“The Forbidden Forest,” Harry repeated.
“Yeah,” Ginny replied, biting her bottom lip uncertainly. Sitting with her back against Harry’s side on the packed dirt of the clearing, her eyes darted into the quickly darkening nooks and underbrush, her ears listening intently as the leaves rustled with movement. Her skin prickled but Ginny wasn’t sure if it was due to the chilled dampness creeping up around them or her nerves.
“Well, it won’t be the first time I’ve spent time in here,” Harry observed, matter of factly.
“Hmm,” Ginny absentmindedly responded, her eyes never leaving the leaves.
“You know, I’ve heard it’s nice to travel with someone who’s been someplace before. They know the best places to eat, the nicest spots to sleep…”
Ginny looked over her shoulder at Harry. It took a moment for his words to make sense turning her confusion into a giggle. “Thank you, Harry.”
“For what?”
“For making me feel better about this,” Ginny waved her hands up at the trees before letting them fall to her sides.
“It’s part of the deal, Gin,” Harry replied.
“Some deal,” Ginny commented sarcastically. “So far, today alone, I’ve caused you enough intense pain that you can hardly walk and landed us in the middle of a forest infested with dangerous magical creatures.”
Harry chuckled. “I guess that leaves me a lot of room for living up to my end, doesn’t it?”
Ginny grinned. “We should get moving, Harry. Who knows? Maybe we’re not that far from the school grounds. Feel like walking?”
“No,” Harry answered honestly. “Help me up?”
“Sure thing,” Ginny answered, “that is, if I can get up.”
Pressing her palms against the earth, Ginny stiffly unfolded her body, groaning as her muscles rebelled against the movement. Gritting her teeth against the aches in her limbs, Ginny leaned down. Harry reached up and grasped Ginny’s forearms. Awkwardly, Ginny pulled as Harry struggled to shut out the fire shooting through his veins as he stood. Upright, Harry breathed heavily, his hands clamped around Ginny’s arms for stability, his eyes focused on his shoes. Ginny felt a hysterical giggle well up from inside her. Harry felt her trembling and looked up.
“What’s so funny?”
“Look at us,” she choked, “we’re like two old people, hunched over and hanging on so we don’t fall over.”
“I won’t let go if you don’t,” Harry grinned weakly.
“Sounds good,” Ginny smiled.
“Hey, Ginny?” Harry asked, “in all that stuff Madam Pompfrey sent you for dueling practice, there wasn’t anything you could conjure up now to help us out, is there?”
Ginny shook her head. “I don’t think I should try anything, Harry. Catarina was pretty adamant about seeking help if something went wrong. I don’t know what kind of internal damage occurred. I’d hate to make it worse by trying anything.” Harry nodded as Ginny continued apologetically. “We haven’t started working on how I go about working with your blood. Catarina was concerned that we get the bonding done first. We were leaving the healing part for later. Maybe she can come up to school and work on it with me there,” Ginny shrugged. “Now, could I have one of my hands? I’m going to cast a Four-Point spell to see which way to head.”
“Right” Harry said, unclamping his hand from around Ginny’s wrist.
“Point me!” Ginny commanded her wand. “Well, this way is north,” Ginny said, looking in the direction her wand indicated. “Hogwarts should be to the west, I think,” she mused. A shiver traveled down her spine as she could swear the shadows shifted in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders and turned to Harry. “Shall we?”
“Let’s go,” Harry agreed. He slowly reached for his wand in his pocket. Raising it, he muttered, “Lumos.” His wand light flickered from stronger to weaker before being extinguished with a “Pop!”
“Huh,” Harry grunted. Lifting his wand up again, Harry opened his mouth to repeat the spell, but Ginny placed her hand on his arm. Harry could feel a warm tingling where she touched him.
“Harry, I think you should probably save your energy. Your magic will return when you’re feeling better.”
Harry blinked at her. “That sounded…”
“Exactly like something Catarina would say,” Ginny agreed, grinning. “Probably because it is. Let me do this.”
Holding up her wand, she said, “Lumos.”
Leaning on each other, Harry and Ginny began to head in the direction of the castle. Two things became quickly apparent to Ginny: first, they were pretty deep into the forest - the vegetation thick, and hard to traverse. Secondly, Ginny realized while she was suffering from a throbbing soreness throughout her body, Harry was combating intense pain, as if the Cruciatus Curse had been trapped within his blood and wasn’t escaping. She knew he was trying not to, but with each step, Harry leaned into her more. She listened to his breathing - heavy and ragged -and felt his grip on her arm become tighter. They didn’t speak, all of their energies focused on forward motion. Ginny knew they wouldn’t get far tonight.
The moonlight filtered through the treetops, mixing with the light from Ginny’s wand and painting the forest floor with an eerie white glow. When the brush became too thick, Ginny performed cutting charms to create a pathway for them. She was surprised to feel a trickle of sweat run down the side of her face. The night air was cool and damp, but the effort of holding up Harry, ignoring her own discomfort and keeping her mind focused on the task at hand and not the unseen creatures that were watching their progress was exhausting.
Ginny had no idea how long they had been stumbling through the forest when the light from her wand bounced off something silvery and shiny. Ginny gasped and jerked backwards, dragging Harry with her. Harry hissed at the sudden movement.
“Sorry,” Ginny croaked. “I thought I saw something.”
Harry grunted, his chin resting on his chest. Taking a deep breath, Ginny leaned forward and held out her wand. The light flickered as her hand shook. Ginny squinted and moved the wand to the right and left. She snorted.
“Huh?” Harry asked, his breathing heavy, his eyes closed.
“I’ve found us someplace to stay for the night,” Ginny said quietly, tightening her grip on Harry’s waist.
Harry concentrated on opening his eyes so he could look at what Ginny’s wand was illuminating. He would have grinned if he could have. Overgrown with vines, covered in leaves and fallen limbs, splattered with dried mud and debris, Mr. Weasley’s old Ford Anglia sat in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, as if it were waiting for someone to take one last ride.
+++++
Nathan stood in the garden at the Burrow, staring at the kitchen door. He knew he must look a fright - his robes were torn, his knee was bleeding through his torn trousers, his skin was scraped and burned; but he knew the physical scars would heal quite a bit faster than the dull, throbbing ache where his heart used to be. It didn’t matter if it was what she had wanted; he had brought her death to her. He would know that for the rest of his life. Perhaps this was what it took to be a member of his family “ you had to possess a guilt ridden secret to carry to your grave.
Wrapped around Harry and Ginny’s bags, his arms began to ache. Setting the bags down, Nathan rested his hands in the small of his back and stretched. His eyes traveled to the sky which was turning from the blue of summer days to the pink of summer nights. He knew what Dumbledore had said was right: it was what his mother had wanted. But that didn’t make it any easier.
They had sat at the kitchen table in her cottage, hands wrapped around mugs, enjoying the sounds of the summer night. Harry and Ginny were off stargazing. ‘Getting a jump on Astronomy homework,’ Ginny had said as Harry pulled her out the door. He and his mother had shared a grin over that. Nathan was young enough to remember ‘Astronomy homework.’
“Ella Simmons,” Catarina commented.
“Who?” Nathan said, his eyes focusing on his mother’s smile.
“Ella Simmons. That’s who you first worked on ‘astronomy homework’ with.”
Nathan thought for a moment. “No, actually it was Elizabeth White, but I don’t think you ever met her. Ella was the second.”
“Oh!” Catarina laughed, “I see. My son, the heart throb!”
Nathan chuckled, his face flushing pink at his mother’s teasing. “Well, I knew I couldn’t bring just anyone home. Whoever I brought home had to be as good as you, and that was, and still is, hard to find.”
Catarina snorted. “You always could talk your way out of practically anything, Nathan.”
“Thank you,” he said smiling.
“Why haven’t you married, Nathan?” Catarina asked, cocking her head to the side.
“I told you, Mother. No one is as good as you.”
Catarina rolled her eyes. “That’s a load of rubbish, and you know it.”
Nathan’s grin disappeared as he tapped this fingers together. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
Nathan paused, his thoughts swirling around his past. Perhaps it was time to share part of it with his mother. He owed her that much.
“I did get married when I was overseas,” Nathan admitted quietly, keeping his eyes focused on his tea.
Catarina watched her son trace the cracks running through the ceramic mug with his fingers. The slump of his shoulders, the downcast eyes, the tone of his voice told her this was something he kept close to his heart for reasons of his own.
“What was her name?” Catarina asked softly.
“Anna Patterson.”
Catarina mentally turned the name over in her mind. Anna Patterson, her daughter-in-law. It was a good strong name that spoke of no-nonsense stability mixed with femininity. She liked it. Instinctively, she knew she would have liked the person who went with it, too.
“Was she a Curse Breaker?” Catarina asked, recalling the discussion they had had with Ginny about her career choices.
“Yes, she’s a curse breaker.”
Catarina’s head jerked up. “Is?”
Nathan nodded, knowing the question that was coming next.
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know,” Nathan said, meeting his mother’s eyes.
For the past several weeks, Catarina had had the feeling Nathan was scarred. Now, looking deep into her son’s eyes, she knew she had been right. Her son ran deep, but certain depths had been locked up, only to be revealed to the proper person. Reaching out, Catarina covered one of Nathan’s hands with her own and squeezed. Nathan looked at their hands, his mother’s comforting one on top of his, and realized if anyone would understand, it would be her.
“You would have liked her,” he said softly.
“I know I would have,” Catarina agreed.
The sounds of the summer night swirled around them as they fell into a comfortable silence. Catarina took a sip of her cooling tea and set the mug down, watching the tan colored liquid slosh from side to side. It was time to tell him.
“Nathan?”
“Hmm?”
“There is a way to ensure Tom can never bond with Ginny.”
Nathan looked up slowly. “What do you mean?” he asked, afraid he might already know the answer.
“I could perform an Obliteration Charm.”
“No,” Nathan answered harshly.
“It’s not your decision to make, Nathan.”
“No, you can’t do that. If you do that, it means you di-“
“It means a young girl is saved from horrible possibilities. It means no one will ever have to do what I did. No one will have to experience wha-“
“How can you be so selfish?” Nathan ground out. “This isn’t about you or your need to pay back a debt you believe you owe.”
“How can you be so selfish, Nathan?” Catarina asked coldly. “It’s not as if I can go broadcast what I’ve done or am going to do. I am simply doing this so he cannot use Ginny as he used me. Ever.”
Nathan clenched his jaw as his hands formed fists on either side of his mug. Neither of them was right, but neither was wrong either. He knew he was being selfish. He didn’t want to loose something he had just found again.
“Nathan, I would do anything to keep those two young people safe. We are at war. I may not be the best read witch around, but I hear rumors. The Death Eaters are coming closer. The attacks are getting worse. They aren’t discriminating between Muggles or wizarding folk. In times of war, people do what has to be done. This,” Catarina said, jabbing her finger at the surface of her kitchen table, “this needs to be done.”
Nathan saw the fire in his mother’s eyes and heard the truth in her voice. He could feel the prickling of tears behind his eyes. He swallowed.
“Have you talked to Dumbledore?” he asked.
Catarina nodded.
“When will you…”
“I don’t know,” she said, shaking her head. “When the opportunity arises.” Catarina stood up to take her mug to the sink. Reaching for Nathan’s, she stopped, her hand in mid-air. “Nathan?”
“Yes,” he said, looking up at her.
“Promise me you won’t blame yourself should you be involved.” Catarina’s eyes darted to his forearm.
Nathan breathed deep. “I can’t promise that, Mother, but I’ll try.”
“And one more thing. Take care of Chehalis.”
Nathan snorted. “Chehalis doesn’t like me much,” he admitted, glancing over at the cat curled on the rug in front of the door.
“No, I suppose not,” Catarina admitted, smiling at her companion. “He’s a Mediator’s cat. Don’t worry, he’ll find another. You won’t be saddled with him too long.”
Nathan felt a warm hand on his shoulder and he turned to see Dumbledore standing beside him, Chehalis tucked in his arms. Nathan bent down, picked up the bags at his feet, and followed the Headmaster toward the door.
++++
“Diffindo!”
Ginny cut away at the vines that bound the old Ford. Behind her, Harry slouched against the trunk of a tree.
“I’m almost done, Harry,” Ginny assured him, talking to fill the space between them. She tore at the vines as she cut them, wondering briefly if the vines were what was holding this old car together. Tearing the last of them away from the back door, Ginny grabbed the door handle and tugged. It didn’t move. Huffing, she dug in and took hold of the handle with both hands. Closing her eyes in an effort to block out the throbbing in her shoulders, Ginny heaved with all her weight, the door handle coming off in her hands. Stumbling backwards, she lost her balance and landed with a thump at Harry’s feet. Ginny swore under her breath.
“Why don’t you try your wand?” Harry asked, his voice raspy in the night air.
Ginny opened her mouth to answer and snapped it shut. “Right,” she answered, standing up. Pointing her wand at the door, she cast the first spell that came to mind.
“Reducto.”
Ginny jumped as the car door blasted out of the way. Perhaps overkill, she thought, but certainly effective. Moving to Harry’s side, Ginny hooked her arm around his waist and felt him transfer his weight from the tree to her. Stumbling forward, Ginny helped Harry duck into the back seat first then climbed in next to him. Ginny’s hand brushed Harry’s arm. His skin was cold and clammy. Raising her wand, she performed a warming charm instantly raising the temperature of the car to a comfortable level. Turning to see if that was acceptable, Ginny smiled tentatively at Harry. His head was resting on the window, his glasses skewed, his eyes closed. She watched his chest rise and lower, rise and lower.
“Harry?” she whispered.
He didn’t reply. He was fast asleep. Ginny’s eyes prickled with unshed tears as she watched him sleep. She wouldn’t let herself cry them now, though. When we get to school, she told herself. Ginny snuggled down into the seat and closed her own eyes. Minutes later, the healing power of sleep claimed her.
++++
It might have been minutes or hours, Ginny wasn’t sure. All she knew was she had woken up being thrown on top of Harry as the car leaned precariously to one side. Harry grunted as she tried to push off him. Suddenly the car tilted the opposite direction, sending Harry and her careening across the backseat. Ginny caught herself on the car frame, barely hanging on as Harry crashed into her. The car stopped moving for a moment and Ginny could have sworn she heard…thunder? Suddenly the car started jerking up and down, as if a rope had been attached to the top and the car was someone’s child plaything.
“What the ““ Harry yelped, as his head hit the car roof.
“Ow!” Ginny cried out as the car returned to the back-and-forth, side-to-side pitching.
”GRAWP! Leave the car alone!”
Rubbing her shoulders, Ginny blinked at Harry, her heart leaping. Harry winced and smiled at the same time.
“Hagrid!” They both exclaimed right before the car started the up-and-down bouncing again.
“HAGRID!” Ginny yelled, bracing herself between the front seat and the backseat.
“GRAWP?” they heard Hagrid exclaim. “Grawp, was that yeh?”
The car stopped. Not wasting any time, Ginny scrambled out of the back seat.
“Hagrid!” she yelled, waving her arms wildly above her head as her feet met the ground.
Looking up, she saw Grawp looking down at her.
“Girllee?” Grawp said.
“Grawp! What are yeh doin’? Leave that ol’ ca- Merlin’s beard!” Hagrid said, jumping back in surprise at the sight of Ginny. “Ginny Weasley? What are yeh doin’ here? In the back o’ your da’s ol’ car?”
“Hagrid!” Ginny said, dodging around Grawp’s tree trunk legs. “Are we ever glad to see you! Are we close to school?”
“We? Yeh got company?”
“Harry’s here, too.”
“Harry? Get out o’ the way, Grawp!” Hargrid pushed his way around his half-brother and stuck his head inside the car. “Blimey, Harry! What happen’ ter yeh?”
“Long story, Hagrid,” Harry said, struggling to push himself out of the car.
“ ‘ere, let me ’elp,” Hagrid said, setting down his crossbow and putting his arm around Harry’s shoulders and pulling him upright. “Wha’ happened ter you?” he repeated.
“Uh, well,” Ginny stared, catching Harry’s eye briefly. “We were staying at Professor Borgin’s cottage for a few weeks.”
“Oh, yeah,” Hagrid nodded. “Dumbledore, he told me about that. Some sort a blood ceremony to protect the two of yeh.”
Ginny nodded. “We were in the middle of the bonding and Lucius Malfoy interrupted us. Professor Borgin held him off until we could get away.”
“’ow’d yer end up ‘ere?” Hagrid asked, looking confused.
“We Apparated,” Harry said, rolling his shoulders back. He was somewhat relieved to find the intense burning pain had started to subside into dull thudding ache which proved to be slightly more manageable.
Hagrid’s beard twitched as he raised his eyebrows at Ginny.
“Well, I was learning, just in case,” Ginny flushed. “Unfortunately, my aim is still a little off. Harry was hurt and I wanted to get him help. This was the closest I could get us to Hogwarts.”
Hagrid turned to Harry. “’ow bad do yeh ‘urt, Harry?”
“I feel as if I’ve been trampled by a herd of hippogriffs, but I’ll live,” Harry said, grinning weakly at his friend.
“Do yer wan’ Grawp to carry yeh?” Hagrid asked, glancing over at his half-brother. Grawp at the present was pulling up a nearby dead tree trunk with a circumference of a small Muggle wading pool. Harry watched as he lifted it in his massive hands and broke it in two.
“Uh, no, that’s alright,” Harry said wincing. “If we’re not terribly far, I think I’ll try walking.”
Hagrid grinned at Harry. “Alrigh’. Tell me when yer gettin’ tired an’ we’ll rest a bit. ‘ave yeh eaten anything?”
“No!” Ginny answered, her hand clenching her stomach.
Harry almost contradicted her, his stomach rebelling at the thought of Hagrid’s rock cakes. But he kept his mouth shut, knowing he needed his energy to make it back to school.
Hagrid swung the battered brown leather satchel he had strapped across his chest around to the front of his body. Unbuckling the buckles, he lifted the flap and reached in, pulling out a handful of what looked like dried fruit and nuts. Reaching behind him, Hagrid pulled a wineskin over his head and handed it to Ginny.
“It’s jus’ Pumpkin Juice,” Hagrid assured her as she looked at the bag uncertainly.
“Oh! Thanks, Hagrid,” Ginny said gratefully, removing the cork and tipping it into her mouth. When she was done, she passed it to Harry.
Munching on a handful of nuts, Ginny took a good look around at where they were. Even though she assumed it was morning by the few pin points of sun breaking through the tree branches, there wasn’t much more light this morning than there was last night.
“Exactly how far from school are we, Hagrid?” she asked.
“Well, see ‘ere, Grawp and I set out yesterday mornin’ righ’ after breakfast. We made camp after sunset and have been walkin’ now, fer abou’ an hour.” Hagrid looked west and scratched his beard. “Probably abou’ a day’s walk.”
Ginny grinned, feeling a giggle about to erupt from her middle. She couldn’t help it. They were only a day or so from Hogwarts and they had been found. Ginny threw herself at Hagrid and hugged him.
“Oh, well, now, there,” Hagrid said gruffly, looking at Harry who grinned at him.
“Don’t worry, Hagrid, you get used to it after a while,” Harry joked weakly.
“Righ’,” Hagrid said as he felt Ginny release her stronghold on him.
“So, Harry,” Ginny said, smiling brightly at him, “you ready?”
“Yeah,” Harry replied, pushing himself off the car. Putting his right foot forward, Harry wobbled as the muscles in his legs stiffly stretched. His arms flailed as he tried to balance himself. Hagrid quickly caught one arm and hoisted Harry up, holding him to his side.
“Migh’ need to make it two days walk,” Hagrid said grinning down at Harry.
Harry chuckled. “Right!”
“Come on, Grawp!” Hagrid shouted over his shoulder. “We’re headed this way.”
Grawp looked at the boulder grasped between his hands and shrugged his shoulders. Turning to follow his brother, he ambled behind the slow moving group.
“An’ leave the boulder, Grawp,” Hagrid directed.
Grawp sighed. Without looking, he tossed it over his shoulder and continued walking. Everyone jumped as the rock met metal, crushing through the roof of the Ford Anglia.
++++
The smile that had spread across Molly’s face as she opened the door quickly faded. “Nathan! You’re hurt. Albus, is that a cat? What are you doing here? Where are Harry and Ginny? Are they alright?”
“Hello, Molly,” Dumbledore greeted as he entered the burrow, struggling to hold onto the cat in his arms. Having suffered the indignity of Apparation, Chehalis pushed off Dumbledore’s chest and flew onto the kitchen table. Standing still for a moment, nose and tail in the air, Chehalis took one look around the room, spied the staircase and leapt down. Without a look back, the cat padded up the stairs and disappeared.
“Is anyone else at home?” the Headmaster asked.
“Ron and Hermione are upstairs doing homework. Otherwise, no, everyone else is out. What’s happened?” she asked, her hands beginning to twist in her apron. “Where are Harry and Ginny?”
“We don’t know,” Nathan answered flatly.
For a split second, horror stunned Molly into silence before she erupted and flew at Nathan. “WHAT?” she shrieked, grabbing the front of his tattered robes and dragging him down. “WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM?”
“MOLLY!” Dumbledore intervened. The sheer power and volume in her name made Molly spring back from Nathan, her hands releasing the fistfuls of robe she had snared. “It’s not his fault.”
“Yes, it is,” Nathan insisted. “It is my fault.” Nathan held up his hand as he saw Dumbledore open his mouth to contradict. “I’m not talking about my mother’s death, Albus.”
“What?” Hermione asked as she entered the kitchen. “Catarina’s dead?”
“What’s Catarina’s cat doing on Ginny’s bed?” Ron asked as he stopped behind Hermione.
“Catarina’s dead, Ron,” Hermione said, placing her hand on his arm.
“Maybe it’s for the best,” Ron said snidely, glancing at Nathan.
“Ronald!” Hermione and Molly said in unison.
“Mum! You don’t know the half of it! That witch bond-“
“Ron!” Nathan cut in harshly. “It’s my story. Let me tell it.”
Ron’s face flushed as he clamped his mouth shut.
Nathan took a deep breath and dropped the bags at his feet. His voice cracked slightly. “After Ron and Hermione left this afternoon, I brought Lucius Malfoy and Tom Riddle to my mother’s home. Har ““
“YOU BROU “ “
“HARRY and Ginny,” Nathan continued over Molly’s outburst, “had been sent to perform the Blood Bond.”
“I don’t understand,” Hermione interrupted. “The cottage was protected. What happened to the wards?”
“I altered the wards,” Nathan answered quietly.
“YOU ALTERED THE WARDS?” Molly flared.
“I had to.”
“No, no, NO YOU DIDN’T” Ron exploded, pushing past Hermione.
“YES, HE DID!” Dumbledore roared, his voice vibrating off the kitchen walls. Human movement stopped in the kitchen as all eyes turned to the Headmaster. “Please, let Nathan finish.”
Nathan cleared his throat. “Harry and Ginny were sent to perform the bonding ceremony,” he repeated. “My mother stayed behind to face…him.” Nathan’s eyes roamed the room, touching on the clock, the beams in the ceiling, the top of the door jam. “My mother’s bond was Tom Riddle.”
Molly gasped and sputtered. “Your mo-mother and he “ he “ he “ “ Molly shook her head, her breathing coming in short, heaving pants. “YOU KNEW THIS BEFORE?” Suddenly it dawned on her who else knew and whirled to face Dumbledore. “Albus!” she said shocked. “How could you do this to us?”
Dumbledore sighed heavily. “Molly, this was the right thing to do.”
“Right thing? RIGHT THING?”
“Molly ““
“You knew! YOU KNEW AND YOU STILL LET HIM TAKE GINNY AND HARRY? THEY COULD BE HURT! OR WORSE!”
“I’m sure they’re fine, Molly,” Dumbledore assured. “Ginny’s a bright, strong witch ““
“SHE’S A CHILD, ALBUS! A CHILD!”
“She’s an accomplished Mediator, Molly,” Dumbledore corrected.
“Don’t you DARE say that word in my home,” Molly hissed. “I should have never let her go.”
“Yes, you should have. This will protect her and Harry.”
Hermione nervously cleared her throat and stepped forward. “Nathan, what happened to your mother?”
“My mother was able to perform what is called an Obliteration Charm at the moment Voldemort killed her,” Nathan interrupted. “He will not be able to bond again.”
“Did Harry and Ginny complete the bond?” Hermione asked anxiously.
Nathan shook his head. “The ceremony was interrupted.”
“By who?” Ron asked.
“Lucius Malfoy.”
“LUCIUS MALFOY?” Molly shrieked, her fury turning her into a maternal tornado. “YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN THEM OUT OF THERE. THEY WERE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!”
“I KNOW!” Nathan roared back.
“Where are Harry and Ginny?” Hermione broke in desperately.
“They escaped,” Nathan barked, breathing heavily.
“Where?” Hermione pushed.
Nathan sighed, pressing his palm to the throbbing pain gathering above his right eye. “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know? HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW?” Molly screeched incredulously.
“They Apparated,” Hermione deduced.
“GINNY CAN’T APPARATE!” Molly cried hysterically.
“Yes, she can,” Ron answered. “Well, sort of.”
“Harry was teaching her how to Apparate,” Hermione explained apologetically to Molly. Seeing the shock and anger building in Molly, she hurried on. “Just in case she would need to get away quickly.”
Molly’s chest heaved as she changed focus, her eyes shooting flames at the man she knew was at fault for all of this.
“Get out,” she said coldly to Nathan, her finger pointing at the door.
“Molly ““ Dumbledore started.
Molly shook her head, her finger shaking at the exit, “Don’t ‘now Molly’ me, Albus! You brought him into the Order. You brought him into this family. It is because of him my daughter went off to perform some idiotic ceremony. It is because of him my daughter and Harry are Merlin only knows where in what sort of state. No, Albus, I’ve had enough of him and you for right now. GET OUT!”
Somewhere in the back of Nathan’s mind he could fully comprehend Molly’s anger and fear, but he was past being rational. Nathan clenched his fists in his robes, his nostrils flaring. He straightened his shoulders and stepped forward so he was toe to toe with Molly Weasley.
“I apologize for not fully disclosing the nature of my mother’s relationship with Tom Riddle. However, I will never apologize for trying to provide protection for your daughter and Harry. My mother died protecting Harry and Ginny. She gave her life ensuring Voldemort would never be able to use either one of them like she had been used.
“And whether you like it or not,” Nathan growled, “I will do everything in my power to make sure Harry and Ginny are able to complete their bond because in the end, their love very well might save us all.”
With that, Nathan pulled his robes around him, brushed past a stunned Molly Weasley and out the kitchen door.
++++
Harry rolled over on the hard ground and felt a rock bite into his back. Or at least he thought he did. It was hard to tell with all the other twinges tingling throughout his body. The tremors rumbling the ground beneath him didn’t help either. Harry glanced toward the epicenter of the quakes. Grawp and Hagrid lay head to head, mouths open, snores reaching the tree tops. He shifted to his side, wincing as he placed his weight on his shoulder.
“Hey,” Ginny said softly, turning over to face him. “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine,” Harry replied automatically, his jaw clenched as he bent his knees.
“Uh-huh,” Ginny replied in a sarcastic whisper. “Me, too. Never better.”
“Good,” Harry yawned, blinking sleepily.
“I think we made good progress today,” Ginny said, resting her head on her elbow.
Harry grunted as his eyelids drifted close.
Despite having Grawp clearing their path, covering much ground through the Forbidden Forest had been difficult. Trudging along, Harry had felt like he’d run one of those Muggle marathons and not stretched properly after. He shuffled more than he walked, mentally cursing the roots in his path that demanded he find the strength to pick up his feet in order to go over them. Hagrid had found a stick for Harry to use as a sort of crutch, wrapping one of his tea towel size handkerchiefs around the top of it for padding.
Recovery wise, Ginny had been in better shape than him but still favored her right side. As they walked, it occurred to Harry that the curse would have traveled out of her into him through her right hand, where her cut was currently hidden under half a bandana. Hagrid had followed Grawp, occasionally having to redirect him back when the rustling of leaves or a particularly interesting rock distracted him from his trailblazing duties.
They had made camp as the sun set. Dinner had been dug from Hagrid’s bag. Hagrid then lent Ginny and Harry his coat to sleep under. Ginny had insisted on performing a warming charm over all of them and Hagrid hadn’t refused. In fact, Harry had noticed, Hagrid had seemed somewhat touched, getting all flustered as Ginny had checked to make sure he was warm and cozy.
Harry felt Ginny pull the collar of Hagrid’s coat around his shoulders as sleep finally claimed him.
Several hours later, the first rays of weak morning sun poking through the leaves, Harry found himself trudging along behind Ginny. Even sleeping in the cupboard under the stairs had been more comfortable than the few hours of slumber he had managed to get during the night. What surprised him most, though, was with every hour, he felt a little more like himself. Not that he wouldn’t be happy to see Madam Pompfrey, but at least he was pretty confident the damage he had suffered was temporary. Looking up, he saw Ginny standing in the middle of the path in front of him.
“Ginny?” he asked, stopping behind her. “Are you okay?”
Ginny swallowed and nodded slightly. “It “ it’s…”
Harry looked in the direction Ginny was facing as her voice trailed off. They were standing just outside the clearing where Lucius Malfoy had attempted to perform the immortality spell.
“It’s so…empty,” Ginny whispered.
Staring at the hard dirt floor, Harry remembered that night: Ginny, lying on the ground, not moving, her arm bleeding. He shuddered and felt Ginny’s hand reach for his, a warmth spreading up his arm. Ginny tugged at his hand.
“Come on,” she said. “Let’s keep going.”
Harry was turning to look at Ginny when he saw movement, a flash of black followed by a howl of rage.
“GRAWP!” Hagrid bellowed. “HARRY! GINNY!”
Ginny and Harry dove behind a nearby stump. Harry hissed as he landed. Ginny pulled her wand from her pocket and scrambled up.
“Two Death Eaters,” Ginny gasped. “I see two Death Eaters.”
“Where’s Hagrid?” Harry said angrily, feeling completely helpless.
Ginny pointed her wand at one of the Death Eaters.
“EXPELLIARMUS!” she shouted.
The flash of scarlet light radiating from Ginny’s wand hit the Death Eater squarely in his chest, blasting him into the tree trunk directly behind him, his wand flying.
The second Death Eater whirled around. A bludgeoning spell blasted into the stump, splinters and bark flying. Harry pulled his wand from his pocket and aimed.
“No!” Ginny said frantically to him. “You can’t, Harry!”
“What do you expect me to do? Just sit here?” Harry growled.
“For now, yeah!” Ginny replied, leaning out to point her wand. “STUPEFY!” she shouted. The second death eater dodged the stunning spell, diving to the ground behind a log.
Harry leaned to the side, pointing his wand toward the log.
“HARRY!” Ginny cried.
Harry opened his mouth to send a bludgeoning spell in the direction of the death eater when Grawp exploded through the underbrush, Hagrid right behind him. The Death Eater behind the log pointed his wand toward Hagrid as Grawp reached over the log, hoisting him up under his arms and tossing him into the middle of the clearing. He landed with sickening thud. Harry could hear him gasping for breath amidst the dust clouding up around him.
Pushing against the tree he’d landed against, the first Death Eater struggled to his feet. Ginny scrambled forward and aimed.
“EXPELLIARMUS!”
The Death Eater blasted back into the tree trunk again. Ginny glanced toward the second Death Eater in the clearing. He wasn’t there. She couldn’t see him anywhere. Panting, Ginny whirled around as she heard a crash through the underbrush behind her. The Death Eater lunged through the brush at Harry. Harry pointed his wand.
“EXTUNDO!”
Harry’s wand ignited and fizzled, the bludgeoning spell burning out before it even left, Harry falling back against the stump from the effort. The Death Eater laughed as he dove.
“NO!” Hagrid bellowed, pulling back his cross bow.
As Hagrid fired, Ginny spun to face the first Death Eater who groggily held up his wand. With a “Pop!” he was gone. Breathing heavily, Ginny turned and looked down at the Death Eater at her feet, the end of the arrow from Hagrid’s crossbow sticking out an odd angle from under him. Ginny didn’t hear Hagrid come up behind her.
“Is ‘e dead?”
Ginny swallowed and nodded. She felt Hagrid’s hands rest on her shoulders and turn her away.
“I’m sorry yeh ‘ad to witness that,” Hagrid replied lowly.
Ginny nodded again as her eyes came to rest on Harry. Slowly, she fell to her knees and put her hand on Harry’s leg.
“Harry?” she spoke, her voice shaking slightly. “Harry, are you alright?”
Harry lay slumped against the tree stump, his eyes shut, his breathing labored. Ginny paled as she realized he’d slipped into unconsciousness. Ginny pushed herself off the ground.
“Hagrid, we need to get Harry to Madam Pomfrey quickly!”
“Grawp!” Hagrid called to his brother who was waving his hand through the air and staring at the spot where the first Death Eater had Disapparated from. “Come ‘ere. We need some ‘elp.”
Ginny watched as Grawp ambled over, looked at Harry and the Death Eater and scooped up Harry as easily as if he were a pillow.
“Easy, Grawp,” Hagrid cautioned as the giant adjusted Harry’s form in his arms and started off in the direction of the school grounds. Hagrid turned to look at Ginny.
“It’s going t’ be alrigh’,” Hagrid comforted her gruffly. He noticed Ginny’s eyes dart to the Death Eater. “I’ll come back fer him later.”
Ginny nodded, her face pale, her hands shaking. Suddenly, she turned and gave Hagrid a quick hug. “Thanks, Hagrid.”
Hagrid grunted as he felt Ginny’s arms squeeze him. “Yer welcome. Now come on. Let’s go.”
Ginny released Hagrid and smiled weakly at him before turning to hurry after Grawp and Harry.
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A/N “ Not my favorite chapter. I know it needed to be a transitional but I arrived at this point in my story and I just wanted them to get to school. And they do get to school next chapter. Thankfully!
As always, thanks to my betas, vmchemteach & Kissmegrint.