Voldemort Rises-Chapter 12
Hermione got up at the break of day with a sense of fear and terror. She waited until after all the boys had left the dorm and even asked Ron if Harry was on his way. She dashed up the stairs to find his bed unmade, his robes still hung on the bed post, and his shoes still under his bed. Her heart broke and it never seemed that she'd be happy again. She ran the length of the main corridor to Dumbledore's office and then remembered he'd still be in his chambers.
She could hardly breathe. Every thought, every nerve in her body, and every sound seemed dead. Her legs felt so weak that she could barely stand as she waited for an answer. Dumbledore's voice came from behind her, startling her. "Hermione, we were looking for you in the Great Hall. I have some news for…," Hermione's eyes felt like she was underwater. Her chest felt as if she needed a breath and couldn't get one. The terror overtook her as she faded into oblivion.
Moments later in the hospital wing, Dumbledore, McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey talked quietly. "It's for the best. The poor thing would have probably collapsed from the strain sooner or later today. Make sure she rests comfortably, please, Madame Pomfrey."
Minerva said.
"Minerva, did everyone follow my instructions as I gave them in the anteroom today? We have to find out who did this awful deed." Dumbledore looked tired as if he'd been up all night. "Let's review the other precautions to ensure the safety of all the other students. It will be a long day and night, I fear."
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Meanwhile, Ron walked Luna to breakfast as the buzz that Harry had turned up missing circulated the room. Ron looked over at the Gryffindor table in horror. "What? Where's Harry and Hermione?"
"You sleep next to him. Didn't you see whether he was there this morning or not?" Luna asked.
"To tell you the truth, Harry could have been in the shower or something. I don't look after him like a pet." He looked absolutely wrought with fear. "You, I was with you and we…,' he stopped short.
Quietly and quickly, Luna grabbed him by the arm and squeezed. "If you say another word you and your lovely little slut will be dead," he heard a dark, sinister voice in his head. He looked Luna's face and realized what had happened. "Yes, we did. We saw Harry and Hermione just last night before they turned in." Luna said to Ron.
"I guess, I'm just…overwhelmed…bloody hell…' Ron stammered.
"I would be too if my best mate had gone missing in the middle of the night, mate," said one of the Ravenclaw boys.
"Ron, let's go looking for him. I mean on the Astronomy tower, the owlery and in the room…you know." Luna said in a comforting voice.
"Yeah, maybe he just fell asleep and is still there. But it's bloody cold…" he trailed off as the voice in his head said, "See if I don't kill her. See if I don't let Nagini poison her and leave her in agony."
They got up and walked through the tables to the Gryffindor table and told Ginny that they'd be sitting with her for lunch. Ginny smiled even though her eyes were red and puffy. Once they'd cleared everyone on the main floor. "Imperio! You leave me no choice you brainless, spineless worm. Follow me." Luna turned to see who was watching as they entered the dungeons. "Good, no one's watching." Moments inside the change occurred and Luna once again became Bellatrix. They moved quickly toward the end of the corridor some two miles ahead. She couldn't Disapparate with this lug following her like a ball and chain until they were past the edge of the Forbidden Forest above. Then she'd be there anyway. It was time.
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The beginning of potions class was somewhat of a mystery to Ron. He'd felt as if he'd been in a bad dream since just before lunch with Ginny and Luna. "Mr. Weasley, did you hear what I said? You had been doing so wonderfully until today." Snape's voice rang in Ron's unfocused brain.
"No, no, I'm sorry, Sir…I mean, Professor Snape. Would you please say that again?" Ron could not focus.
"Oh, certainly. Nothing would do my heart more good than to repeat my entire lecture for your benefit alone, Mr. Weasley. I said that there have been items showing up out of place through out the castle and that the staff has been alerted to check students' books and bags at random. We are looking for the pranksters who are committing these acts of larceny. Professor McGonagall's hat turned up hanging in the third floor vestibule last evening. Do you need me to repeat all that for you, Mr. Weasley?" Snape said in his most venomous tone.
"No, of course, not. Here, check my bag." Ron offered it willingly.
Snape took it and said, "Come get it after class. Do you have your book out of it?"
Ron looked down at his desk and saw his book. "Err, yes, I do, Sir."
"Then I suggest you use it and follow along Mr. Weasley." Snape said snidely.
"Ron, what is wrong with you," said Ginny.
"I don't know." He said.
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Remus Lupin spent the entire day walking the known portions of the castle trying to remember some of the secret passages they'd found in his youth. The events of the night before were unnerving enough. He had to find a way to reproduce the Marauder's Map.
He walked into the Room of Requirement. It was an empty room like any other on that floor. He was startled as he heard a voice, "Begging the Master's pardon, sir. But has he seen Harry Potter today." Dobby asked painfully.
Remus got down on one knee and looked at the forlorn House-elf. "No, I am afraid no one has. We are looking for him, even as we speak."
"I am afraid for Harry Potter. I hears things in the kitchens as the students walks by. They say, `Good, maybe Potter is gone for good.' It was Draco, Mr. Draco sir." Lupin smiled.
"Dobby, Draco Malfoy hasn't the courage to go after Harry. I wouldn't worry about him." He said.
"It wasn't who be saying it, Sir. It's who he says it to. The voice, it was evil. It says, time will tell." Dobby said with an expression of fear.
"Dobby show me where. Hurry please." Lupin spoke quickly. "When was this, Dobby?"
"Just moments ago, Professor, Sir. I wasn't actually in the kitchens Sir. I just finished and was going to look for Harry Potter Sir. I was over there." Dobby pointed to the area where the kitchens entered the main corridor near the entrance to the dungeons.
Lupin realized that it could have been anyone who had made a voice to sound that way. Pranksters such as Malfoy, Goyle and Crabbe were known to have fun with Harry's misfortunes and scare first years and the House-Elves. But under the circumstances, he couldn't take that for granted.
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"Wormtail, I thought that the changes we made to the duplicate map would give us an advantage. Apparently, not." Voldemort was furious. "I will not be satisfied until Dumbledore, Potter, all of them are dead. Would you like a feast Nagini?"
Wormtail moved through the labyrinthine corridors quickly to avoid the wrath of the Dark Lord. Voldemort had made him divulge the secrets of the Marauders map and make the duplicate that would not show his agents inside Hogwarts, but something told Wormtail to withhold information and create a second duplicate. "I'm sure that everything is correct Master. I know the changes that were needed. I made them."
As powerful as Voldemort was, Wormtail knew that the powers of the Acumens relied on reading the eyes of the subject as he spoke. Wormtail had avoided answering the questions face to face with the Dark Lord. He held the original Marauder's Map in a secret location out of the gaze of Lord Voldemort. Wormtail needed to always have a means of escaping Voldemort because his Master seemed to have no qualms of sacrificing him too.
"Very well, feed Nagini." Wormtail emptied the bag of live vermin in front of Nagini and once again enchanted his voice to sound like Ron. "No, no. Don't let the…ahhhhh," Wormtail cried.
Luna sat with terror. Each time the snake was fed, she'd heard Ron scream. No rational thought could enter her mind only `I love you, Ronnie.'
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Ron was alone. For days he'd felt happy but surprisingly surrounded, enveloped by some gripping force. He smiled at the incredible sexual gymnastics he'd been through with Luna, but he felt free. It caused him great confusion.
"Mr. Weasley, are we still daydreaming?" Snape's vicious voice inquired. "I asked what is necessary for the Polyjuice Potion. How often must one take it? And, what is the catalyst for making it work as desired?"
"Oh, that's an easy one. Hourly and something containing the DNA of the proposed victim or subject and must be introduced to the base potion within seconds before drinking the mixture." Ron looked very proud of himself.
Snape however did not, but offered his praise this way. "Mr. Weasley as obviously learned a great deal about this subject. It is one of the most volatile and delicate potions known in the magical world. Congratulations. But there is one small issue Mr. Weasley, the burglary of my safe for the materials for this potion has been going on for several nights. Might we check to see if you had a hand in it?"
Ron's stomach was in turmoil. He and Luna had come in and used the combination to the safe several times the past week. He'd be busted for sure. He began perspiring. He heard a voice a small voice, `I love you, Ronnie." His heart pounded. It was Luna, but her voice sounded more normal than… `My dreams haven't been dreams. I have been helping You-Know-Who.'
"Mr. Weasley, how do you respond?" Snape kept breaking into Ron's thoughts with his questions.
He was pissed and in the deepest trouble of his life. He had to go for the gusto, "I don't know how to respond. You've made up your mind already, check my bag and be done with it. I have something important to do. Professor Snape, I am waiting for my bag." Ron spoke confidently and forcefully as his stomach churned.
Snape was not above casting a spell on a student in class for insubordination, but under the circumstances, Weasley was important to the investigation he realized now. Snape glanced at his sister four seats away whose shocked look indicated she'd not know. "Here, Mr. Weasley take your bag and report to the Headmaster's office immediately.
"Yes, Professor Snape." He was being sent to the very place he wanted to go. Ron felt pressure the pressure being lifted off his shoulders. He walked to the Hall. `Very good you spineless prat, keep them off guard. Bellatrix was an angel compared to me.' Ron had the need to vomit the voice in his head was the most vile he'd ever heard. Voldemort.
`We will visit them all and choose the time and place of their demise,' Voldemort's thoughts were driving Ron to the brink of madness. `Yes, at first the feeling is quite unnerving. Ask Dear Ginny. I would love to say hello to her again.'
Ron started to run toward Gryffindor Tower when every inch of his body felt as if it were burning. The flames could not be faraway. `You will do as I command you. I will not be here all the time, but I will know. I'll be back when you need instruction…like now.'
Ron walked back toward Dumbledore's office, knocked and was let in.
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The choice to separate some of Dumbledore's business between the office in his chambers and his office on the main floor was response to the current situation. There were things being discussed privately in his chambers he didn't want interrupted. Dumbledore surmised that if one of the Death Eater's had to wait more than an hour the Polyjuice Potion would wear off.
"How can we help you? The Headmaster is extremely busy today as would certainly expect." The kind young witch from behind the desk said in a pleasing voice.
Ron didn't know why but he was outraged. "Are you telling me that the room mate and best mate of a student gone missing gets put on a waiting list, bloody hell?" Ron seethed.
"Yes sir, the best I can do is 9 o'clock tonight or 8 o'clock in the morning. 8 o'clock in the morning will have to do." Ron said.
"Your name, Sir?" the witch said sweetly.
"Ronald Weasley." He furled his lip as he answered trying not to scream at the innocent you woman in front of him. `Weasley, I demand to be seen now.' He could hear the screams of his dear Luna in his mind and now he was seeing illusions of her body being stretched across that stone table with Bellatrix lashing her to it. Ron wanted to cry.
"I demand to see Professor Dumbledore this instant! I am being accused of things that were not my doing. Please get him NOW!" Ron couldn't let Luna be tormented as he saw in his mind now.
The young witch stepped from behind the desk and walked down a short passageway where there were three Aurors playing cards as they waited for instruction. The young witch had sat there for several weeks and had no one as rude as Ron in the office. Kingsley Shacklebolt walked to the front. "My name is Kingsley Shacklebolt, head of the security detail in the case of Mr. Potter. I understand Mr. Weasley that you demand to see the Professor immediately. Unfortunately your demands will place you in another category if you continue. I usually handle those cases in the dungeons until the Professor is ready to see you. Is there an alternate time, such as the one tomorrow at 8 o'clock?"
Ron looked at the imposing black Auror with fear. He didn't want to find out what the waiting room in the dungeons was like but surely Dumbledore was determined to do whatever he was doing without interruption. "I'll be back in the morning."
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Dumbledore's chambers had become an alternate hospital wing of sorts. He was using his bed chambers for Hermione in the event she should awake screaming. In the library of the chambers below, Remus Lupin was working furiously to remanufacture a similar work as the Marauder's Map.
"Now that you have what we believe to be a counterfeit from Harry's trunk has the timeframe been speeded up?" asked Dumbledore impatiently.
Minerva McGonagall interrupted Dumbledore with a message. Dumbledore walked to the edge of the ladder and then around it sliding unnoticed into a hidden room. When he entered Shacklebolt was waiting. "Ron Weasley just left the office demanding a visit with you. I did as you ordered and offered him to wait in the Dungeons for an immediate meeting. I've seen Weasley before, he's definitely up to something."
"Thank you Kingsley as always." Dumbledore said as he exited the room.
As Dumbledore entered the library again, he heard the cheerfully, sobbing voice of Hermione just awoken from the sleeping draught. It was five o'clock.
"Harry, Harry can you hear me?" Hermione called to him.
Harry lay in his bed staring off into space with a huge blood soaked bandage about his head and a bottle of Skele-gro next to him. He would occasionally blink, but nothing substantial.
"Someone help me. Someone tell me what's happened to Harry!" Hermione demanded from the rail overlooking the library.
"Shush. My dear Hermione, you will destroy our plans." Dumbledore said as he and Minerva climbed the steps to the bedroom chambers.
"Harry was out walking about last night, undoubtedly shaken as to why he might have stayed in my chambers." Dumbledore began.
"What? Why stay in your chambers?" Hermione interrupted.
"Miss Granger, I must ask that you be patient if you want to know the full story or I will be forced to give you the short one and cut you out of the loop," stated Dumbledore matter-of-factly.
"I'm sorry Professor, but I see blood." Hermione said in a much less demanding mood.
"We are devising a plan that will indeed resemble an assault similar to a military action. In his early years, Shacklebolt spent sometime studying military tactics and maneuvers. Unfortunately, it will endanger many more lives than we want to acknowledge." Dumbledore explained.
"But what about the prophecy? It's still Harry against Voldemort in the end. How does this help?" Hermione was terrified for Harry at the announcement of endangering lives. "I'm sorry, Professor. Truly, I am scared."
"As are we all. The plan is to make Voldemort and his forces expose themselves like he did to Harry last year in the Department of Mysteries. For now I think that's all your tired and anxious mind can take." Dumbledore realized the painful process of telling her that Harry would be the bait as well as the hero in their plan. The most difficult news was that he may not ever be the same and that would be too emotionally grueling on her today. Tomorrow would be better. "You have a visitor."
Hermione looked over at Harry's bedside to a tall wizard with a beard as long as Dumbledore's who'd just taken Harry's hand. "Who are you?"
"Pappy, my sweet loving Hermione. I am Pappy." He said.
Hermione stood in complete awe and confusion at the statement. "You're supposed to be stooped and arthritic…barely as tall as Harry. But, ahh, I get it you're like Tonks, I forgot in all the confusion."
"Yes, it's confusing. Harry didn't recognize me either the first time this morning." Pappy said quietly.
"He can talk and he's not paralyzed. He looks absolutely frightful." The presence of Pappy and Dumbledore brightened her spirits, making it easier not to cry at the sight of the blood on Harry's bandages.
"I will explain. Interrupt me when you have a question, I don't mind. My job here is to make sure you two can execute your portion of the plan. Alright, Hermione?" Pappy said in a soothing voice.
"You should be doing something different than run an antique shop, Pappy, you know how to make people feel better. That's a gift." Pappy appreciated the praise, but just nodded.
"Well, here goes. Or plan was to do some deception last night, but when Albus and I discussed the plan we realized it was not thorough enough. Unfortunately, we miscalculated by telling Harry too much, too early. It gave him fits and he couldn't sleep. What we intended to happen with our plan worked, but it happened with the real Harry." He held his hand up at the question. "I know I said ask, but the answers right here. We were going to post people who would appear to be Harry on the Marauder's Map throughout the castle last night."
"What? Huh?" Hermione was really confused.
"I'm sorry, you didn't know about the Marauder's Map. At least not that we felt it had probably fallen in the hands of Wormtail or Voldemort. But we were certain that if it had, replicas using a slightly altered spell would keep Death Eater's names from appearing. And especially the name of Voldemort would not appear." Pappy slowly explained the plan in a nutshell.
"If we can get one or two Death Eater's to expose themselves and they go back to where Voldemort is, then we can deceive him as we attack." Pappy stopped and looked at Hermione.
"I know I'll catch on later. That's too confusing. What's wrong with Harry?" She asked.
"Someone using the map found Harry stunned him and tried to carry him off, but Tonks and Professor McGonagall were in their alternate forms and foiled the kidnap portion, unfortunately, Harry fell twice on his head. Once when he was stunned and much worse when they dropped him. He's been in and out of consciousness most of the day. He will be fine from these wounds. His arm was broken in the second fall too, but the Skele-gro will fix that up and help the skull fractures as well." Pappy tried to throw all the facts in without alarming Hermione. Harry was in bad shape, but as Pappy said would recover.
"Letting people think that Harry has been kidnapped accomplishes two things. The Dark Lord will only know where he is with the original Marauder's Map and two it brings more Death Eaters out to search for him or gather information. Professor Lupin, we hope, will be able to duplicate the original map using the drawings from the fake one we retrieved out of Harry's locker." Pappy was tired of talking for the moment. "Get more rest Hermione, tomorrow or the next day will tell the story."
Hermione laid down in the bed next to Harry relieved that she had worried for nothing. "By the way, why didn't someone tell me before I passed out that he was okay?" She asked.
"Hermione, if you'd have calmed yourself and listened to your heart you would have known. You are so quick to fear the worst, you miss the best." Pappy said cryptically. "Now, get some rest."
Pappy went downstairs to see if he might help Lupin. Lupin was looking at his notes. "If I recall correctly, the order of the incantations was important too." He read through the list and offered it to Pappy.
"Son, I think that this is the correct order here. If we are wrong, we'll all appear on the map as different barnyard animals according to our liking or something like that." Shocked, Lupin turned to Pappy to see his disarming grin and gaze. Pappy was right. They'd had to do the thing many times before perfecting it when they first made it.
The work was slow. Tonks returned from her rounds and looked fairly unhappy by her usual standards. The pain in her feet from walking was evident. She was used to flying or other means of travel. She had to fit into the student population which was taxing in itself, because she'd have to give a sleeping draught to one student and pretend to be that person for a few hours and then another. `Thinking like a teenage witch was hard work.' She thought and giggled. `I was like that once.'
She watched as the work to perfect the new map continued. Lupin had still not perfected the parts eliminating the House-Elves. It was workable but the names were unreadable because of the clutter. Finally, success.
"Professor, I think I have it. We can use the same incantation as before." Lupin was proud.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The opening page displayed just as the original had. They looked around all of the different levels and found nothing out of the ordinary. Until…
"Look here. In the dungeon, `Ron Weasley'. See. Did you see that?" Lupin looked at Pappy and Dumbledore.
"Yes, the momentary switch to `Voldemort.' Yes, we see it. Get Kingsley Shacklebolt, we must find Ron and move up his appointment." Dumbledore said quickly.
"Alright everyone, we may have Voldemort walking in our front door." Dumbledore's proclamation brought gasps of disbelief and terror.
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Hermione dozed in an out. The labored breathing from Harry next to her was both a distraction and a delight. He was alive. She knew that. "Hermione. Hermione," said a groggy Harry through the bandage about his head and anchored at his jaw. She was careful not to touch his arm. She wondered if it had only been broken why the bones must be re-grown. She would ask. And, then, she thought, `I should just focus on how he's feeling and on him getting better, not on all that stuff.'
"I'm here sweetie. How are you feeling?" She asked fearing the answer.
"Like I did the Wronski Feint and didn't Feint. I feel like I slammed into the earth on my head." Harry was in pain.
"Sh, don't talk, just rest. I'll be here." Hermione walked around to the other side where she could sit and hold his good hand. She kissed his hands and fingers. "I love you, so just get better." She felt better and actually dozed in the chair.
Just as Hermione was falling deep into dreamland she was awakened by Pappy and Dumbledore. "He is no condition to do this now." Pappy said. "If he is in here more than a moment or two he will sense Harry's presence, but I don't think he would be foolish enough to strike now. Not with all of us here."
"I agree, Nathaniel. We must keep him as quiet as possible through our potions to avoid Harry's detection for as long as possible. The more we can gather from Ron and Voldemort as he revels in his short-term victory the better. His undoing may very well be his gloating." Dumbledore said.
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Kingsley Shacklebolt was a Special Forces soldier for the British muggle army for years prior to returning to the Ministry. If there was one thing he'd learned, it was patience and not playing the cards too soon. He saw Ron coming down the passageway.
"I must apologize for my demeanor before. When I told Dumbledore later in the afternoon who it was demanding an appointment, he told me that I had erred. He would like to see you immediately after the evening meal. Will that be acceptable?" Shacklebolt stood ready because he was sure that Voldemort recognized him if he was still possessing Ron.
"Yeah, yeah that'd be okay. My girlfriend's gone missing Mr. Shacklebolt. I don't know where she is, I was looking for her in the dungeons where she was doing a project but she wasn't there." Ron said in all honesty. His grip on reality as Ron was fading. He'd endured so much these past three days that he couldn't tell what was real or if the voices in his head were a dream. "Can I bring my sister?" Shacklebolt looked over at Ginny with her eyes red and swollen. Ron and Ginny looked just as sad.
"Of course, just be there before six o'clock, he has an appointment then that he will delay to see…you if you make it." Shacklebolt was quiet capable of kindness. He carefully guarded his thoughts and avoided Ron's direct gaze to avoid letting his thoughts be a source of information. He was good with Occlumency, but this was Voldemort. He was glad his robes covered the goose bumps he'd developed.
The mood in the library was thick. It smelled of anticipation, fear, and even hatred. Dumbledore decided that it would be necessary for all but just Lupin to be either upstairs with Harry or out of the area completely. Protecting Harry, they decided was the best course while he was recovering. At 5:55 the gong rang and Fawkes who had just emerged from the ashes, squawked slightly. The door opened.
"Ron, Ron, how nice it is to see you. And, Ginny, what a surprise? I am sorry that I didn't get the message you wanted to see me earlier. Shacklebolt was following orders. What's this I hear that Miss Lovegood's gone missing?" Dumbledore, even though he'd dealt with Voldemort before, was uneasy this time but held his ground quite well knowing Pappy, Lupin and Tonks were just upstairs.
"Yeah, bloody hell, I wake up to hear about Harry, and then I get accused of taking stuff for potions I know how to do, but I am supposed to know how to do. And on top of all that I get my bag searched by Snape. What's going on Professor Dumbledore?" Ron's eyes shifted around the room as did those of Dumbledore to avoid a direct gaze.
"Ron, I am sure you had it explained to you that there are pranksters or thieves, take your pick, who have been making a mockery of discipline here. There have even been reports of students having sexual liaisons in the Common Rooms of the houses. These things must be controlled." Dumbledore said. He'd seen the visions in Ron's mind of his encounter with Luna which meant that Voldemort hadn't taken charge yet. He fixed his gaze on Ginny for a moment, smiled, and then turned to Ron again
"So, Ginny are you and Mr. Malfoy getting along better now that he's agreed to stop seeing Miss Parkinson?" Ginny turned slowly with very little emotion as Dumbledore watched Ron's reaction.
"Bloody hell." Ron said. "Are you sneaking around seeing that prat? Is that why Luna and I never see you in the evenings?"
"Shut up, Ron. I can see whom ever I like. I can even shag him if I like." Ginny's tone seemed different.
"Did you hear that professor? She's shagging Malfoy. I should slap…" he raised his hand to slap Ginny just as bolt of yellow-green light emerged from her mouth and eyes.
"Very good, Dumbledore. I am not surprised that you knew I was about, but that you discovered so easily I had possessed the little bitch again does. I am quite sure that Mr. Potter is under guard above or I should like to destroy him and his little girlfriend and take you all with me. As I am alone, I shall depart. But I will be back to finish this soon."
An explosion of sorts occurred in the library similar to the one used by Dumbledore the year before to escape arrest. Both he and Nathaniel had been surprised by the power of it. Many books pages were flying in the air. Ginny's body was limp. She bled from the eyes and mouth. Ron had been knocked into the desk, but appeared to have maintained consciousness.
Lupin quickly opened the map to watch as Voldemort's name rapidly moved down the eastern corridor of the dungeons disappearing nearly directly underneath Hagrid's cabin.
The first order of business was to get Ginny medical assistance. Her breathing had stopped and while her eyes were still intact, the capillaries had burst. She'd been lucky to survive. Had anyone else have been there, Dumbledore was sure that Ginny would have been shredded to pieces as if she'd had a bomb strapped to her chest just to terrorize them.
Pappy took Ginny up the stairs and told Ron to remain silent. Hermione was huddling against Harry. Harry was now barely awake but they were both terrified.
Pappy moved quickly and within moments, Ginny's breathing had been restored. "She'll live, but I don't know if she'll ever see again."
"I don't know but I think it was the thoughts of love for whoever it is she was thinking about made Voldemort loath remaining in her mind and body. He couldn't sustain his evil inside her with a strong love present." Send Ron to me.
"Sir, are you the one they call Pappy?" he asked.
"Ron, son, you almost killed your sister today. You may not like to hear this, but the love she has for that bloke, Draco, you hate kept Voldemort's power to kill her as he left her body at a minimum." Pappy shook his head. "Had you succeeded in making her think of her feelings for him as lust, I think she'd be dead. He uses or most prurient and immoral nature to destroy us. We must be aware of that fact. It is love that will save us all."
Ron, Hermione, and Harry were confused by Pappy's words. Through his haze Harry grabbed the pocket watch he'd had laying on his chest and looked at it. The beauty of Hermione's smile warmed his heart. He looked at her next to him and sighed.
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