Chapter 29: Ginny's Revelation
Ron chose not to wait for Hermione to finish in the loo before setting off for the hospital wing. He didn't get very far, however, deciding to stand and shout at Harry, who was in no way going to leave Hermione, from the end of the corridor. When she did emerge she was exposed to a torrent of frustrated calls from Ron and Harry explained the situation quietly as they ran long the corridor to meet him.
Together the three of them raced along the corridors and up several staircases until they reached the hospital wing, where both Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore stood waiting for them. Both wore grave looks of deadly seriousness, and these turned into oddly suspicious looks when they caught sight of Ron. Harry thought that whatever had accompanied Ginny's return to consciousness couldn't be very good enws for her brother.
`Finally you're here!' Professor McGonagall said impatiently.
`Sorry,' say Ron out of breath, `we had to wait for Hermione in the loo.'
`Don't blame her,' said Harry snappishly, `it was Creevey's fault for taking so long to give us the message.'
`The blame for your tardiness is incredibly irrelevant,' said Dumbledore quietly, all turned to face him. `The blame for something else is much more important. Wouldn't you agree, Professor McGonagall?'
There was no hiding in Dumbledore's voice the trace of accusation aimed at Professor McGonagall; he clearly thought it was inappropriate of her to bring up trifling things such as timekeeping in the face of whatever event his solemn look and tone referred to.
`What's happened? What's gone on?' said Ron fervently. `What's happening with Ginny? Is she ok? Did she say who attacker her? Do-'
`Silence, if you please Mr Weasley,' said Dumbledore, the faintest of smiles flickering across his increasingly lined face. `I see you have been informed that your sister is indeed awake. To answer one of your questions, she is fine. At least, Madame Pomfrey can find no physical problems with her. Mentally and emotionally, however, we are not so sure. Only time will answer that question.'
`How so?' asked Hermione.
`Whatever it was that caused such a deep comatose state in Miss Weasley was a very powerful curse,' said Dumbledore thoughtfully. `Physically it caused no damage, but it did send her into a deep unconscious state. The black mark faded of its own accord and when it did, Miss Weasley awoke. There is no telling what longer term damage it may have done, or whether this is all it was able to do.'
`Has Ginny got any idea who did this?' Ron asked earnestly.
`She has given us one name yes…'
`Well…who is it?'
`Bizarre as it sounds,' began Dumbledore ruefully, `she claims that you are responsible, Mr Weasley.'
There was a pause, only a few moments in length, but that seemed to last for such a long time. Harry looked at Ron, seeing his expression turn from one of deepest concern to confusion, then to horror and finally landing on guilt. Harry glanced towards Hermione, who was wearing a look that seemed as though she had faked shock. Harry wanted to feel affronted with her, but he knew too much how she felt to be annoyed with her.
`Me?' said Ron eventually, his voice sounding distant and vague. `She accused me?'
`By name,' said Dumbledore grimly.
Ron didn't know how to respond, judging by his look. His eyes betrayed confusion and bewilderment, the events clashing and contradicting in his mind. Harry knew that Ron was likely knowing that there was a good chance he was responsible for what had happened to Ginny, even if he couldn't remember it or didn't know how he had managed a complex piece of sorcery. Indeed, Harry himself was curious to know; after all, Dumbledore had been stumped by the curse and Harry couldn't help but wonder how Ron had managed to perform it. Dumbledore was the greatest wizard of the age, and Ron was only just above Neville in terms of his own magical skills. It didn't add up.
`Can I see her?' Ron asked uncertainly, not sure whether he wanted to or not.
`She has expressly forbidden it, I'm afraid,' said Dumbledore with a sigh, `she has, however, asked for Harry to be allowed to see her, if he will consent.'
Harry was shaken from his thoughts by Dumbledore's words. Ginny had asked for him? That was strange. Ron looked hopeful, obviously wanted Harry to check that she was ok and maybe try to explain that Ron wasn't acting of his own free will. Hermione looked very suspiciously at Harry; evidently, Harry surmised, Hermione hadn't forgotten Ginny's crush on Harry and choosing her for her sole confident seemed like a rouse to her. Harry smirked at her suggestively and she flushed with embarrassment when she realised Harry had learnt to read her feelings the way she could read his.
`Well, Potter?' asked Professor McGonagall pointedly. `Do you want to see Miss Weasley or not?'
`What? Oh yeah, sorry Professor. Of course, shall I go in now?'
Professor McGonagall showed Harry into the hospital wing and he just managed to catch the Dumbledore speaking to Ron and Hermione, asking them to accompany him to his office so they could establish Ron's whereabouts at the time of the attack, based on Ginny's information.
Harry entered the ward with some degree of trepidation. He wasn't sure why Ginny would call him alone in to see her. If he took Hermione's female-jealous approach then Ginny asking for him would be like some sort of last request. Harry had a disturbing image of Ginny, her face riddled with some disgusting flesh-eating disease, grabbing onto his arm and professing her undying love for him as her life ebbed away.
On the other hand, there was a chance she knew something about Ron's attack on her that she didn't want to confess to Dumbledore but would happily tell to Harry. It wouldn't be the first time; she had once been possessed by a young version of Lord Voldemort and hadn't told body about it, even when she knew something was going on with her. Either way, there was a reason that Harry was privy to Ginny's bedside and he was too curious to feel too apprehensive about her reasons.
Harry walked lightly towards Ginny's bed, now at the far end of the ward. It was very un-Hogwarts like, Harry thought, to find the Hospital Wing so empty. There was just such a chance for bizarre injuries here that the ward was usually a second home for some, Harry himself being one. Ginny was on her side, facing away from Harry and seemed to be sleeping. He pulled up a chair, the scraping echoing shrilly through the empty room and causing Ginny to turn around.
`Oh…hi, Harry,' she said vaguely.
`Sorry,' said Harry apologetically, `I didn't mean to wake you.'
`I wasn't sleeping,' said Ginny. Harry noticed again how vague her voice was and how her eyes were dull and lifeless as they had been before.
`Professor Dumbledore said you wanted to see me,' asked Harry with a strange sort of formality, as if he were talking to a stranger.
`Did I?' Ginny said.
`I don't know…' Harry was starting to get confused and wary.
`I cant remember saying that. Sorry, Harry.'
`Oh…ok. Do you want me to stay with you?'
`If you like, I don't really…' Ginny's voice trailed off s if she'd suddenly remembered something that was more important than the conversation.
`Ginny are you sure you're feeling ok?'
`Harry…why am I in the Hospital Wing?'
`What?' Harry asked. `You were attacked. Ron attacked you. You've been unconscious for ages. You told Dumbledore. Don't you remember?'
`No,' she replied conversationally. `You can go if you want, I'm a bit tired.'
`Ok,' said Harry, looking wonderingly at Ginny's vacant expression. `Hope you get better soon.'
Harry was barely a few steps away from Ginny's bed when she called out to him. Her voice was strained and desperate, as if she were fighting for breath and only just managing to speak. Harry turned and saw Ginny's face contorted in effort and going red at an alarming rate. Her eyes seemed one effort away from popping out of their sockets and Harry thought he could see he blood pumping through her cheeks.
`What is it? What's wrong?' Harry asked quickly. `You don't look well. D'you want me to call Madame Pomfrey?'
`No, Harry!' hissed Ginny. `I cant hold out much longer…have to…tell…you.'
`What? Tell me what?'
`The attack…my attacker…' Every word seemed to require a huge effort on Ginny's part.
`Ron? What about him?'
`No…it wasn't Ron,' said Ginny.
`But you said to Dumbledore…'
`No, I didn't. Well I did…but it wasn't really me. I've got to help Ron…got to stop it.'
`Stop what? Ginny…you aren't making any sense.' Harry was starting to get frustrated and desperate.
`It's the Imperius Curse. I cant fight it.'
`The Imperius Curse? I thought you were putting that on Ron,' said Harry.
`No, no…Ron was drinking some potion and was being made to do things by someone else but I made that person do it. The curse was put on me and had to put it on someone else so they'd feed Ron the potion.'
`So what happened?'
`I started getting used to it. Started fighting it. I could remember doing things…bad things. So when I started fighting back I tried to undo some of the stuff. That night you saw me Charming the wall of that empty classroom I was trying to break whatever I'd done to it before. I know that there's a way to use that room to go somewhere else, I just don't know where or how. I was Charming the wall on one side to lead somewhere safe but as I fought the curse the spell I had to do faded and I forgot it. I cant even remember if I finished it or what I did. All I know is that I did such a deep curse on the person I had to get under the Imperius Curse that she is almost programmed to do what I told her.'
`She?' asked Harry.
`Yeah, she attacked me when I tried to undo the curse. I think the person who cursed me got to her.'
`And who was that?'
`The Malfoys, Draco and his dad. Harry…I'm losing it…whatever curse hit me is still controlling my mind.'
`Ginny…who did it? Who did you have to curse?'
`It was Luna, Harry. Luna Lovegood.'
Harry gasped like a girl in a horror film and Ginny flipped back into he vacant mode.
`Are you still here?' she asked irritably. `I thought I told you to leave! I want some sleep.'
Harry dashed from the Hospital Wing, leaving Ginny muttering to herself about Crumpled Horned Snorkacks. He darted along the corridor, smashing a few disgruntled second-years into the portrait of Geraint the Gormless, who was less than hospitable to the collision. Harry sprinted away from the scene with his only thoughts bent on reaching Dumbledore's office.
He rounded the last corner and met Ron and Hermione emerging from behind the stone gargoyle that guarded the steps to the office. Both looked as though they'd had a severe telling off and shared the same startled look as Harry tore towards them.
`Hiya Harry,' said Ron. `What's-'
`No time,' panted Harry. `What did Dumbledore say? Did he expel you?'
`No,' said Ron gloomily, `but I'll be under observation until he can establish where I was at the time. I think he's going to talk to the creatures in the Forest cos I was searching for Ginny in there at the time. Unless I attacked her first of course.'
`It wasn't you!' Harry panted. `Ginny told me.'
`Who was it then?' asked Hermione.
`It was-'
`Luna!' cried Ron.
`Yeah…how do you know?'
`No,' said Ron pointing over Harry's shoulder, `LUNA!'
Harry swung around quickly.
`Hi Harry,' said Luna brightly.
`Luna…what are you?'
But she had whipped out her wand before Harry had finished speaking and he could only remember her saying two more words.
`AVADA KEDAVRA!'
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