. “The match is over! The Harpies win; 150 to 0.”
Ginny realized who was talking now. It was Lee Jordan. She smiled and waved to him as she directed her broom over to Harry and her family. Almost the entire Pitch was silent, the only ones cheering at her capturing the Snitch this quickly was her own family. She hadn’t a clue what the quickest capture of a Snitch was, but she knew she was close to that record. Even the other players seemed to be surprised at how quickly the match was over.
Someone shouted for a rematch, and then a few more, but Ginny ignored them. What the other people thought mattered little to her, she only cared that Harry and her family seemed to be thrilled. She watched as Harry climbed over her mum and dad to get to the aisle. As he was doing this, he was trying to sling her rucksack over his shoulders. He looked as anxious to leave as she was. Suddenly the thoughts of finally making love to him made her stomach churn with butterflies. She could feel her breathing become quicker as she became more nervous about tonight. She gently landed the broom in the aisle beside Harry. He grabbed her and hugged her, making some of her butterflies disappear.
“That was brilliant, Ginny!” he shouted. “Absolutely brilliant!”
“What, what is going on?” exclaimed Ron. He was standing at the bottom of the aisle for this section. He had a Butterbeer in one hand and a large container of chips in the other, and a very confused look on his face. “Why aren’t you playing?”
“The match is over,” shouted Hermione, trying to suppress a laugh at her fiancé’s expression. “Ginny has captured the Snitch.”
“No! impossible, not that fast,” he said, trying to convince everyone that it didn’t happen.
“Here it is, oh very thick one,” mocked Ginny, as she opened her hand letting the Snitch escape.
By this time the entire Pitch was shouting for a rematch. Ginny realized that Gwen might actually make her play, since she has been the main draw for this match. “Hurry up and hop on Harry,” she begged him, as she slid forward on the broom to make room for him..
“All right,” he said as he tossed his leg over the back of the broom.
Suddenly cameras started taking pictures of them and a mob of reporters were moving up the aisle towards them. Ron held out his arms to stop them, but he was pushed up the stairs of the aisle, knocking his chips and Butterbeer out of his hands. He was yelling at them as they were shouting questions to her and Harry.
“Ginny, I expect you two for dinner tomorrow,” shouted her mother.
Ginny looked at her and rolled her eyes. “We’ll see.”
“You two will be there,” she stated even more firmly.
Ginny huffed at her mum’s tone. It meant that there would be no exceptions to her request.
“Oh and Ginny dear,” her mum said in a sickly sweet voice. “Please don’t hurt Harry.”
Ginny felt her face become warm and she watched as her dad and brothers all looked scandalized by what her mum had said. Hermione and the other women present all smiled as if they agreed with her mum’s request. She tried to say something to her mum, but she found herself speechless.
“Where to Harry?” she shouted over her shoulder.
He reached his arms around her and said in her ear. “Let me fly.”
His warm breath tickled her ear and neck sending shivers down her spine. She released her grip on the broom handle and allowed him to wrap his arms around her. His chest pressed into her back and his legs pressed against hers. She was completely enveloped by him. It was such a wonderful feeling. She looked up and saw Gwenog flying towards her. Realizing that Gwenog would probably want her to play some more to appease the crowd which was chanting “Rematch” in unison. She started to tell Harry to take off, but, before she could say anything. She was driven back against him from the acceleration of the broom. They were flying almost straight up out of the Pitch. Harry directed the broom to the south towards his house.
Ginny glanced back over her shoulder and saw others on brooms following them. They were pretty far back, but they were still being followed. Harry didn’t seem to care because he kept his course straight south. As their speed increased, she and Harry instinctively leaned forward on the broom trying make the least amount of area for the wind to catch. The broom handled their weight wonderfully. It was slower accelerating, but the speeds they were reaching would make it nearly impossible for anyone to catch them on anything else but a high-quality broom.
The wind whipped over her face making her eyes water slightly, and it roared in her ears. Its force on her was pushing her back into Harry. He seemed to be gripping the broom with all his might trying to hold both of them on the broom. She wanted to help, but there was no room for her to hold onto, without making Harry break his grip. So she resigned herself to enjoying this moment.
She loved flying, and she loved being held by Harry. She now had both of those sensations to enjoy. The sun was still about a half hour from setting and made a beautiful picture to her right. Harry seemed to read her mind, as he suddenly turned right. The sunset was directly in front of them. It’s warm rays taking the chill off the cool March air. Ginny, not wanting to look into the sun, looked at the ground passing below them. The trees were still predominantly bare but the lower brush and grasses were all turning green with new growth.
She could feel Harry reposition himself as though he was looking behind them. When he finally stopped moving, he yelled in her ear so she could hear him over the sound of the wind. “They are following us. Let them stare into the sun for a bit, then we can make our escape.”
Ginny felt the shivers run down her back again when he spoke to her. There was no way she could feel his breath at these speeds, but having him so close she imagined it. She gently rubbed her hands up and down his arms, enjoying the feel of his taught muscles as he gripped the broom handle. She felt him move his head again, but this time he didn’t whisper in her ear. He kissed it. Gently several times before moving to her neck. She could hear a low moan. She thought it was her, but it could have been him in this noisy wind.
She moved her one hand to his thigh and massaged the muscle. This time she was sure he moaned. His snogging of her neck increased. He was now at the base of her neck and shoulder. taking her hand away from his thigh she reached up and ran it through his hair. This seemed to encourage him even more, as he took his one hand off the broom and wrapped it around her. His hand found her breast, and she let out a gasp from the intense pleasure it caused her. Even though she was wearing a protective corset, the pressure of his hand created great pleasure for her.
She pulled on his head and twisted on the broom, until she could taste his lips again. It was an awkward kiss, but it was what she wanted to taste his lips and feel their tongues together. If she could, she would have tried to shag him right here on the broom, but that was impossible. She loved being in the air, and to be doing this made it even more intoxicating.
“I love you,” she whispered to him.
“I love you, too, Ginny,” he whispered back.
They both seemed to realize that something was wrong as there was no wind in their ears. their heads snapped around to realize that they had stopped flying and lost concentration with the broom. They were now falling from the sky like a rock. Harry reached around her and grabbed the handle again and quickly got the broom under control. He flew straight to the ground and landed at the edge of a field and woods. Looking around they didn’t see any Muggles. Harry quickly pulled out his Invisibility Cloak from his pocket and tossed it over them.
She was standing under the cloak touching him, as he looked towards the sky. They stood there and watched a small group of wizards and witches fly over them still heading west into the sun. Harry smiled and looked down at her. There was something in that smile that made Ginny weak in the knees.
“I don’t know if this is the place you planned Harry, but I like it,” she said roguishly, as she ran her hands over his chest.
“No, Ginny this isn’t the place. Let me Apparate you there,” he whispered as he leaned down and kissed her.
Ginny felt his lips connect with hers, then he turned. The sensation of Apparating like this seemed to be making her even more randy. Suddenly, the compression was over and the first thing she realized was they were close to the ocean. The smell of salt water filled her nostrils, and the feel of the waves breaking on the shore rumbled up through the ground and her feet.
“How do you like it,” asked Harry, as he stepped away from her and put his cloak away.
Behind him was an old looking house with field stone walls and a thatched roof. Its walls looked to have been white washed at one time, but now they were faded almost to the natural shade of the stone. There were French doors in the center of the wall facing them, and a window on each side of the doors. The entire side of the house had a slate patio with various types of furniture there was even a large hammock on a frame. The yard around the house seemed to be in good order, but she could only see a short distance from the house. There seemed to be some type of barrier around the house preventing her from seeing anything beyond it. She couldn’t even see the ocean.
“Where are we?” she asked while looking at the barrier.
“I can’t tell you. Do you like the place so far?”
“Why can’t you tell me and why is there a barrier?”
“It is a secret and the barrier is to prevent people from knowing where the house is located at.”
Ginny stared at him for a second. She didn’t like what he said. “Maybe, I’ll just Apparate outside the barrier and see where we are.”
“Can’t, the place has Anti-Apparition Charms on it.”
“You Apparated me here.”
“I am authorized.”
“Authorized? Authorized, Harry please tell me this isn’t some house set up by the Ministry, and if you love me, tell me that you aren’t on assignment.” She demanded, her voice was between yelling angrily at him and crying. She couldn’t believe that he would take her along on an assignment for their special time. She grabbed the broom from his hands and took a step back from him. The look on his face told her that it was an assignment.
“Ginny, love, please calm down,” he pleaded. “I know it looks bad, but it isn’t. It really isn’t dear. Please let me explain.”
“Explain, explain, how could you ever explain why you would do this to me, to us. It is always the same thing. You are always saving the bloody world,” she had changed completely to yelling now. “I don’t need a bloody hero. I need someone who will be dedicated to me and love me.” Tears were forcing their way to her eyes, but she blinked them back. All her dreams of this night had been ruined by him. Part of her wanted to hop onto the broom and leave, but the other part wanted to hear his explanation.
Harry stood there stunned for a second not sure what to say. “When I was first given this assignment, I told them I was going to quit, but Ron stopped me from walking out. It was then that I found out that you are my assignment.”
“What type of rubbish are you spewing, Potter? Why would I be your assignment?”
“A favor, a thank you from Gawain and Kingsley. I think. We have this house to ourselves for two weeks. They justified it by making this an assignment. They described you to me as someone with many Ministry connections and have had an attempt on your life in the past year. I am to bring you here and keep you out of the public’s eye, until they can determine if things would be safe for you. It is the truth, Ginny.”
She stood there staring at him. A large part of her was telling her to forgive him, but she wasn’t going to be that easy, not after all he has put her through. “Why call it an assignment. Why not just give the house to you for the weekend?”
“It is Ministry property for Ministry use only. We could technically get fired for doing this, so they classified you as a high-risk individual and put you into protective custody. We have the house for two weeks.” Harry stood there staring at her waiting for her response.
Ginny fought with herself. She wanted to still be angry with him, but a larger part wanted to believe him. “Can I see the Ocean?”
“I am afraid that you will be able to see only a little of it.”
“Did you actually tell them that you quit, or did you just think it?”
“I had handed them my badge,” he said pointing to his chest and the new emblem he was wearing. “I was almost to the door when Ron caught my arm. He told me to just look at the assignment. I was a bit shocked to find you were the person I was protecting, but you do match the description.”
“What about dinner at my mum’s tomorrow? Will we be able to go?”
“Yes, but we can’t go anywhere public. No Quidditch matches, no Diagon Alley, no dining out. You are basically stuck with me for the next two weeks.”
Ginny stood there and watched his eyes and face as he spoke. She believed everything he had said, but what should she say now. He had almost quit his job for this weekend. The thoughts of his dedication to her suddenly made her more randy than during the broom ride here. “Well, I guess I could take a look inside,” she said calmly, even though she was anything but that internally.
He made a dramatic sweep with his arm towards the French doors behind them. He offered her his arm and she took it repositioning the broom to the other hand. Her heart was in her throat, and it was beating wildly. She suddenly became nervous about everything. She had no doubts about it. She wanted to give herself to him, but now she was only hoping it was enough. Would she be enough for him for the next two weeks?
He opened the doors and revealed a wonderful bedroom. It was large almost stretching the width of the house. It was dark inside the only light was the flickering light from the roaring fire on the left-hand side of the room. In front of the fireplace was a large dark green plush carpet with large pillows and a low table. The large four poster bed was to her right. Its hangings were tied back. There were pillows stacked up on it. It sat in the middle of another large dark green area rug. The exposed floor was a honey-pine adding additional warmth to the room. She looked up and gasped the ceiling and the upper half of the walls were enchanted to show the starry night. She stared at the beautiful nighttime display when she noticed something. They weren’t the stars from England. She looked for and found the Southern Cross.
“They are the stars from Australia,” she stated breathlessly. She was so wound up over what Harry had done for this night that she couldn’t say much more.
“I enchanted them from memory. I think I was able to recreate them well enough. If you see any missing constellations, well, I am sorry.”
“It’s wonderful, Harry, Thank you!” She felt him step away from her and close the doors. She stood there admiring this wonderful room as she heard him tap his wand on the door and mutter an enchantment. She was so randy right now that she didn’t even know what to do or say. She wanted this to be special not over in thirty seconds, but she didn’t know if she could even wait that long.
“I am glad you enjoy it, Ginny.” Harry said from beside her. “I love you.”
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][][ ]
Harry watched as she turned towards him. He was so nervous. He had thought she might leave him just a few minutes ago, but she was here now. They were both here now. He told her he loved her because he couldn’t think of anything else to say. Ginny had turned to him and was staring at him. Her eyes were blazing, but she just stood there looking at him while still holding her broom.
How long they stood like that, Harry didn’t know. It felt like an eternity to him. He wanted her so badly, but he knew that he shouldn’t become too aggressive with her. She has been through so much, and he didn’t want to offend her. He wanted to please her.
Ginny let go of the broom. It hadn’t hit the floor before she was in Harry’s arms snogging him intensely. Suddenly there were no more reservations, as they started tearing at each other’s clothes. The rucksack of Ginny’s was pushed off his back immediately. He started to tug at her Quidditch robes as she tore at his robes. Any desire to take things slow was quickly forgotten as the garments hit the floor as they worked their way to the bed. The entire time their lips were never apart for long. Harry worked on removing her protective corset, as she tried to undo his belt on his jeans. They each undid their own shoes. Soon they were down to their knickers. They each started to pull their own down as they kept their lips together. As their knickers were around their ankles, they suddenly lost their balance and tumbled to the floor.
Harry sat up and looked to see if Ginny was hurt by the fall. She had sat up at almost the same time. They sat there on the floor with their knickers around their ankles staring at each other. Harry wasn’t sure if she laughed first or he did, but they were now both laughing at the situation.
When he stopped, he looked at her. She was a radiant beauty in the flickering light. Her skin seemed to glow. He had let his eyes sweep over her. He couldn’t have imagined a more perfect woman. Every aspect of her was perfection, from the shape of her breasts to the taper of her waist and curve of her hips. She was his vision of beauty. He looked up at her face and noticed that she was blushing.
“You’re beautiful, Ginny. More beautiful than I could have ever imagined,” he said through his constricted throat. All his nerves had returned now. He had almost ruined her experience with his haste. “I am sorry, if I got carried away…”
Ginny snorted making him stop talking. “You weren’t alone Harry.” She stopped talking and became very somber. “Are you sorry we stopped?”
“No, like I said, I got carried away with everything,” he said nervously. He wasn’t sure what to do next he wanted to continue on, but he wasn’t sure how to do that.
“Where is my rucksack?”
“Over there…,” pointed Harry towards the door, “… by the door, somewhere.”
She chuckled at the mess that they had made of their clothes. She stood up and found the rucksack. She pulled out a bottle of potion, a hairbrush, and her white satin negligee. Looking at the potion, Ginny said, “It was probably good we stopped. I should be good, but better safe than sorry.”
Harry nodded his head. “Yes, I agree.”
“Where’s the loo?”
Harry pointed to a door beside the fireplace. Ginny stood up and walked to the door. She stopped before entering and looked back at him. He couldn’t be sure what she was thinking, but the sight of her was breathtaking.
After she closed the door, Harry went and turned down the bed. He made sure to get it right the first time. He picked up the clothes and checked the fire to make sure it had plenty of wood on it. He walked back to the bed and lay down. His nerves were terrible. Maybe it would have been better if they hadn’t stopped. That way it would have been over without the worry and anticipation. As he lay there staring at the stars on the ceiling, he heard the loo’s door open. Leaning up on his elbow, he saw her walking towards him. Her hair was lose and brushed out. The white negligee making her enticing, he knew what she looked like underneath of it, and he wanted to see her again. She sat down on the bed and removed his glasses.
“I love you, Harry,” she said shakily.
He wasn’t sure but she also sounded nervous.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Harry lay on his back staring up at the ceiling now the clear blue of daylight. He wasn’t sure what time it was because he hasn’t moved for several hours. Ginny was lying across him; they were both naked. She seemed to be holding him in a complete body hug. Her arm stretched across his chest and her leg was across his hips with her foot resting on the bed on the other side of his knee. Her hair was fanned out across his torso. Every time he tried to move, she would hug him with her arms and legs, preventing him from moving.
He wanted to get up and say something to her. He wanted to apologize for last night, but he couldn’t do it laying like this. Last night wasn’t what he had expected. He tried so hard to please her, but everything he did seemed to be wrong. It was pleasurable, but it wasn’t what he had expected. It felt clumsy and awkward, instead of powerful and beautiful. He had hurt her, but he was expecting that because of it being her first time. It had caused him some distress knowing he had done that. He kept trying to remember things from that ruddy book that Hermione recommended, but he couldn’t remember anything. He had failed her, and he wanted to ask her for her forgiveness. As he lay there, he felt something on his chest. It was the feeling of tears.
“Ginny are you alright. I didn’t hurt you too much, did I?”
Ginny lifted her face up to look at him. He couldn’t see her clearly because he didn’t have his glasses. “I am sorry, Harry.”
“Why?”
“Because I made you wait all this time and then I — I didn’t make you happy.”
“No Ginny, you made me happy. I was just so lost. I thought I knew what to do, but it didn’t seem right. I should have never read that stupid book.”
“Book, what book, Harry?”
Harry let out long sigh, before speaking. “I asked Hermione about a book, because I wanted this to be wonderful for you.”
“What was the book’s title?”
“The Magic of …”
“Love,” she said at the same time as him.
“You read it too?”
Ginny laughed her infectious laugh. “I wanted to please you. I was so nervous that — well — I would disappoint you after all the time that I made you wait.”
“You couldn’t disappoint me,” he said reassuringly. “I guess there are something’s that books can’t help you with.”
“Don’t tell Hermione that. I am sure that she even has taken notes and revised them. I could…” Ginny stopped talking and looked at Harry with a horrified expression. “Obliviate me, Harry.”
“What? Why?”
“I just had a mental image of Hermione and my brother completely starkers and she had her notes out telling him that he wasn’t doing it the right way. Harry please Obliviate me, I don’t want that image of my brother with me. I’ll be scarred for life,” she pleaded.
Harry couldn’t help it he started to laugh. It was a happy belly laugh, and he was soon joined by Ginny.
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The windows were open to the bedroom allowing the chilly ocean breeze to fill the room. Harry and Ginny were snuggled together in front of the roaring fire. It’s radiant heat breaking the chill of the air. They were wearing bathrobes as they lay among the pillows sipping on wine. They had just returned from the Burrow, where they had had a dinner with the entire family.
It had been an awkward time at the Burrow. Everyone seemed to be looking at them differently. Ron, Mr. Weasley looked at Harry as though he had betrayed them to Voldemort. Hermione kept whispering to Ginny. Mrs. Weasley and the rest of the family was somewhere from acting hesitant to almost asking too personal of questions.
“They seemed disappointed that we didn’t act like Bill and Phlegm,” said Ginny sipping her wine.
“Maybe you saw that, but your father looked as if he wanted to have me arrested.”
Ginny laughed at him. “I am sure after twenty years of marriage he will be over that.” She stopped talking and seemed to be lost in thought. “Harry, I want to get married. Not in three or four years, but within a year. I want to spend some time being your wife before I become a mother and we won’t have any time for each other.” She looked at him apprehensively.
Harry stared back at her. Thinking about spending several years with only Ginny and him, he wanted a family, but he wanted to be with her even more. Leaning over to her, he gently kissed her. Pulling back, he whispered to her, “I would love that. Whatever you want for a wedding, you can have.” He leaned back into her deepening his kiss and wrapping his beautiful fiancé in his arms.
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The enchanted ceiling was showing signs of dawn, as it was slowly turning pink. The windows were still open to allow the chilly ocean breeze into the bedroom. The fire was now a pile of glowing ashes, with waves of red washing over as it slowly died out.
Harry and Ginny were lying on the bed. Even though the room was chilly, they were lying naked next to each other covered in sweat. Their skin pink from exertion. The bottom sheet was twisted and the bedcovers and top sheet had been pushed onto the floor. What had started out as a loving kiss last night when Harry agreed to marry Ginny within a year had turned into a night of passionate love. Unlike the night before, when they were so concerned about what to do and self-conscious about pleasing each other. Last night they just let their love for each other guide them.
Harry was staring into Ginny’s eyes, amazed at the sensations he had experienced. Entranced by the look in her eyes. Her lovely chocolate brown eyes were slightly glazed over, but they exuded such love, and passion mixed with submission that it was overpowering him. She was so beautiful even now. Her face was pink and damp from the sweet sweat of love. There were places where her hair was sticking to her face and shoulders, but it didn’t detract from this wonderful moment, this amazing night.
His body ached from the physical exertion, but he also felt numb and exhilarated. It was beyond his understanding how one could feel so many things at once and enjoy them all. All these pleasurable sensations were because of her, Ginny, his future wife. He wanted to tell her, but his mind seemed incapable of forming words right now. Even if he could, what could he tell her. Any adjective or adverb he could think of paled in comparison to how he felt right now. He has told her countless times that he loved her. What else could he say to let her know how much more he feels for her now. Even “I love you with all my heart” would seem trite.
They had barely said anything to each other last night after the second time they made love. He was happy that Ginny didn’t want to talk, because he had been as incapable then as he was now to form words and intelligent conversation. She has reduced his brain to mush, and it was the most wonderful experience
The chilly air washed over him, causing gooseflesh to appear on his arms. Ginny took her hand and rubbed it over his arms warming him. He noticed that she had reacted the same way to the chilly air. Rubbing her arms with his hands he warmed her up, but neither one seemed to be able to get up and cover themselves. Harry didn’t want to move from this spot. He didn’t want to lose this feeling he was experiencing by looking at Ginny. He had never expected this. He never knew pleasure like this was possible until now, and he doesn’t want it to slip away. His life so deprived of love for so many years. Years that were filled with hate and pain. All those days are gone. She made them a distant memory from someone else’s life. His life with her was one of pleasure and love. He will do whatever he can to ensure it is.
Moving his lips to hers, he decided that since he can’t think of any way to tell her how much he loves her. He will show her in a kiss. Those submissive brown eyes watched as he closed the distance between their lips. He gently kissed her lips thinking of all the love he had for her. He didn’t know if it was possible, but he wanted her to feel it through his kiss. He could feel more pressure on his lips and she was tightening her grip on his arms, as her breathing became deeper and quicker. She suddenly threw a leg over his and wrapping an arm around his back. She pressed herself to him as he heard her moan then he could feel her body shake, before she relaxed. The entire experience surprised him. He knew what had happened. He had felt it many times last night.
Ginny leaned her forehead against his, and whispered, “I — I’m sorry, love but I don’t think. Not again.” Her voice was hoarse from the night.
Harry chuckled. “I just wanted to show you how much I love you. It must have worked.”
“All night,” she whispered.
“I like your idea of spending several years together as husband and wife.”
“You do, do you.”
“Yes, I do.”
Chapter 46: Chapter 46 The Wedding - part 1
Sunlight shone through the draperies barely illuminating the bedroom. Even though it was late morning the rooms occupant, Harry Potter, was still in bed. He was awake, but barely moving. His head was pounding and his stomach twisting in pain and nausea with every move. He was cursing himself for leaving his hangover remedy at home last night.He had his bachelor party last night. Ron, George, and even Dudley took turns to ensure he was absolutely destroyed before the night was done. This morning he was paying the price for his overindulgence. Rolling onto his right side, his left hand fumbled around on his nightstand for his glasses. The divan covered his head so he was even blinder than normal trying to find his glasses. Grasping his wire rimmed glasses he smeared the lenses with his fingers while pulling them under the divan. Putting his glasses on, he closed his eyes and relaxed again.
“Well, I am glad to see you moving. I was worried about telling my sister that you had drunk yourself to death the night before your wedding.”
Harry flung the divan off him and sat up to see a cloudy image of Bill sitting by the window in a wingback chair. “Bill,” said a surprised Harry, before he let out a loud moan and flopping back down on the bed. His head began to spin, and his stomach clenched up on him.
“Yes, Harry, you asked me to stop by this morning to make sure you were up by ten,” he laughed. “You don’t remember, do you?”
“Ah — well,” Harry tried to remember everything from last night. He vaguely remembered telling Bill that he had to get up by ten this morning. “Ah, yeah, right, I remember,” Harry said vaguely.
Bill stood up and walked over to Harry. He handed the hung-over man a small bottle. “Here. Drink this and then shower. It will make you sober again, and the shower will refresh you. I’ll meet you downstairs in the kitchen.”
“Thank you,” Harry said, as he took the bottle
“You’re welcome. Can you tell me where Ron and George are?”
“Who’s place is this?” asked a confused Harry.
Bill laughed again. “Yours, or I should say yours and Ginny’s. I’ll find them. Drink that, take a shower, and be downstairs in thirty minutes. I am making breakfast.”
Harry watched as Bill walked out of his bedroom. Looking at the bottle in his hand, Harry didn’t feel like sitting up. He opened the bottle and quickly put it to his lips. He drank as the potion poured into his mouth. It was thick and spicy, but it didn’t upset his stomach. It tasted as if it had vanilla and some spice that warmed his insides. It wasn’t as strong as a Pepperup potion, but he could feel a very warm glow radiating from the inside out. As he lay on his bed, he could feel his nausea going away, but he began to sweat.
Sitting up, he started walking towards the loo. He stopped though and looked around this room. Everything looked hazy to him. He suddenly realized that his glasses were smudged. As he cleaned them on his t-shirt he thought about Bill calling this “his and Ginny’s room”. Soon this will officially be his and Ginny’s room. Today the twenty-sixth of December of 2000 he will marry Ginny and begin their life together. He looked around their bedroom, thinking about spending the rest of his days here. He and Ginny had started planning this house even before they told her family about wanting to get married within the year. In fact, they started planning it the afternoon after they had made the decision.
The late afternoon air was cold beside the ocean and the wind was so strong that it cut straight through your clothes. Even though most sane people would not be outside in this weather for extended periods, Harry and Ginny were covered up in blankets swinging on the hammock.
“This sort of reminds me of Australia,” said Ginny through chattering teeth.
“Really?” questioned Harry. He was shaking but wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or trying to suppress laughter.
“Yes, really. It was warmer in Australia...”
“By about thirty degrees,” interrupted Harry.
Ginny elbowed him for saying that. “I know, but I still love being by the ocean. Aren’t you comfortable under the blanket?”
“Yes, I am warm under the blanket. It is my face that is freezing.”
Ginny grumbled something under her breath, before saying, “alright, let’s go inside.” She hopped out of the hammock so fast that it almost spun around and dumped Harry on the slate tile. He grabbed the blankets and raced after her as she ran for the bedroom doors. She tried to get inside and lock the doors but he was too fast for her. They ended up tangled in each other’s arms when he finally pushed through into the bedroom.
“Ginny, you’re freezing,” exclaimed Harry. She was shaking in is arms.
“No, you are the one that couldn’t stand the cold and had to get inside of the house.”
They laughed about her statement and found a new place to relax; propped up on pillows by the fireplace. As they sat there warming themselves by the roaring fire, he decided to ask her a question about the future. “What type of house do you want?”
Ginny looked at him. She seemed perplexed. “I’m not sure. What type of house do you want?”
“I asked first,” he replied quickly, and then he sat there and thought about it. “I would like one that has a large yard, in the country away from all the people.”
“You want to move in with Mum and Dad?”
“No, but someplace similar to your home,” he said quietly. “Someplace that the children could play outside.”
“Well, we will need a Quidditch Pitch,” she added sardonically.
“That’s sounds good, and don’t forget, what was it you that said, ‘a dining room that is large enough to seat all your brothers families for the holidays’.”
She laughed at him, “You told me that we would have to buy Hogwarts to do that.”
“What else would you like to have?”
“After living in a house with nine people and one bathroom, I want a loo for every bedroom, and one for the downstairs. I never want to split a bladder again waiting for my brothers to get finished up in the loo.”
“How many bedrooms?” he asked, as he laid back on the pillows pulling Ginny with him.
“Well, how many children do you want?” she asked.
Harry brought himself back to the present. He was feeling better now, even though he was sweating so profusely that his hair was wet and his shirt was clinging to him. They had decided on four large bedrooms. Three good sized ones and the largest one was his and Ginny’s. It was as large as the Dursley’s sitting room and dining room put together. It had a bed, all the furniture necessary, a large warm fireplace, and even a small sitting area by the window.
With a wave of his hand the draperies slid open revealing bright sunshine. The goal rings for their Quidditch Pitch stuck up out of the deep snow. Since he had owned the valley where they held the memorial service and the end of summer Quidditch match. He made it their future home. The valley was high enough to hide people playing Quidditch and there was plenty of room for their house and the pitch.
The bright sunshine illuminated the beige walls of the bedroom. He had hired people to build the house over the summer. They had done everything but the painting, wallpapering, and all the final interior decorating. That was something that he and Ginny wanted to do on their own. Most of the rooms didn’t even have all the furniture in them. They had plenty of time to buy and decorate.
Harry walked into his loo and turned the water on for his large claw foot bathtub. He stood there smiling at it. Wishing Ginny was here to scrub his back again.
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Ginny Weasley was sitting on the sill of her bedroom window in the Burrow. She was trying not to cry but she couldn’t help it. Today she was getting married, and all she could think about was the one person who wasn’t going to be there. She should be happy that she was marrying the boy she fell in love with when she was ten. They had had many difficulties, but they had worked through them all.
The past nine months had been almost perfect. Harry’s promotion meant he was hardly ever away on assignment. She had only left England once with the Harpies, and that was to have a rematch with the Bulgarian Quidditch team. Viktor Krum was able to capture the Snitch, and the Harpies were beaten soundly. She has been spending virtually every other night with Harry since March the twenty-fourth, and she still wanted to spend so many more.
Officially she was living here at the Burrow, but she only sleeps here about every other night. Well, she hasn’t spent any nights here since they had their new house finished. However, to appease her parents she had been here every morning when they awake, well, most of the time.
For almost two years after Harry defeated Voldemort, life was so hectic and uncertain. Now, however, it has calmed down for her and Harry. They still get pursued by photographers everywhere they go, like when they flew away from the Quidditch Pitch back in March. She and Harry have been very good at avoiding them, having his Invisibility Cloak and the ability to transfigure their appearances helps. They have been able to spend the last nine months planning and working towards just their future, instead of everyone else’s. The rest of the Wizarding world seems to be managing without them.
Hearing the doorknob turn and her bedroom door creak open, she looked up expecting to see her mother with her breakfast. It was Hermione walking in the room. She had a bright smile on her face until she saw Ginny.
“What’s wrong, Ginny,” asked Hermione, as she crossed the room to her. “Why are you crying on your wedding day?” Hermione kneeled down by Ginny, who was perched on the narrow windowsill.
“I can’t stop thinking about Fred,” she said trying to control the tears. She wiped her face and realized that her cheeks were very wet. “I didn’t even know I was crying this hard,” she laughed.
Hermione reached out, took her hand, and rubbed it reassuringly. “Even though he and George used to make me spare, I still miss him,” Hermione said trying to comfort her.
“Fred and George promised to dance with Aunt Muriel if I ever married Harry,” Ginny laughed through her tears. “It was the holiday before my first year. I had found out that Ron and Harry were friends, and Fred and George played Quidditch with him. I followed them out to the orchard when they wanted to do some experiments.”
“Does he have a girlfriend?” Ginny anxiously asked Fred and George as they stomped through the high grass.
They turned and looked at her. “Oh loads, why there is a waiting list to snog him Ginny,” her two brothers laughed.
Ginny’s heart sunk to her knees hearing this, she forced herself not to cry. “Are they pretty, or rich, or…”
“Why would you want to know? You aren’t fancying one Harry Potter are you?” asked Fred or George, she was so upset that she wasn’t even sure right now.
“No, I was wondering. He seemed such a nice boy. He is friends with Ron, and I was just wondering about him.” She finished, trying to control her emotions.
“You fancy him.” They laughed that annoying laugh of theirs.
“No, I am just curious.” She stressed even more.
“No, our freckled faced little sister fancies the Gryffindor Seeker, George.”
“No, Fred, I think she is absolutely in love with him.”
Ginny could feel her anger building as they teased her about her feelings for Harry. It wasn’t that she was crushing on him, well that much. It was the fact that they thought it was so funny. She had never meant to say this, but she said it anyway. “I am going to marry him!”
The twins looked at her and laughed even harder.
“I am going to marry him and you two will have to slow dance with Aunt Muriel at the wedding,” she stated, her arms were crossed across her chest as she stared at her two annoying brothers. They fell silent and looked at her.
“You’re serious,” stated Fred.
“She most certainly is, brother,” replied George. “Well squirt, if you marry Harry Potter. I will slow dance with Aunt Muriel.”
“Not good enough, brother,” countered Fred. “If she does become Ginny Potter, then we will dance with Aunt Muriel and grab her arse while doing it.”
Ginny giggled at the thoughts of them doing that. George looked like he might faint. “That’s a little steep of a bet don’t you think,” questioned a shaky George.
“I almost completely forgot about them saying that, until a few days ago,” said Ginny turning back to look at Hermione, who was smiling at the story.
“Ginny, I am sorry that Fred won’t be there, but I will help you with George if you want it.”
Ginny smiled at her friend. “Thanks, that should help make the reception fun.”
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Harry, Ron, George, and Bill were sitting around the kitchen table finishing breakfast. The kitchen was as large as the one at the Burrow, but it wasn’t used as the dining room. That room was along the back of the house. It stretched the entire remaining length of the house. The rest of the downstairs was sitting room. Harry had contemplated putting a study in but decided against it. If he needed to do any work, then he would go into the Ministry. He wanted to ensure that his home life was separate from his work.
“I have to congratulate you two on getting Harry destroyed,” joked Bill, to his two hung-over brothers. “When I woke him this morning, he wasn’t even sure whose house we were in.”
Everyone, including Harry, laughed. “Well thank you,” said George proudly. “I wish I could take all the credit, but nearly everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was buying us drinks.”
“Yeah, I hadn’t realized that Hannah Abbot had bought the place until last night, or that she and Neville were an item,” interjected Ron. “Did you know that, Harry?”
“No on both counts,” he replied. “The part of Neville and her being together doesn’t surprise me. He and Monique were serious about each other for months before letting anyone else know, and I was even seeing them and talking to them every day.”
Everyone in the room was suddenly quiet at the mention of Monique, also known as Carmen. Ron broke the silence with a snort and a comment. “Who would have thought back in first year that Neville Longbottom would become such a ladies’ man?” Everyone laughed at his statement. “Whatever happened to Dudley last night, Harry?”
“I am not sure,” replied a puzzled Harry. “He was there one second and next he was gone. He might have needed to get home He does have an early morning planned today, making sure the platform is set up properly.”
“Why would the two of you want to have your ceremony at a Muggle train platform,” asked Bill, as he stood up and put his dishes in the sink.
“It was where we met?” stated Harry, as he also cleaned up his breakfast dishes. Ron and George still looked tired from the night before, as they stayed at the table drinking their coffee. “You probably didn’t even realize how sentimental your sister was, did you?”
“How are you going to keep the Muggles away?” asked George, speaking into his cup of coffee.
“That is what Dudley has been doing. We reserved the platforms nine and ten for today claiming that we are shooting a movie. That is the reason why we chose this day, it was one of the slowest days for traveling at the station,” stated Harry.
“Won’t they get a little suspicious, when all these wizards show up?” asked Bill.
“There is a work crew preparing the place…” Harry checked the time. “…actually it should have been completed three hours ago. Dudley helped me get all the Muggle permits to close the train platforms and arrange for the Muggle police to patrol the area. We told the police that many of the extras were coming dressed, so they will think any of the wizards and witches showing up are actors.” He stopped talking and looked at the blank expressions on his future brother-in-laws faces. “Don’t worry, Dudley and I have it sorted out.”
“Well that’s good,” said Bill. “Why did you need to be up so early, if Dudley is sorting all this out? Your wedding is at 2:30 this afternoon.”
“Ginny is supposed to be there at noon to start getting ready. I want to be there and ensure the area is secured, before she arrives. I guess, I should go and get my dress robes on, and be off to the Kings Cross station. Are you going to be ready Ron?”
Ron snapped his head up from staring into his coffee. “Yeah sure mate.”
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Ginny sat at the kitchen table staring at her plate. Hermione, her dad, and her mum were sitting around the table. The tension in the room was so thick that it made it difficult to breathe. Her mum was in a foul mood, because the wedding wasn’t going to be at the Burrow and she wasn’t cooking for everyone.
Her mum always placed her value on the type of hostess she was to people. She seemed to love Harry so much because he used to come there during the summer holidays and eat his weight in food. She had wanted them to have the wedding at the Burrow and she would make all the food for the reception. It was the way that they could contribute, but Ginny had other plans. She didn’t want her mother working like a House Elf at her wedding. She wanted to spend this time together. Now her mum seemed as upset as when she first told her family.
Ginny and Harry were sitting at the dinner table with the rest of her family. It was the second weekend of Harry’s working vacation, and they had something to tell everyone. It had been exactly one week since they decided to get married this year. They had spent the last week alone talking about the wedding. Now they had to tell her family about their plans.
“Would anyone like another piece of pie?” asked her mum. ”Harry, would you like some more cherry pie?”
“No thanks Mrs. Weasley.”
“Now Harry you need to get used to calling me, Mum.”
“Yes, well,” Ginny said nervously as she cut into Harry and her mum’s conversation. “I have an announcement to make.”
“Are you pregnant Ginny?” asked Ron. He was smiling knowing the type of reaction he was going to get from Ginny.
“NO!” Ginny felt her throat constricting with nerves. “Harry and I want to get married…” she was interrupted by her family’s laughter. She heard comment s about “that is what getting engaged means”.
“This year,” she shouted. “This coming Boxing Day…”
“Oh wonderful,” gushed her mum, while cutting off the rest of the announcement. “We can have the entire ceremony and reception in the back yard just like Bill and Fleurs. Only we could use holly and poinsettias as decorations. Ginny, have you decided what colours you will be using? What about the bridesmaids dresses, and the men? I think it would be just perfect. Oh, we have so much planning to do. Tell me all your plans, dear.”
Ginny sat and stared at her mother. She went to say something, but her mum cut her off again. “Oh, Aunt Muriel’s tiara, it would look just lovely against your red hair, dear.”
“We don’t want to get married here,” stated Ginny loudly. It wasn’t that she intended to shout it, but her emotions were running high knowing that this simple statement would probably break her mother’s heart. Her mum stared at her for a second trying to determine if her daughter was taking the mickey out on her.
“Where then are you planning to have it?” asked her mum coldly.
“Kings Cross Station between platforms nine and ten,” stated Ginny.
Her entire family and Hermione looked at her and asked in unison. “What?”
Harry spoke up this time. “It was where we met, and it seemed to be appropriate that we start our life together the same place I started my life as a Wizard.” He hesitated as the entire family still hadn’t said much else. “ It is what we want,” he stated firmly, as he grabbed Ginny’s hand to comfort her as her family stared at them in shock.
“Ginny dear,” spoke her dad in a soft voice. He was holding his wife’s hand. “We would like to contribute to this wedding.”
“But…” started Ginny
“It is the responsibility of the bride’s parents to pay for the wedding,” stated her mum. “I know Harry has the money, but we would like to help out.”
“Harry isn’t paying for the wedding,” laughed Ginny. She couldn’t help herself at the stunned looks on her parents faces.
“Who is then?”
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Two loud cracks and swearing could be heard in an alley beside Kings Cross station. Ron and Harry had Apparated into the middle of uncollected trash and slushy snow. There was a huge bin blocking the sight of them from the street, and the rest of the alley was pitch black. The two wizards stomped their feet trying to dislodge the refuse that was now sticking on their dress robes.
“I can’t believe we landed in this muck,” growled Ron, as he stomped his feet. He stepped out from behind the bin into the light from the street. Harry stepped out also, as he tried to dislodge the various bits of rotting food from the bottom of his dress robes. Ron pulled his wand to cast a Cleaning Charm.
“Ron,” hissed Harry. “Did you even look to see if anyone was around?”
Ron quickly looked to see if anyone was looking, “Yeah, I did,” he said smiling. He cast the Charm on his and Harry’s robes making them look fresh and clean. “All right, let’s go and check on the security details.”
Harry shook his head at his best mate’s antics and followed him across the road to the train station. The station was almost empty. There seemed to be more workers than riders this day. They were able to walk through the station at a leisurely pace. Neither were talking as they walked, in many areas the only sound was the echo of their shoes slapping the concrete. Harry was trying to think if there was anything he had forgotten.
“Do you have the rings?” Harry asked Ron.
Ron shoved his hand into his robes and produced a ring box. “Check!” he said, before shoving the box back in his pocket. “Do you have everything ready for your honeymoon?” he asked Harry.
“Yes,” Harry replied not revealing any details to his best mate.
“So, I have a question for you Harry,” said Ron nervously. “How much is this wedding costing you? I mean if you don’t want to say anything, I’d understand.”
“This wedding isn’t costing me a thing,” stated Harry, enjoying Ron’s reaction to his statement.
“Who’s paying for it, because Mum and Dad are upset that you two aren’t asking for any gold from them.”
“Ginny is paying for the wedding.”
“Ginny, where did she get that much gold?”
“She played professional Quidditch, Ron. She earned more last year than what I did as an Auror. She wanted to use it for the wedding, so she has final say on all the details. She even had enough left over to pay for our honeymoon.” Ron walked along silent for a time. Harry was watching him out of the corner of his eye. “How about you, do you have all the details of your wedding worked out?”
“Hermione has most things figured out. The ceremony will be at some Muggle place…”
“It’s called a church.”
“Yeah, well, we are having the reception at the Burrow.”
“What about your honeymoon?”
“Well, we are looking at a couple of places to go, but we haven’t decided yet,” said Ron nervously.
“Ginny and I have been thinking about your wedding present, and we thought about paying for your honeymoon. You and Hermione decide what you want to do, and have the bill sent to Gringotts in my name. That way I won’t know any of the details.” Harry stopped talking and glanced over at Ron. He seemed to be surprised but didn’t say anything for several seconds.
“Anywhere we want to go?”
“Yeah, sure,” replied a curious Harry.
“Hermione has often spoken about going to Paris, Rome, or Athens,” said Ron hesitantly. “Would it be all right to go to one of those places?”
Harry shrugged his shoulders, at the question. “If it is what the two of you want, then I have no problem with it. Go to all three; I would like the two of you to enjoy your honeymoon.”
“Oi, stop right there, mates,” yelled a bobby. He was a well-trimmed older gentleman and slightly pudgy.
Harry and Ron had lost track of where they were at while talking about each other’s weddings. They had reached platform nine. There was a blue wall extending from the floor to the high glass ceiling. It had been constructed this morning with the help of magic. It completely sealed off the platform area from the rest of train station. In the middle of the wall were two blue hangings that closed off the doorway to the wedding area, or as the Muggles think, the movie stage.
“We are here with the production,” Harry said as he pulled out a slip of paper. It was a wedding invitation. To each magical person, it would read that they are invited to the wedding. Muggles when they would read it would see a pass to enter the set location. Harry handed the invitation to the bobby and watched as he read it.
The bobby looked Ron over and his attire, before handing the sheet of parchment back to him. “What type of bloody pic are you blokes shootin’ back there?”
“It is supposed to be a marriage ceremony between futuristic witches and wizards,” stated Harry calmly. The man looked Harry over again and smiled. “I guess that fits. I want to know how you lot got that wall up so quickly. The maintenance man for this section of the station thought it went up within an hour.”
“Our builders are top notch,” replied Harry. He heard Ron snort a little, but the bobby didn’t react to the noise.
“I’d say top notch and a half,” stated the amazed man, as he stepped aside to allow them access to the platforms.
Harry looked up and down the blue wall as he walked. He finally saw what he wanted to see; a slight irregularity in the blue. He knew that there was supposed to be an Auror stationed by each entrance under a Disillusionment Charm. Ron didn’t seem to react when he glanced over at the hiding Auror. Harry pulled back the heavy material separating the rest of the train station from the wedding area.
It was an amazing transformation. The train tracks had been covered over with wood planking to create a large expansive floor. There were white chairs set in neat rows with a wide center aisle. At the one end of the aisle was a marquee set up for Ginny to get changed in before the wedding. The brick arch by where Harry had asked Mrs. Weasley years ago for directions was at the other end. It was decorated with white and red roses, creating a stunning effect. Everything pointed to that arch, where in a few more hours, he and Ginny would be bonded for life.
“Well mate, are you nervous yet,” asked Ron as he placed a heavy hand on Harry’s shoulder.
Harry stared at the arch, thinking about what was going to happen there, and how he will start a new life at the same area he left behind his life as a downtrodden waif. “No, not nervous at all.” He looked at his best mate. “I have no doubts, Ron, none at all,” he said calmly.
“I always knew you were barmy,” joked Ron. “After all you fell in love with my ill-tempered sister.”
“I want to find Dudley and check on the wards around here,” stated Harry. He checked his watch and realized that he had forty-five minutes until Ginny arrived. He pulled his wand and started walking along the wall casting various verification spells and watched to see if the wards would glow the proper colour. He was doing this randomly because there had been cases where the original caster didn’t ensure the entire area was Warded and attackers made it through these gaps. He also checked to see if the Aurors assigned to work were patrolling the area properly. They were to be sending out Homenum Revelio spells regularly to see if anyone was in the area under an Invisibility Cloak. This wedding will have the Minister of Magic, the Head of the Auror department, and various other celebrities attending. Harry wasn’t as concerned about being attacked by rogue Death Eaters and Snatchers as much as reporters and photographers getting candid and revealing photographs of the wedding. It had been called the magical wedding of the century.
As he walked down the other temporary blue wall, he saw Dudley leaning against a pillar. He looked rather dejected standing there. Ron elbowed him in the ribs and pointed out Dudley. “Yeah, I see him,” Harry answered Ron’s unasked question.
“Dudley, how are you feeling today?” asked Harry as he walked up to his cousin.
Dudley seemed to straighten up and screw up his face so that Harry didn’t realize he was depressed about something. It was obvious to anyone who knew the big blonde man that he was in a state. “I’m fine, cousin. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Courtesy, and also concern, you left early last night. You seem like something terrible happened in your life.”
Harry knew he had said something that got to Dudley. He looked at Harry and Ron and seemed to be thinking about what to say. “I guess. I am all right,” he said even though it was obvious that he wasn’t.
“When is Denise coming?” asked Ron.
Dudley glared at Ron. It was obvious now what was bothering him. “No! She is not coming!” he spat out with venom.
Ron took a step back, but Harry held his ground. “What happened Dudley? Did she break up with you?”
Dudley looked like he was going to cry at any moment. His eyes were filled with tears that threatened to spill out. “No, not exactly,” he said, and he stared off. He didn’t seem to want to make eye contact with Harry or Ron at the moment. “I was going to ask her to marry me,” he suddenly spoke still not looking at either one. “We went to see her parents in France three days ago. We had decided to do this, since she was going home. I would escort her to her parents and stay overnight and return back here yesterday morning in the early hours.” He stopped talking and stared out into space.
“I take it things didn’t go well with her parents,” asked Harry.
Dudley snorted at the statement and returned his gaze at Harry. “No they didn’t. I didn’t stay the night. They tossed me out of their house and demanded that Denise break it off with me.”
“Why?” asked Ron this time.
“Because I am not magical. They wanted their daughter to marry a pure-blood.”
“I am sorry to hear that...” started Harry, but Dudley cut him off.
“That isn’t what bothered me the most. I waited for her to find me after the fight at her parents’ home. She never came to find me. I tried to go back, but she wouldn’t come out to talk to me. She wouldn’t go against her parents’ wishes, even though I was opposing my own family to see her,” Dudley stopped talking and fought to keep a tear from falling. His face looked to be a mixture of grief and anger.
Harry couldn’t think of anything to say so he clapped his hand on his cousin’s shoulder and gave him a slight nod, trying to convey his sympathy. To Harry’s surprise, Ron did the same thing. They left him there in his misery as they finished checking the wards. Neither one talked about Dudley’s problems for some time, nor when they did it was very minimal.
“Damn shame, what happened to Dudley,” said Ron. “I mean. I didn’t always like the bloke, but to have that blood purity pulled on you. Well, it’s a damn shame.”
Harry looked back at his large cousin sitting now staring off into space. “Yeah it is, isn’t it?”
They looked and checked around the marquee where Ginny will be getting ready. It appeared to be safe and secure. They walked up the center aisle towards the arch under which the bonding will take place. They stared at the other half of the area. It was set up for the reception. The food tables were already placed to be loaded with delicacies. They were off to their left as they faced that side. He had already checked them. To the right was the stage where the Weird Sisters would be performing. The band was already setting up for their performance. Further to the left was his marquee, the one he should get to, before Ginny shows up. They have been told that he couldn’t see her before the wedding. She had even spent the last week at home with her parents, out of respect for them.
Harry turned back around and stared down the aisle to Ginny’s marquee. He was standing in almost the exact spot where he will be watching her walk towards him in a few hours. He looked over to where the groom’s parents would normally be sitting. He had demanded that chairs be placed for his parents, Sirius, Remus and Tonks, Dumbledore, and Fred. Ginny was puzzled at why he wanted this at first, especially a seat for Fred. He had told her, that they would have been invited to this wedding. In fact, they were responsible for them getting married, for they each sacrificed so that he might survive. Ginny agreed to the symbol of respect.
He went to look at his watch, but something stopped him. Ginny had just entered through the magical barrier from platform nine and three-quarters and was standing behind him. He didn’t need to look around and see her. He could feel her presence. Ron went to say something, but Mrs. Wealsey’s voice cut him off as she came through the barrier.
“Ginny slow down. Harry might...” Mrs. Weasley scolded her daughter, but she stopped when she saw that Harry was here. “Harry, don’t turn around. Ginny come back through the barrier, until Harry gets in his marquee.”
“Why?” asked Ginny. Harry could feel her eyes on his back. He could also feel her get closer to him. He wanted so badly to spin around and grab her, but he didn’t want to invoke the wrath of her mother. As they stood like this Mr. Weasley, Hermione, and Ginny’s friend from school also came through the barrier.
“Because it is bad luck for the groom to see the bride,” yelled Mrs. Weasley.
“Why is that,” asked Ginny; her voice sounding as though it was right behind him. “Are you afraid that Harry will think I’m too ugly to marry and run away? Do you think that Harry?” she asked seductively.
Harry had to concentrate on not giving into his physical desire to snog her and more, even though he knew that she was teasing him. He reached inside of his dress robes and pulled out his Invisibility Cloak and held out to the side. When he did this something clanked onto the ground that he quickly covered with his foot. He felt the Invisibility cloak pulled from his grip.
There was a swish of silky fabric before Ginny spoke again. “There he can’t see my now.”
Harry couldn’t see her, but he could feel her hand running up and down his back. Ginny was walking around him while caressing him. If he thought his urges were heightened before they just shot through the roof. Her invisible hands glided up over his chest and pulled him into an embrace.
Ginny whispered into his chest “If I stay under this cloak, do you think we could …”
“ENOUGH!” screamed her mum. “We can see where your hands have been, and we can hear you. Move along we haven’t all day.” She stepped up and grabbed Ginny’s wrist from Harry’s shoulder and pulled her towards the marquee.
Everyone went by him like a parade, each one carrying several items for Ginny to get ready. It seemed amazing that she would need so much to get dressed. He had never seen her dress, but she had told him that it was actually quite basic. He stood there and watched as they moved to the marquee. Even though he couldn’t actually see her face he knew that she was staring at him the entire time.
After everyone had disappeared into the marquee, Harry lifted his foot and picked up the object that had fallen on the floor. Without looking at it he placed it in his pocket.
“Oi, what was that?” asked Ron.
“Nothing really,” replied Harry, but when he looked at Ron’s face he knew Ron wasn’t convinced. “Come on, everything seems to be in order here. I guess I should be getting into my own marquee.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Ginny kept trying to look past the people walking into the marquee to get a glimpse of Harry. Seeing him standing at the end of the aisle made her heart leap. It was as if he was already waiting to see her walk down the aisle. He looked so handsome in his dress robes, but it was the idea of him calmly waiting to bond with her. The entire time they had been planning this wedding, he never gave her any reason to doubt his conviction. She had heard of men who started to have doubts if they were ready for this or were doing the right thing. Harry never felt that way.
Suddenly Harry’s Invisibility cloak was pulled off her. Ginny turned and looked in the eyes of her determined mother. After all these years, Ginny could easily tell when she was angry, she wasn’t that, but she was determined to keep her uncontrollable daughter under control.
“Stop trying to stare at him. We need to get you ready,” stated her mum.
“All right,” she sighed dramatically. “I guess I’ll have to endure this a little longer.” She plopped herself down on a chair that Sylvia had conjured. So, are you ready Sylvia?”
“Yes, I am,” she answered confidently. Sylvia had specialized in Glamour Charms while she was at Hogwarts taking her NEWTs. She is now a magical beautician
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Harry stepped into his marquee and noticed that they had two chairs present. He smiled as he sat in one. Ron took the other one. Ron had been staring at Harry ever since he realized that Harry had something he didn’t want to talk about. Harry reached in his pocket and removed the object and held it in his hand. It had been a long time since he had used this. So many horrible memories came back to him of that night. It had been harder to forget those memories than it was to find this.
“Are you going to tell me what you have in your hand?” stated Ron. He was deeply concerned about it.
Harry opened his hand showing Ron the object. “It is just a ring, Ron.”
Ron’s gaze focused on the object for a minute before realization hit him. “That’s the bloody Resurrection Stone,” he shouted. “I — I thought you weren’t supposed to go back and get it.”
“I want them at my wedding,” said Harry. His voice wasn’t harsh. It was almost pleading. Without looking down at the stone he rolled it over in his hands three times. He watched as his parents came into view in the marquee, next it was Sirius, then Remus, Tonks, Professor Dumbledore, and finally Fred. They all stood there staring at him. Everyone had looks of concern on their faces, except for Sirius and Fred.
“Harry, dear, why are you summoning us like this,” asked his mum.
He sat there and smiled at her, relishing seeing her face and hearing her voice. Now that he was once again able to see her as close to being alive as possible, she did resemble Ginny. Before when he had been walking to his death, he hadn’t taken the time to notice that. His father was looking at him strangely. He seemed somewhere between being proud of his rule breaking son and upset that he had broken a rule. The Headmaster though was glaring at him over his half-moon glasses.
“You didn’t answer your mother’s question, Harry,” said Dumbledore in a clipped tone.
“I wanted you all to be her today for my wedding. The last time I saw you I was walking to my death…”
Sirius cut him off. “So, getting married is like walking to your death. I was right all along.” Sirius let out a loud barking laugh. Fred joined him with the laugh, but his mum and Tonks just rolled their eyes.
“You don’t know the half of it. He’s marrying my sister. Foul tempered that one.”
“Enough,” shouted his mum. She kneeled down in front of him and laid her spectral hands on his. “Harry,” she said very softly. “You can’t keep calling us back like this. We are dead, and you can’t — no — I don’t want you to join us. People in the past had used this Stone…”
“I know. It was just for today. I had to see you; all of you. I am going to toss this ring someplace that no one will ever be able to find it. Please don’t be upset with me or worry about me. I have chairs for you in the front. I want to have you there because you all suffered so much to make this day possible for me.” He stared into his mother’s eyes trying not to cry. Sirius grabbed the back of Remus’ robes and pretended to wipe his tears and blow his nose on it.
“How — how many are in here?” stuttered a nervous Ron.
Harry had forgotten about his best mate being in the marquee. “There are my parents, Professor Dumbledore, Remus, Tonks, Sirius and Fred.”
Fred?” asked a puzzled Ron. “Why would you want Fred at the wedding?”
Harry went to answer but what happened stopped him speechless. The spectral image of Fred stepped up and swung his hand at the back of Ron’s head. Ron’s head bobbed slightly forward, and his hair flipped up in the back. Everyone stood there in shock at what just happened. Ron jumped up out of his chair and looked around the room.
“What the bloody hell was that?”
Harry hadn’t seen him this scared since the last time he saw a spider. Harry had to control his laughter as Fred said to “tell him it was a spider.” He seemed to be pleased that he had scared his brother like that.
“That was Fred. Evidently, they can make minor contact with others. Ron, can you see them?”
“No, I can’t, and I’ll tell you that it is really weird to sit here and watch you talk to people that are invisible,” he squeaked out. He turned and walked past Harry. “I’m going out to check on some things.”
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Ron stood outside of the marquee confused about what he should do. He was worried that Harry was having a problem. He remembered hearing that people who had used the Resurrection Stone in the past had at times joined with their dead loved ones, rather than living in this world without them. Was Harry feeling like that now? Ron wasn’t sure. He also didn’t want Ginny to know that Harry had done this. He wasn’t even sure if she knows about the Deathly Hallows. Those two seem to operate on a need to know basis.
If he hadn’t heard from Hermione and Ginny that Harry had been thinking a lot about his parents, then he wouldn’t be so concerned. He has though, and now he has the power to be with them. He remembered from first year that the thing Harry has desired the most was to see his relatives. It seemed a natural thing to want, but it appeared to have become an obsession.
Ron started walking towards Ginny’s marquee to get Hermione. He needed to tell her of the latest details. If anyone would know what to do it would be her. As he walked around the corner of the archway, he noticed his father exiting Ginny’s marquee. Ron kept walking down the aisle towards the marquee, until his father stuck out a hand to stop him.
“You can’t go in there right now,” Mr. Weasley warned Ron. “They were all stripping down to their knickers for special spa treatments.”
“What?”
“Don’t ask me, Ron. I think they are going to get their toes and fingernails painted along with a facial and a massage.”
“Why?”
“Ginny wanted to do this with her mother and Hermione. She called it female bonding.”
“Blimey, what will Ginny come up with next? Well, I need to talk to Hermione...”
“No Ron, give them an hour to finish, before you go in there. There isn’t anything that urgent is there?”
Ron thought about it. He could wait an hour. “No, I guess I’ll just go back and keep Harry company.”
“Well, I will come along too,” said his dad. “Molly and Ginny want me to spend some time with Harry. Have a father/son type of talk, Merlin, Ron, I have no idea what to say. The only thing I can think of is to tell him if he hurts Ginny I’ll curse him to bits. I doubt if that is what they had in mind for me to say to him.” Both men laughed at his comment.
They started walking towards the Marquee when a loud bout of giggling was heard from Ginny’s marquee. “I guess they are trying to give Molly a pedicure. Your mum has the most ticklish feet.”
Ron stared back at the marquee where Ginny was getting ready, and he started worrying about Harry. As they walked pass the row of empty chairs with the names of the deceased written on them, Mr. Weasley stopped walking and stared at them. Ron watched as his dad looked at each name on the back of the chair and seemed to hesitate a moment. When he reached Fred’s chair, Ron was sure his dad was fighting back a tear.
“Are you and Hermione going to do something like this at your wedding?” he asked thickly.
“No, I don’t think so,” answered Ron. He had no clue, because it seems that Hermione has been spending all her spare time thinking about the wedding, and she didn’t always tell him when there had been changes. “Harry did this, well, because he feels indebted to them.”
“That is kind of funny, Ron. Everyone feels indebted to Harry, and he in turn feels indebted to others. If it wasn’t for Harry sensing it when I was attacked by that snake.” He stopped talking and looked intently at the empty chairs. “My name would have been on an empty chair also. Well, actually, if it wasn’t for Harry saving us Weasley’s, this wedding would have never taken place. Now would it?” he asked after turning and staring into Ron’s blue eyes.
Ron realized what his dad was telling him. Harry had saved Ginny’s life in their second year, his dad’s life in his fifth year, and his life in his sixth year, and yet he still feels indebted to so many others. “Yeah, I guess so.”
His dad touched Fred’s name gently, before turning and walking towards Harry’s marquee without a word. Ron followed along in his wake, hoping that Harry wasn’t talking aloud to everyone else in the tent. His dad stopped for a second outside of the marquee, before pushing the flap of canvass to the side and entering.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Ron had stormed out of the marquee. Harry had thought about stopping him but didn’t. Fred though looked around and smiled.
“I think I’ll go and harass my little brother some more,” he said with a chuckle.
As he was leaving, Sirius joined him and walked through the side of the tent. Harry watched this wondering if that was possible.
“I don’t know, Harry,” stated Professor Dumbledore. “We are doing things that are beyond all normal magical knowledge.”
“Can — can you read my mind or was that Leglimency?” asked a shocked Harry.
“No, it was much simpler than that,” chuckled his old mentor. “I deduced that was what you were thinking, because I was thinking the same thing.”
Harry thought about what he said and relaxed. “I can assure all of you that I do not want to join you. I want to spend the rest of my life with Ginny.” He looked at his parents and the Lupins holding hands. “And for all time after that,” he said emphatically.
“About time you took notice of that girl Harry,” groused Tonks. “She has been carrying a torch for you since we were all at Headquarters.”
“Longer actually,” stated Harry with a smile. “You were right, as always Professor. Love is the most powerful magic of all. I don’t know if I could have survived everything that has happened to me in the past few years if it wasn’t for Ginny’s love.”
Dumbledore beamed at him with pride. “I am glad you have realized that not all power is determined by its destructive force. It can also be the power to heal.”
“Yes, yes I understand that now. It was Ginny’s love that healed me after…” Harry stopped talking as he remembered about killing the prisoners at Azkaban. The pain he had once felt welled up inside of him. It had long lain dormant because he had been so busy planning his future with Ginny. “Professor, I — I killed. It was a prison break at Azkaban and….” He couldn’t continue, because he felt so ashamed to admit this to his mentor. Suddenly he felt the pain and agony lift off him. He opened his eyes to see himself surrounded by everyone. None of them looked at him with revulsion, but sympathy filled their eyes.
“Harry, we understand why you did that,” said his father.
“You know about that?” he asked shocked that they knew he had killed.
“We feel when you are happy or sad dear,” said his mother. Harry stared at everyone who was surrounding him. “Yes, all of us. We are in your heart.”
“That is how the stone works,” interjected Dumbledore. “It uses your love for an individual to pull them back across the veil. You see, Harry, Love is a very powerful magic.”
“We are honoured Harry that you feel enough love for us to be able to bring us back,” said a tearful Tonks. “It makes me happy that Teddy will have such a good example in his life, as you.”
Harry started to cry. He couldn’t help it. With the realization that his loved ones were with him even without using the stone, gave him comfort and reassurance. He looked up and saw everyone looked as though they were ready to cry also. Harry wiped at his tears to control himself. Everyone seemed to step back a bit.
Tonks trying to change the mood joked with Professor Dumbledore. “With all your knowledge about love, Professor, I am amazed that you never got married. Certainly, you have been in love once in your life.”
The Professor looked at her with a forlorn look in his eyes. “Yes, I was in love once, but it didn’t work out for me. I’m afraid marriage was out of the question. G G wasn’t the marrying type.”
“Gigi? Ah, a French tart Professor?” joked Harry’s father.
Professor Dumbledore looked at James with a crooked smile. “No, he wasn’t French.”
It felt like all the air was sucked out of the marquee at the statement. Harry’s mum was the only one to speak. “Geller Grindlewald, Bathilda Bagshot wasn’t lying about you two.”
Harry felt his father move between him and the Professor, who also realized why he did that. “James, Lily, I can assure you that I looked at Harry as only a student. The closest I ever felt toward him was like a grandchild. My relationship with G G was brief but very sincere. The most painful part of it; was when he left after the death of my sister without ever saying goodbye. I had thought we had so much in common. Our love for magic, and the joy we shared when we made new discoveries together, but at times I had wondered if it meant anything at all to him.”
So many things became clear to Harry now. He had wondered about some of the things that the Professor had told him about his mistakes in his past. He was about to say something when Sirius and Fred reappeared. Fred seemed to have a sad look on his face.
“My dad is coming Harry,” Fred said, just before the marquee flap opened and in walked Mr. Weasley and Ron. Ron looked around the Marquee as if he was expecting Fred to attack him again.
“Good day to you Harry,” said Mr. Weasley happily. “Are you ready for the big day?”
“Yes, I am.”
Mr. Weasley conjured a squishy chair for him to sit in. “That’s good,” he replied as he sat down. He looked at Ron who was looking around as if he was expecting a spider to leap out at him. “Ron what is wrong?”
“Ah, nothing Dad,” he said as he sat down.
“Well Harry, I am here for two reasons. One is the ladies are getting a spa treatment in their marquee, and I have been given the boot. The second is that Molly wants me to come and talk to you about getting bonded. You know a father/son type of talk.” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Harry, I respect you a great deal. Probably almost as much as Professor Dumbledore, however, since you are marrying my daughter, the only advice I can give you is; don’t hurt her.” When Harry straightened and started to protest, he held up his hand to stop Harry.
“I am not talking about the normal spat. Merlin, Harry, she is just like her mother. You are going to be having those on a regular basis. I am talking about cheating on her or leaving her for another woman.” He leaned forward in his chair and stared at Harry. “I don‘t care if you are the saviour of the world. I will curse you to bits if you do that.”
Harry almost laughed at the warning. “I can assure you, Mr. Weasley, that I will never do that.”
He leaned back in his chair. “I am glad you feel that way, Harry. You are going to have to start calling me Dad and Molly, Mum.”
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Ginny had just pulled her wedding dress over her and was adjusting it while looking in a mirror. She still needed her hair done and the veil attached. Her mum and Hermione were getting their hair set right now by Sylvia. Soon it would be her turn. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. The dress fit perfectly. It had been her mother’s, and they had Madam Malkin adjust it.
“Looks wonderful dear,” said her mum from the chair she was sitting in. She stood up and walked over to her. Sylvia was now working on Hermione’s hair. Hermione wanted her hair to be pulled up and have a couple of strands curled. Her mum stood behind her and looked over her shoulder at her reflection in the mirror.
“You are so beautiful,” she said while trying to fight back the tears. “Harry won’t be able to take his eyes off you. Your father will be so proud to walk down the aisle with you.” She sniffed trying to fight back her tears. “What am I saying; your father has always been so proud of you. On the day you were born, I became the second most important woman in your father’s life.” Ginny looked up at her mother’s eyes in the mirrors reflection. “As it should be, my dear, as it should be. I need a tissue, bloody hell, I am going to need a lot of them.” She turned and walked over to a table that Sylvia had set up.
Sylvia had gone into the beautician business after Hogwarts. She had always been exceptionally good at makeup and hair while a teenager, but she had also learned to do so much more. She had given Ginny, Mrs. Weasley, and Hermione a complete spa day in the marquee. They all had massages, pedicures, manicures, their makeup done, and now finally their hair set.
It was a wonderful experience for Ginny to spend this time with her mum and Hermione, relaxing and talking while being pampered. Sylvia had insisted that Ginny not pay her. She wanted to do this as her wedding present, and because of what Ginny had done for her in the past. The group that Ginny had formed to help girls who had been sexually assaulted had helped Sylvia regain her self-respect. It had been a turning point in her life. She had realized that she had control over herself and her life. From what Sylvia had told Ginny, it had helped so many others who had suffered the same injustice.
“Hermione is done,” announced Sylvia. “It is time to have your hair done and get that tiara and veil on.”
Ginny stopped by her purse and pulled out a roll of parchment. She handed it to Hermione before sitting down. “Please read over this, and could you hand it into the Daily Prophet tomorrow,” she stated. “Or maybe you should wait until Dennis gets the pictures developed.”
“Dennis is here,” asked a surprised Sylvia.
“Yes, he also likes photography like his brother did. I hired him to take the official pictures of the wedding,” replied a surprised Ginny. “Why are you so shocked?”
Sylvia worked on Ginny’s hair as she spoke. “You invited Marty, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“They broke up two months ago.”
“Well I hope they don’t fire curses at each other,” stated Ginny, this brought a laugh out of Sylvia.
“Ginny,” asked a perplexed Hermione. “Are you sure you want to include this section. It seems like an advertisement.” Hermione pointed to a paragraph on the wedding write up. It described that Ginny had her hair, makeup and nails done by Sylvia.
“Oh I am glad you pointed that out,” said Ginny. “Sylvia, what exactly do you call you business?”
“Why? I told you I won’t take your money.”
“I know. So I want to give you credit in the wedding article. I need the official name of your business.”
“Ginny, if you do that. I will have people beating down my door to do their wedding,” stated Sylvia nervously.
“What’s wrong with that?”
“I could never keep up with the business.”
“Raise your prices, except for your old customers. If people want to pay outrageous prices for your services because you did my wedding, then let them.”
Sylvia sighed at Ginny’s comment, but she didn’t say anything. She pulled on Ginny’s long tresses as she wove the tiara and the veil into her hair securely. She had just finished when Mr. Weasley appeared through the marquee flap. He stopped and looked at Ginny. He looked as if he would start crying at any second.
“Well Dad, how do I look?”
“You are the most beautiful girl ever, Pumpkin,” he said with a shaky voice. He put and arm around his wife and kissed her while staring at Ginny. “Hermione, Ron wanted to talk to you. He is with Harry in his marquee.”
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Hermione smiled at Mr. Weasley as she left the marquee. She wanted to go see Harry anyway; after all they still consider themselves best friends. As she walked through the area for guests, she noticed it was filling up quickly. Everyone seemed to be doing what was asked of them without being coaxed. Dennis was there with a camera. There were Aurors at the barrier entrances and the portal from Platform nine and three-quarters. George, Bill, Percy, and Charlie were seating people, as they came in. The chairs were three-quarters full now. She saw her own parents and waved to them as she walked towards Harry’s marquee. Her nerves were now on edge, not from the wedding today, but from her and Ron’s in six months.
She opened the flap of Harry’s tent and stepped inside. Harry was smiling facing away from Ron, who was sitting nervously staring around the tent. Both of them snapped their heads around when she entered.
“Hello Hermione, you are looking lovely,” Harry said happily.
Ron jumped and pointed at Harry, and shouted, “he has the Resurrection Stone!”
Hermione stopped in her tracks as she registered what Ron had said. “Harry, is that true?” He lifted his right hand and there on his middle finger was a large gold ring with a cracked stone as the setting. It was the first time she had ever seen it, but she knew it was the actual Hallow. “Harry, how could you,” she hissed at him. “Who did…” she stopped as she realized who he had called back. “All of them? All the ones that had the chairs reserved?”
“Yes. Hermione. I wanted them at my wedding,” Harry calmly said.
She wasn’t sure what made her do it. She snapped at him. “How could you do this on your wedding day. How could you do this to Ginny. Harry take it off and get rid of it. I hope you didn’t get the wand also.” She noticed that he wasn’t staring at her but smiling off to the one corner. “Harry look at me!”
“Yes,” he said to the corner.
“What did you say?”
“My dad wanted to know if you have always been this bossy.”
Hermione spun to the spot that Harry was looking, only to realize that she couldn’t see anyone there. She turned back to Harry. “Are they all here, right now?”
“Yes,” Harry replied calmly. “They are all here and can hear you. You can’t see or hear them because they are a part of me, not you.”
“But Fred hit me,” stated Ron, pointing at his head.
“Yes, it seems that they can make minor contact, but they must be close to me. The further they are away from me then the weaker they become.”
Hermione was looking at Harry. This piece of information set her mind in motion, trying to understand the reasons for and the implications of it all. She was getting ready to say something when the flap opened again. It was the Ministry official who was presiding over the wedding.
“Ah, Mr. Potter, are you ready,” asked the wheezy old man. He looked like he could be the same one that presided over Bill and Fleur’s. He was small with wrinkled skin and well pressed robes. His hair was sparse, white, and it stuck out in various directions.
“Well, I must get going,” said Hermoine. She kissed Ron and hugged Harry. “I am worried for you Harry. You can’t live for the dead and in the past,” she whispered in his ear.
“I am not Hermione. I just want my loved ones here. All of them.”
She stepped back and looked at her fiancé and best friend, before leaving his Marquee to return to Ginny’s.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
Harry watched Hermione leave the marquee. He turned his attention to the Ministry official. The old man seemed to have fallen asleep standing there as his eyes were downcast to the floor. He looked up with his cloudy blue eyes and smiled a crooked smile over greying teeth. “It is time to go, Mr. Potter.”
Harry looked at Ron, and then glanced over at everyone else. His mother came over and kissed his cheek, as his father patted him on the back. He enjoyed having them there. It seemed to make everything perfect to him. He would explain to Ginny and apologize to her later. It isn’t likely that anyone will ever know unless Ron or Hermione tells them.
Harry stepped out of the marquee and followed the official to the arch where he had met the Weasleys all those years ago. It had been ten years since he had first met them, but it seemed like two lifetimes: one with the threat of Voldemort, and one without.
Ron was walking right behind him and the spectral images of his loved ones were walking in a row to his left. When they reached the spot where he would wait for Ginny, everyone repositioned themselves. Harry smiled and tried not to laugh as he heard Fred yell, “What, he is marrying my sister and he sticks me all the way at the end. I tell you, no respect for the dead.”
Harry tried to refocus himself on the crowd. All the seats were full. He saw Dudley sitting right behind Harry’s mum. Kingsley and his family were beside him with Gawain and Wendy Robards. He saw many faces of Dumbledore’s Army in the crowd. They seemed to be mixed on both sides of the aisle.
He felt Ron fidgeting beside him. “Come on, let’s get this over with,” grumbled his best man, under his breath.
“Relax Ron, you will have to do this again in six months,” whispered Harry. He could see Ron get peaky at the comment. Harry thought it was amusing that Ron was so nervous about his wedding, but he is so calm and sure about marrying Ginny.
Soft piano music started to play, and Mrs. Weasley stepped out of the marquee. She was dressed in royal blue robes that shimmered as she walked up the aisle. Harry never remembered her looking so young and refreshed in his life. She had always been busy taking care of others to have time for herself, but today she didn’t need to do anything. Ginny had wanted it that way. She walked up and turned to sit in an open seat in the front row. Bill and Fleur holding Victoire were sitting beside her, with Percy, Charlie, George filling out the row.
Hermione stepped out of the marquee next. She was looked even more beautiful than when Harry saw her earlier. Her champagne coloured robes flowed gracefully around her as she seemed to float up the aisle. She smiled at Harry as she approached. When she looked at Ron, he could hear his best man gasp. Turning his head Harry whispered, “Are you sure you don’t want to have a double wedding?”
“Ginny would kill us,” Ron replied in a whisper.
Finally, Mrs. Weasley stood up and Ginny on the arm of Mr. Weasley stepped out of the Marquee. Harry felt his breath leave him. He had always thought that she was beautiful, but he could never imagine anyone looking this radiant before. Her white gown seemed to fit her curves perfectly as it flowed around her and down to the floor leaving a trail of silky fabric behind her. He could see Aunt Muriel’s goblin made tiara in her long silky hair, which was pulled up and back slightly framing her face and flowing down her back. What was so amazing was that it seemed that she had fairies flying around her shining in different colours as she walked. There were little sparkles of light all around her as she walked. They were red, blue, yellow, green and silvery. Harry was mesmerized by the sight of Ginny until Ron spoke.
“What is she carrying,” he whispered.
Harry looked and in her hands was some type of a bouquet, but the flowers all looked dead. He stared at them then up at her face. She noticed this and smiled at him, then down to the bouquet. It suddenly dawned on him what those flowers were. That was the bouquet of roses that Harry had given to her when he first appeared at the Burrow after defeating Voldemort. He had heard that she had saved them. The thoughts of her carrying the bouquet that she beat him with for her wedding bouquet made him laugh. This made everyone look at him, especially his spectral guests.
“What is he laughing at,” asked his mother. She was trying to see around Dudley. “Why did this bloke have to be so bloomin big? I can’t see anything,” she fussed as she tried to peek out around him without stepping out into the aisle.
“Ah Lils, just walk out and look, no one is going to see you,” suggested James.
“That would be rude, Potter,” hissed Lily as she stretched some more to see Ginny coming down the aisle. James reached over and gave her a shove, sending her stumbling out into the aisle. She turned to yell at her husband, but something happened that caught everyone’s attention.
Ginny stopped walking. She was staring directly at Lily Potter standing in the middle of the aisle. She looked at her then she stared up at Harry. Harry knew without a doubt Ginny knew who that was. The entire crowd started to murmur at Ginny’s reaction and her father seemed to be caught of guards by her suddenly standing still in the middle of the aisle.
Lily Potter turned in shock and yelled at Harry. “She can see me!”
Chapter 47: Chapter 47 The Wedding II - for everyone else
Lily Potter glared at Harry. Her eyes were scrunched and creases formed on her forehead. “You are just like your father,” she spat, before turning back towards Ginny. “Ginny, dear, please excuse my son, and keep walking. Please keep walking; everyone is looking at you.”Ginny eyes were wide as they flicked from Lily to Harry and back to Lily. Harry didn’t know what to do. He wanted to yell out to Ginny, but he couldn’t reveal why she was seeing his dead mother. Adding to that situation was the three Marauders, who all applauded when his mum stated he was just like his father. Professor Dumbledore was deep in thought as he peered over his half-moon glasses at Harry. Ron was now nudging his arm at Ginny’s strange reaction, and Hermione’s gaze was flicking between Harry and Ginny.
Lily started walking towards Ginny. “Please keep walking, and don’t talk to me. I know I am dead, and you can see me. I am not an Inferi, but a spectral image of myself. Please keep walking...”
“They are already bonded Lily,” shouted Professor Dumbledore.
“I figured that out Professor,” shouted Lily back to him, as she walked towards Ginny. “Ginny, you can see me because Harry loves you so much. Please start walking.”
Ginny glanced up at Harry when his mum stated that his love for her was the cause of this fiasco. He couldn’t do anything but shrug his shoulders. Seeing his reaction, Ginny smiled and shook her head before stepping forward. Everyone else who couldn’t see or hear what was actually happening took it as some private joke between them and nervously laughed.
His mum had reached Ginny’s side by this time. “Ginny, dear,” she said consolingly. “Harry has a magical ring or more precisely a magical stone in the ring. It is on his right hand.”
Ginny’s eyes dropped down to the ring and back up questioningly to Harry.
“It is called the Resurrection Stone. With it he can call people, who he loves, back across the veil of death. Very little is known about it. Professor Dumbledore is an expert on the subject, and he didn’t think this would happen. No one was supposed to see me or the others...”
Ginny again looked at his mum then up at him. A look of comprehension came to her as she next tried to look past Dudley to the chairs at the front.
“..., but it appears that you can see us because you are part of him. His love for you has already bonded you to him.” She stopped talking and sighed. “His father never told me he was an Animagus until our first anniversary. Why do women like us fall for toe rags like them?” she said with a smile to Ginny.
Ginny was now standing before Harry. He could see what he thought were fairies surrounding her were crystals sewn into a sheer veil that hung over her to the floor. Her father parted it in the middle and pushed it over her shoulders, so it hung behind her. He hugged, and kissed her, before stepping out of the way. Harry stepped forward and took her hand. She wasn’t staring at him, but over his shoulder to see the front row.
Sirius in his usual bravado shouted, “Merlin! Is that the skinny little girl that ran around my house? Wow, Harry, she is one fit bird.” Everyone else shouted at him. Ginny giggled a little at the comment, but then her expression froze.
Harry couldn’t see what was going on, but it sounded as if Fred had punched Sirius on the shoulder or something because he could hear a scuffle, then Fred saying, “Watch it, that’s my baby sister.”
Ginny gaze turned towards Harry. Tears were filling her eyes, as she whispered, “Fred is here?” She wrapped both arms around Harry’s neck and snogged him. He seemed to lose all sense of anything else in the world as Ginny poured her love into the kiss. All he knew was that she was happy, very happy, that he had brought back Fred.
“Oh, wonderful, brilliant, Harry,” shouted Fred. “Bring me back from the dead so I can watch you suck the lips off my sister’s face.”
The world came back to Harry as Ginny broke the kiss and giggled into his chest. The ministry official who was presiding over their wedding was clearing his throat, and there was once again a murmuring through the crowd about the unusual events at this ceremony.
“You are supposed to wait until the end of the ceremony to kiss,” the official wheezed haughtily to them.
Mischief flashed in Ginny’s eyes as she calmly turned to the official, “It isn’t over?”
“No, Miss Weasley, it hasn’t even started,” replied the shocked old man.
“Well,” said Ginny, “What are we waiting for.”
She stepped back and went to grab Harry’s hands only to realize that the bouquet was still in her one hand. Harry also realized that he was now covered with dead rose petals and leaves. Ginny looked at him, as she nonchalantly tossed the battered bouquet to the side and took his hands.
The ceremony officially began for everyone else. Harry stood there holding Ginny’s hands realizing that they were already one. When it actually happened, he didn’t know, but realizing it didn’t surprise him. At times during the past year, he could almost feel when she was happy or sad, even when she wasn’t in the same country. Staring in her eyes he knew even now that she was thinking about the same thing he was. They truly were made for each other and a part of each other. When asked to recite his vows he did so with sincerity. Ginny did also, but they each had a half-smile that said they didn’t need to say these things publicly for each other. They were already committed to each other. When they put the rings on each other fingers and the official cast the bonding charms, they felt no different.
“You may now kiss your bride,” the official said to Harry.
He smiled and gently kissed her enjoying the warmth, while everyone cheered them. He finally realized what he had been feeling for so long when they kissed. He broke the kiss and whispered to her, “I finally figured it out.”
“Oh, you have been able to do this for a while.”
“No, what I’ve been feeling when I kiss you. I feel complete....” He was hushed by Ginny’s lips.
Mr. Weasley’s voice brought them back to reality. “If these two ever come up for air,” he shouted to the guests, who laughed at his comment. “My family would like to invite you to share the first few hours of their lives together.” He turned and saw they had stopped snogging. “All right, it looks like they are ready to greet their guests.”
The Potters turned to greet the guests, as they walked to the reception area. As soon as they turned, a brilliant flash ignited. Harry drew his wand, only to have Ginny stop him from cursing Dennis Creevey.
“He is here taking pictures. You knew he was going to be here,” she whispered to him.
He hadn’t even completely put his wand away before Hermione enveloped him in a hug. She kissed his cheek and whispered, “Congratulations, Harry. You do need to tell Ginny.”
“She knows,” replied Harry with a whisper.
Hermione pulled back from him and stared at Ginny, who leaned over and quietly said, “His mum explained it me.”
Hermione’s jaw dropped at Ginny’s comment. Harry could see her trying to process what Ginny had just said to her, but Ron interrupted her, as he pushed into the fray. He grabbed Harry’s hand and shook it vigorously, “A little unusual, mate, but you made it through.” He pulled Harry into a one-armed hug, before going to Ginny and hugging her.
Harry could hear or feel him telling Ginny congratulations, when he was suddenly crushed by a familiar set of arms, again lights flashed as Dennis took pictures. Mrs. Weasley was crying as she kissed his cheek.
“Welcome to the family, Harry,” she cried. “You know I have always thought of you as a son.”
Harry felt his mother’s hands touch his shoulders and heard her whisper in his ear. “Call her Mum. She deserves it. She has earned the right over my ruddy sister.”
“I have always thought of you as my Mum, since she is no longer here,” said Harry. He was again pulled into a bone crushing hug as his living Mum cried on his shoulder. Finally, Mr. Weasley pulled his wife away from him and moved her to Ginny. He didn’t say anything to Harry. He just clapped a hand on Harry’s shoulder and gave him a nod of approval. Harry could hear Mum Weasley telling Ginny to take good care of Harry, before Mr. Weasley ushered her away.
Ginny’s Aunt Muriel was next in line. She slowly moved up to Harry and looked at him with cold appraising eyes. “I am not going to hug and gush all over you like my niece,” she coldly stated to him.
“That is fine, and thank you for coming to our wedding,” Harry said politely to her.
She stepped in front of Ginny and without hugging her or shaking her hand, she coldly said, “That is a nice tiara.”
“Thank you for letting me use it, Aunt Muriel.”
“I hope you know how to cook, because that husband of yours needs to put on some weight,” she stated before shuffling off towards the food table.
Ginny rolled her eyes towards Harry, and they both smiled at the old codger’s antics.
The rest of the Weasley’s moved past them each shaking his hand and making some comment about the wedding. George and Charlie both howled with laughter when they heard that the bouquet was the same one that Ginny had beaten Harry with after the battle. They went into great detail explaining to Bill and Fleur what Harry looked like covered with bits of flowers and Bat-Bogeys.
Harry heard George and Ginny get into some type of an argument about a bet. Angelina, who was standing with George, joined in the discussion. She seemed to have taken Ginny’s side in the discussion.
Dudley appeared next. He shook Harry’s hand and hugged Ginny; his broken heart showing on his face. When Lily heard that was Dudley, she gasped.
Kingsley and his family came through the line next. “A bit unusual of a ceremony Harry…” he said. “…, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from you two.”
Gawain walked through and said something similar. Soon more people were coming, and they all wished Harry and Ginny their congratulations and best wishes. With each handshake or hug Dennis Creevey would take another picture. Soon everything became a blur, as the line seemed to be endless. They had decided to do this rather than take the time and try to go around the tables and talk to everyone.
A few of the guests stuck out in Harry’s memory. Professor McGonagall dressed in her tartan robes with a “Weasley is our Queen” button clipped on her shawl. She hugged him and then told him “it took you long enough” and “your parents would have been proud”. Harry almost told her that they were but held his tongue.
One of Ginny’s teammates, a Chaser that he learned was Rikki Vale, went up to shake his hand. When he shook it, she lept at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. It took prodding from several of the other team members to get her to release her grip on him.
After she walked away Ginny leaned to him and whispered, “Watch out for her. She has always had a crush on you, and she was one of the ones that didn’t mind married men.”
Harry looked over and noticed Rikki staring at him. He made mental note to keep an eye on her, and not to accept any Chocolate Cauldrons from her.
Finally, at the end of the crowd a shadow loomed over him and Ginny, before they were both swept up in Hagrid’s arms.
“Congratulations you two,” he cried. “You two are so much like your parents, ‘arry. You’ve done them proud.”
“’agreed, zet dem down,” said a female voice. Madam Maxime was dressed in her finest black silk and opals. She stood there teary-eyed and looked at Harry. She presented her hand to him, which he kissed. He noticed a small engagement ring on her finger. When he looked at Hagrid, he beamed with pride back to Harry.
“Yep, we is getting married soon, and you two are invited,” he said with great pride.
Madam Maxime then turned to Ginny. “I waz zo worried two years ago I had ruined all of zis. I am zo ‘appy that you two are still in love.”
Harry watched as a wave of pain washed over Ginny’s face at the memories. It was gone almost as quickly as it had appeared. After Hagrid and Madam Maxime left, they were finally done meeting and greeting all the guests. He could see the tired look in her eyes. It had been an emotionally exhausting experience.
“I think the two of you could use a drink and some time alone on the dance floor,” said Harry’s dad. He had been standing behind them the entire time with his arm around his tearful wife’s shoulders.
She smiled at Harry and quietly said, “I can’t believe you found someone so perfect for you, my son.” She put a little extra emphasis on the last two words.
“Come along you two,” stated his dad, as he turned Lily towards the dance floor. He looked over her head at Harry. “The one problem with this arrangement is we can’t enjoy any of the fine food and drink. That is all right, I can dance with my lovely wife,” he said happily, as they started dancing.
“Would you like to have a drink, and then our first dance, Mrs. Potter?” Harry said Ginny.
She smiled up at him, “Yes, I would. I would love it.”
As they were walking, Harry, without turning towards her, said, “I supposed I need to explain some things.” He didn’t even need to look to tell that she was smiling a yes to him.
“Looks like your special guests have found their own tables,” Ginny quietly said. Harry looked and saw Professor Dumbledore standing near the table with Professor McGonagall, Hagrid, and Madam Maxime. The former Headmistress was chatting with Gwenog Jones. Remus and Tonks were standing over Teddy’s highchair staring teary-eyed at him. Sirius was standing with Fred, as he watched George.
Harry and Ginny noticed how much George had aged in the past three years since Fred died. The spectral image of Fred looked to be the same age as when he died, but George seemed to be ten years older. There was even a tinge of grey in his red hair around his temples. They both understood, now, how terrible it would be to lose someone you are bonded to like Fred and George once were. Having each other for support and understanding has helped them through many difficult times.
“How long Ginny?” Harry asked.
“I think since Australia,” she responded without him clarifying the statement for her. “When you were in that terrible place for five days, Regi and everyone thought you were dead. I knew you weren’t, even though I couldn’t explain it. I just knew.”
“If it had started then, you would have thought we wouldn’t have had the problems we had,” Harry said thoughtfully. He knew he had irritated her.
“We had the problems because someone was always getting involved with our relationship,” she replied tartly.
“You’re correct dear. I guess if we didn’t have the connection, we wouldn’t have fought so hard to keep our love alive.” He stopped after saying this and stared at Ginny’s chocolate brown eyes. They both stood there staring at each other for a second before he gently kissed her. They were interrupted by Mum and Dad Weasley.
“You’ll have plenty of time for that later,” stated Mum. “We need you two to dance together.”
“We need something to drink first,” stated Ginny.
They were quickly whisked away to the drink table and each given an iced Pumpkin Juice. Ginny and Harry looked at each other. They never considered that their first drink together would be Pumpkin Juice. Smiling at the situation, they drank it and walked to the edge of the dance floor. James and Lily were dancing around the floor even though the band wasn’t playing. The sight brought a smile to the nuptials.
The lead singer of the Weird Sisters announced Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter would be having their first dance. The band started playing a slow song and Harry took Ginny in his arms and started to slowly glide around the floor. He tried his best to make it look as if he was leading, but after a while they stopped caring. The first few minutes neither one spoke as they just enjoyed dancing for the first time as husband and wife.
James and Lily glided past them. “I really like dancing in this state, son,” said James.
“I do too, Ginny. It doesn’t hurt when they step on your toes,” teased Lily.
Harry pulled his face out of Ginny’s mane of red hair. “I didn’t tell you that you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”
“No, you didn’t, so am I?”
“Yes, yes, you are. I have always thought that, but seeing you walking towards me, you were… I can’t even think of a word that describes it.” He kissed her gently on the forehead. Without removing his lips, he whispered, “I suppose I should explain now.”
She leaned her face foreword until it rested in alongside of his neck. “I would like one, but it isn’t necessary.”
“You deserve it.”
“Thank you.”
“I found out about the Resurrection Stone while destroying the Horcruxes. No one alive knows about it except Ron, Hermione, and us.” Harry could feel her smile when he said “us”. “It is a part of a trio of magical items called The Deathly Hallows. The other two are the Elder Wand and the Invisibility Cloak. Ron said they were from a story called The Three Brothers.”
“Harry, you are talking about a children’s tale, about three magical objects that can defeat death.”
“No, they are all very real. I would think that you would have realized that by now. The Elder Wand is also known as the Death Stick and the Wand of Destiny. Geller Grindlewald had been using it when Professor Dumbledore defeated him. He took control of it then. When Draco disarmed him atop the Astronomy Tower, he gained control over it. Voldemort wanted the Elder Wand because our wands couldn’t fight against each other. He stole it from the tomb and then killed Professor Snape thinking that he would then have control over the wand. He didn’t because Draco controlled the wand. I defeated Draco at his manor and took his wand. That was why Voldemort’s Killing Curse rebounded on him. I controlled the wand he possessed.
“Right now, I have in my possession all three Deathly Hallows.” Ginny seemed to stiffen a little in his arms. “The Stone I will throw away tonight when we leave here. The Wand has been secured in Professor Dumbledore’s Tomb again. I intend to keep the Invisibility Cloak, since it is a Potter family heirloom.”
Ginny stopped dancing and looked into his face. There were tears in her eyes, as she looked at him lovingly. He knew that she wasn’t angry with him, and everything that he said would be safe. It was the look that told him she was sorry that he had to endure such responsibilities. She kissed him gently and whispered, “I love you.” Before placing her head on his shoulder and continued dancing. Harry looked up and noticed the dance floor had filled up.
A short time later, Harry felt someone tap his shoulder. “Could I please dance with my daughter?”
Harry stepped aside to let Mr. Weasley dance with Ginny. She stepped into her father’s embrace and they slowly moved away on the dance floor. Mum Weasley put her arm around his waist as he watched Ginny dance with her father. “I am glad you never tried to break the bond those two have Harry,” stated Mum Weasley.
“Ginny told me early on that she loved her father,” he said, as he placed his arm across her shoulders. “I would never want to ruin a parent and child’s relationship. I know how important they can be.”
“I suppose you do. So, when are you planning to give me Grandchildren?”
Harry snapped his head around to see her smiling at him. “A few years, maybe not for three or four years,” he nervously replied.
“That’s good, now if you will excuse me, I want to go play with my grandchildren.” Harry watched her walk towards the table that had Teddy and Victoire. He looked for Ginny and saw her standing holding onto her father with her head on his chest. Her dad was barely able to contain his tears. Harry decided to go get a drink when another woman grabbed him.
“What did she mean, your mum explained it?” asked Hermione, in a demanding whisper.
Harry looked at Ron and all the other people on the dance floor now. “Let’s go to the table,” he said, and gestured to the table set for the wedding party. They crossed the dance floor. Harry had to refuse an offer to dance with that Quidditch player that Ginny warned him about. They sat down behind the table, and Harry quickly cast a Muffliato spell around them. He hurriedly explained to them about what happened and that Ginny and him were already bonded by their love. When he said this, he saw Hermione and Ron look at each other significantly. He told them he would dispose of the ring some place where no one would be able to find it. They both pressed him to find out the location, but he refused. He was still concerned about Ron and his brothers doing something to ruin their wedding night.
Ron looked sheepishly when he stated that he didn’t know of any plans to do that. Hermione glared at him and it started to look like a fight was brewing until Ron redirected everyone’s attention. “Looks like Dudlley’s made a comeback,” he laughed, as he pointed out to the dance floor. Dudley was slow dancing with Ginny’s friend Sylvia. “He must like witches, Harry.”
“I find them rather enjoyable. Don’t you, Ron,” he laughed.
Hermione snorted and said something about swine when the music stopped, and everyone started to return to their seats. Ginny was walking back with two women that Harry vaguely remembered from Hogwarts. He noticed that Mr. Weasley seemed a bit put off by them. He didn’t understand until he saw that they were holding hands, and it was obviously more than just friendship. Harry lifted the Muffliato spell before Ginny arrived at the table.
“Harry, you remember Kendra and Millie from Hogwarts.”
“I am sorry, but I only vaguely remember you. Have you been enjoying yourself?”
“Oh yes, Mr. Potter…” said Millie.
“You can call him, Harry,” laughed Ginny. “You don’t call me Mrs. Potter.”
They both laughed about that statement. Kendra spoke this time. “We are just so happy that Ginny is happy. She was a life saver for us back in school, and really so many others,” she gushed, while looking at Ginny with admiration.
“Were you all there during the Carrows’ reign?” asked Ron.
“Yes, but she helped the next year,” replied Millie. When she noticed Ron’s blank stare, she continued, “She helped us deal with being raped by Walden. We spent many a night talking and understanding what everyone was going through. It was so helpful. After a while, we began to see ourselves as important, not what Walden left us feeling like. Many of us were able to find love again.” She said looking at her partner. “We both are now counseling others who have gone through similar experiences.”
“Is there a need for that?” blurted out Ron.
Ginny, Kendra, and Millie all glared at him. Kendra spoke this time. “Currently, we are counseling twenty witches that are out of school and ten still in Hogwarts. What do you think?” she snapped at him.
“I — I guess there is a need,” stuttered Ron.
Harry was taken aback by the numbers. He now remembered where he had seen and heard about them before. It was disconcerting to realize that sexual assaults were so common in the magical world. He remembered reading about there being divisions of the Muggle police forces dedicated to this type of case, but he didn’t realize that it was the same in his world.
“Well, we must be getting back to our seats,” Millie said.
“Thank you, Harry, and take care of this special lady,” stated Kendra.
“I will try my best,” he assured them.
Ginny walked behind the table and sat beside Harry. Ron and Hermione sat on both sides of them. The caterer walked out and waved his wand. Glasses of champagne appeared in front of everyone. Ron grabbed his glass and stood up. He nervously cleared his throat, “I guess it is time for the toast,” he nervously said. “Harry and I have been best mates, since we first met. Through the years we have been through a lot, and well I can’t think of a better man to marry my little sister. All I can think of saying to him at this time is, get your ruddy hands off my sister,” he shouted the last part as he raised his glass and took a drink.
Ginny smiled up at his brother. Harry couldn’t do anything but laugh at the comment. They touched their glasses together before each taking a drink.
Hermione stood up next. She was calm and relaxed, as she smiled down at them. “I was at first Harry and Ron’s friend, but soon Ginny and I became the best of friends. She is the bravest person I have ever known. She is also trusting, very trusting. I don’t know how many of you know this, but Ginny was in love with Harry after they first met. Right over there under that arch where they were bonded. But! This brave girl couldn’t even talk to Harry for about three years. Every time she was in a room with him, she would get all nervous and tongue tied. I know all of you will find that hard to believe, but it is true.” She stopped talking as everyone was laughing.
“It was so bad that she even asked me for advice. It was when I was at her house for the Quidditch World Cup. She asked me advice about her love life. Which was really ironic, because I couldn’t stop fighting with the boy that I fancied enough to start a relationship? So, I did the only thing that I could think of; I made something up.”
Ginny turned to her and shouted, “You What?” Another roar of laughter rolled through the reception.
“Yes, Ginny I really had no idea what to do to get Harry to notice you, but I knew if you could never be yourself and talk to him that you two would never get together. So, I told her to ignore him, and if someone asked her to go out, for her to say yes. Well, here is the result of the success of that bit of advice. I would like to toast to an old Muggle saying, ‘Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good’. Here is to you two getting lucky and finding each other.”
Everyone laughed as they raised their glasses to toast the happy couple again. Harry smiled at Hermione before toasting her. After he did, he looked at Ginny, who seemed a little chuffed by Hermione’s announcement. “Why are you so angry, it still worked out,” he said before he captured her lips.
Ginny broke from the kiss eventually. “I always thought she was so smart for giving me that advice.”
Ginny didn’t pout for long as the dinner appeared in front of everyone. Her Weasley appetite took over and they all sat there and enjoyed the meal. After several more glasses of champagne, Ginny was leaning heavily onto Harry. They were both thinking about leaving early when Hermione leaned over to her.
“Is it time to make George dance with Aunt Muriel?” asked Hermione mischievously.
Ginny snapped her head up from Harry’s shoulder. “Brilliant idea, let me have the band play her favourite song. If they even know it, then I will be over to convince him to pay up on the bet.”
“What bet?” asked a confused Harry.
Ginny flashed him a smile that said he was going to enjoy this, before hiking up her gown and sprinting across the platform to the band. Unfortunately, they didn’t know how to play Aunt Muriel’s favourite song, but they agreed to play slow tunes until she came back over to tell them to pick up the pace. She walked quickly back over to George’s table. When she arrived, he looked at her and Hermione, who was sitting there talking to Angelina, Percy, and Audrey.
“What is all this?” asked George.
Ginny smiled at him. “It is time for you to pay up on your bet, oh brother of mine.”
“Oh no, Ginny, not that,” said George getting nervous.
No one else at the table knew what the bet was, and were all asking “what bet”.
“It is time to slow dance with Aunt Muriel, George. I am now Mrs. Harry Potter.”
The entire table turned against him, as they all pulled him up out of his chair and virtually frog hopped him to Aunt Muriel, who was sitting with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Hermione’s parents. Everyone looked at the scene approaching them. Angelina shoved George forward towards his great aunt.
Only Ginny could hear and see Fred and Sirius howling with laughter. She was enjoying their reaction almost as much as the sight of George stuttering to his aunt that he wanted to dance with her. Her parents had to choke back a laugh when they heard George ask for a dance. Muriel glared up at him for a minute. It looked like she would decline, and George would be off the hook, but then she agreed.
“I want you to be a gentleman, Bilius,” she ordered him.
George corrected her, but she ignored him. She wobbled out to the dance floor with George.
Ginny saw Fred following them, but Sirius was gone. She looked around and saw he was getting Remus and Tonks attention. They were both sitting on the floor with Teddy and Victoire but stood up and walked towards the dance floor. Sirius turned and sought out James and Lily next. Ginny decided to get Harry. She didn’t want to miss this, and if everyone would be standing around it would look too suspicious.
Harry was standing off to the side watching everything with an amused smile. She grabbed his hand and pulled him out to the dance floor. Soon Hermione and Ron were also out there trying to dance while watching George and Aunt Muriel dancing.
He kept her at arm’s length and they barely moved as Aunt Muriel shuffled her feet. To most people, it would look like a harmless show of respect. Harry and Ginny though could see the spectral image of Fred standing behind Aunt Muriel winding up his arm as he prepared to grab her arse. Remus, Tonks, James, Lily, and even Professor Dumbledore were out there watching. It was strange to see people passing through their nearly solid form.
Finally, Fred swung with all his might. Ginny had a perfect view of a handprint on the back of Aunt Muriel’s robes. She jumped a little when it happened, and even let out a soft exclamation. Ginny was waiting to see if she would slap George’s face, but she didn’t. She actually smiled warmly at him as she nudged herself a little closer to him. George’s reaction to this was even funnier, as he tried to put distance between him and his great aunt. After the song was finished, George tried to pull away, but Aunt Muriel held onto him. She whispered something that Ginny couldn’t hear, but it caused George to go peaky and the Marauders to howl with laughter. When George finally went to walk away, Aunt Muriel reached out and pinched his arse. This caused him to leap as if he had just been hit with a Stinging Hex. Many of the guests were milling around the tables talking to each other. It seemed a shame to have wasted the prank on just a few people. It was worth it though, for her.
“Do you want to keep dancing,” Ginny asked Harry.
“Sure!” he said.
“Let me make a few requests,” she said before scurrying over to the band to make another request. Ginny gave the lead singer a list of requests and somewhat of an order to play them in. She turned and tried to run back to her husband, but her shoes almost made her twist an ankle three times. She pulled them off and tossed them to the edge of the dance floor, as the music began.
They danced ignoring everyone else for some time. Ginny enjoyed this time together with Harry. It reminded her of Australia and their first actual date. Harry was such a gentleman that night. It made her feel special to have someone to trust. She had not always had a good track record. She went to the Yule Ball with Neville, who was a true gentleman. Then she met Michael, who was moodier than any woman and was hurt every time she told him to stop or slow down. Dean was a bit surprising; maybe it was his age or something. He was aggressive. She never felt threatened with him, well not too threatened. She just had to make sure he knew his limitations.
Harry was always the perfect match for her. He was willing to wait until she was ready, yet gentle and considerate towards her feelings and pleasure. As she danced and swayed to the music, she watched Harry move with her. Maybe he was this way because they were bonded, or maybe they were bonded because he was like that.
“A sickle for your thoughts,” he asked, as he leaned in close to her.
“I was thinking about how perfect you are for me.”
Without missing a beat, he kissed her quickly on the lips. “I try. I will always try,” he said with so much emotion in his eyes that Ginny’s heart seemed to skip a beat.
“How soon do you want to leave,” she asked, wanting to move on to the next phase of the wedding day.
“Have we done everything that you wanted to do?” When he saw the look in her eye, he clarified his statement, “At the reception.”
She smiled at him. “Yes, you wanted to wait until dark to leave and it is about dark,” she stated pointing at the skylights. The sky was turning a violet almost black colour, in a few minutes it would be completely dark outside. “I do want to dance with my teammates, before we leave. We will need to cut the wedding cake also.” She stopped talking and thought a little bit more. “I think that is it.”
The music stopped and the lead singer announced that the next dance would be a ladies only dance.
“Well, time for me to find my teammates,” Ginny said, as she looked around the dance floor. She took a couple of steps away from Harry, before turning back to kiss him.
Harry walked to the drink table and picked up a butterbeer. He noticed that Dudley was now talking to Kingsley and Gawain. He was wondering what they were talking about. He didn’t want to miss watching Ginny dancing with her team, so he turned and walked back out to the edge of the dance floor. Neville was standing there looking at Hannah, along with many other men watching their wives, fiancés, or girlfriends.
The lead singer asked if everyone was ready. When the entire dance floor shouted “Yes”, the Weird Sisters started to play; “Can you dance like a Hippogriff”. All the ladies screamed their approval, as they all started to dance wildly to the tune. Harry was laughing, as he watched Ginny in her wedding dress and veil twist, turn, and gyrate wildy with her teammates. The Harpies became the center attraction. All the Quidditch players seemed to dance wilder than all the other women on the dance floor. He couldn’t take his eyes off Ginny. She seemed very happy as she danced. Her smile lit up the dance floor, and her long hair whipped around as she turned. She would talk and laugh with her teammates. He could see that even though she was the newest and youngest member they all respected and liked her. Greta and Zelda have put their past differences with Ginny behind them, and they talked amicably to each other.
While he was watching her, she turned to look at him. It was a brief look, not much more than a glance, but in the split second their eyes connected, and so much passed between them. He saw a longing in her eyes. As her hair flew in the air, some strands remained stuck to her moist face. Harry immediately remembered many nights seeing a similar expression on her face. His breath hitched as he thought about her, and how she can make him feel such things with just a glance. A hand on his shoulder brought him out of his trance.
“Ginny seems to be enjoying herself,” observed Kingsley Shaklebolt, whose wife was also out on the dance floor.
“Yes, she loves to dance.”
“It is hard to believe that such an energetic person as Ginny could be so prim and proper,” he said, but quickly added. “I don’t mean any disrespect, Harry, but seeing her here dancing and remembering last week at the Ministry’s Christmas Ball. It would be hard to believe she was the same person.”
Harry remembered her being nervous about going to the Ministry’s Christmas Ball. It was the social event of the year in magical Britain. Her father rarely went because all the pretentious snobs took the fun out of the event. Ginny had walked into the ball and impressed even the most pretentious old birds with her manners and style.
He also remembered after the Ball was over. It was the last time they made love. The memories of that night came back to him, as he watched her out on the dance floor swing her hips to the sound of the music. It suddenly became very warm, but Kinglsey once again interrupted him.
“I was talking to your cousin, Dudley.”
“I saw you and Gawain talking to him,” stated Harry.
“He was telling us some interesting things.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, he told us that he is studying to be a pleaseman…”
“It’s policeman. He wants to become a detective,” he corrected the Minister.
“He also told us about you studying about Muggle methods of law enforcement, particularly about how to secure a prison.”
Harry could tell by the tone in the Ministers voice that he had figured out where Harry had come up with the new procedures, he implemented over the past two years. “Yes, I will confess that I adapted Muggle methods into the new procedures, sir. Are you angry with me?”
The Minister chuckled at his question. “Why should I be angry, when your procedures have decreased injuries and still results in as many arrests? Harry, I don’t care where you came up with these ideas, as long as they work.”
“I just wondered being they were Muggle methods…”
“I am not like the past Ministers. I am not offended. I am curious; did being raised with Muggles give you the idea of doing this?”
“Actually, seeing that in Australia, the magical community lives with the Muggles and use the same type of equipment made me think of it. Maybe, if the magical community would understand the Muggles better, there wouldn’t be the hatred for them anymore.” Harry waited to hear Kingsley’s response, but the Minister stood there and stared out onto the dance floor.
“That is quite possible, Harry,” he finally said reflectively. “That is quite possible.”
The song stopped playing and all the dancers cheered wildly. As many of the ladies exited the floor, Harry watched as a smiling Ginny walked towards him. She walked up and put an arm around his waist before kissing him. “Let’s cut the cake and leave.”
They walked over to their table to grab Ginny’s wand so she could dry her face and hair that was wet with perspiration. After a few quick passes with the wand she looked ready to cut the cake. Before they did, she had a few quick words with the caterer. He nodded in recognition of something, then handed her the knife. Everyone started to take pictures of them as they went to cut the first pieces of cake. They each picked one up and stared at the other with a piece of cake in their hand.
“It is traditon to stuff this in your face while feeding you the first piece,” Ginny said with a smile.
“I am surprised, love.”
“What? That we would do that?”
“No, that you would warn me first,” he said then tried to shove the piece of cake in her mouth. She had lightning fast reflexes and the pieces of cakes slammed into each other’s face at the same time. Ginny had a plan for this. She opened her mouth wide and turned so that the cake Harry had was slammed mostly into her mouth. A little of the icing smeared across her cheek and up her nose. Harry hadn’t done that, and the gooey mess covered almost half his face. It didn’t help that Ginny had twisted her hand at the last minute either.
They looked at each other and laughed, with the wedding guests. At least Harry laughed, Ginny’s mouth was too full to laugh. Her mouth was so full that when she tried to swallow the cake; it was pushed out of her mouth and over her chin. This brought another round of laughter from everyone. She looked over and saw Harry smiling at her predicament. She stood there with puffy cheeks like a squirrel getting ready for winter and chewed and swallowed her entire piece of cake while Harry picked his off his face. The caterer had whisked away the cake after they had cut the pieces for themselves and was now starting to give them out to the guests.
As Ginny swallowed the last bite in her mouth Harry had finished with his face and plucked a piece of frosting off her cheek. He held the finger full of frosting in front of her. “Butter Creme frosting is really good.” He licked his finger clean.
As everyone was happily eating their pieces of wedding cake, they snuck back over to their table to get cleaned up. As they were getting the last bits of icing off their faces, Harry looked around at all the people he had summoned with the Stone. It seemed as if they already knew he was ready to leave, because they were all moving his way. The caterer walked over to talk to Ginny and handed her a box of something. Ginny and he got into an exchange of words, before he went back to the kitchen.
“What was that about?” asked Harry, when Ginny approached him.
“He didn’t want us to pay for the meal.” Ginny looked at Harry an understanding passed between them. “He would go broke, if we didn’t pay him. I did include his catering firm in the wedding write up. He might have undercharged us, but at least he can make up for it when people ask for him, because they want the same caterer that Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley had.” Ginny snorted derisively. “People can be so stupid at times.”
“Are you ready?” asked Harry. Ginny let out a breath and nodded. Without hesitation, he pulled his cloak out and swung it around him in one smooth motion. He wrapped his arm around his wife as they ran through the crowd towards the barrier to platform nine and three-quarters. It looked as if no one noticed them leaving. They all seemed to be too busy eating and drinking. They both looked out through the sheer fabric of the Invisibility Cloak and saw the merriment and smiled happily that their friends were having such a good time. They were approaching the bricks at a full run.
Platform nine and ten disappeared and a barren platform nine and three-quarters appeared around them. Three Aurors standing guard jumped as motion detecting spells alerted them that someone was moving on the platform. Harry wiped off the cloak and looked at their raised wands. “Mallard.” Was all he said and they immediately relaxed. Harry walked forward on the platform, until he reached the area where Apparition was allowed. Grasping his wife to his side, He turned leaving their wedding behind him.
They appeared in the middle of a barren stretch of fields in a foot snow. Ginny immediately started to shiver, but Harry told her with a glance that it would be alright. He pointed his wand up at a forty-five-degree angle out from where they stood and muttered an ancient incantation as he turned. Just before he completed the circle, he pushed Ginny outsides of the circle and completed his incantation.
“That is a ward that if they track our Apparation, they will be stuck in that funnel shaped ward for a while. He wrapped his arms around her and Apparated again.
They appeared inside of a decayed old barn. Harry let go of a shivering Ginny and launched himself into a pile of loose hay. As he dug, all around them, their spectral guests reappeared in the barn.
“Bloody Hell, Harry,” chimed Fred. “You act like you are being pursued by Death Eaters.”
Harry stood up holding a large cloth bag. “Worse than Death Eaters, Weasleys and other pranksters.” They all laughed at his comment, as he pulled out a large blanket and wrapped it around Ginny. She immediately stopped shivering. “I have a warming charm on it. We have a long distance to travel tonight, and it will be cold.”
Harry turned to all the people he had summoned. “Thank you for all you’ve done for us, but it is time for us to look only to the future. I love you. I love you all.” He closed his eyes and tried to let them all go without taking off the ring.
“Wait! Stop!” yelled Fred. He had moved directly in front of Ginny. They looked at each other with tear filled eyes. “I want you to know that I am happy for you. Thank you for watching over George, both of you, and... Well, you were right all those years ago, Gin-Gin. Girls are as strong as boys.” He wrapped his arms around her. She awkwardly tried to return the hug, even though he had no mass.
As he pulled away from her, she looked at him with her wicked Weasley smirk. “You’re still wrong. Girls are stronger than boys.” Fred laughed, while Lily and Tonks cheered the comment.
“I know you are sis,” said Fred, as he faded away.
All of them quickly faded, except for Harry’s mum. His dad was fading but Lily seemed to be holding him back as she gripped his arm. “Harry, what is going on? What do you want with me and not your father,” her voice cut into Harry’s heart. He had things he needed to ask his mother that he didn’t want his father to hear. His mother’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “It’s about Sev. Isn’t it?”
Harry stopped trying to let the image of his father go. He suddenly reappeared with a hurt look on his face. “Why do you want to talk about that greasy gormless git?” growled his father.
“Professor Snape was a very brave man. He suffered torture from Voldemort to save this world. He did it to — to...”
“To avenge my death,” stated his mum coldly. “Yes, Harry, we both know that.”
“He loved you,” he said to his mum. The entire barn seemed to become colder. There was so much more to his words than the simple statement.
“Explain yourself,” demanded his mum.
“Maybe everything would have been better if you had married him, instead of Dad. The three of you would still be alive. You were his friend growing up, and you hated Dad for all those years.” Harry finished talking and felt suddenly all alone and cold. Everyone’s stare was on him and they all were cold. Ginny’s was one of shock. His father looked as if his heart was broken. His mother though had a look of ice-cold fury.
“Ginny dear,” said Lily Potter. “I really love you and appreciate all that you have done for my son. I would like to ask a favor from you now.” Ginny looked at her and nodded her head yes. “Slap my son. Hard!”
Harry went to turn his head to look at Ginny, but her open hand collided with the side of his face.
“Thank you dear,” Lily said to her. “That Harry was for what you just told us. It was insulting enough to hear you say that you don’t think I really love your father. Your father should be rather chuffed at hearing the same thing and being told that I should have married Sev. Those two things are not the reason why I had Ginny slap you,” her voice rose with emphasis. “You just told us you wished that you never would have been born. You would deprive all of us of you. Do you really think I would still be alive? I AM A MUDBLOOD! I would have been tortured and killed by now. Your father, yes Harry, that very brave man right there, was fighting openly against the Dearth Eaters and Voldemort. He would likely be dead. Severus, if he had married me, would have been targeted by the very side he chose in the war. Who would you want Ginny to marry, some Pure Blood fanatic?”
“I just didn’t want anyone to die for me,” he said sadly. Tears were welling in his eyes, not from Ginny’s slap, but from his mother’s words. “I just wanted to know why or how you came to choose Dad, and not Professor Snape. Was it because, he called you a Mudblood after OWLs.” He felt a warm tingle on the side of his face. He turned and it was his mother’s hand touching him.
“Harry, I never hated your father,” she said calmly. “He just drove me spare with his constant pranking of fellow students. Something happened in our seventh year that made me see him differently.” James, who had been silent through all of this, cleared his throat. His mother rolled her eyes at his action. “I will tell him, James.”
“You will?” said his dad merrily.
“Yes, I will.” Lily Potter walked back over to her husband and wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned into him. It was a loving pose, one that made Harry feel better just seeing them like this. “I grew up in a Muggle household, and the only sibling I had was Petunia, as you know. My only connection to the magical world was Sev, and his homelife and social life was limited, let’s say. Well, when I got to Hogwarts, I thought that your father and all his friends were just bullies. The way they were constantly jinxing other students and pranking them. What I didn’t know was it was some type of a game, like tag in the Muggle world.
“Well, I finally realized that when we were Head Boy and Girl. James and I found this first year...”
“His friends had stuck his shoes to the ceiling on the fifth floor,” interjected James.
“With his feet still in them,” laughed Lily. “James and I got the poor boy down. I demanded that he tell me who did this, but he wouldn’t say. James took the boy off to a corner of the corridor and spoke to him for a bit, and then let him go. I was furious about it, but James assured me that everything would be resolved. Two weeks later, I learn that this boy and several others had been given detention by Professor McGonagall. They all spent three weeks in detention together, after which they were all best mates. James explained to me that the jinxing and pranking each other was just a boy thing. He just told this boy a prank he could do to gain respect from his years students.”
James leaned in towards Harry for emphasis. “I gave him a good one that I had been saving. I had him meet the Marauders later on that evening. We taught him to use a mild Sticking Charm and stick Dung Bombs to the back the students’ robes that have been picking on him. They all went in and sat down on them. It was a shame that old Minny was in a bad mood that day,” chuckled James. “After Lily realized that I wasn’t hexing and jinxing to harm anyone, she seemed to warm up to me.”
“How did you ever get to be Head Boy, with all the detentions you and Sirius accumulated over the years?” asked Harry. The tension seemed to have eased in the barn. Ginny was now huddled up next to Harry same as Lily was next to James.
“It was because of all those detentions,” laughed James. “Padfoot and I had a bet with two other people from Hufflepuff and two from Ravenclaw that we could accumulate more hours of detention than they could. We would each put ten galleons into the kitty and at the end of the year we would award the winner with all of the gold. Those ruddy gits always complained that we were lucky and wanted the pot to remain untouched and more added the next year. At the end of our sixth year, Padfoot and I were rather upset that they again wanted to pot to go untouched. By this time, the pot was worth three hundred galleons.
“Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore overheard us arguing, and soon they had us all down to her office and discussed the little bet. Old Dumbledore made me a Head Boy. I guess he knew that would stop the betting on the time of detentions. Hey, he made them give Sirius and I the gold. It was a good thing, because that was the summer that Sirius moved in with us. He needed the gold, the poor sod.”
Harry was chuckling at the events that led his parents to falling in love. Hearing the explanations, it made him feel even more ashamed of ever doubting their love for each other. “I am sorry, that I ever doubted you two.”
“Harry, you saw memories of Sev’s. Didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“When I was young, I cared more for Sev than anyone else outside of my blood family. My first year at Hogwarts, he was my only and best friend. Each year, he became more immersed in the dark side of magic. He became more like the junior Death Eaters in his house, and we became less and less close. I didn’t stop caring about him, when he called me a Mudblood. I still care about him for what he did to help you survive. If he had chosen a different path, and became more like the man your father, my husband, is, than there would have been a possibility that I could have loved him. But! I don’t think he ever knew what love was until after my death, and I am not even sure if he truly understood it then.
“He struck a bargain with Voldemort. He wanted Voldemort to spare me, so I could be with him,” Lily Potter shivered and looked to be getting ill. “I could never love a man who brought about the death of my own child. I would hate anyone who did that with every fiber of my being. If Severus hadn’t turned spy and try to right his wrongs, I would still hate him.”
Harry stood there. It all seemed to make sense now. Having this talk and even getting slapped by Ginny had lifted a weight, a doubt that had nagged at his soul ever since his fifth year. “I am sorry for hurting your feelings. I just needed to know about the two of you. I — I have really no happy memories.”
“My son, my loving son, forget about the past. It is over,” stressed his mum. “You and Ginny have a future together. Live it, please live it, and not worry about the past.” She stopped talking as tears formed in her eyes. Harry was feeling a lump in his throat and didn’t know what to say.
“Well, I am glad you proved that Snivellus was truly a greasy gormless git,” stated James Potter happily.
His wife looked up at him with narrowed eyes. “What, did you say?”
“You proved that Snivellus was a greasy gormless git, just I said he was.”
“How did I prove that?”
“You said that he had a good chance to have you as a lover if he hadn’t chosen to be a Death Eater. We all know he is greasy, just look at his hair. To choose Voldemort and his cronies, over the most beautiful woman ever, why, only a gormless git would do that.” He said happily down to his wife’s face.
Harry and Ginny chuckled to themselves, as Lily closed her eyes and shook her head at her husband’s logic. She opened her eyes and softly said, “be thankful I love you.”
“I am love, every day, I am,” he said, as he leaned down and passionately kissed his wife.
Harry felt his insides clench up at the sight of his parents snogging like that. He heard Ginny giggle beside him at his obvious discomfort. His mum turned her face to them as his dad feathered kisses down her neck. “Right now, would be a good time to take off the ring, son.”
His Dad stopped what he was doing and looked at them. “Yes and have a good time on your honeymoon. Where are you going after all?”
“A two-week Muggle cruise of the Mediterranean,” stated Ginny, as Harry started digging a flying carpet out of the hay pile. She noticed their strange expressions. “We can’t go anywhere magical and be left alone, and that is what we want now.”
“Enjoy yourselves, Harry the ring,” said James Potter.
Harry reached down and pulled the ring off his finger and tossed it onto the carpet. He pulled another blanket out of the hay and shook it off. He was busy getting everything ready for the trip.
“The caterer gave us some food for the trip, Harry. How long will it take to get there?”
“About fourteen hours.”
“Where are you planning on getting rid of the ring?”
“I’ll drop it in the Channel as we are flying over.”
“Are we going to be able to stay awake that long?”
“No need, to do that. I am trying to program coordinates into the carpets guidance system. Once we are flying, the carpet will take us to these coordinates and hover until we take it down to land.”
“Hmm. Automatic flying, two Charmed Blankets to keep us warm, a meal to feed us in our way, whatever are we going to do while we are flying, Harry?”
He turned to see her wedding dress drop from under the blanket.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
FOUR YEARS LATER
Ginny was sitting at a small writing desk finishing up her article on the Chudley Cannons. She was not enjoying the thoughts of the fall-out this article will bring. The Cannons appeared to be on the verge of a winning season. Ron will be unbearable when he reads this. She has been writing Quidditch articles for the Daily Prophet for the past year and a half, ever since she quit playing. Taking one last look at the article, she leaned back in her chair and rubbed her swollen stomach.
“Hermione, would you proofread this before I send it out?”
Hermione Weasley was sitting on the floor leaning back onto the couch while using Ginny’s coffee table as a desk. There were volumes of law books, research books, and various other types of books from Muggle to magical surrounding her on the floor and the sofa. She was reading from one book propped against three others on the coffee table while taking notes on a piece of parchment that stretched from the floor over the coffee table and back down to the floor. “When do you need it?” Hermione asked without looking up from her work.
“Within the hour, so you will need to start getting up, now,” teased Ginny.
Hermione pushed the coffee table away from her swollen stomach. She was eight months pregnant with her first child. She spent her time at the Potters when Ron was at work. She has been able to keep her job while working from home. “Have mercy on a poor pregnant…ooo,” she moaned.
“Are- are you all right?” asked Ginny also getting up from her small writing desk.
“This child keeps pushing and twisting at the worst locations.” Hermione looked up and saw concern on her best friend’s face. “It wasn’t a contraction.” She stopped to find a comfortable position while the baby stretched inside of her. “Do you miss it?”
Ginny looked down at her swollen stomach. “Hardly, since I am…”
“No, playing Quidditch.”
“Yes, but I enjoy this more. Wait until you get to hold your baby for the first time, Hermione. All the misery and pain you have gone through will vanish from your memory, the moment you hold your child for the first time. Holding James did it for me.”
“Evidently, you went and got pregnant again.”
“If you are hurting, then…”
Ginny stopped talking as a young-looking House Elf appeared in front of her. He was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. “Master James is awaking, Miss Ginny.”
“Billy,” Ginny said crossly to the House Elf. “This is supposed to be your day off.”
“It is Miss Ginny.”
“Then why are you at work, if you know this is your day off?”
“I know Miss Ginny. I is doing what I want to do.”
“I order you to go have some fun somewhere else than here at work,” Ginny said while trying not to crack a smile.
“But, Miss Ginny. This is my day off, you can’t order me to do anything that I don’t want to,” replied the House Elf cheekily. “Baby James is waking. I’s go back up to watch him.” The small House Elf disappeared with a pop.
“It isn’t working,” growled Hermione from the sofa.
“What? isn’t your plan to free the House Elves? I think it is working just fine,” consoled Ginny, as she approached her friend on the sofa. She extended her hand to her. “Let’s get going. Billy is usually early with his announcements, but it is still going to take us several minutes to get to James’ room.”
Hermione grabbed Ginny’s hand and pulled herself off the sofa. She stood there and stretched out her aching back and started to walk towards the stairs. “If my plan of working with only the new generation of House Elves is working than why is Billy still here on his day off.”
They started up the stairs. Hermione let out a little sigh as she slowly walked up the long staircase. “It is working Hermione, because the new generation is wearing clothes making them free to begin with, they are accepting pay, and if any of the older ones would have spoken back to their masters like Billy did, they would be beating their brains out on the floor. Please have patience, your plan is working” Ginny looked over at Hermione as she slowly walked up the stairs. She remembered how difficult it was to move at this particular stage of the pregnancy. “You want me to get behind and push your wide arse up the stairs?”
Hermione laughed at the comment. “Look who is talking about a wide arse. I was worried if you went back into Quidditch that your arse would slow you down due to wind resistance.”
Ginny chuckled at Hermione’s comment. “At least I can still fit in a chair. Unlike others, who prefer to sit on the floor, because they don’t fit in any chairs.”
“It is more comfortable,” replied Hermione. Both women stated laughing at the comments to each other. “If Ron or Harry would have said those things…”
“The ministry would be finding two new Aurors to replace them,” laughed Ginny. They walked up to James’ open door. He was sitting up in his cot and let out a loud squeal when he saw his mum. “Now, James, say it. Say it darling before somebody comes and gets you.”
James let out another loud squeal and something that sounded like “madadada”.
Ginny stood still at the door. “That’s right say Dad dad dad dad.”
“Ginny, why are you making him learn it like this?” asked a suspicious Hermione.
“Ndadadadadad,” said the baby boy.
“That’s a good boy,” encouraged Ginny. “Let’s hear it again, before we come and get you. Dad dad dad dad.” Ginny looked mischievously at Hermione. “I’ll let Harry take care of the three o’clock feedings.”
“Dad dadadadada,” squealed the exited little boy, as he jumped up and down in his cot.
“Ginny! that is deceitful, dishonest, and — well — actually brilliant.”
Ginny picked up James and smiled at her friend. “Yeah, my mum told me that one.”
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
“Dadaa ndadaa ndadaa,” squealed James from his room.
Ginny still partially asleep started to pull back her covers, until she remembered Harry sleeping next to her. She sank back into bed and snuggled next to him. She nudged him on the shoulder. “Wake up, Harry, James is calling for you.”
“Wha — what?” mumbled her sleepy husband.
“Dad dad dadaa,” squealed James, his voice clearly audible in their bedroom.
Harry sat up and threw his covers off him and onto Ginny. “He called for me. He can say Dad.” He suddenly jumped completely out of bed and started running towards his son’s room. When he reached the foot of the bed, a loud thud was heard. He started to jump up and down holding his foot. He stumbled back to his nightstand and grabbed his glasses. “Bloody bedpost,” he cursed under his breath.
Ginny had to concentrate to keep from laughing. Harry’s excitement over hearing his son call for his dad was too precious. She watched from her covers as Harry without hesitation walked, with a slight limp, towards James’ room. He had reached the doorway when he suddenly stopped. He turned and walked back towards her. He bent over her and looked at her with such love in his eyes that it made her heart flutter.
“Thank you, every thing that has made my life complete, you have given to me,” he said, before bending down and lovingly kissing her.
Even though his face was rough and they both had stale breath, the kiss sent Ginny’s head reeling. It was filled with so much love. She immediately deepened it, letting her emotions take control over the fact that their son was awake and needed to be changed and fed. Even after four years of marriage, his love was still intoxicating to her.
When the fire had gone out of most couples’ relationships theirs had only changed. They no longer snogged in public. They would at the most hold hands, but they never strayed far from each other’s side. The Daily Prophet even posted several articles that stated their marriage was on the rocks and divorce was imminent.
“Dadadadad,” squealed James.
Harry pulled his lips away from Ginny. She had one hand in his hair and the other around his chest. He was holding her head gently with one arm and the other was resting on her naked swollen stomach. While she was lost in her thoughts, he had undone her nightshirt.
“I should go get James and bring him in for you to feed,” said Harry.
Ginny was trying to catch her breath. “I did have a bottle ready for you, but if you want to, you can bring him in.”
Harry moved his eyes down over her naked body, she suddenly felt very fat and ugly. The two pregnancies had left her with stretch marks, wider hips, and various other changes that happen. She no longer felt like the fit athlete Harry had fallen in love with.
He laid a hand on her stomach, sending a shiver through her body and making the baby kick. Harry looked up at her with an excited look in his eyes. He lowered his face to her stomach and gently kissed her stomach. “I am not sure yet if you are Albus or Lily,” he said to the unborn baby. “But, you have the most beautiful and wonderful mother in the world.” He kissed her stomach once again. He moved over top of her, with one arm propping himself up on each side of her shoulders. “Let’s have a weekend together, just the three — three and a half of us alone for the next three days, like we used to take before James.”
Ginny thought back to their days before James. They had Teddy every other weekend, but the weekends, when they didn’t have him and she didn’t have a match, were quite often spent alone. Many times, they hardly got out of bed. There were even sometimes when they weren’t making love, but just enjoying being together alone with each other.
“You can’t Harry. You are the Head of the Auror Department. You have responsibilities. You are an important person.”
“I have assistants. You are more important to me. You are my most important responsibility.” She went to say something, but he continued cutting her off. “The Auror department can survive without me for a three-day weekend. James has you to take care of him. Who do you have to take care of you? Me. There is no one else to make sure you are happy, comfortable, and loved, my Aphrodite.”
When Harry called her “my Aphrodite” It made her feel beautiful again. He had called her that in the past to let her know that he thinks she is the most beautiful woman in the world. She reached up and pulled him down on top of her. She didn’t care if she was six months pregnant. She wanted him, now! Harry responded to her aggressive attack. She pulled her feet up and hooked her toes under the elastic of his pajama bottoms and boxers and was pushing them down.
“Ndadadadad,” squealed James form the other room.
They both stopped and looked at each other panting from the excitement. “I’ll change his nappy and bring him back for you to feed,” he said, as he sat up and readjusted his boxers.
Ginny went to say something, but she was so caught up in her emotions that no words came out of her mouth. Harry chuckled at her and whispered, “Just like when we first met.”
He walked out of the door to get his son. Ginny took a couple of calming breaths and repositioned herself on the bed. Her nightshirt was already opened, thanks to her husband. From the down the hall James squeal of excitement as Harry announced “Daddy’s here” echoed up the hall.
Ginny sat there and marveled at her husband. He was known to the world as a fierce fighter against the dark arts, many consider him the greatest wizard of his time, stories are told to children all over the world about him, and Hogwarts added a section in Histroy of Magic about him. However, he prides himself on being a gentle and loving husband and father. Being those two things, are what she considers to be his greatest accomplishments. He has done this all after being a piece of dark magic; all after being a Horcrux.
FINE