“Anything?” a woman’s voice snapped.
“Nothing…” the man growled, “No trace of his being here… I suppose the Dark Lord was mistaken-”
“The Dark Lord is never mistaken, Yaxley!” the woman said, scathingly.
“Bella. We will find him. We will find him, and the Dark Lord will kill him. Just as planned.” Rodolphus Lestrange walked out of the shadow near the bottom of the winding staircase at The Burrow, his voice sliding through the air like poison in such a warm home.
His eyes lingered on the small redhead sprawled on the patched couch. Mud was smeared across her face, and her fingernails were broken and bore a mixture of dirt and blood. Her dress was ripped across the back, he knew, being the one who had slashed it with the cutting curse. The bloodstain on the couch was now brown and hard. The corners of his mouth turned up into a wicked smile.
Bellatrix chewed on the tip of her blood red fingernail. She too, was examining the young girl on the couch. She would remain under this spell, until it was time for her to be questioned. The Death Eater chose to disregard the fact that a sixth year had successfully resisted her Imperius Curse, stunned and bound her single-handedly.
Bellatrix’ gaze left the occupant of the ratty old couch, and swept the interior of the house. The fireplace, charred and ancient looking, sat across from the ratty furniture. An old record player, which looked horribly second-hand, sat silently in the far corner of the room. A clock, with each hand representing a member of the family, was placed on the wall. Every hand was currently pointing to Mortal Peril. Bellatrix smiled.
A shriek echoed down the staircase from one of the bedrooms and Bellatrix’ smile widened. The little redhead’s mother and father, of course, were being interrogated in a different room.
Pop.
“Mulciber,” Rodolphus greeted, “News?”
“None,” the Death Eater grunted, “Blew up the house, though,” he grinned like a schoolboy.
Bellatrix rolled her eyes and turned back to the patched couch, “We have more important things to be doing than destroying houses, Mulciber. The Dark Lord will not be pleased.”
With a flick of her wand, the occupant of the couch awoke with a start. The girl sat up slowly and pulled her red hair out of her eyes.
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“What did you see?” Ron asked, advancing on Harry. “Did you see him at my place?”
“No, I just felt anger “ he’s really angry-”
“But that could be at The Burrow,” said Ron loudly. “What else? Didn’t you see anything? Was he cursing someone?”
“No, I just felt anger “ I couldn’t tell-”
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She was in her own house, Ginny noted. She was sitting on the couch her parents had bought even before the twins were born. She looked fondly at the patchwork and blinked when she noticed the bloodstain. The pain returned, washing over her and she winced.
The Death Eaters before her were smiling. Bellatrix Lestrange twirled her wand between her long fingers, the sleeve of her robes sliding down her arm. Smiling, Ginny took note of the purple bruises around the Death Eater’s wrist.
The grin melted off Bellatrix’ face, “What could you possibly be smiling about, girl?” she snapped at Ginny.
“I was wondering which of your friends got you out of your… situation.”
Ginny raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, amused at the woman’s apparent embarrassment.
Bellatrix seemed to fight furiously with her facial features before settling into a dark scowl. Her black eyes flashing dangerously, she snarled, “Harry Potter.”
“Pardon?” Ginny asked, indifferently, although her heart had leapt at his name.
“Harry Potter was here, was he not?” the Death Eater sneered, her grip tightening on her wand.
Ginny smiled, “Why would Harry waste his days at The Burrow when the fate of the wizarding world rests on his shoulders alone? The days are numbered, Bellatrix - for both sides.”
“Hogwarts. Will he be returning to Hogwarts for his Seventh Year?”
Ginny raised her chin, determinedly, and stared back at Bellatrix in silence.
“Will he be returning to Hogwarts?!” Bellatrix spat, near hysterics. Ginny remained silent, smiling now.
Rodolphus placed a hand on Bellatrix’ shoulder and raised his wand to just below Ginny’s ribs. “There are ways, Bella…” he trailed, in a barely audible whisper.
He turned to Ginny, “Now, girl, tell us what you know of Harry Potter or suffer the consequences.” He flicked his wand.
Ginny’s left hand flew to the right side of her stomach as a slash was cut in her dress. An angry red scratch was now visible on her fair skin. She looked up at Bellatrix, her anger flaring, “Do you always have your husband save your sorry ass?”
The woman’s eyes flashed and widened in rage, but Rodolphus held out an arm. He flicked his wand once more without lowering it.
Ginny gasped in pain and looked down. She watched as a gash formed slowly where her dress had ripped. Blood trickled down to her waist and she balled her hands into fists, raising her eyes to meet Rodolphus’ in determination. She would not scream. She would not yell for help, or cry out in pain. She would not give them the satisfaction.
“Now,” Rodolphus tried again, quietly, “Will Harry Potter be returning to Hogwarts?”
Ginny kept her stony expression, biting down hard on her tongue to distract herself from the pain on her torso. She clasped her hands in her lap and sat, silent.
“That’s quite alright, I am a patient man… I will wait…” Ginny watched Rodolphus slide his wand slowly to the right, and felt the gash on her stomach follow suit. She felt her muscled contracting and screaming in protest. How much blood would she lose tonight?
Bellatrix let out an impatient huff. “I think I’ll go pay a visit to my dear sister, Andromeda,” she grinned wickedly before disapparating.
Rodolphus lifted his wand, completing the gash, and Ginny kept herself from letting out a sigh of relief. She felt the blood drip onto her arm.
“Did you hear that, girl?” Rodolphus taunted, starting a new gash, this time on Ginny’s leg, “Your dear friend Nymphadora won’t be seeing her parents any time soon by the sounds of things…”
The gash was sliding down her leg now, deeper than the last, but not quite as deep as the one on her back. Ginny bit down harder on her tongue.
Suddenly the gash stopped travelling. Rodolphus’ pulled his left sleeve up and scowled at his Dark Mark. He shot one last loathing look at Ginny. “I’ll see you again, blood traitor,” he said scathingly before disapparating.
Ginny let out a cry of pain and the tears cascaded down her face. At least a half dozen more pops sounded from rooms upstairs, the sound of Death Eaters disapparating. Relief flooded Ginny as she cried, holding her stomach.
Fred and George bolted down the stairs, both looking white as sheets, but otherwise unharmed. Ginny smiled at them half-heartedly through her tears. They were okay.
“Ginny, you’re going to be okay.” Fred took her hand and kneeled beside her, his face etched with worry.
“I’m going to get Mum.” George turned on his heel and dashed back up the winding staircase three steps at a time.
Ginny squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the pain as best she could. Seconds later, she heard several people pounding down the stairs. She let out a tense sigh.
Ginny opened her eyes. Molly Weasley was already at her daughter’s side, healing her wounds and conjuring medicinal potions. Mr. Weasley, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Tonks and Lupin were gathered around the couch as well.
“You’re very brave, Ginny,” Tonks whispered through tears of her own. Lupin wrapped his arm around her shoulders and nodded his grim agreement to Ginny.
“Ginny? You can squeeze my hand, okay? Try to distract yourself from the pain,” Fred offered gallantly.
Ginny smiled at him gratefully and squeezed. Fred screwed up his face and looked at George.
“What?” George asked incredulously.
“Her grip’s like Mum’s!”
Mrs. Weasley glowered at Fred, who wilted under her gaze, but Ginny giggled.
“They’ve left, haven’t they?” Charlie noted, more than asked.
Ginny nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks again, for an entirely different type of pain.
Fleur was stroking Ginny’s red hair affectionately. “’E would be so proud, Ginny. Really. You ‘ave been magnificent…”
Mr. Weasley stood and swished his wand grimly, a silvery substance shooting out the window.
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“Family safe, do not reply, we are being watched.”
The Patronus dissolved into nothingness. Ron let out a noise between a whimper and a groan and dropped on to the sofa: Hermione joined him, gripping his arm.
“They’re all right, they’re all right!” she whispered, and Ron half laughed and hugged her.
“Harry,” he said over Hermione’s shoulder, “I-”
“It’s not a problem,” said Harry, sickened by the pain in his head. “It’s your family, ‘course you’re worried. I’d feel the same way.” He thought of Ginny. “I do feel the same way.”
Wish You Were Here by Evans613
Chapter Notes: Thanks so much for all the fantastic reviews, you guys!
Sorry to those of you who were looking forward to the first Hogwart's Chapter! I needed to show what happened after the wedding while Harry, Ron, and Hermione were at Grimmauld Place. Hope you like it! Let me know!