Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows (Page 198-206)

terrible sunburn. An unearthly scream rent the air, shaking the very foundation of the arena. The dragon howled in misery before crumpling to the ground and dissolving as if it had never been there.
A blaze of fiery red hair suddenly streaked across his face as Ginny landed next to him on a broom.
"What happened? Where did it go?" she shrieked. "Are you all right?"
"The cup," Harry croaked weakly, pointing to where it lay on the ground.
Ginny scooped it up in her hand. The gold was scorched and blackened, but it remained intact.
"Just a cup now," Harry muttered, feeling lightheaded. "Wonder if it still works as the key?"
"Come on, let’s get out of here," she said, helping him off the ground and onto her conjured broom.
Harry slumped against her weakly as she rose in the air and flew them to the opposite end of the arena.
"I thought the lady was supposed to stay in the stands and shriek for her Champion to get up," he said, smiling weakly.
"Who says I’m a lady?" Ginny shot back.
Harry grinned, feeling slightly delirious. "I love you, Ginny," he whispered, his eyes failing to stay open.
He felt her body start. "I tried to get to you sooner to help, but it was like some kind of barrier held me in place. I wasn’t able to break past it until you were on the ground," she said, sniffling.
"’S’okay," he mumbled.
Ginny reached around to shake him fiercely. "Stay with me, Harry. Just a few minutes more. Here’s the entrance; fit the cup into the slot."
Harry tried to lift his arm, but it felt like jelly, and he couldn’t make it cooperate.
"Here, I’ll do it," Ginny said as she grabbed the cup and fit it into the slot. The door slid open, revealing that deep blackness once again.
Ginny flew the broom right into the archway, and moments later they flew right back into the sitting room at the Smith Museum. Ron and Hermione were still huddled together by the wall.
"Did you get it?" Ron asked anxiously.
Harry nodded towards the charred cup. "Found and destroyed," he said weakly, his legs refusing to hold his weight as he stepped off the broom. Ginny grabbed onto him and eased him to the ground.
"Mate, what happened to you?" Ron asked, his eyes wide.
"We’ll discuss it back at Grimmauld Place," Ginny said in a take-charge voice. "Ron, do you still think you can Apparate with Hermione?"
Ron nodded. Clutching an unconscious Hermione to his side, they Disapparated with a pop.
Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry. "Hold on tight to me, Harry," she whispered.
"I can take us," Harry said stubbornly.
"Thanks, but no. I don’t feel like being splinched today. I’ve had enough excitement for one day."
With a cheeky grin, she kissed his cheek and brought them both back to headquarters…back to her family.
**--**--
Chapter Twelve
Repercussions
Ginny opened her eyes, steadied herself and stared at the gloomy outline of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. She had just Apparated onto a small grassy patch of land shadowed by a large tree a short way from the house, and hoped she wouldn’t get a reprimand from the Ministry about underage magic since she was in the company of several of-age wizards.
The sun had set long ago, and the street was quiet and dark, not even a Muggle vehicle disturbing the stillness. She could see dim candlelight burning in several of the windows of headquarters and was relieved that it was still occupied. Harry slumped against her, finally losing his long battle to stay conscious. She struggled to let him down gently and ended up pinned beneath him. Merlin, for a thin bloke he was heavy. She shuddered at the stark purple bruises covering his pale face.
Ron sat on the ground next to Harry, cradling Hermione in his lap. He was listless and barely had the strength to speak.
"Sorry, Ginny," he said, gasping. "I tried to fire sparks at the door, but I missed."
"It’s okay. Everything’s going to be fine, Ron. How’s Hermione?" Ginny asked. The older girl was frighteningly still, and Ginny couldn’t bear to look at the awful wounds on her head.
"She won’t wake up, Ginny," Ron said, sounding like the frightened little boy that Fred and George used to tease with spiders.
"She will," Ginny said with a confidence she didn’t have. She suddenly didn’t feel very grown up, at all. "This isn’t finished yet, and
Hermione is way too tenacious to give up in the middle of a project. Stay with them a minute; I’ll be right back."
She gently untangled herself from Harry’s limbs, wincing at the raw slashes across his chest. Her hands were slick with blood from gripping him so tightly when they Apparated.
He’d been magnificent against the dragon. Ginny had been awed watching him, despite her terror. After the dragon had first whipped him with its tail, she’d begun trying to conjure a broom to help him. Conjuring items was a sixth-year spell, and she’d never attempted it. All she had to go on was the memory of Harry conjuring his own broom. It had taken her several attempts to get it right, and she knew her own panic and frustration hadn’t helped. Once she’d finally had the broom, something in the magic of the place wouldn’t allow her to leave the stands to help him.
Still, despite knowing all he’d done and how much he’d been through in that arena, she couldn’t help the slight twinge of annoyance over being the only one conscious and unhurt and able to deal with the wrath that awaited her on the other side of the door. She knew she was in for a barrage of questions, and she wished she didn’t have to face it alone. It might be childish, but that’s how she felt.
She’d let the others recover, but once they were well again, she had every intention of pointing out that despite all their protests about her being underage, she was the last one standing. Steeling her resolve with a grim smile, Ginny climbed the steps of number twelve.
She tested the handle of the door and found it unlocked. Her heart gave a slight twinge knowing that her mum would have left it that way in case they returned. Biting her lip, she pushed open the door and stepped inside.
I have to be strong.
Directly inside the entrance hall, Bill, Remus Lupin and Alastor Moody were arguing heatedly, but Ginny was too tired to pay attention to their words. None of them noticed her straightaway. Remus looked up first and caught her standing uncertainly in the doorway.
"Ginny," he said, startled.
Bill and Moody’s heads whipped around, but otherwise they were all frozen.
"Uhm…I need some help outside. We’ve got some injuries," Ginny said finally, biting her lip.
It was as if her words unfroze them. Remus and Moody pushed past her and sprinted outside, but Bill caught her by the arm before she could follow.
"Oh no, squirt, you’re not going anywhere," he said, and despite the old familiar nickname, she could tell he was angry.
His anger snapped something inside her and released her courage. There was no way she was going back to being treated like a baby — not by Bill — not by anyone.
"Let go of me, Bill," she demanded, jerking her arm free. "Hermione is really hurt, and I know right where she is. I’ll answer your questions later, but I don’t have time for this right now."
Ignoring the surprised look on her brother’s face, she turned and sprinted out the door, leading Lupin and Moody to the others.
"She’s been burned," Ron said as Remus leaned over Hermione. "She needs Madam Pomfrey right now."
"Let me take her inside, Ron," Remus said, gently lifting her from Ron’s arms. "I’ll Floo Poppy, and she’ll be here in no time."
Ron nodded, struggling to stand. Moody pulled him to his feet and grabbed him around his waist when Ron started to sway.
"Easy, lad. I’ve got you. Just lean on me, and we’ll get you inside," the old Auror said, surprisingly gently.
Bill stared down at Harry’s crumpled form, an unreadable expression on his face. After waiting a moment, Ginny finally nudged him, and he leaned over to lift Harry. He pulled Harry to his feet and threw him over his shoulder none-too-gently. Ginny bit the inside of her cheeks, breathing through her nose, and followed them inside.
When they arrived in the entrance hall, they followed Remus and Moody into one of the smaller sitting rooms where Bill unceremoniously dropped Harry to the floor in a heap.
Ginny couldn’t control her temper any longer. She whirled on her brother in a rage, holding her wand on him.
"That’s enough," she snarled.
"Ginny," he said, his own temper rising.
"Not another word from you," she spat. "You have absolutely no idea what’s going on here, and if you mishandle Harry one more time, I’m going to make certain you wish you’d never taught me the Bat Bogey Hex."
"That’s enough," Remus said sharply. "We’re not going to start fighting amongst ourselves. We’re going to tend these injuries before we sit down and calmly discuss what’s happened. I’m going to Floo Poppy. Bill, I think you should go and get your parents."
Bill frowned at Ginny for a moment before turning on his heel and leaving the room without a word.
"Stay with Harry, Ginny. I’ll be right back," Remus said, squeezing her shoulder gently.
Moody sat Ron on a chair, but he immediately moved to the floor next to the couch where Hermione lay. He held her hand tightly, gazing intently at her closed eyelids. Ginny imagined he was willing her to wake up from sheer desire alone.
Moody helped her move Harry to the empty chair, and she gently rested his head to the side. The floor where Bill had dropped him was smeared with his blood, and the fabric on the chair where they placed him was rapidly becoming stained.
"He’s going to need a Blood Replenishing Potion, but we’ll let Poppy look him over first," Moody said, his good eye fixed on Ginny while his magical eye kept spinning to watch the other three.
A commotion in the doorway caused Ginny to look up to see her parents, Bill, Fred and George all staring back at her. Her mum was pale, although Ginny could see two bright spots of color growing rapidly on her cheeks.
That was never a good sign.
Ginny glanced at her father’s face. She could read relief there, but had to look away from the disappointment she saw reflected in his eyes. What was it about parents that could make you feel so small and unsure, no matter how strongly you believed in what you were doing?
She knew she’d been right to go along with Harry and the others. She knew what they were doing was important, and that they were following Professor Dumbledore’s instructions. She also knew the great burden Harry carried, and that he was stronger with her by his side. Why, then, could the simplest look from each of her parents make her feel as if she’d done something terribly wrong?
"Ronnie," her mum wailed, finally noticing the burns on Ron’s arm. She ran across the room and grabbed his hand, trying to straighten out his arm and inspect the wounds.
Ron jerked his arm away roughly. "M’fine," he slurred, letting them all know he was anything but. "’Erminee’s hurt."
"I want to know what in the name of Merlin happened to all of you, and I want to know right now. I’m aware that you were in Diagon Alley earlier today, and now you show up here injured. Where have you been, and what have you been doing?" Molly demanded, drawing herself up to her full height. She glared at Ginny while keeping her hand on Ron’s shoulder. Molly Weasley wasn’t a tall woman, but when she was angry she appeared to grow before their eyes.
"The questions will keep, Molly," Remus Lupin said mildly as he reentered the room followed closely by Madam Pomfrey. "Let’s get their injuries healed first."
Madam Pomfrey’s expert gaze swept the room and each of the four teens before moving directly to Hermione. She set her bag on the floor and in a no-nonsense voice told Ron to move aside. Ron shifted back, although admittedly not very far.
"Are you injured, Ginevra?" her mother asked stiffly.
"No," Ginny replied, knowing what was coming and steeling herself for it.
"Then I want you upstairs and in your room. I’ll be up to discuss this with you after I’m certain your brother will be all right," her mum said in a shrill voice.
Ginny swallowed, clenching her fists so tightly her fingernails dug into her palms. "No, Mum. I’m staying."
"Don’t you dare argue with me, young lady. I’m on my last nerve with you as it is, disappearing in the middle of the night without so much as a note. There’s a war going on out there. You could have been killed," her mum shouted.
"Molly," her dad said, placing a restraining arm on her mum’s shoulder.
"No, Arthur. I want her upstairs now," her mum insisted, pointing at the door.
"No, Mum. I’m staying here until I know they’ll be all right," Ginny said, swallowing hard. "Hermione and Harry are unconscious, and Ron’s nearly delirious. I’m the only one who can tell Madam Pomfrey anything she might need to know."
She knew she was using the health of the others as her trump card, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t leaving the room. She felt this first battle of wills was pivotal in how the rest of the Order was to see them. Besides, she wasn’t about to leave Harry defenseless with her brothers in the room. Still, it was terrifying to defy her mother. There had been a time not all that long ago when she’d never have considered doing it.
"She’s right, Molly," Remus said, and Ginny could have hugged him. She looked over at him gratefully, but he averted his eyes.
Her mother’s lips thinned, and she looked as if she might cry, causing Ginny’s heart to pinch again. What she really wanted to do was to fling her arms around her mum and just hang on, but she knew she couldn’t do that. If she wanted her family to see her as an adult, she was going to have to act like one. No matter how hard that proved to be.
"This is Dark magic," Madam Pomfrey cried, pulling away from Hermione, her eyes wild. "This child is covered in Dark magic."
"Does that mean you won’t be able to heal her?" Ginny asked, panicked. She could hear the tremble in her own voice, but couldn’t hide it. All she could remember was Professor Dumbledore’s blackened hand and how dead it had looked.
"I don’t know. It’s going to take me some time to see how bad the damage is," Madam Pomfrey said, obviously shaken. "She’s stable for now, but I can’t heal these burns without some additional research."
"How did Hermione get these burns, Ginny?" Remus asked. "Can you tell us that?"
"Hermione," Ron said, his voice cracking as he attempted to move closer to her.
"Sit down, young man," Madam Pomfrey demanded. "Let me take a look at you before you go anywhere. You," she said, pointing at Bill and the twins, "begin Transfiguring this furniture into beds and make me an infirmary. I want all four of my patients in the same spot."
"Ginny’s not hurt," Bill said, staring at his sister with that same unfathomable expression.
"I’ll be the judge of that. Just do as I say," Madam Pomfrey snapped, returning to tending Ron’s wounds.
"Ginny, who caused these injuries to the others?" Remus asked, attempting to stop the bleeding on Harry’s chest with the sleeve of his robe. "We haven’t had any reports of Death Eater activity tonight."
"Voldemort," Ginny said flatly.
There were several gasps, and her mother visibly flinched.
"Ginny!" she cried as if Ginny had cursed. "Don’t say the name."
Ginny rolled her eyes. She was tired and stressed and the adrenaline from the night’s activities was beginning to wear off. She had no patience for this. "I will say the name. I’m not going to be a hypocrite about it."
"Don’t talk to your mother that way, Ginny," her father said sternly. It was so rare that her dad ever reprimanded them that it mollified her instantly.
"I’m sorry," Ginny said. "It’s been a stressful night, and I’m worried about them."
Her mother’s expression softened slightly, although she still hadn’t made a move to touch her. Ginny wished she would; she could use a hug.
Harry groaned slightly and shifted his position. Ginny immediately turned to him and brushed the hair from his eyes. "Harry?" she said.
She could see his eyes moving rapidly beneath his closed lids, but she suspected he was dreaming rather than trying to wake.
"I’ve healed most of his burns. They weren’t as severe as Miss Granger’s. Still, I need to do a little research before I can be certain," Madam Pomfrey said. Ron was sleeping peacefully in the bed Fred and George had Transfigured. Ginny suspected that Madam Pomfrey had given him a sleeping draught. She wished she could get one in order to avoid the questions she knew were coming.
"I have some questions I need answered as well, but let me tend to Mr. Potter first," Madam Pomfrey said.
"I think we all have a lot of questions," her dad said, his gaze boring into Ginny and causing her to flinch.
When Madam Pomfrey reached Harry, she waved her wand over him once and jerked back. "These aren’t burns," she said, nonplussed.
"No," Ginny replied, swallowing hard. She didn’t want to reveal anything she’d promised to keep quiet, but she had to make certain the others’ injuries were tended. She found herself wishing these weren’t her decisions to make and had a new respect for the burden that had been placed on Harry. No wonder he frequently appeared so on edge.
She desperately wanted to do the right thing, but what happened if what was the right thing wasn’t entirely clear? How was she supposed to know, let alone decide? Professor Dumbledore’s words from after the Third Task drifted back to her, something about choosing between what was right and what was easy. It would be easy to simply fall on her knees and confess everything to the Order, to place the burden of what to do on their heads. But that wasn’t what Harry would do. He’d choose the right path, no matter how much it cost him. Ginny had to choose to do what was right, as well.
"These injuries were caused by a magical creature, a dragon, if I had to hazard a guess," Madam Pomfrey said, staring at Ginny intently.
"A dragon?" Fred and George both asked, speaking for the first time. Ginny thought they looked rather impressed.
"Where on earth did you find a dragon?" her mum shrieked, looking slightly deranged. Her hair had pulled from its bun, and her eyes were wild.
"Can you heal him?" Ginny asked, ignoring everyone else in the room. Nothing was as important as getting Harry well. She needed him well so she could give him hell for leaving her here with all of them.
"Of course I can," Madam Pomfrey said indignantly. "He’ll need some Blood Replenishing Potions that will have to be taken in intervals over the next two days. He’ll probably sleep through most of it, but he’ll be fine. There won’t even be any scarring."
Two days? Oh, that’s just great.
"I’ll help with giving him the potions," Ginny said firmly.
"That won’t be necessary, Ginny," her mother said. "We’ll make certain Harry gets his potions. You have some questions to answer."
"I’m not going anywhere until I know they’re all going to be okay," Ginny said, refusing to back down. "And I don’t trust any of you with Harry right now."
"Ginevra Molly Weasley," her mother said, scandalized. "We might be upset with all of you at the moment, but we certainly would never do anything to hinder Harry’s recovery."
"Bill’s already dropped him on the floor, despite the fact he’s injured," Ginny fired back mutinously. She glared at her eldest brother, still feeling unforgiving.
"He what?" her mother bellowed, turning towards Bill.
Despite being a fully qualified wizard, not to mention a grown and married man, Bill Weasley blanched. "I would have done the same to Ron, too, if he were the one I was carrying. They had no business dragging Ginny off on their little adventure."
"’Little adventure,’" Ginny shrieked. "You have absolutely no idea what we’ve done, or what we’ve been through."
"How about you enlighten us then," Bill snarled. "Tell us why you nearly broke your mother’s heart. Do you have any idea how much you upset her? Madam Pomfrey had to be called to give her a Calming Draught that first morning. But you wouldn’t know about that since you never bothered to check or even write a note to let us know you were all right, never mind where you were. I knew Harry was up to something, but I never thought he’d drag the rest of you right into danger with him."
"He didn’t drag us anywhere," Ginny spat. "In fact, we had to force him to let us come. Professor Dumbledore left him a job to do. Completing his task is the only way Harry can beat Voldemort in the end. That’s exactly what he’s going to do, and we’re going to help him do it."
Again, the others cringed when Ginny said the name, but she didn’t care.
"Ginny," Remus began, but she didn’t let him finish.
"Look at you. All of you cringe just hearing the name. How can you possibly believe you can handle this better than us?" Ginny asked incredulously. "Professor Dumbledore trusted him; why can’t you?"
"You are just children," her mum said stubbornly.
"We’re not children. Harry’s never even been allowed to be a child, and I haven’t been since I was eleven. I’ve been touched by this war more than any of you, even you, Bill," she said, nodding towards her brother’s scars. "How any of you think you can keep us safe is beyond me. You couldn’t do it then, you can’t do it now."
"That’s enough." Madam Pomfrey said sternly. "Miss Weasley, climb into that bed." She nodded towards the one empty bed left in the impromptu infirmary, the one next to Harry’s.
"We need to ask Ginny some questions, Poppy," her dad said.
"Not right now you don’t," Madam Pomfrey said indignantly. "Minerva isn’t even here, and this is developing into nothing more than a shouting match. These children have obviously been through a shock, and nobody is going to upset them until they have a good night’s sleep. I’ll return in the morning with more information on Miss Granger."