All Harry Potter Characters don't belong to me.
The Source - Chapter Forty One
"Speaking"
<Thinking>
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Sirius burst through the doors of the Hospital Wing and it shook the people out of their stunned stances. He walked towards the crowded bed and saw a Phoenix resting on the leg of an unconscious Fred Weasley while a crown of people were staring at the bird.
Ron looked at Sirius and began blabbering. "Ginny…she…" he pointed at the phoenix. "Bird…Change…Fred….Dying…"
Sirius placed a hand on Ron's shoulder to calm him down and then sighed. "I think some explaining is in order, don't you think Dumbeldore?"
"Indeed Sirius," Dumbledore answered back. "Maybe my office?"
"Come on kids," Sirius said. "Leave Fred and Ginny. I'll explain everything in Dumbledore's office." Sirius then directed Harry, Hermione, Ron, George and Draco out of the Hospital Wing.
Everyone sat in Dumbledore's office still in shock, except Draco who had a thoughtful look on his face. Sirius then began his explanation quickly.
"Well Ron and George, you know how you find it hard to understand how close I am to Ginny, well it's because I was the one who taught her how to be an animagus. In truth, I met Ginny even before I saw you again, Harry. I was hiding out as a dog near the burrow and Ginny just came along one day and found me wounded and hungry. She cared for me and when I was running away after your third year, I went back to the burrow to thank her and she seemed so sad, so I taught her something special. So that's how she became an animagus. I know she's not registered, but she doesn't really use her abilities much, only when it is an emergency."
Sirius left out the bit about teaching her spying because of obvious reasons. Plus, having once secret revealed is enough for one day.
Everyone left Dumbledore's office in silence and while the Gryffindor gang went back to the hospital wing to visit their friend and brother, Draco went up to the roof to think. Ginny being a Phoenix explained a lot of things now. And it was proof of how much Ginny had done for him.
Draco stepped onto the roof and saw that someone was already sitting there. He saw a mane of red hair and walked closer to sit down next to Ginny. There was silence until Draco spoke.
"Healing me in the Chambers. That was you wasn't it?" Draco asked slowly while staring at the landscape. He wasn't angry or demanding. He just wanted to know.
"Yes," Ginny said while staring at the view before her. The sun was setting and cast a beautiful orange glow over the horizon.
"Phoenix tears in the trading bar, saving me from Gilding and the blood from the black market. That was all you?" Draco said softly and turned his head to look at her.
Ginny nodded her head slightly and looked down at her fidgeting fingers. She didn't want him to know. It was supposed to be a secret, like most of her life was.
"How long have you been an animagus?" Draco asked softly and moved his gaze back to the sunset.
"A little more than a year," Ginny answered. There was a pause.
"How is your brother now?" Draco asked.
"He's fine. Even started telling jokes to Madame Pomfrey." a smile dawned on Ginny's face but disappeared quickly.
There was silence between them as they sat together watching the sun set and the stars rise into the black sky. This was the moment Draco had been waiting for. He was here with Ginny, in a quiet place, with stars in the sky and he had just found out the lengths she would go to help him. Draco slowly stretched his hand out ready hold hers, but Ginny stood up suddenly. By reflex, Draco also stood up.
"You should go rest now," she said softly. "You have to leave tomorrow morning."
It was too dark, so Draco wasn't able to see the silent tears running down Ginny's face as she left the roof.
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Draco was all ready to go as he waited at the entrance hall for the trio, because they were ordered to set out together. They had been assigned to help in the area near the forbidden forest and so Hagrid was going to take them there. The Trio finally arrived and with Ginny too. Draco was taught never to show he was affected, and so he remained perfectly still when Ginny hugged Ron, Hermione and then Harry while wishing them safety.
"Alright, let's go then," Ron said and then started to walk out the big doors with Harry and Hermione.
Draco remained perfectly still and waited for the trio to head out first. He wanted to turn around and look at Ginny one more time before he left but was surprised when she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him very tight hug.
"Stay safe, Draco," she whispered into his ear.
"Hurry up Malfoy!" Ron called from outside.
Ginny gave Draco a quick peck on the cheek before letting go of him and running away quickly. Harry poked his head in at that moment and looked at Draco who was just standing there.
"Are you alright, Malfoy?" Harry asked with concern.
Draco smiled to himself quickly before putting on his cold front again. "I'm fine Potter. Let's get going."
Draco then left with Harry to catch up with Ron and Hermione.
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Ginny walked back to the Hospital Wing and found Fred sitting up in bed scribbling on a piece of parchment. His wound had healed practically immediately with the help from her Phoenix tears and he was all better now. Ginny sat herself down in the chair next to Fred and let out a big sigh. Fred put his plans for new jokes aside and looked at Ginny.
"Nice trick you have there, Ginny," Fred said with a big smile. Ginny looked up at Fred and gave him a weak smile. "Why didn't you tell us you were an animagus?" he asked.
Ginny sighed again and shrugged her shoulder. "I guess I wanted something that I could keep to myself," she said quietly.
"Why do you say that?" Fred asked. He didn't really understand what she meant.
"I feel like I don't have anything that I can say is mine," Ginny explained. "I've never had anything that was solely mine and mine only. Things were always used by someone before hand or are something I have to share. Decisions are not even solely up to me to make. I have to have permission from Mum and Dad or from one of you guys. Being an animagus was my secret. My own secret, no one to share it with, no one to ask permission for and no one to restrict me," Ginny looked at Fred with sad eyes. "Was I being selfish, Fred? Was I wrong?"
Fred shook his head and pulled Ginny in for a hug. "I understand Ginny. You're not selfish or wrong. You should have your own secrets, and I promise I won't tell anyone else. I'll even make sure George and Ron don't tell Mum and Dad. I'll protect your secret, Ginny."
"Thank you, Fred," Ginny said and then pulled out of the hug. "Now you still haven't told me how you got injured so badly? And where is George? You two are usually inseparable."
Fred smiled widely. "One question at a time," he said. "George and I were planning to come into school and see if there was anything we could help with when suddenly we were attacked by Deatheaters. I'm telling you, Ginny; you can hardly get in and out without getting injured. They're really set on getting into this place. Anyways, that's how I got that hole in my stomach and as to where George is, he went to speak with Dumbledore to see if there is anything we could help with."
"Why don't you stay out of it?" Ginny said desperately. "One of you is already hurt, and Ron's gone to help already. I don't want to lose any of you."
Fred patted Ginny's hand reassuringly. "All of us Weasley's are helping, Ginny. Bill is in Egypt battling the Deatheaters over there. Charlie is getting the dragons ready to burn all of them assholes away. Percy's doing what he's doing inside the ministry along with Dad. Ron's an Auror in training and you're also helping by healing us wounded. George and I can't be the only Weasley's not doing anything. We can also be useful you know, even if it's to distract our enemies by showing them our ass."
Ginny couldn't suppress her giggles at the image of Fred and George wiggling their naked behinds at the Deatheaters. "Alright then," she said seriously "I'll let you help, but you must be careful."
Fred gave her a salute. "Yes Mum!" Ginny could only smile at her brother and hope every other member of her family was safe.
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A week went by and occasionally an Auror or two would come in with the same wound Fred had. The only cure so far was Phoenix tears and Ginny had bottles of it prepared and stored in the backroom. It took Ginny many nights of crying to get a large enough supply to ship some out to the perimeters of Hogwarts so that healing could be done immediately. Ginny had offered to go out and be with Ron and them but Madame Pomfrey had protested, saying that she was safer at Hogwarts and would be more useful inside.
Draco was ordered by Madame Pomfrey to go back up to the school for a day to take his medicine. He had seen the bottles of Phoenix tears that were delivered and had wondered how long Ginny had cried to get that many bottles. Draco was wondering if when he saw Ginny, her eyes would be all red and puffy. Either way, Draco was still excited to have a chance to see Ginny again.
When Draco was rounding the corner to reach the Hospital Wing, he saw a glimpse of red hair exiting the Wing quickly. He knew that it was Ginny and started running to catch up with her. After a few minutes of chasing, Ginny notice that someone was following her and stopped to see who it was. She stood in the middle of the hall waiting for the person to catch up and a few seconds later Draco appeared before her.
"Stop following me," Ginny ordered him sternly.
"Where are you going, Ginny?" Draco asked while he walking closer towards her.
Ginny remained still and glared coldly at Draco. "Not somewhere you would go. Now stop following me," she said warningly.
Draco wasn't going to leave this easily. Ginny was acting very strange and he wanted to know what was going on. "How do you know I wouldn't want to go there?" he challenged.
"It's not about what you want. It's about what you should and shouldn't mess with," Ginny told him and then turned swiftly to run away again.
Luckily Draco was pretty fast himself and was able to keep up with her. He was able to catch his breath when Ginny stopped in front of a wall. She ignored Draco while she tapped her wand on the wall and a black lead door appeared. Ginny pushed the door open and it squeaked loudly. The room was dark but as soon as they had taken a few steps into the room, the torches flared up with an eerie green flame.
This room was cold and the flames didn't seem to emit any heat. Ginny didn't say a single word as she walked to the back of the room and picked up a thick leather bound book from a black marble table. The book was very weird and unique. Draco could sense a familiarity about it but couldn't remember where he had seen it before.
"Where are we, Ginny?" he asked.
Ginny blew away some dust from the book and ran her hand over the cover. "The Passage of Dark Arts," she said just above a whisper.
Draco stepped back a bit and looked at the room. All around, there were Dark artefacts, Torture equipment and Dark Magic books from all around the world.
"What are you doing here, Ginny?" Draco asked.
Ginny turned around and placed the book under her arm. Without answering him she walked out of the room and Draco followed her. Once they were out in the normal hallway again Draco grabbed Ginny's arm and made her look him in the eyes. As he suspected they were blood shot, but they looked moist, like she had just finished crying.
"Tell me what's wrong, Ginny," Draco pleaded.
Ginny looked at Draco with so much anger in her eyes. "I'm only doing what I should have done a long time ago. If they want to fight with Dark Magic, then so can I," she hissed. Ginny made a move to get going again but Draco held her back against a wall.
"But why now?" Draco asked. "What's happened to trigger this from you?"
Ginny's strong composure fell and she was once again on the verge of tears. "They got him. They got him in Egypt and I can't do anything to help him," Ginny said softly but then she grew angry again and began shouting, "He's dying and it's all their fault. I'll get rid of them, the whole lot, once and for all."
Draco shook Ginny a bit so she would come out of her trance. "You can't use Dark Magic, Ginny. Once you start, you won't be able to stop."
Ginny pushed Draco off of her and looked him straight in the eyes. "I've done it before and I'll do it again," she growled. "No one can stop me, including you."
And then she was running away again. Draco didn't know what was wrong with Ginny. It was like she had gone mad with revenge, but it was reasonable. All the things she had done these past few years was to help her family stay safe and together, but then these Deatheaters come along and nearly kills off half her family. Draco made it back to the Hospital Wing and was surprised to see Ginny sitting on the floor with a letter in her hand while the book was lying discarded on the floor. Ginny had tears running down her face but a weak smile could be seen. Draco crouched down in front of her and pulled her close. Ginny relaxed into his arms and breathed in deeply.
"He's not dead," she said quietly. "They found the cure just in time and he will be fine. He'll be fine."
Draco helped Ginny up and sat her down on a near by chair. He crouched down in front of her holding her hands and looked her in the eyes. "Promise me that no matter what happens, don't resort to Dark Magic," Draco pleaded.
Ginny moved her gaze away and didn't answer him. Draco used his hand to move her face back so she was looking at him again. "Promise me Ginny. Don't use Dark Magic," he said a bit more forcefully.
Ginny shook her head. "I can't do that," She said firmly. "I have to kill all of them. I need to kill all of them."
"Then let us do it," Draco said. "There are other ways, and we can do it. Don't travel on a path of no return."
"It will just be once and then I won't use it again. It will be easy."
"No it won't!" Draco yelled at her. "It will consume you and you'll get addicted." Draco remembered how it had changed his father.
"I'm willing to make that sacrifice," Ginny said determinedly.
Draco's face darkened. "But I wont let you," he said and then picked the book up from the floor.
Ginny made a move to grab it but Draco moved back quickly and had his wand pointed at her. "Don't force me, Ginny," he warned her.
"You wouldn't," Ginny said confidently and moved a step forward. Draco took a step back and gripped his wand tighter.
"You know I would," he said. It was true; he could be this ruthless if it had to do with her safety. Unfortunately Ginny underestimated the degree of love Draco had for her and lunged forward, only to end up unconscious in his arms.
Draco lay Ginny down on one of the hospital beds and tucked her in. She would wake up in a few hours, but in the mean time, Draco had to get his medicine from Madame Pomfrey and also hide this book.
End of Chapter Forty One. Thanks for reading and I Hope you Review.
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