Falls the Shadow, Part Two
In the days following Harry’s birthday, Ginny spent the vast majority of her time doing chores her mother assigned as punishment for her indirect involvement in his –escapade.†In that time, Ginny had mucked out the chicken coop, daily collected the chickens’ eggs, de-gnomed the garden at least half a dozen times, tidied up the kitchen, the front room, the back room, and all the bedrooms, and spent half her time between these chores peeling potatoes or slicing up carrots or some other vegetable to help her mother with the cooking. In fact, Ginny was working so hard, without the assistance of magic, that by the next Monday she’d almost forgotten that there was magic to do the chores.
Intended as a punishment, these chores actually turned out to be a welcome distraction for Ginny, who thought that she’d think herself to insanity if she weren’t actually doing something hands-on. For one thing, since Harry left, the memory of Tom Riddle had started haunting her again, now almost every night.
On Wednesday morning, exactly a week after Harry’s escape, Ginny woke up at about three, and unable to fall asleep again, she wandered downstairs, as she so often did, to get herself some water. She then took a seat at the kitchen table and looked out the window to the night sky, unpolluted, as always, by urban lights, and, of course, unchanging.
The boy turned and saw her, then he recoiled at the glare etched on her face.
–Aren’t you Ron Weasley’s sister?†he asked uncertainly.
His apprehension, his weakness, filled her with a sort of insane, sickening delight. They were mere playthings, these children, an outlet for her power. Excited about the anticipated power she soon would feel, she began the attack, closing in on her prey like a wolf closing in on a lamb. A low, poisonous, acidic hiss escaped Ginny’s lips, a sound both unfamiliar and so familiar to her. The diabolical instructions issued forth, meant for very different ears from the new victim. The boy took a step backward, horrified.
–Parselmouth!†he cried. –You and Potter! You’re in it together! Parselmouths!â€
A ghost with a partially severed head rounded the corner, and asked wearily, –What’s going on here?â€
Nearly Headless Nick and Justin Finch-Fletchley froze like statues at a flash of yellow from the corner nearby, and some part of Ginny, suddenly alert, screamed out in terror.
No!†she wept. –I didn’t mean to, I didn’t know, I don’t remember!â€
Ginny closed her eyes and put her head in her hands as she remembered her most recent nightmare. She still remembered weeping helplessly, hopelessly, and with terrible desperation as Riddle forced her to see the things she did, to remember his pleasure at others’ pain, at how powerful hurting and killing people made him feel. It made her feel physically ill, remembering the pleasure Riddle made her feel.
You never would do those things, she had told herself, over and over again, clinging to that thought throughout the years following her first year at school, repeating the thought like a mantra. By the time she was fifteen, Ginny had almost convinced herself of it.
The stars were unchanging, and the moon was out, almost in the same phase in which it had been that night, the month before, when she confided these nightmares to Harry. The comfort she felt at finally opening up to the one person would might understand had been enormous; but now, in a similar scene to that night, Ginny was alone, without anyone to listen.
The stars were unchanging, but Ginny didn’t go outside to look at them this time; it was too painful to behold.
She had no idea how long she sat there, forcing herself not to think of the Chamber, but it must have been several hours, because after a while she became vaguely aware of the sun rising. This had been her morning routine, her nightmares waking her in the very early hours of the morning, and every time, she would be unable to find sleep again, at least for a couple of hours. But her thoughts always were so bleak that she’d been unable to appreciate the sunrises she’d witnessed as a result.
That was how Molly found her some hours later, with her head in her arms, only half asleep and feeling too exhausted to move. When Ginny heard her mother enter the room, she expected Molly to immediately assign her another chore. To her surprise, Molly left her alone, and when Ginny finally raised her head, she realized that her mother, now cracking open eggs with her back turned, had left her daughter a cup of tea.
In spite of this motherly act of kindness, however, Molly didn’t say a word to Ginny, not then or even ten minutes later. Ginny sipped her tea slowly, watching her mother work, and after Molly finally served Ginny a couple of slices of toast, she immediately left the room. Ginny looked at the toast for a few minutes, and a sudden wave of heartache and loneliness swept over her. Perhaps it was her earlier reminder that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were no longer there for Ginny to talk to, to confide in, but suddenly Ginny realized that she hadn’t really spoken much to anyone for this past week, not since George visited the day after Harry’s birthday. Normally Ginny would perhaps write to Luna or Neville, but since the new security measures were placed on the Burrow, the Weasleys hadn’t used owls at all. Besides, Errol was getting too feeble and decrepit to serve as a post owl. Ginny couldn’t be sure, but she doubted that Errol would make it to Christmas.
She suddenly had an overwhelming desire to visit Luna; she’d have someone to talk to, and Luna somehow always managed to bring some cheer out of people when they were down. Unfortunately, Ginny wasn’t allowed to leave the Burrow either, not unescorted, anyway, and since her father and brothers were too busy, and most of the Order were still angry with her, she was stuck at the Burrow.
There was a loud knock on the front door, but when she heard her mother descend the stairs and enter the front room to answer it, Ginny remained at the table, still staring at her breakfast, but unable to touch it. She was vaguely aware of voices in the front room, though, and she immediately stiffened as she recognized Hestia Jones’s voice as well as Tonks’s.
The Order was another reason Ginny welcomed the chores Molly had assigned her. Every time one of them came to call, they would either ignore Ginny or act unusually short with her. She supposed it was only to be expected, but their coldness aggravated her. It was less the case with Remus and Tonks, but when they visited, both of them had been unable to meet Ginny’s eyes.
Not wanting to deal with Tonks and Hestia now, Ginny took her toast and quickly made her way out the kitchen, through the back room, and out the door. She then took a seat on the back porch and finally took a bite of the toast, which had gone cold. But with nothing better to do, Ginny choked down her breakfast, and then remained there, hoping that Tonks and Hestia would be gone by the time she went back in.
Then the door opened, and Ginny looked up to see Tonks looking at her with an unreadable expression, an unusual look for Nymphadora Tonks. After an awkward moment, Ginny carefully said, –Morning, Tonks.â€
Tonks rolled her eyes. –There’s no need to greet me like an Auror on business and not as a friend. I come in peace.†Ginny stared as Tonks took a seat on the porch beside her. Tonks didn’t look at Ginny, but watched a gnome run from its hole to the dustbin by the shed to rummage through the garbage. Then Tonks hesitantly looked at Ginny. –I admit that I don’t know if I’d have had the guts to say what you did at the meeting the other day.†She inhaled deeply. –But I hope I would have.â€
Relief swept over Ginny, easing her earlier loneliness, and she found herself smiling. Tonks returned the grin.
–You’re perfectly right,†she continued. –Now that we’ve lost Albus, we can’t continue pretending that nothing’s changed. What we must do is get back on track and work out how best to continue the fight without him.â€
–Is the Order going to make any changes in its approach, then?†asked Ginny curiously.
Tonks shook her head. –I’m not sure,†she said. –There’s been a lot of arguing since that night. But I speak for a third of the Order when I say that we should follow Albus’s last orders and move away from finding or protecting Harry and return to trying to stop the Death Eaters as we always have done.â€
–Would you still feel that way if Dumbledore hadn’t told Kingsley to let Harry go?†asked Ginny.
–Honestly?†Tonks shrugged. –I don’t know. But I was uncomfortable with how little the Order was getting done, even before Harry left.†She sighed. –I suspect that a fair number of the Order, your mother in particular, are going to disregard Albus’s letter and still try to look for Harry.â€
Ginny scowled.
–I know,†Tonks shook her head exasperatedly. –The problem doesn’t just lie in going off track, though. Having brought up seven children, for Molly, the word ‘safety’ has come to mean keeping her children in sight or at least close by at all times. Thus it is hard for her to understand that, in an odd sort of way, the Order would do more to protect Harry, in this particular case, by not looking for him. You see, Kingsley wants to try to hide Harry’s disappearance from the Ministry for as long as possible, but if the Order makes finding Harry a priority, we’ll only draw attention to the fact that he’s gone, and then Scrimgeour will find out sooner than desirable.â€
–And once the Ministry finds out, the Death Eaters find out,†Ginny stated. –Well, Kingsley’s certainly no fool.â€
–You didn’t seem to think so when you shouted at us all at the meeting the other day,†Tonks said, grinning. –But yes, you’ve hit the crux of the matter. The Death Eaters won’t go looking for Harry because they don’t know that he’s run off. If we openly look for him, the Death Eaters will find out, and then they will start hunting him.â€
–Ginny!†Molly called sharply from somewhere inside.
–What’s she got you doing this time?†asked Tonks, grimacing sympathetically.
–Who knows?†Ginny sighed. –She can’t keep doing this, though.â€
Tonks twisted around to look at the door. –Aren’t you going to answer?â€
–Nah. I’d give it about five minutes before she starts looking for me.â€
Tonks was silent for a moment. Then she asked, –What’s your dad think of this?â€
–He doesn’t say much to me these days,†Ginny replied, trying to keep her expression neutral, but she felt another pang of loneliness. Her mother’s punishments were only to be expected, but Arther’s giving her the cold shoulder stung worse than Molly’s anger.
Tonks frowned, and to Ginny’s horror, she began looking at her closely, taking in her tired demeanor. Ginny looked away, not wanting her friend’s pity.
–You know what you need?†Tonks finally asked.
–A potion to give me some extra energy?â€
–Well, there is that,†Tonks conceded. –I was going to say is that you need to get away from the Burrow, at least for a few hours. Take a break.â€
Ginny snorted. –Like you’ll get Mum to agree to that. Anyway, where do you want me to go?â€
–Up to you, of course,†Tonks answered. –But why not your friend’s place? Luna Lovegood? What with the security measures going up around the Burrow, I doubt if you’ve been able to keep in touch with her much.â€
–Do you know Legilimency?†Ginny asked incredulously. –Because I’ve been trying to think of ways to give Mum the slip, just for a short while, to visit Luna.â€
–Well, then,†Tonks said cheerfully, –perhaps we can persuade Molly. She’s less likely to object if you’ve got an escort, which I’ll be happy to provide.â€
Ginny felt a bit happier at the prospect of visiting Luna. –You think you could talk to Mum? She’s worked me so hard lately that I dunno what else I can do to make the Burrow look tidier.â€
–Good point.†Tonks stood and looked up at the house thoughtfully. –Your place has looked so clean lately that I think even Harry’s aunt might approve of it. I can’t think of a better way to mortify Molly than to be compared to Petunia Dursley. Might get her to lay off for a bit.â€
For the first time that morning, Ginny laughed.
After little success with her research, and not wanting to risk appearing in public for any reason, Hermione in her frustration borrowed Harry’s Invisibility Cloak and went into the passage leading from the Shrieking Shack to the Whomping Willow. Harry and Ron, who were asleep at the time, woke up to find their friend and the Cloak gone, but since Hermione occasionally went off to Hogsmeade under the Cloak to obtain discarded newspapers or to get food, they hadn’t thought much of it when they woke. They hardly had been awake for five minutes, however, when Hermione suddenly pulled the Cloak off in front of them, looking grumpy. This had startled Harry, who hadn’t heard the door open.
–What’s up?†Harry asked, seeing her expression.
–The passage to Hogwarts caved in at some point,†she informed him.
–Why were you trying to get into Hogwarts?†Ron asked, confused.
–I was trying to get into the library.†Hermione sunk onto the couch, clearly vexed. –I’m not getting anywhere with my research. I’ve been trying to learn more about the Founders and their relics, but all my books only give information on particularly famous relics which are accounted for, and what special enchantments they’re reputed to have. But they give almost no other information.â€
–But you have found some possibilities?†Harry inquired, his interest piqued.
Hermione reached into a pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of notebook paper. Harry could see about a dozen items listed when she unfolded it. –The only items on this list which still exist are Gryffindor’s sword and the Sorting Hat,†she told him. –All the others were lost or destroyed hundreds of years ago.â€
Harry’s heart sank. –How did Voldemort get his last Horcrux then?â€
–No idea, but we still should learn details about all these items, including the circumstances behind their loss.â€
–Get into Hogwarts through the Honeydukes passage,†suggested Ron. –Harry’s gotten through there loads of times.â€
Hermione and Harry looked at each other, and Harry saw the half-exasperated, half-thoughtful look that had crossed her face a lot for the past week, and knew instantly what was coming.
–That’s an awful risk,†Hermione began. –If anyone suspects that we’re here, Ron, if anyone comes snooping, we’ll have to leave immediately, and--â€
–--and you still haven’t found a more secure place for us which the Order doesn’t already know about,†Ron finished for her, rolling his eyes. –I know. You’ve only said that about a dozen times this week.â€
–There are other ways into Hogwarts from Hogsmeade,†Harry reminded them. –If you want, Hermione, I can get out the Marauder’s Map and try to find a way in. Your other option, of course, is the Forbidden Forest.â€
–No,†Hermione and Ron snapped at the same time, and Harry smirked.
–Well, I’ll have a think and get back to you on this,†he said, standing up and picking up the Cloak that Hermione had discarded. He then flung the cloak over his shoulders, and scooped up Hedwig before pulling the hood over his face.
–Tell Hedwig to bring something else this time,†Ron grumbled. –I’m sick of coneys.â€
–Tell her yourself,†Harry retorted as he opened the back door, and making certain he was completely invisible, he set out for the woods that lay on the outskirts of the village.
It was a rather cloudy morning, a sign that there probably would be a shower of rain later that day. The sooner Hedwig brought something back, the better, Harry thought dryly as he looked at the darkening sky. As Harry crossed the grass, he considered his situation, and suddenly thought longingly of the comfort of Hogwarts or of the Burrow, but the former had closed and the latter was dangerous to remain at now. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had checked the newspapers in Hogsmeade every day for any mention of their disappearance, but nothing had appeared as yet, which told them that if the Ministry knew that Harry had gone, they had kept it secret from the public. Hopefully the Ministry didn’t know at all, but knowing Voldemort, Harry thought it not improbable that the Death Eaters suspected something.
Harry worried about the repercussions of his escape. The Order could not keep this secret forever, and Harry wondered how many people in connection with him Voldemort would target now. It was all the more reason for them to get started as soon as possible, and to make finding and destroying Horcruxes their number one priority.
The woods were darker and quieter than normal, Harry thought as he entered, but undoubtedly the reason was the oncoming storm. Hedwig adjusted her position on his arm, and he made his way down the path that led to the mountains, preparing to send the owl on her task.
But he hadn’t gotten far before a stab of pain shot across his scar, and he winced, his free hand flying to his forehead to rub the lightning bolt. Harry stood rooted to the spot, still rubbing the mark, and Hedwig hooted tensely, but Harry barely noticed. This was the first time in over a year that his scar had hurt him. He knew that Voldemort had been practicing Occlumency against him, but as the dark collected over Britain, as the Death Eaters gained more power and inflicted more terror, as the battle everyone knew was coming drew closer, Harry wondered if Voldemort’s shields were somehow weakening.
But the sting Harry had just felt meant one thing: something was happening. He hadn’t felt any flashes either of anger or of happiness unconnected with his own emotions, but Voldemort, who had remained strangely quiet during the past year, was stirring.
Harry looked at the normally snowy owl on his arm, who was watching him warily. He had set out to obtain food, but now he wondered if he should return to the Shrieking Shack and inform Ron and Hermione about his scar. Before he could make a decision, however, he noticed that Hedwig suddenly went very still, her eyes fixed on a point somewhere to Harry’s right, as though she were listening to something.
–Do you see something, girl?†Harry asked Hedwig in a low voice, but she didn’t make the smallest sound in reply. Harry looked through the Cloak in the direction his owl was staring, wondering if she was watching something that they could bring back to the Shrieking Shack. Then Harry saw something shift in the trees about thirty feet away, something much larger than a fox or a rabbit. He edged a bit closer, and then he saw a man move into view, a wizard in the unmistakable black robes and hood of a Death Eater.
The Death Eater’s back was to Harry, and he crouched low, looking through a gap in the trees toward the village below. As Harry watched, he thought he saw a second Death Eater approach the first, and crouch down next to him. Hedwig’s feathers had fluffed up, and she snapped her beak menacingly, but thankfully the Death Eaters were too far away to hear her. Harry reached into his pocket and slowly drew his wand, which he transferred to the hand Hedwig was perched on. He then reached back into the same pocket, fishing around until he found what he was looking for, and inserted one end of the Extendable Ear into his left ear, and then sent the other end in the direction of the two Death Eaters. He waited a moment, until:
–Keep it quiet, Al! The Dark Lord will feed your guts to his snake if anyone realizes we’re here!â€
–Shut it. What’s the time?â€
–Quarter past ten. Where’s Dolohov? He and Nott should be here by now!â€
–Dolohov went to meet the Dementors. Don’t know where Nott is. Probably off to find out if the Dark Lord’s new allies will be involved in this.â€
The other Death Eater audibly shuddered. –Bloody Merlin, those Sha’etemmins give me the creeps! And that’s saying something, considering that I spent a good deal of my years in Azkaban with the Dementors. But the Dark Lord likes them.â€
–I dunno if the Dark Lord will send them to openly attack an all-wizarding settlement,†Al pointed out. –He wouldn’t want the Ministry working it out too soon, and certainly not the I.C.W. Anyway, don’t forget to concentrate on the hit list. The Dementors will take care of any resistance from the other villagers.â€
Harry heard enough. He pulled back the Extendable Ear and stuffed it into his pocket. Transferring his wand back into his free hand, Harry quietly backed up the path, and cast a nonverbal spell to clear any footprints he left as he quickly and silently made his way back to the Shrieking Shack.
–You’re back early,†Hermione remarked as Harry lowered Hedwig back onto the table in the lounge.
–Didn’t you find anything?†asked Ron, massaging his stomach.
Instead of answering, Harry opened up the black chest with a flick of his wand, and then carefully picked up the Pensieve and lowered it into the chest. He then pointed his wand at his notebook and other books and items on the table, and sent them into his rucksack.
–What are you doing?†Hermione asked in consternation.
–There’s a bunch of Death Eaters in the woods,†Harry told her. –They’re going to attack the village. We’ve got to get out of Hogsmeade.â€
–So Harry’s gone off to fight Voldemort?†asked Luna serenely.
Ginny stared at her. –How did you know that?â€
–Your dad may have mentioned him running off to my dad,†Luna replied. –What else would Harry leave for? Anyway, you’re unusually quiet. I’m sure you’d rather be with him than at home now.â€
Ginny said nothing. To her slight surprise, Tonks succeeded in persuading Molly to allow Ginny to visit Luna, and almost immediately she accompanied Ginny to the Lovegoods’ place, much to Ginny’s relief. Tonks now remained outside, keeping an eye out for trouble.
–What are you planning to do over the next year, then, since we’re not going back to school?†Ginny asked, hoping to change the subject.
Luna shrugged. –I’ll probably continue learning from the Sixth and Seventh Year textbooks on my own, and perhaps study other books. We could study together. I’d like that.â€
–Not a bad idea,†sighed Ginny. –I need something to do for the next week, and I’m getting sick of these chores. It also would give me an excuse to get away for a while. I’m not exactly in the Order’s good books right now.â€
–Because you allowed Harry to escape from their protection?†Luna asked. –Maybe they’ll eventually see that it was for the best.â€
–Do you think it was for the best?†asked Ginny curiously.
–Don’t you?†Luna replied knowingly.
Ginny smiled, which was all the reply Luna needed. But then her smile faded, and she said, –It doesn’t stop the Order from being angry with me. I’m not sorry for helping Harry leave, even if my help was minimal, but I’d hoped to join the Order when I turn seventeen. Though some, like Fred and George and Tonks, support Harry’s actions, the others are furious. I doubt if they’d let me join now.â€
–They’re angry with Harry and with Professor Dumbledore,†Luna said simply. Seeing Ginny’s expression, she added, –It doesn’t take a great leap of the imagination to realize that Harry’s acting on Dumbledore’s instructions. But the fact that he kept some things secret from the Order offended them. They feel as though Dumbledore didn’t completely trust them. But since neither Harry nor Dumbledore are present, they’re taking their anger out on you.â€
Ginny snorted. –Thanks for the comfort, Luna.â€
Ignoring her friend’s sarcasm, Luna beamed. –You’re welcome.â€
Ginny managed a soft giggle at this response. Then, after a moment, she asked, –So you’re more confident that I’ll be able to join the Order?â€
–They can’t stay angry with you forever,†Luna calmly pointed out. –They’ll eventually see sense and forgive you for the affront. But even if they don’t allow you to join, there are other options. The D.A. is an option.â€
Ginny stared. –The D.A.? But it was a student rebellion against Umbridge. Half of them are underage as well, and the D.A. hasn’t even met for more than a year.â€
–One year, four months, and two days to be exact,†Luna specified, to Ginny’s astonishment. –And a student rebellion, perhaps, but one that was trained to fight Death Eaters. And don’t forget that in spite of their name, ‘Dumbledore’s Army,’ the D.A.’s loyalty lies with Harry more than it does with the Order. As for they’re being underage…†Luna shrugged. –They won’t be within the next couple of years. –Once they’re legal adults, you could always put together a second anti-Voldemort group, like the Order.â€
–That would be a good scheme, except that the Order knows a lot more about Voldemort and the Death Eaters than most former D.A. members, except Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and they’re out of the picture,†Ginny pointed out. –Those three always seemed to know a lot more about what’s been going on than they ever saw fit to tell,†she added bitterly.
–Fred and George are in the Order, so they know a lot,†Luna reminded her. –They are former D.A. members, and they’re also loyal to Harry. I’m sure they’d be willing to help.â€
Ginny didn’t respond. She had to admit, the idea of reviving the D.A. was very appealing, but on the other hand, Luna was right when she said that their loyalty was to Harry more than to anyone else. Without their leader, the D.A. probably wouldn’t be what it was before, nor would it come together as easily. But then again, discussing the D.A. reminded Ginny of the bag of contact Galleons Hermione had left behind, and not for the first time, Ginny wondered if reviving the D.A. was precisely what Hermione was suggesting.
Before Ginny could say anything to Luna, either for or against the idea, however, there was a loud bang outside, and the both jumped.
–What was that?†Mr. Lovegood cried from another room, but instinctively Ginny and Luna drew their wands and headed for the window.
–Ginny!†Luna warned, and Ginny ducked just as a Stunner smashed through the window, showering them with shards of glass. Swearing angrily, Ginny stood up again and carefully aimed her wand, shouting, –Impedimenta!â€
Outside, she saw the masked Death Eater stumble, and Luna cried, –Stupefy!â€, thus rendering him unconscious. But there was another crash, and they could see several more Death Eaters surrounding the house, but Ginny couldn’t see Tonks anywhere. Then a sudden wave of cold washed over Ginny.
–They’ve got Dementors!†Luna cried unnecessarily, and Ginny could hear the unease in her voice. Immediately she thought over her happiest memories, and quickly settled on a quiet moment by the lake at Hogwarts, one that occurred only months before, in which she had settled contentedly in Harry Potter’s warm embrace…
–Expecto Patronum!†Ginny cried, but she aimed her wand in the direction of the Burrow, not at the intruders. Her stallion Patronus erupted from her wand and galloped away. It would arrive at the Burrow within seconds, she knew, but hopefully that was time enough for assistance to arrive.
Mr. Lovegood was yelling from another room, and Ginny thought she could hear him screaming out incantations, though she couldn’t hear what. At that moment, Luna’s hare Patronus shot out the window toward the three Dementors Ginny could now see approaching the house.
There was a loud smash behind them, and Mr. Lovegood shrieked. Ginny turned around just in time to see Luna’s father fall through the kitchen door, blood leaking from his nose, and he landed in a crumpled pile in the doorway. He did not stir.
–Vespae!†Ginny shouted, pointing her wand past Mr. Lovegood at the Death Eater whom she could just see at the kitchen window. The Death Eater howled in agony and dropped his wand, clutching his face which had turned scarlet and was swelling up. Ginny slashed her wand at him. –Incarcerous!â€
He fell from the window, bound tightly with ropes, just as Luna caught sight of her father and shrieked, –Daddy!â€
–Expulso!†An unfamiliar voice yelled.
A tremendous bang crashed upon Ginny’s eardrums, followed immediately by some force that seemed to pick her up and throw her across the room and into the opposite wall like a ragdoll, and she fell to the floor next to Luna’s unmoving father. Her head had struck the doorframe, and Ginny felt as though her skull had split open.
Dazed, she opened her eyes to find herself seeing double, and she couldn’t see or hear Luna at all. Ginny tried to sit up, but doing so made her dizzy. Then she heard heavy footsteps approaching from the door, which, judging from the light flooding into the room, had been blasted open. Her left ear throbbed with every footstep, and her right ear, which felt as though someone had forced a drill through it, couldn’t seem to pick up sound at all.
–You won’t be selling that rag of yours anymore, Lovegood,†Ginny heard the Death Eater growl with her functioning ear. A moment later, a shadow fell over her. –And a Weasel blood traitor here as well! Two birds with one stone!â€
Ginny reacted instinctively. Though she couldn’t see the Death Eater very clearly, she pointed her wand in his general direction and cried, –Nakaroptera!â€
At that moment, several things happened. The Death Eater staggered back, yelling, and Ginny, her wand arm falling back to floor, could barely see him waving his arms around, undoubtedly trying to beat back the enormous flying bogeys. At the same time, she heard her father’s voice shout, –Incarcerous!†and then Lupin’s voice yelled, –Stupefy!†Then another shape appeared in front of her, as large as the Death Eater, but this time she heard Charlie cry, –Ginny! Ginny!â€
She groaned, and tried to reply, but her head was still spinning, and she couldn’t lift it without feeling nauseous. She distantly heard someone say, –Rennervate,†and heard Luna’s groan. Charlie had turned her over, and then she felt him scoop her up into his arms.
–Just in time, bro,†she muttered.
Then she felt her head fall backwards as she slipped into unconsciousness.
She became conscious of the darkness first, and then of the ache in her right ear. Then she opened her eyes to find herself looking at a glass lamp hanging from the middle of the ceiling. She lifted a hand to feel her ear, which throbbed painfully.
–You awake, Ginny?†someone asked from somewhere to her left. The sound was oddly muffled at one side of her head.
Ginny looked in that direction, and saw George and Percy sitting in a couple of kitchen chairs next to where she lay on the couch in the back room of the Burrow. It was still cloudy outside, but a glance at the clock told Ginny that it was about four in the afternoon. She must have been unconscious for hours.
–Welcome back to the land of the conscious,†George said, grinning.
Ginny tried to sit up, but the effort made her feel ill, so she lay back down, her head pounding. Looking in her brothers’ direction, she asked, –What happened?â€
–You had a cracked skull and a concussion,†Percy informed her. –You might be a bit disoriented for a while. Mum and Madam Pomfrey had your skull fixed up in a cinch, but you were still unconscious for a while. They’re still working on your ear, though. It’s apparently harder to fix internal injuries, but they’re sure you’ll be all right.â€
Ginny felt her ear again. She could hear Percy better with her left ear more in his direction.
–Makes you thankful for magical medicine,†he added seriously, –otherwise Madam Pomfrey thinks you’d be permanently deaf in your right ear.â€
–You and Luna did well at the Lovegoods, though,†George told her, and Ginny could hear the pride in his voice. –Dementors gone, and two subdued Death Eaters, leaving only one to handle by the time the Order got there.â€
At these words, Ginny remembered the events at the Lovegoods’ place, and she sat up again, prompting Percy to push her back into a reclining position. –Where’s Luna?†she asked urgently. –And Mr. Lovegood?â€
–Luna’s fine,†George answered. –She’s off ‘communicating with the gnomes,’ so she’s in perfect shape. And Lovegood was really badly hurt, but Madam Pomfrey says he’ll recover.â€
–They’re going to be staying here for a bit,†Percy added. –Their house was wrecked, and anyway, it’s not a good idea for them to go back there, now that the Death Eaters seem to have made them a target. The Order’s protections for Harry weren’t put up for nothing after all, it seems.â€
At that moment, the kitchen door opened and Tonks entered the room. She looked ashamed when she saw Ginny watching her.
–Sorry, Ginny,†she said quietly. –I was on watch outside Lovegood’s house, but they jinxed me before I realized they were there.â€
–You’re all right,†Ginny said, smiling sympathetically. –I don’t think any of s were expecting an attack on the Lovegoods. What happened to the Death Eaters?â€
–All three are at the Ministry, awaiting trial and imprisonment,†Tonks replied. –Nice work, by the way.â€
–Thanks.†Ginny grinned. –So what did they attack the Lovegoods for?â€
–Supposedly because of The Quibbler’s pro-Harry and Dumbledore leanings,†Percy explained.
Ginny then remembered the Death Eater’s words just before he tried to curse her. –Now I remember. One of them said something about stopping Mr. Lovegood’s rag.â€
–Well, this will probably cause a bit of a stir,†George said thoughtfully. –The Quibbler’s been a lot more popular lately, ever since they interviewed Harry while the Ministry was out saying he was a nutter.â€
Percy shifted uncomfortably. Ginny’s ear throbbed painfully again, and she rubbed the skin around it, wincing. The awkward silence ended when something silvery shot into the room through the back door and materialized in the form of a jackal, which opened its mouth.
–Hogsmeade is under attack,†the Patronus said in Bill’s voice. –They’ve destroyed the Three Broomsticks and the Shrieking Shack, and there are Dementors swarming all over the village. The Aurors need reinforcements.â€
Tonks drew her wand and without another word, she strode across the room and out the back door. George and Percy also drew their wands.
–I’ll get Fred and Lee,†the former said.
–I’m going too,†Percy told them. Turning to his sister, who was trying to sit up, he said sternly, –Ginny, wait here, and don’t even think about it. You’re in no condition to even argue about going to Hogsmeade.â€