Return to Reality
The train was silent but for the sound of the wheels chattering over the tracks. The bright red engine puffed away, but in the passenger cars behind it, only one person roamed the narrow corridors. The witch pushing the food trolley shook her head sadly. This wasn’t the way things were supposed to be. As irritating as it was to have scores of children rushing up and down the corridors, she wished that they would do so now. Of all the horrible things happening all over the wizarding world, nothing had seemed so awful to her as this. In all the years she’d traveled aboard the Hogwarts Express, the children had never once been this quiet.
She stopped her cart outside yet another compartment and rapped on the doorframe. Through the glass, she saw the small group inside stop talking amongst themselves and look toward her. The conversation looked to have been a serious one, but all three faces brightened when they saw who “ or rather, what “ had arrived. One tiny boy headed for the door so quickly, he tripped over the hem of his robes. She stifled a chuckle, watching as his friends caught him before he landed face-first on the carpet. Once he’d found his feet, he continued his headlong dash for the food. He threw the compartment door open eagerly, saying as he did so, “Hi, can I have a Licorice Wand, a bag of Every Flavor Beans, two chocolate frogs and a Cauldron Cake?” Here he finally paused to take a breath before adding, “Please?”
She could see one of his friends rolling his eyes. She herself couldn’t contain a smile at her little customer’s exuberance, and spoke only after she was certain she could do so without laughing. “Certainly, dear. That will be twelve sickles, eight knuts.”
The boy dug in his pockets and produced a galleon that the enchanted trolley promptly exchanged for the correct amount of change. As she handed over the first boy’s purchases, the other two left their seats as well.
Once the third boy had collected his Chocolate Frogs, she closed that door and headed to the next. Again, she knocked at the door before opening it. At the last compartment, the first years had accepted this action without question. Here, five pairs of eyebrows shot up in surprise while the sixth occupant turned her head toward the door with wide eyes. She had never knocked at compartment doors before, but this year, given the circumstances, she thought it best to give warning before entering. The death of the headmaster was bound to have affected the students “ especially the older ones. Sure enough, all six had red-rimmed eyes, though none needed to take the opportunity to compose themselves as the group of girls four compartments back had.
She was pleased to note that their grief hadn’t affected their appetites. One by one, the six students purchased cauldron cakes, licorice wands, and chocolate frogs.
After closing the compartment door, she smiled happily at the way even these older students’ eyes lit up at the sight of the food trolley.
* * *
Ginny almost laughed at her brother’s enthusiasm after the lady with the food trolley had left their compartment. Ron had been the last to visit the trolley, but he was making up for lost time. He’d ripped open the package of cauldron cakes so violently that one had nearly fallen on the floor, and now he was stuffing a second cake into his mouth as quickly as he could.
Ginny took a bite of her licorice wand to hide her smile at the look of disgust on Hermione’s face. Obviously deciding not to comment on Ron’s uncivilized eating habits, Hermione turned to look out the window instead.
Ginny glanced around at the other occupants of the compartment and sighed. The train ride so far had been a quiet one, and it looked as though it would remain so. Luna had gone right back to reading the Quibbler after eating her Chocolate Frog, and Neville and Harry were continuing a rather subdued game of Exploding Snap while nibbling on their own treats.
It was at times like this that Ginny really missed having Fred and George around. They never let things get this dull.
What can I do to spice things up a little? Ginny pondered as she watched Hermione reach down to pull a book out of the bulging bag by her feet.
Dungbombs and firecrackers were out of the question in such a confined space. She could always conjure a spider, but then Ron would be surly for the rest of the trip.
I could always kiss Harry, she thought with a smirk, imagining her overprotective older brother’s reaction. Her smirk widened to a mischievous smile as she considered the possible repercussions of that action . . .
The smile turned to a pout when she recalled her conversation with Harry just that morning. She couldn’t kiss Harry anymore, because he wouldn’t let her. She was no longer his girlfriend. Tears threatened to flow at the thought, and Ginny willed them back. He hadn’t really broken up with her; they were just taking a break. He said he was just doing it to protect her, so he must still care for her, right?
Sure, that’s what he said, spoke the nasty voice in the back of her mind. He just didn’t want Ron attacking him for breaking up with you “ this way he has an excuse.
No “ he wouldn’t. Harry’s no coward . . .
But still, she wasn’t quite sure.
I can forget about him, if he really doesn’t want to be with me any more.
Right, like you forgot about him last time, she answered herself sarcastically.
I can! We’ve only been together for a month, after all.
She stared at the subject of her thoughts in consternation. Was he as upset about their separation as she was? He was being unusually quiet, but so was everyone else. They’d just come from a funeral; of course no one was feeling boisterous.
The cards between Harry and Neville exploded, startling Ginny out of her agitated thoughts. Surprised, Neville fell over backward, landing on the floor with an audible thump. Everyone in the compartment looked up at the commotion. Ron and Harry grinned unabashedly at the sight of Neville lying sprawled on the floor, and Ginny followed suit when he tried to get up only to slip and fall once more. Luna smiled in her vague way before going back to her magazine, and Ginny was sure she saw Hermione hiding a smile behind her book just before she reached down to give Neville a hand.
As Neville climbed back to his feet, Ginny stole another glance at Harry, only to find him staring at her. For a few seconds, she was trapped in green eyes, unable to look away.
Harry broke the moment, looking down at his knees and blinking repeatedly. Ginny felt a stirring of hope.
“Thanks, Hermione,” Neville was saying.
Ginny tore her eyes away from Harry.
Hermione still looked amused. “No problem.”
“‘Oo won?” Ron asked with his mouth full.
“Huh?” Harry quickly looked up. “Oh “ Neville did.”
Seeing her chance to alleviate her boredom and avoid staring at Harry, Ginny asked, “Can I play the winner?”
“All right,” answered Neville shyly, looking pleased to have won something for once.
Ginny felt Hermione’s curious eyes on her, but ignored her, knowing that she knew that Ginny was avoiding Harry. Not wanting to meet Harry’s gaze, either, Ginny looked out the window as she rose from her seat. In that instant, a shadow flitted across the window so quickly she couldn’t be sure she hadn’t imagined it. She froze, staring out the window to see if she could catch another glimpse of it.
“Ginny?” It was the first time Harry had spoken to her since breaking up with her at the funeral. “What is it?”
“I . . . thought I saw something fly by the window.”
Everyone, even Luna, turned to look. Neville stood up to press his nose right up against the glass. After a moment, he stepped away with an unconcerned shrug. “I don’t see anything.”
“Must have been just a bird,” Ginny answered, stepping over Pigwidgeon’s cage. She’d just reached the trunk on which Neville had set the deck of cards when she happened to glance toward the window again, just in time to spot a dark, wispy something flit up and out of sight. Ginny leapt to the window and looked up, ignoring her friends’ inquiries as she watched the sky unblinkingly. An unnatural chill crept over her just before she glimpsed the hem of a tattered black robe floating above the train. It looked like “ but no; it couldn’t be “
She whipped around to look at Harry, and sure enough, the color was beginning to drain from his face. As she watched him, she began to hear the insidious voice of Tom Riddle in her mind. Harry’s eyes mirrored the same horrified realization she was sure he could see in hers. He began trembling visibly, and Ginny knew he wouldn’t be able to summon a patronus “ the memories of despair had overtaken him already.
“Dementors!” she hissed to the others, drawing her wand. The looks of confusion on her friends’ faces turned to grim determination “ or, in Luna’s case, mild interest “ and they reached for their own wands. Neville dropped the exploding snap cards with a loud pop.
Ginny was the first to cry, “Expecto patronum!” but only a thin silvery mist issued from her wand.
Damn! Harry was right; it’s a lot harder when there are dementors around.
Her misty patronus circled around Harry once before settling settling itself like a cloud just below the ceiling. The thin shield between themselves and the dementors blunted the effects enough. Hermione, whose previous attempt had barely produced a wisp of silver, was now able to produce her silvery otter. It swam acrobatically through the air, raising the temperature in the compartment almost back to normal.
Ron raised his wand to the ceiling before uttering the spell. Ginny caught a flash of silver as the little dog went through the ceiling to battle dementors atop the train. Neville directed his fire salamander through the window.
Harry stood, flashed Ginny a grateful smile, and stepped out into the corridor with his wand drawn. Ginny followed him out and gasped at the sudden cold. Harry was starting to shake again when he glanced back at the rest of the group before finally conjuring his own patronus. As if sensing that Harry needed him, Prongs didn’t leave his caster’s side.
Harry swiped at his forehead with his sleeve and turned back to face the others. “We need more patronuses.”
“Ron and I saw some D.A. members in the next car back when we were doing rounds,” Hermione offered.
Harry nodded quickly, and led the way into the next car, peering through the doors as he went. Ginny crossed her fingers, hoping fervently that they remembered their patronus lessons.
Before they reached the compartment, a pale-faced Lavender stumbled out, followed by Dean, who was shivering and rubbing his arms. Hermione stiffened at the sight of Lavender, and Ron tried to hide behind Neville.
Ginny rolled her eyes.
Dean, meanwhile, was staring wide-eyed at Harry’s patronus.
“Dementors? Here?” His voice was thin and panicky.
“Yes, dementors,” Ginny answered impatiently. “Anyone who can needs to cast a patronus.”
Dean stared at her for a moment without pulling his wand, but Lavender immediately performed the charm, sending a cloud of silvery-white floating toward the ceiling. Dean finally reached for his own wand, but before he could grasp it, a loud banging was heard from the rear of the train car. They all jumped. Ginny looked toward the door at the end of the car, which was still vibrating with blows. Hermione gasped in shocked realization. “We’re at the end of the train! They’re trying to get in!”
Dean sent his patronus flying through the metal door, but it didn’t have much effect on the dementors’ onslaught.
Ginny shuddered. There must be scores of dementors out there.
Ginny stepped up beside Harry in the hope that the two of them could keep the dementors from getting past them in the thin corridor. Prongs already stood in front of Harry, and Ginny had her wand leveled at the door, ready to conjure her cat patronus the instant the dementors burst in.
They waited, growing tenser by the second, watching the door rattle and shake. After a minute that seemed much longer, the latch groaned. Someone drew in a sharp breath, and Ginny gripped her wand tighter. She wished she could grab Harry’s hand instead. She settled for inching closer to him, so that they stood shoulder-to-shoulder in the narrow passage.
The door swung back violently and bounced against the adjacent compartment door, shattering the glass. The wind from the train’s passage swirled into the car, bringing with it a blast of freezing cold. A mass of dark-cloaked creatures completely blocked the fleeting landscape from view.
Ginny could feel Harry shaking despite the nearness of his patronus, which stood protectively in front of him. He needed help.
A fierce protectiveness rose within Ginny at the thought.
He needs me.
“Expecto patronum!” she shouted. A long, sinuous mass erupted from the end of her wand. As it slithered through the air toward the dementors, she realized what it was, and gasped.
Her patronus “ her snake patronus “ lunged at the closest dementor, revealing long fangs. It looked long enough to wrap its body around the dementor three times. The dementors were actually backing away from the snake’s assaults, and Ginny wondered for a moment what patronus venom would do to them.
With the help of Ginny’s serpent, Harry’s stag was able to lower its head and charge, forcing the dementors back with its broad antlers. The cold despair that had saturated the air retreated with its originators, and the others were able to cast their patronuses as well. Jets of silver brushed past Ginny like a warm breeze, coalescing into recognizable shapes before her eyes. The disparate group of glowing animals chased the dementors out of the train at top speed, soon moving out of sight of the open door.
Ginny turned to watch the battle now joining just on the other side of the train’s small windows. The patronuses appeared to be rounding the dementors up. Ron’s little dog nipped at the hems of the black cloaks, keeping the gathered dementors from escaping, while Luna’s “ what is that, anyway? “ cantered after the stragglers. Neville’s salamander and Hermione’s otter circled the dementors, keeping them bunched.
Where are the others? Ginny spun around and found them on the other side of the train. These patronuses seemed to be following a different strategy “ Lavender’s songbird swooped at the dementors while Prongs, the snake, and Dean’s ferret formed a line and charged, forcing the dementors to fall behind the train. The dementors were forced farther back with each charge, and though they made up part of the distance between each barrage, the patronuses were slowly making progress. Ginny bit her lip anxiously, wishing there was something more she could do.
Both battles moved back at the same rate until they met behind the train. There the dementors at last conceded defeat, turning and soaring away until the entire swarm resembled a dark cloud on the horizon.
The patronuses came back through the damaged door to dissipate in front of their creators. Ginny’s snake slithered in last of all, coiling itself up to sit in front of her. It bowed its small head down to the floor and tasted the air once with its tongue before disappearing.
Ginny stared apprehensively at the spot where the snake’s thick coils had lain. Why in the world would her patronus have taken form as a snake, of all things? After the Chamber of Secrets episode, she certainly had more cause than most to fear snakes!
But she didn’t “ she wasn’t afraid of them at all.
In her confusion, she looked to Harry, who was still beside her. He was smiling at her, seemingly unfazed by the new form Ginny’s patronus had taken.
Harry’s patronus represents his Dad . . .
The answer came to Ginny like a fairy-light winking into existence. Harry was one of the only two parselmouths she knew “ of course her patronus was a serpent! What animal form better represented a parselmouth?
Ginny smiled brightly back at Harry. The others were staring strangely at her “ Ron in particular looked flabbergasted “ but she couldn’t find it in herself to care.
Return to Reality by Chamelion
Chapter Notes: The idea for Ginny's patronus is not mine; I read it in one of nuw255's excellent fanfics and really liked it.
I hope this story gets posted this time around - I don't know what was wrong with it last time, but it got deleted. I did find and correct some spacing errors.