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I can feel it coming in the air tonight, Oh Lord
I've been waiting for this moment, all my life, Oh Lord
Can you feel it coming in the air tonight, Oh Lord, Oh Lord
Well, if you told me you were drowning
I would not lend a hand
I've seen your face before my friend
But I don't know if you know who I am
Well, I was there and I saw what you did
I saw it with my own two eyes
So you can wipe off the grin, I know where you've been
It's all been a pack of lies
(In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins)
"WHAT?" Charlie nearly launched off his seat. "Ron I thought... Harry- I mean they convicted him even though..."
"It wasn't Harry," Ron said looking at his brother. "It was Draco Malfoy."
"Malfoy?" Charlie asked in disbelief. "But I thought he disappeared?"
"Didn't we all," Ron said sarcastically.
Luna sat down beside Charlie. "He's actually been right here under our noses for quite some time. Since my last year at Hogwarts, actually. Someone was keeping him hidden."
"Who?" Charlie asked.
"Your sister," Luna replied.
Charlie was completely dumbfounded. "Ginny... she's been with Malfoy?"
"And how," Ron said, the anger returning as he thought about it. "He's the father of her baby."
Charlie exhaled sharply and began to pace around the room.
Ron explained as best he could about the diaries and what Ginny had written. He also told his brother about how he'd gone to Ginny's flat and overheard her and Malfoy talking about what had happened.
"Ginny wouldn't have done this," Charlie said determinedly. "She couldn't have..."
"I know," Ron said. "I wouldn't believe it except I heard it with my own ears Charlie."
"Does Mum know?" Charlie asked. "Is that why you sent her away?"
"I didn't send her away," Ron replied. "But yes, she knows. I didn't want her to find out like this but she knows."
Charlie kicked the table leg as hard as he could. "DAMN IT!"
Ron ran his hands through his hair. "Lupin's trying to find a way to bring Malfoy in."
"How could she have let Harry take the fall for this?" Charlie asked. "She's going to tell me right now---
He made a move for the door.
"No," Ron caught his brother's arm. "Charlie if she knows we're onto her she'll take off and we'll never be able to prove any of this."
"I'm going to be sick," Charlie choked out. He brushed past Luna and opened the back door.
Ron rubbed his eyes wearily. "That was almost as bad as telling Mum," he said quietly.
Luna put a hand on his shoulder. "He needed to know, Ronald."
"What's everyone else going to say?" Ron asked his eyes bright with frustration.
"They'll probably take it like Charlie did," Luna said. "But, she can't get away with this, Ronald. She needs to pay for what she's done. Both of them do."
"It's still a bit hard to understand how she could stand by and watch Malfoy do this to Dad," Ron choked out.
Luna put her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "I know..."
"I just want this all to be over," he said.
"Hopefully it won't be much longer," Luna said. She broke away from him when Charlie came back into the kitchen.
"Would you like a glass of water?" she asked him.
"Sure," Charlie sat back down at the table. "I don't... I just don't know what to think..."
Luna went over to the cabinet and retrieved a couple of glasses. She filled both with water and handed one to Ron and the other to Charlie.
"Thanks Luna," Charlie gulped it down.
"There is something I was considering," Luna told them. "It's really out there though..."
"What's that?" Ron asked.
Luna bit her bottom lip. "It's just an idea, mind you."
"Anything's good at this point," Charlie replied grimly.
Luna sat down. "Well, Ginny and Malfoy are obviously staying one step ahead of us. Although she's slipped up a couple of times, there's no guarantee that she will do it again. Malfoy's probably coaching her and time is running out. I think that our only way out of this is to play on her guilt."
"I like this so far," Ron nodded.
"If you have some of your father's old hairbrushes or combs, perhaps we could....perhaps we could use polyjuice to make someone turn into your father. And he could talk to Ginny..."
"Blimey," Ron stared at his girlfriend.
"That's a really good idea," Charlie admitted. "A bit twisted..."
"I did tell you it was out there," Luna said. "We'd have to run it past Lupin, of course."
"You're a genius," Ron replied. "A bloody genius."
Luna beamed at him. "You really like that plan?"
"I think it's probably the only shot we have," Ron said.
"I'll do it," Charlie volunteered.
"Charlie--" Ron began.
"You wouldn't be able to hold your temper and you know it," Charlie interjected.
"Before we get all excited over this we should talk to Lupin," Luna interjected. "This could be very risky, especially if Malfoy's around."
"Let's go and run this past him then," Charlie said.
Ron took the silencing charm off the room and the three of them left for the Ministry.
They discussed the plan with Lupin, who sat silently listening to everything they had to say; his expression unreadable.
"It's crazy enough to possibly work," he said thoughtfully.
"Really?" Ron and Luna asked in unison.
Lupin gave them a terse smile. "I don't want to put anyone in any danger. I worry more about what Malfoy would do more than Ginny."
"We should do it on a night when she's staying at the Burrow," Luna said thoughtfully. "When she's asleep. She'll think she's having a dream."
"It should be real enough that she'll confess," Charlie volunteered.
"Well, when do you think we should do it," Luna asked.
"Soon," Lupin said. "We've been sitting on our asses here."
"Poor Harry," Charlie said shaking his head. "I can't imagine what he's been going through."
"He's all right," Lupin answered.
Ron scratched his nape. "We kind of left that out, Charlie. Harry and Hermione are hiding out in the States."
"You've known where he was all the time?" Charlie asked.
Ron shook his head. "Not all this time. I just found out a couple of weeks ago. Up until then, I thought he was guilty."
"Shite," Charlie pushed his hair back.
"He'll probably never forgive me after all this," Ron said shaking his head. Over the past few days, he'd really had the opportunity to reflect on all that had happened. He'd said some really horrible things to his best friend; both of his best friends. "Any of us really. We all believed he was guilty of this."
"I think he's already forgiven you," Luna put a hand on his arm. "He needs your support Ronald."
Ron nodded. "He has it--they both do."
Charlie was still having a hard time processing all of this. "Are you sure that Ginny isn't under some sort of curse or a spell? The sister I know wouldn't have done this."
"I was hoping the same thing," Ron replied. "I really was Charlie. I hate the thought that Ginny's involved like this."
"She was dad's favourite," Charlie said choking up. "The apple of his eye."
Ron nodded, pressing his lips together. He didn't trust his voice not to crack.
"She's changed quite a bit in the last couple of years," Luna said thoughtfully.
Charlie slammed his fist on the table. "When do we do this?" he demanded.
Lupin leaned forward. "As soon as possible."
"Tonight," Charlie said abruptly. "I want to do it tonight."
"What if we just had you--as Arthur--sitting in the kitchen," Luna suggested. "And then Ginny walks in and finds you there and you could just 'talk'."
Charlie nodded. "I guess that would work," he said quietly.
"We'll set up some sort of surveillance," Lupin said. "But you'll need to be alone in the house with her."
"Do you know where we can get polyjuice on such short notice?" Luna asked.
"They always have some brewed here," Lupin told her. "Just in case we need it."
"Of course," Luna nodded. She looked at the three men. "So, I guess this is it. We're really going to do this."
"Yeah," Ron nodded. "We're going to trap my sister."
"Charlie," Lupin counselled. "You need to remain in control. You can't go flying off the handle. We can't make her suspicious."
"I understand," Charlie replied.
"Okay," Lupin said nodding. "Let's discuss how this is going to go down..."
Ron sat down next to Luna who squeezed his hand in support.
They discussed every possible scenario and Charlie even drafted a sort of script that he'd follow. Ron watched it all feeling a twinge of guilt. No matter what had happened, Ginny was still his sister.
"I'll take the potion right before I go back," Charlie replied. "That way I have more time before it wears off."
"I'll have Tonks set up surveillance of the kitchen," Lupin said.
"Um," Ron said hesitantly. "Remus, I know she's your wife and all, but she's not really---she's not---"
Lupin smiled at him. "Trust me when I say when Tonks needs to be inconspicuous, she can be."
"Honestly, Ronald," Luna admonished. "She's one of the top Aurors. They wouldn't have her around if she was incompetent."
"I just... know how she is," Ron said defensively.
"You're not exactly Mr. Graceful yourself, Ron," Charlie said.
"That's why I'm not an Auror," Ron returned.
"Let me speak for the entire Wizarding World when I say thank you," Charlie teased.
Ron smiled just a bit. "Very funny."
"Okay," Lupin said. "Are we ready?"
"As we'll ever be," Charlie stood up slowly.
"So, I'll meet you just outside the woods at around 10," Lupin told them. "And we'll have someone stake out Ginny's flat to make sure Malfoy doesn't leave."
Ron was going to offer to do that but Lupin held up a hand. "I'd prefer to have an Auror there Ron, one who is trained to handle surveillance."
"So what am I supposed to do?" Ron asked angrily.
"Wait," Lupin said. "You wait."
"I've never been very good at that," Ron admitted.
"I'll stay with you," Luna volunteered.
Ron smiled. "Maybe it won't be so bad."
Lupin shot her a grateful look before leading Charlie out of the room.
Later that evening, Charlie stood in the bathroom at the Burrow. The reflection in the mirror wasn't of him, but of his father.
He wanted to break down, he wanted to go back and say that he couldn't do this. Looking like the father he missed so much was the most difficult thing he'd ever had to face.
"I'm doing this for Dad," Charlie whispered.
Taking a deep breath, he went and sat at the kitchen table. With a nervous glance at the corner he knew Tonks was sitting in, he waited for his sister to come downstairs.
Upstairs in her old bedroom, Ginny awoke with a start. She'd had another awful dream about Draco being taken away from her and she struggled to catch her breath. Her eyes fell on the clock on the bedside table. She's slept the entire day away.
Deciding she was hungry, she headed down the stairs to the kitchen to see if there was anything already made for dinner. "Don't worry baby girl," she rubbed her hands over her stomach. "I'll get you nice and fed."
She hoped that Ron had already gone to sleep. She wasn't getting tired of having to explain her every move to him.
She opened the kitchen door and cursed when she remembered that she'd left her wand upstairs. She doubled back to get it when suddenly the kitchen was illuminated by light.
"Hungry, sweetheart?" a familiar voice said.
Ginny dropped the plate she'd pulled out and slapped her hands over her mouth at the sight in front of her. "Daddy?" she choked out.
"Look at you," he said smiling warmly at her. "You're almost a mother. My little girl!"
Ginny whimpered. "How are you here?"
He stood up from his chair. "Do you remember what I told you that night before you left for Hogwarts? I told you how I was always going to be with you. I've never lied to you, Ginevra Molly."
"Daddy," Ginny's eyes filled with tears. "I've missed you so much. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."
"Come here," he said holding out his arms.
Ginny sobbed as she hugged her father.
He patted her back consolingly. "My sweet little girl."
"Daddy why did all this have to happen?" Ginny held onto him. "I just wanted to be happy."
"You tell me," he said softly. "I need to know."
Ginny tried to calm herself down with several shuddery sighs.
He pulled away from her and wiped a tear from her cheek. "Tell me, my sweet girl. Tell me what happened."
"Daddy..." Ginny looked confused. "Why... why do we have to talk about that? How are you here?"
"I'll never have a moment's rest until I know what happened and why," Charlie said hastily. Her question had thrown him for a loop.
Ginny's eyes filled with tears again. "We panicked..." she said softly. "It was an accident Daddy."
"He's the father of your baby?" Charlie asked.
"Malfoy is," Ginny said as tears began coursing down her face again. "That's why all this happened..."
"But you told me Harry was," Charlie said quietly.
"I was never with Harry," Ginny admitted, looking down at the floor.
"And he was blamed for my murder," Charlie said shaking his head. "Ginevra..."
"Daddy, please don't hate me," Ginny begged.
"I could never hate you," Charlie said touching her cheek. "Help me understand, Ginny."
"It happened so fast," Ginny sobbed. "Daddy I didn't want you to die!"
Charlie hugged her tightly. "I know, sweetheart. I know..."
"Draco didn't mean to do it!" Ginny bawled. "We were both so scared. He really does love me and he wants to take care of our baby!"
Charlie felt a surge of anger, but reminded himself that he had to keep going. "And you let him pin the blame on Harry?"
"I didn't know what else to do," Ginny broke down.
"Oh, Ginny," Charlie said putting his arms around her. "Why did you do this?"
"I'm so scared," Ginny hugged her father. "Daddy I've missed you so much. I wanted to tell everyone so many times but I can't. I can't lose Draco. I can't lose my baby..."
"So what are you going to do?" Charlie asked patting her back reassuringly.
"I don't know," Ginny rubbed her eyes. "I'm so confused..."
"You could still make this right," Charlie said softly. "Your mother and brothers are hurting, Ginevra."
"Are you hurting too?" Ginny looked up at her father. "Daddy I miss you so much. I think about you all the time."
Charlie nodded. "I miss being with your mother. We always wanted to grow old together, watching our grandchildren playing in the backyard. And now..."
"Because of me you can't," Ginny's face crumpled.
"You can still make this right," Charlie said softly. He gave her one last hug. "You know what you must do, Ginevra Molly."
And with that, he disappeared.
"Daddy?" Ginny called out. "Daddy, please come back!"
Charlie Apparated just inside the woods. He could already feel the effects of the polyjuice starting to wear off. He held up his hand when Lupin started to say something.
"She confessed," Charlie said in a flat tone. "Tonks should have gotten everything."
"I know it couldn't have been easy," Lupin said.
"You have no fucking idea what that was like!" Charlie retorted.
"I'm sorry," Lupin said quietly. "I really am."
Charlie ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I'm sorry. It's not your fault..."
"I understand," Lupin said. "It's how I felt when Lily and James died."
"Does it get any easier?" Charlie asked.
"A little," Lupin assured him.
"We, um, should probably go back to Headquarters," Charlie said quietly. "I should tell Ron and Luna how it went."
"Tonks will meet us there," Lupin agreed.
"Remus, do you think...do you think my father would have wanted us to do this?" Charlie asked.
"I think he would have wanted us to do what is right," Lupin said thoughtfully. "If I knew Arthur the way I thought I did, he always valued the truth."
"At the expense of his daughter?" Charlie asked.
Lupin remained silent. "I don't know Charlie. I'm sorry."
Charlie nodded. "Neither do I."
"Let's go," Lupin said, touching the young man's shoulder.
"Right," Charlie said chancing one last look at the house. It was barely visible in the distance.
Meanwhile at the Ministry Ron was practically on pins and needles. "What if she figured it out?" he asked Luna. "I mean, my sister may be a lot of things but she's not stupid."
"She's also very emotional," Luna tried to calm him down. "So she might believe it's him."
"And Charlie--I don't know how he could do this," Ron said continuing to pace.
"I'm sure it's very difficult for him," Luna said softly.
"I'm sorry that you've been pulled right into this," Ron said finally sitting down.
"Why are you sorry?" Luna asked. "I'm as involved as you are. I chose to be here."
"Who would want to go through this?" Ron asked her earnestly.
"It's not about that," Luna stood up. "It's about being there for the people you love when they need you the most."
"Where did you come from?" Ron asked her.
"What do you mean?" she was confused.
"You aren't like anyone I've ever met before," Ron explained as he too stood up. "And I don't understand how someone like you could love someone like me. I'm not the easiest person to love. Ask Hermione."
"But that's what I do love about you," Luna stepped closer to him. "I knew deep down that you were a good person."
"Way deep down," Ron said in self-deprecation.
"Nonsense," Luna kissed him. "You're the Ronald Weasley I've loved for a long time. I don't want you to change."
"Really?" Ron asked her.
"Really," she smiled at him.
Ron kissed her. "When this is all over, I promise you things will be normal."
"I've never exactly been normal," she told him.
"Normal is kind of overrated," Ron said with a grin.
"Exactly," she kissed him again.
Charlie and Lupin burst into the room with Tonks in tow. Charlie was still wearing their father's old suit and cloak and looked quite pale.
"How'd it go?" Ron asked.
"Just as we hoped it would," Lupin answered.
Tonks patted Charlie on the back. "You did really well, Charlie."
"I guess," Charlie shrugged.
"I'm going to go over the surveillance and let Kingsley know what happened tonight," Lupin said. "The best the three of you can do now is go home and get some sleep."
Ron was on Charlie's heels as they left the Ministry. "Tell me what happened."
Charlie sighed. He wasn't in any mood to rehash what had happened tonight, but Ron deserved to know. "She confessed. But, she feels terrible. I think this is really getting to her Ron."
Ron nodded glumly. "I had a feeling..."
"Yeah," Charlie said. "She said that she and Malfoy were scared and that they didn't mean for it to happen."
"Maybe she didn't," Ron said. "But there are no accidents where Malfoy is concerned."
"Why couldn't he have left her alone?" Charlie asked.
"Her life is all fucked up now thanks to him," Ron said furiously.
Luna stood quietly back and watched the brothers as they talked about what had happened that night. She wanted to tell them that Ginny was the one who made the choice to become involved with Malfoy. But, that would just rub salt in their wounds and she wasn't going to do that now.
"I guess we should go see what sort of damage has been done," Charlie said. "Ginny's going to need us."
Ron nodded. "Luna, are you going to come with us?"
"If you'd like me to be there," Luna replied.
"I need you to be there," Ron said taking her hand.
"Then you don't even need to ask," Luna squeezed his fingers.
Charlie, Luna and Ron made it back to the Burrow shortly before midnight. Charlie had changed back into his regular clothes before they'd left the Ministry.
"Daddy?" they heard Ginny call out in a small voice.
"Shit," Charlie muttered.
Ron took a deep breath before he walked into the kitchen. His sister was sitting on the floor looking lost and alone. Her eyes were blood-shot and her cheeks were tear-stained.
"Daddy was here, Ron," Ginny whispered. "He was right here."
"Ginny," Ron said quietly. "Come on, get up."
Ginny shook her head. "M-maybe he'll come back."
"Dad's gone Gin," Charlie crouched down, the guilt of what he had done weighing heavier than ever.
"No!" Ginny exclaimed. "Charlie! He was right here and he held me and he told me he loved me and he said....he said..."
"What did he say Gin?" Charlie asked quietly.
Ginny looked up at her brother. "I-I did something really bad, Charlie."
"You can tell us," Charlie exchanged a look with Ron and Luna.
"We love you, Ginny," Ron said kneeling down beside her.
"You won't love me," she sobbed. "Not after what I tell you."
"We'll always love you," Charlie said. "No matter what."
Ginny stared at her brothers. "I did it," she whispered.
"Did what, Gin?" Charlie urged.
"I was there," she said hoarsely. "When Daddy died."
Ron and Charlie exchanged a look.
"You were there when Harry murdered him?" Ron asked his sister.
"Harry was never there," Ginny put her face in her hands and sobbed harder.
Charlie put an arm around her. "Who did it, Ginny?"
"Can't... say..." Ginny began to heave.
"Yes....yes you can," Charlie said. "Gin, calm down. The baby..."
"Oh Merlin," Ginny put her hand over her mouth. "I'm going to--"
"Grab the rubbish bin," Charlie said over his shoulder to Luna.
Despite what Ginny had done, Luna felt nothing but sympathy for the girl who had once been a good friend.
Luna quickly fetched the bin and handed it to Charlie.
"Here Gin," Charlie said placing it in front of her. "We're right here."
"Thank you," Ginny said weakly after she'd thrown up.
Luna handed her a glass of water and with shaking hands, Ginny took a sip.
"Ginny you have to go in and tell the truth," Charlie said quietly.
Ginny shook her head. "I-I can't."
"You can't let Harry take the fall for this," Ron crossed his arms and tried to keep his temper at bay.
"We didn't mean for it to happen," Ginny said unable to look at her brothers. "We really didn't. Draco just...he thought Daddy was going to keep us apart."
"Draco..." Charlie swallowed.
"Draco Malfoy did this Gin?"
Tears streamed down Ginny's face. "We love each other, Charlie. He's not like you think he is..."
"HE KILLED OUR FATHER!" Ron roared.
"Ronald," Luna tried to put her hand on his arm to restrain him. "It's not the time..."
Ginny collapsed in Charlie's arms. "I'm so sorry, Charlie!"
"Shhhh..." Charlie comforted his sister. "Come on... we'll go in with you. You have to tell someone about this."
She wished that she could talk to Draco, but there was no way her brothers would let her out of their sight now. Besides, she was tired of hiding. And she knew her father would be disappointed in her if she let this continue.
"You'll stay with me?" Ginny asked in a small voice.
"I'll stay with you," Charlie promised. "Ron will too."
"Me too," Luna said softly. She knelt down and squeezed Ginny's hand. "For the longest time, you were my only friend."
Ginny stared back at her and Luna saw no more of the arrogance her former friend had possessed for so long.
"Thank you," Ginny said. "I don't deserve this..."
Ron wanted to agree, but he kept it to himself. "We should go," he said. "Lupin's still at the Ministry, I'm sure."
Charlie helped his sister to her feet.
"Mum's going to hate me," Ginny sobbed.
"She won't hate you," Charlie said. "Mum could never hate you Ginny."
"I really didn't mean for this to happen," Ginny said looking at her brother with shining eyes. "You believe me, right Charlie?"
Charlie looked away for a moment. "Yeah," he said honestly. "I believe you Gin... I just wish you had come forward sooner."
"Me too," Ginny whispered. "Me too."