Chapter 5
Remembering What is familiar
Disclaimer: I don't own Jack
Thanks for reviewing all - and sorry it takes me so damn long to update
It was an unusually gray morning for late August in Ottery St. Catchpole, yet it seemed fitting to the day and not out of the ordinary. A black ministry vehicle rumbled down the long dirt road that led to a ramshackle old house. The vehicle came to an abrupt halt, obviously not captained by an experienced driver. Somewhat like a clown car, producing far more occupants than it appeared able. The somber ministry vehicle revealed 6 weary redheads.
Mr. Weasley emerged first from the drivers sear, he quickly make his way around the car to help his wife from the passenger seat. Both looked much older than they had a mere six months ago… Both sported black robes and new gray hairs on their heads. From the back 5 younger Weasleys emerged, all just as reticent. Charlie, a tad shorter than his other brothers, but roughly hewn led the procession into the house. He was followed quickly by his older brother Bill whose long hair was queued. Charlie caught the door and allowed his parents, Arthur with his arm wrapped around Molly's waist, in first. The twins, Fred and George, did not dally like they were known to do, but followed suit and offered to take their parents robes from them. Ron the youngest was the last to enter, not only because of his lingering injury - he was mostly recovered just incredibly stiff and sore, but because he was still in a bit of a shock.
Dear God Ron thought That was it, it was official. He had lost a brother; Percy was gone, just like that.
He hadn't had time to assimilate everything, after all he had only been told last night, the remnants of the Body Binding curse he had been subjected to had finally worn off, and after a slow but steady circle of the house they had broke the news to him. It was what Ron had feared while he lay trapped in his bed for the three days following the battle. There were still many unanswered questions running through Ron's head, yet life was moving on without him it seemed.
Gods school started in barely two weeks time. But he supposed it was good to return some normalcy to life, when all else was in utter chaos.
Skirting the porch Ron circled the house working his muscles out after the long car ride from the gravesite. He ran his fingers through his mused red hair letting out a pent up sigh. As relieved s he was that the long fight was over and that Voldemort had been vanquished, he would give anything to return to boy he had been barely a year ago. He would sell his soul to be the boy whose biggest problem was reconciling his unrequited love for one of his best friends. But that boy was gone, too much had happened. That boy had witnessed too much death, killed too many and experienced too much personal tragedy.
Arthur placed his hands on either side of the sink as the kettle filled and watched his youngest son stroll through the back yard, pausing at the tire swing that hung from an aged apple tree.
"Fred!"
"Yeah Dad…" A red headed skinny young man entered the cluttered kitchen.
"Can you finish this tea? I need to talk to Ron"
"Sure… and I promise that there will be no green haired Weasley's after this batch of tea." Fred grinned at his father as he reached for the full kettle and headed toward the stovetop.
A small smile crept onto Arthur's face as he regarded his son. "Thanks Fred, we will be in soon, make sure your mother gets a up of tea."
Arthur slowly made his way to his son who now sat on the wooden planked seat swinging slightly. His legs were now much too long for the toy; they scraped along the dirt with each pass.
"Dad… I miss them." Ron raised watery blue eyes up to his father.
Hs father approached and placed a comforting hand on Ron's shoulder. "So do I, Gods so do I."
They continued to sit in silence for some time both regaining control of their emotions.
"It was so surreal today" Ron began, needing to voice some of his anguish and confusion. "I was saying goodbye to a brother; I never thought I would have to do that. And I seem to have lost a sister, what's happening to our family?"
Arthur sighed again, "I don't know son, I don't know. I can tell you this we are still a family and will always be a family. Percy may be gone, but he will always be with us." Arthur stood up and began to pace a small circle, with small agitated steps.
"He will be in every memory, and in everyone's heart. He gave his life to fight the greatest evil, and to protect his family. So while he can no longer be with us physically, I'd like to think that he will be with us, protecting us." Mr. Weasley finished off.
"But" Ron raised his eyes and his arm to halt his father's movement. Ron looked his father directly in the eye. "What about Ginny, we are missing part of our family and yet nobody seems able or willing to address it.
Arthur sighed, he had been expecting such a question from one of his sons, and ironically he knew Percy would have been the first to ask, but that was neither here nor there. Instead the question came from Ron, perhaps because he had so much time abed to contemplate, perhaps because they were closest in age. Regardless it was time, for what he knew to be surfaced.
"I don't know where she is Ron, but I do know she is alive, injured but living."
Ron's face began to heat, reddening. "She's hurt… then why… why isn't she with us good gods, where is she?" Ron sputtered.
"Professor Dumbledore informed me during his visit that she was too ill to move at the moment, but that she was being well cared for. I would trust that man with my life and the lives of my children, which is what apparently what I have to do." Arthur sighed again, the exhaustion of the day beginning to take its toll. "Albus said he would stop by later today and let me know when my baby is coming home."
Arthur rose slowly and rubbed his tired eyes, "If you could come in soon I'm sure your mother would like to sit with you, this has been exceptionally hard on her."
Ron slowly followed the figure of his father inside the Burrow. Its been hard on you too Dad
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yes Harry" Professor Dumbledore ushered in the young man that stood quietly in the doorway, while remaining seated away from the door.
"How did you know I was there" Harry questioned as he entered pausing to stroke the brilliant feathers of Fawkes.
"My Inner eye of course" Dumbledore smiled at the shock that was written all over Harry's face. "I shall miss Sybil. She was a bit fantastic but she loved her abilities and used them to her utmost. Sadly it was those very abilities that caused her demise." Dumbledore paused for a moment, "What can I do for you? Lemon drop?" an aged hand extended with a small yellow candy offered.
"No thank you, the house elves just filled me to the brim, Gods everyone wants to feed me!" Harry absently rubbed his hand across his somewhat abused stomach. Harry took a seat across from his headmaster, who now felt much more like a friend and ally. "I can't really put into words why I am here..." Harry ran a troubled hand through his unruly black hair. "Especially after Percy's funeral today I felt like I needed to get back to something familiar, everything is out of sorts and I just needed some normalcy. For whatever reason this is where my heart told me to come."
Dumbledore studied the boy, no man who sat before him, "Well Harry I think you have discovered why I have insisted upon resuming the school year as soon as possible, I think everyone needs to return to something familiar, you are not alone in your feelings. To many Hogwarts was a safe haven, we did our best to protect and to prepare you children throughout the conflict."
Harry turned his head toward the large stained glass window that was situated to the left of Dumbledore's desk. It depicted a phoenix rising, in brilliant yellows, reds and oranges. Below the fiery bird was a mosaic of dark blues, greens and purples. Harry stared at the mix of colors that represented the ashes, losing himself in their depths.
"Harry…" Professor Dumbledore began, "Nothing was your fault, you cannot be held accountable for the choices of others. The threads of fate are strong, you did what you could."
Harry was pulled from his revelry. "But I can be held accountable for my actions, rather my inability to save so many lives. I just can't stop thinking about those that lost their lives because of me, because of Voldemort's desire to kill me and to reign supreme. Gods I was unable to help Percy, Lavender, so many others. What happened to Ginny? It was so hard to watch their family today at the funeral, mourning for their fallen son and brother, with their only sister absent."
"Trust me Harry, Ginny is safe, she is recovering from the battle."
Harry sat in silence, what could make her not attend the funeral of her own brother, how could she not have come to her family after such an event. Hell Hermione had come running as if the fires of hell were nipping at her heels at the culmination of the fight.
Dumbledore continued, "Unfortunately her injuries were too severe to allow her to attend the funeral."
Harry started at that bit of knowledge Ginny was injured Gods what kind of sick bastard was he to automatically jump to the conclusion that there was a more sinister reason for her absence.
"On another note, I didn't see Hermione today, is everything okay?" Dumbledore questioned Harry, had Harry been more observant he would have noticed the knowing glint in the professor's eyes.
Harry refocused at the change in topic. "She was a bit emotional at the whole proceeding. It was especially hard since her parents finally got out of the hospital. She ended up staying with them since her mother is still fairly ill."
"Ah yes, I was glad to hear that they were being released from the hospital, organizing the recovery from his attack on the tube was near impossible."
Dumbledore rose with his last statement, "Well Mr. Potter, I am glad you came to talk to me, you shall see that things, as tired as the muggle cliché may be, things will get better with time. I am afraid I must be off I believe I have an appointment."
"Professor" Harry stalled Dumbledore's exit "Where is she… I … I would like to see her."
"I'm afraid that disclosing her location would only harm her and her family more, especially with the loss of Percy. I promise you though she is in good hands and as soon as she is stabilized she will return home."
"What do you mean only harm her…?" Harry quickly stood up and went to follow the professor and continue questioning him only to find Fawkes preventing him from reaching the stairway. Knowing he was beaten Harry sunk into a nearby sofa. How would her family be hurt by her location… unless…. Unless… She was with Malfoy! That bastard was responsible for Percy's death. Harry had watched Lucius point his wand and with the customary smirk maliciously utter Avada Kedarva and smirk as the lifeless body of the redhead sunk to the ground.
Anger welled up within Harry. How could she be with him, his father killed her own brother. Anger clouding his mind and unable to see any other explanations, Harry seethed off prepared to take himself to Malfoy manner and talk to Ginny Weasley himself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Draco held the sleeping form of Ginny Weasley. The doctor had just left after a final examination. It had been a long exam, hell it had been a long day. The chit had barely gotten any rest, and consequently neither had he, with every few hours interrupted by her nightmares. The examination had been especially trying on Ginny this morning, she had shed her first conscious tears as Aesa was finished tending to her wounds. As Aesa left he informed Draco that he and Dumbledore would be deciding when Ginny would be returning to her family, later that evening and he would get back to him by owl with further instructions.
Ginny had fallen into a restless sleep as he and Aesa talked in the corridor. When he re-entered the suite, fragments of her memories began to make themselves heard. She emited whimpers of pain as she tossed her tender body around the bed. Unable to stand watching her quake and just desperate to see her sleep as much for her own well being as his own, he resorted to gathering her slight form and holding her.
Draco, rather uncertain about the whole "comforting" concept did what he could; looking back to all the mothers he had ever seen with their children. He stretched out on the silken sheets next to her, ignored her plain white nightgown and placed her head on his chest, he stroked her tangled hair and murmured what he thought were soothing condolences. Whatever it was that he was doing seemed to be working, she finally quieted down and fell into a restful sleep.
Aesa had told Draco that he was worried about her inability to remember what had happened; he felt that it was crucial that she gain knowledge of what had happened before she returned to her family. He worried that it would be too traumatic on her to have everything, including the death of her brother, told to her in such a manner.
If her dreams were any indication, the events of this summer were near to the surface. Draco still was unable to put together the entire puzzle, but he was close. He had discerned that she was forced somehow off the train, that she was trying to save someone (presumably Granger), Potter came up repeatedly in her ramblings but Draco chose not to dwell on that, and that Tom, as she referred to him, had changed and utterly terrified her.
Draco held her sleeping form; his hand had slowed its gentle sweep and rested on her back. A near smile graced his features as he began to drift off.
The loud reverberation of a door being swung open startled Draco out of his rest.
His exhaustion must have dulled his senses; normally such an intrusion would have awakened him long ago.
The door to his chambers was swept open and standing, shaking with anger, was his nemesis himself, Potter!
Roderick the house elf was at his heels barking that Harry Potter cannot just barge into Master Draco's suite; he must await a proper invitation.
"Well what have we here…" Harry's voice dripped with scorn
"Hello, Potter fancy seeing you here, did you happen to be in the neighborhood? Did the mudblood let you off your chain for the evening?"
Draco could not help but bait the young man standing arms akimbo in his doorway; you did not just barge into a Malfoy's private quarters. If it hadn't been for the sleeping female in his arms, Draco would have physically removed him.
"Shut it Malfoy." Harry advanced into the room his ire rising, along with the volume of his voice. "What the fuck are you doing with her?" Venom practically dripped from his mouth as he surveyed the cozy scene on the bed.
"Well with Pansy in Azkaban I needed a quick lay and you know a Weasley will do anything for the right price... You prat can't you tell she's injured. Now if you would keep your voice down, she needs to rest." Draco ran a soothing hand along Ginny's back as she began to stir; she began making small sounds in response to noises.
Harry still seeing red from Malfoy's innuendo regarding Ginny and prostitution advanced on Draco. He slapped his hand away from Ginny and went to grab her.
Ginny's eyes fluttered open at the removal of Draco's touch. The advancing figure of Harry filled her vision; his swirling traveling cloak enveloped her. Her heartbeat began to rise as fear set in. She could sense his anger and unaware of whom it was directed at, in her semi-awake state she began to panic.
"No… No don't touch me…. No Gods!" Harry stalled momentarily at her words.
"You sick bastard" he turned to Draco, "what did you do to her?"
"I did nothing you wanker. Get off her can't you see she's panicking. If you give me a minute I will explain everything."
"No I will not, obviously you have hurt her, I am taking her back to her family. Hasn't your family done enough to the Weasley's isn't killing one enough."
Harry bent down again to pick Ginny up, when she lost all control. Ginny became a whirlwind of red hair and flailing limbs.
"Tom, why are you doing that, it hurts…You said you loved me ...I always will love him… don't hurt me again, don't touch me…" What began as coherent speech and fast moving limbs ended in pitiful screaming, tears, and the limp acquiescence of her body.
Draco stared in silence for a moment, until her recognized that she had been conscious for the entire event, she finally remembered. It had taken the insensitive presence of Potter to trigger the memory, but he had done it.
Draco rose quickly from the bed, pushing a stunned Harry toward the door.
"Get out… Get out now." Harry in his shocked state seemed to oblige.
Draco turned back to the bed, and sighed in acceptance of the task at hand.
I promise more will be revealed soon, please read and review let me know what you think! Thanks