I don't own anything in the Potterverse.
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The rest of the week passed as the sadness of the attacks slowly began to diminish for most of the school. Luna had temporarily left school, and was staying with an aunt while arrangements were made for her father’s funeral. Harry and his friends remained subdued most of the week, although they too seemed to brighten by week’s end.
Sunday morning in the Great Hall found Harry, Hermione and Ginny sitting down for breakfast, feeling almost normal for the first time since the previous Wednesday. Harry was just reaching for some bacon when he noticed Professor Slughorn walking purposefully towards their table. Sighing quietly to himself, he looked at the ceiling, wishing that he could find a way to avoid this conversation. He noticed the owl post was arriving.
“Harry, my boy, how are you this glorious day?” Slughorn said with a wide grin.
“Fine, Professor, getting ready to go work on the essay you set for homework this weekend,” Harry replied and watched as the owls swooped around looking to make their deliveries.
“Oh, don’t concern yourself with that, my boy. That can wait until tomorrow. However, I do want to talk with you about class.”
Here it comes, Harry thought. He hadn’t done nearly as well in Potions this year as he had done the previous year. “About class, sir?” Harry saw two small brown owls begin to descend towards their table.
“Well yes, Harry, I’ve been concerned that you haven’t done as well in class this year,” Slughorn began.
PLOP.
“Oh, this stupid, foul creature,” Hermione shouted as once again she was covered in oatmeal, as the owl struggled to extricate himself from her bowl.
Slughorn seemed a bit distracted by the scene, but quickly ploughed ahead. “As I said, you haven’t done as well in class this year. Nothing like last year, anyway, so I would be willing to tutor you if you want.”
Harry barely heard what Slughorn was saying as he watched Hermione attempt to clean her robes. He then noticed Ginny folding a small piece of parchment that the second owl had delivered to her. She seemed to be fighting a laugh, and losing.
“Harry, it’s not that you aren’t doing well”certainly you are”but someone with your background should be top of your class.” Hermione hrrumphed. “So what do you say, my boy? Perhaps you could come by my office, say a couple evenings a week?”
Harry finally realized what Slughorn was saying and became mortified. He had been doing his best to avoid Slughorn all year and to avoid the “Slug Club,” and now he was being told he would need to meet with the man several times a week. “Professor, thank you, but I don’t really think that’s necessary. I don’t want to take up more of your time or anything. I’ll just work harder, and will be up to scratch in no time.”
Slughorn looked disappointed as he got up to leave. “Very well, Harry, but if your marks don’t improve, then I am afraid I’ll have to insist.” He walked away towards the staff table.
Harry noticed that Ginny was still fighting her losing battle with laughter as Hermione was attempting to remove her breakfast from her hair. By now, both her hands were engaged in pulling out sticky knots of oatmeal and untangling her unruly brown curls.
Hermione looked very displeased with the entire table and let them know. “Ginny, please don’t laugh at me like that. I have a hard enough time with my hair without having oatmeal splattered into it every other day. Harry, I know what you are thinking of for Potions, and let me just tell you it is a very bad idea.”
“I don’t really have a choice now, do I, Hermione?” Harry retorted.
“Choice in what?” Ron asked sleepily, sitting down next to Hermione at the table. He noticed her distress and continued, “Owl again?” Hermione simply nodded as she removed the last bit of goo from her hair.
“In using Snape’s Potions book for the rest of the year. Slughorn just told me he would tutor me if my marks didn’t improve. I didn’t realize they were that bad.”
“Ah, Harry,” Hermione sighed again. “They aren’t that bad; he just wants to spend time with you and have some influence over you when we leave school. You haven’t been going to his meetings, so he is trying to find a way to become your friend.” She got up to leave. “I have to go take another shower, otherwise my hair is going to be sticky all day.”
Ron watched her go, “So, Harry, when you get the book, you gonna let me work with you? I know that my marks aren’t as good as yours.”
Harry smiled, “Sure thing. I guess I will go ahead and get it.” He got up to leave and Ginny rose to go with him.
“Just leaving me here to eat all by myself?” Ron asked in mock dejection.
Ginny quickly scanned the Great Hall, nearly empty since breakfast was almost over. “No, Ron, look”Millicent Bulstrode is still eating. I’m sure she would love some company.” Ginny smiled and turned to leave as Ron made a face and returned to his breakfast.
Harry and Ginny walked down the hall towards the Room of Requirement holding hands. He loved the feeling of her hand entwined with his. It provided a sense of peace and purpose. It reminded him that he was fighting for something very dear to him. As they walked, Ginny looked at him, again fighting not to laugh. “You want to know why Hermione’s post owl always lands in her breakfast?”
Harry turned and she thrust a piece of parchment into his hand. He read as they walked.
Hi Sis,
Does Hermione like her post owl? We charmed it to land in the plate or bowl of food closest to her whenever that owl gets assigned to deliver her Daily Prophet. Brilliant, huh?! Fred thinks we can market the idea but we don’t know how to do it in mass yet. Don’t tell her or Ronniekins though. It started out as a ‘why are you dating my prat of a brother present’ but now will be a pre-wedding present for them.
Tell Harry he had better be making us proud there, since he is the only one that we can still claim as our own, not being a prefect and all.
And tell him he had better be behaving himself with you, too.
Love, Gred and Forge,
Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, Inc.
Harry almost doubled over with laughter as he read the note. He was not terribly pleased with the warning about him and Ginny, but the idea of the twins managing to charm a post owl was incredible”the power and imagination of those two was amazing.
They both regained their composure and finally arrived at the entrance to the Room of Requirement. Harry marched back and forth in front of the tapestry of dancing trolls. I need the place where my book is hidden… I need the place where my book is hidden … I need the place where my book is hidden.
The door appeared and he and Ginny walked in, finding the old storage room in which Harry had hidden the book nearly a year before. Rows upon rows of discarded contraband items filled the room as far as Harry could see. It took several minutes for him to remember which row to travel down. Finally, after choosing incorrectly twice, he found the correct path.
He and Ginny walked slowly down the aisle, and Harry saw the bust he had used to mark the spot for his book. He then saw the old tarnished tiara sitting on top of the bust and a thought in his mind snapped into place. He stopped dead in his tracks, causing Ginny to be yanked backward by the arm.
“Harry, what are you…” she began.
“That’s the tiara I saw in the portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw. That could be the final Horcrux.” Harry took another step towards the bust, but just as he did so, he heard the door to the room open and close again.
Harry whirled around, listening, pulling Ginny next to him. He placed a finger to his lips to keep her from speaking. There was a soft click as the latch on the door caught and was locked.
Two sets of footsteps began down the hallway. It was surprising to Harry that the intruders seemed to make no effort to hide their presence in the room. How did they get in?
Harry and Ginny slowly started to inch their way towards the end of the row they had traveled down. Harry wanted to tell Ginny to wait but couldn’t risk the noise. After several halting steps he raised his mental walls to tell her to wait. He immediately felt the presence of Ron and Hermione walking towards them.
Harry visibly relaxed, something that Ginny noticed that Harry had relaxed. “What is it?” she whispered.
Smiling, Harry turned back to Ginny. “It’s Ron and Hermione,” Harry shouted. “Probably wanted to come in here for a snog; otherwise they would have let us know they were here.” He was disappointed to find they were not the least bit embarrassed.
Coming around the corner, Hermione proclaimed, “We intended nothing of the sort. Ron told me you two were coming up here to look for that stupid book, so I decided to come and try again to talk you out of it.”
“Besides, we have much better places to snog than this,” Ron announced, drawing a swat from Hermione.
“So, Harry, do you really think…what are you smiling at?” Hermione questioned, noticing for the first time the large grin spread across Harry’s face.
Harry motioned them all towards the bust with the tiara on its head. “This may be the last Horcrux. Dumbledore said he thought one of them was here. This looks just like the tiara that Ravenclaw is wearing in the portrait.
The four teens examined the tiara for a moment, in awe. “It sort of looks like Aunt Muriel’s, doesn’t it, Ron?” Ginny declared.
“How should I know?” Ron responded.
Ginny glared back at him. “Well, you certainly wore it often enough when we were kids.” Ron flushed pink, while Harry and Hermione stared wide-eyed at him.
Ron seemed to have a retort on his lips when Hermione cut him off. “As interesting as Ron’s childhood dressing habits are, we need to know if this really is a Horcrux.”
Harry again raised his mental walls and focused on the tiara. “Nothing,” he said flatly. “There isn’t the least bit of dark magic in this thing.” Disappointment settled over Harry like a wet towel. He had been sure this was it and that, perhaps, the war could end soon.
His despair was shared by the others, as they all let out a frustrated sigh. “Well, that puts us back to square one on this, doesn’t it?” Ron spoke up. “Harry, you may as well grab the book and let’s get out of here.”
Harry went to remove the book from the cupboard in which it was hidden. He moved the cage with the five-legged skeleton and went to place it on a nearby crate. He unceremoniously dropped the cage on top of the crate, as Ron and Hermione moved back toward the main corridor, and turned to retrieve the book. As he did so, the front of the crate fell away. He grabbed the book and turned, noticing for the first time that Ginny was crouching in front of the now open crate. With his mental walls up, he quickly saw the strong red glow coming from the book that had been hidden in the wooden box. He also saw that Ginny was reaching for it.
Harry moved quickly, reaching out and grabbing Ginny’s shoulder. “Ginny, no!” But it was too late. Ginny grasped the book just as Harry took her shoulder, and with a brief flash of light, they felt themselves being pulled from the Room of Requirement.
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Harry didn’t know how long or how far they traveled. He also didn’t know what form of travel this had been. It hadn’t felt like Apparating or taking a Portkey, but they had certainly gone somewhere. He was still clutching Ginny’s shoulder as the feeling of movement finally subsided.
They found themselves standing in a field. It was dark, like night, though no stars were visible. A faint light in the distant seemed to grow and capture their focus. “Harry, where are we?” Ginny questioned, obviously scared.
“I don’t know; do you have your wand?” he asked, drawing his own. He watched as she reached for hers but found nothing.
“I had it at breakfast. I don’t leave my room without it, but it’s gone.”
“It’s okay, I’ve got mine. Whatever’s going on, we have to stick together and find a way back to Hogwarts,” Harry assured her. He began to concentrate on the area around them. As his eyes grew used to lack of light, he started to see his surroundings.
“I know this place,” Ginny announced. “It’s my backyard.” The confusion was evident in her words. “How did we get to the Burrow?”
Harry stared dumbly at her for a moment, then noticed the outline of the old bedraggled house in the distance. They both began walking towards it.
“What do you fear?”
Ginny jumped. “What was that?”
Harry stopped. “What was what?” he whispered.
“Someone just whispered, ‘What do you fear?’ You didn’t hear it?” Ginny said, panic beginning to show.
“No, I didn’t hear a thing,” Harry responded, taking her hand.
As he did so, light burst on the scene, as if noon had sprung from midnight. They both shielded their eyes from the new glare until they adjusted.
The backyard was full of Weasleys. Harry could see younger versions of Fred and George being chased by Percy. Charlie was flying his broom towards the field that had served as a Quidditch pitch for years. Ginny’s mum and dad sat watching the scene. Then what looked to be a much younger Ron and Ginny came tumbling from behind a tree on the edge of the yard. They were both laughing and giggling, as they got up and brushed themselves off.
Harry and Ginny were completely perplexed by the scene. Then, with a loud scream, Mrs. Weasley ran towards the makeshift Quidditch pitch. Mr. Weasley was right behind her. Within a minute or two, Mr. Weasley was rushing back up towards the house, carrying the still form of Bill.
Beside Harry, Ginny gasped, “I remember this. I was seven and Bill took a terrible fall from his broom. He was in St. Mungo’s for weeks. I was scared to death every time he flew for years after that.”
Harry pondered this for a moment before the scene changed before their eyes. This time they were standing at the train station, on platform nine and three quarters. Harry watched the familiar scene play out, as the train began to pull away.
“What do you fear?”
For the first time, Harry saw the conversation that had taken place after the train moved around the corner. He watched as Ginny disintegrated into tears. He heard her talking about being all alone, and never getting to do anything fun.
Ginny was looking embarrassed. “I really did think that Ron was never going to come back and even if he did, he would never want to play with his stupid little sister anymore. Especially with friends like…well like you.” Her cheeks grew even redder.
“Well, you know that didn’t happen.”
The scene changed again, and this time a palpable change occurred within Ginny. They were in the Chamber of Secrets. Ginny’s lifeless form was lying in front of Tom Riddle.
Ginny squeezed Harry’s hand so tight, it hurt, but he made no move to release her grasp. They watched as slowly but surely Tom became more distinct and real, until finally he was whole, and eleven-year-old Ginny was dead.
“That’s not what happened,” Harry shouted.
Tom looked up at the noise and smiled. He walked towards Harry and Ginny, who were stunned that he acknowledged them. No one else had.
Harry looked at Ginny, who had gone extremely pale and was beginning to tremble; he pointed his wand towards Riddle.
Tom approached to within a few feet, stopped, and smiled. “Did you miss me, Ginevra?”
Harry forcefully stepped in front of Tom, pushing Ginny behind, shielding her with his body. He could feel her trembling behind him. “What is this?”
“Who are you?” Tom asked, a curious look on his face.
“You know damn well who I am. I’m the one who destroyed you last time and I’ll do it again,” Harry shouted.
Tom stood motionless as Harry leveled his wand at him. “Curious, I know Ginevra”we have had many wonderful moments together”but you… I have no memory of you. Let’s see what we can see.” At that moment the look on Tom’s face changed from careless to acute concentration.
Harry felt the assault on his mind, but was able to block it with very little effort. After a moment or two, Tom stopped and his calm expression returned.
“My, you are the powerful one,” he said coolly. “No matter, we aren’t here to see what you fear. No, we are exploring dear Ginevra’s fears. I can tell that the first two were mere trifles, but this, this is something that she truly is afraid of. Tell me, Ginevra, how much do you fear this place?”
Ginny moved out from behind Harry, refusing to cower before Tom Riddle anymore. “I don’t. Harry saved me and defeated you. Why should I fear you?”
“Ohhh, so that is what happened. I see. Well, what you say is true; you don’t seem to fear me, although this place still holds a great deal of fear for you, so I think we’ll stay here; but what do you truly fear?” Again, the look of concentration was fixed upon Tom’s face.
Harry stepped in front of Tom and broke his concentration. “Stop this!”
Tom waved his hand and Harry was sent flying across the room, landing in a heap near the wall.
Ginny gasped and Harry knew that Tom was invading her mind. “Stupefy!” he yelled. The spell never hit its mark. It was not deflected nor did he miss. It simply evaporated.
Ginny was growing paler; tears had formed in her eyes and her knees seemed to buckle. Harry fired another spell at Tom, but again the spell simply disappeared. Finally, desperate, Harry attempted to shield Ginny from the mental assault, using his own mind. He reached out to her and tried to envelope her mind with his.
He immediately felt the strain she was feeling. He could see the images that raced across her mind:
Images of her brothers dying, this way and that, images of Harry with other girls, images of Voldemort standing triumphant over Harry’s dead body. Then a final image, the probe stopped, and Harry understood what was happening.
This was the trap. The Horcrux would imprison whomever touched it in their own mind, making them face and fall to their worst fears. Finally, after a while, the person would be so exhausted from battling their own mental demons, they would certainly be no match for Voldemort.
“The enemy must weaken himself,” Harry whispered Dumbledore’s words.
Ginny collapsed on the floor, panting. Harry raced over to her, cradling her head in his hands. Her forehead was drenched in sweat and she was shaking all over.
Tom began to laugh. “See, that wasn’t so hard,” he said, a smile curling his lips. His face began to contort and change from that of sixteen-year-old Tom Riddle, to the red-eyed face of Voldemort. He laughed again, the high pitched, insane laugh of the most evil dark wizard of the age. “Now let’s see what we can make of this.
“Imperio!”
Ginny stiffened, stood and walked directly in front of Voldemort. The Dark Lord laughed again. “You see, Ginny, you fear that the Dark Lord will use you to destroy those you love. Especially young Harry Potter. Well, let me assure you that your weakness will be a great asset in the destruction of my enemies. Let’s see, whom shall we destroy first? Perhaps--”
The image of Voldemort snapped his fingers, and standing before them was Neville Longbottom. “Kill this fool!” Voldemort spat.
Ginny shuddered but raised her right hand, which was now holding a wand. The wand wavered for an instant.
Voldemort looked back at Ginny. “So weak, would you like me to show you?”
“Avada Kedavra!” Green light shot from the end of Ginny’s wand, striking Neville. “Now, Ginevra, you see how easy it is? Let’s try again.”
Snap!
Ron stood before Ginny. Harry watched as once again Ginny raised her wand, pointing it directly at Ron’s chest. A tear trickled down Ginny’s cheek as she fought for control of her own mind. Harry again reached out with his mind, only to be blocked.
Voldemort looked at Harry. “NO CHEATING!” he shouted. He turned back to Ginny. “Kill this fool, or are you still too weak?”
The wand trembled and shook in her hand, and Harry knew that if she actually allowed herself to fire, it would probably cost her her sanity.
After several moments, Voldemort again spoke. “Still not willing to do what is necessary. Don’t you see, Ginevra, that the only escape is to do what I say? Not ready yet? All right.” He again cast the killing curse from Ginny’s wand, and Ron slumped on the floor. “Let’s try someone you don’t like. Someone you have been jealous of for years.”
Snap.
Hermione stood before them. Harry was dumbfounded and desperate. He needed to find some way of helping Ginny out of this but he didn’t know how. “Ginny,” he shouted.
“Silencio!” Voldemort said without turning toward Harry. Harry was then unable to speak again.
“This one you have been so envious of, Ginevra. She’s smarter, older, gets to spend all sorts of time with Harry. In fact…” Voldemort snapped his fingers again.
Harry found himself standing in front of Ginny, holding Hermione’s hand. He tried to let go, but could not move.
“See, Ginevra, she has everything you don’t have. What are you prepared to do?”
Harry watched the look on Ginny’s face harden into a scowl. The wand stopped trembling and was leveled at his heart. He attempted to speak but no words would come.
“There we are. Conquer your weakness. Conquer your fear, by giving into it. It will be so much easier now.” Voldemort leaned into Ginny, whispering into her ear. “Give into that which you fear and it will be destroyed.”
Harry watched the words form on her lips. She made eye contact with him and began to speak, “Avada--” then she stopped.
“Come, come, this has gone on long enough, Ginevra, prove to me that you are not weak. That you are not afraid to do what is necessary!” Voldemort exclaimed, seeming to lose patience. He waved his hand and Harry and Hermione were kissing.
Harry tried to break away, but again he could not control his own body.
“No,” Ginny whispered. Harry and Hermione stopped.
“What?” Voldemort stated.
“I said no,” Ginny responded in a stronger tone. “I won’t do it.”
“You have no choice in the matter. You aren’t strong enough to defy me!”
Ginny turned and pointed the wand at Voldemort’s chest. “I won’t hurt the people I love. Not for you, nor for anyone!” she shouted.
Voldemort then began to laugh. “Is that so? Perhaps then you choose to stay trapped in your own mind forever. The only way out is to kill them.”
“I could kill you,” Ginny replied, a maniacal gleam forming in her eyes.
Voldemort’s laughter stopped. “You kill me, Ginevra, you die as well. I am your mind. You can’t live without your mind. I die, you die.”
Ginny didn’t waver. “There are things worse than death, Tom.”
“Avada Kedavra!”
Before Harry could move to stop her, Ginny fired the killing curse directly into the chest of the image of Voldemort. When the spell made contact, the Dark Lord and Ginny both fell to the ground, and Harry’s world went black.
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A/N: I hope you all enjoyed that little excursion into Ginny’s fears. Sorry the cliff hanger but they are just so much fun. Thanks as always go out to Cableguysmom and Kerrbear for their help in getting this chapter into decent shape. Thanks also to Ginny Guerra and JenC for polishing it up and making it easy to read. Thanks Ladies
Up Next, we see if Ginny survived and how Harry handles the aftermath.