Chapter 9
Night Terrors Revisited
"So Uncle, how long do you plan to hang around?"
"Not much longer. Perhaps through dinner if that's suitable with you both. I believe I was promised a chance to see Miss Katharine in action with a cauldron. I wouldn't mind watching Miss Serenity if she'll indulge me."
"That can be arranged." Ginny repressed a grin as she began clearing the table. "Girls, help me get this mess into the kitchen, then you can go brew to your heart's delight."
With a flash Kat was up with Sere soon behind her, stacking empty plates and dishes before grabbing them up and heading for the back door."
"If I had a few more students like that in each class I might actually want to return to teaching."
Draco turned and looked at him just as his wife made her way into the house. "I guess that's what the professor was on you about then."
"Yes. She's been after me about it for probably ten years or more. Virtually from the moment my name was cleared and her trust in me was reaffirmed. She's all but offered me my own wing in the school, any class I want, and a raise that would make her pay look meager to get me to return. Frankly, until today the idea had seemed entirely horrid."
"And now it looks differently?"
"Minerva doesn't dote on a person's talent if it isn't there. I recall quite a challenge teaching you. Your two would give an equal challenge if not more so."
Ginny had returned to gather more dishes mid-conversation. "More so; they are a handful to say the very least."
"I suspect they are waiting somewhere to prove that to me themselves."
"They are; right outside the lab door. Kat's so excited she can barely contain herself."
"That sounds rather ominous."
"She'll calm down when she gets in there. She's nothing short of determined when she's in the lab; partly for fear of landing back in the hospital if you ask me."
"A wise fear to be sure. Certainly Draco you remember Mr. Longbottom's penchant for landing himself in the hospital wing due to my class?"
Draco laughed. "I doubt anyone could forget. How many cauldrons did he end up melting?"
"You know I never kept track. I really should have. I'm sure it would have proved to be some sort of wizarding world record."
"Oh well. Certainly he keeps away from cauldrons now."
"I'm certain he does as he is no longer living."
Ginny looked back a bit shocked. "When?"
"About five years ago. He suffered some long term spell damage from the final battle. His heart was a great deal weaker after that. He suffered a coronary during class one day."
"A heart attack during class? Where was he studying?"
"Not studying, teaching. He took over Herbology at Hogwarts as a favor for the headmistress till a full-time replacement could be found when Professor Sprout retired."
Ginny looked like the wind had been taken out of her. "His poor family."
"He had none if you take into consideration the state of his parents. His grandmother passed on during the war. He never married; his fiancé died during the final battle if I'm not mistaken."
Ginny gasped. "Luna." Tears of sadness formed in the corners of her eyes.
"Ginevra you might say you are the lucky one. Very few of your friends and none of your immediate family were killed. Draco could not say the same. Many of the people he knew and grew up with are either dead or in Azkaban for life without the slightest hint of a chance at release."
Draco wasn't at all surprised. "Dare I ask who isn't in either of those situations?"
"Miss Parkinson is well. She's married to some rather aged gentlemen. Most assuredly for his money I can well promise you. Mr. Zabini is well. In fact last I heard he was head of some rather large corporation of his own design. Honestly that's pretty much it. Most of your former housemates and family acquaintances are dead or in Azkaban as I've already said."
The sound of the backdoor drew the adults' attention back to reality. Ginny looked up to find the girls standing just outside the door with matching looks that questioned why they weren't brewing already. "Sorry girls I got them off on a tangent talking about people we use to know." She turned to her husband. "I'll finish clearing up this mess. You best take them in and start or you'll never hear the end of it."
"Okay you two, off with you. Uncle Severus and I are right behind you this time."
The two men followed the girls into the house. Ginny finished clearing the table leaving only her glass and the almost empty bottle of red sitting there before returning, book in hand.
Ginny grabbed the glass and bottle in her empty hand and headed for the arbor that Draco had put in for her several years before; a place just for her to come and relax and have some time for herself when she needed it. Nestled at the edge of the yard, with grape vines woven thickly around the arbor, it created the perfect shady resting place. She parted the hanging vines and entered into her own private haven.
Hidden beneath the thick vine covering were two well worn Adirondack chairs and a brash bowl that served as a fire pit. Paper lanterns hung from the rafters, hiding the fairy lights from general view. With a whispered lumos the fairy lights came to life giving off a glow just bright enough to read by. She took a seat in one of the chairs and refilled her glass.
She had intended to lose herself within the pages of her latest purchase. She had grown very fond of novels over the years. A friend had suggested the novel Under the Tuscan Sun. While she had never found the time to watch the film, she would always make time for a quality novel. But now that she was here, with some time to herself, she found she couldn't think of anything but a life she had willingly walked away from so many years before.
Luna was dead. She hadn't even known and she'd had the opportunity to find out. She just hadn't taken it. After all they had received the Daily Prophet under assumed names since they'd moved here. Mainly because they wanted to be able to make sure the kidnapping plot had worked and partly because neither could let go of home in one fail swoop. The days after the final battle the Prophet had listed the dead; page after page littered with names of those left cold and bloody in the wake of a war fought for too long. She hadn't read them. Draco had. Her only request was that she be told if any of her family was on the list. They had not been. Past that she wanted to know nothing else at the time. It was war and she was glad it was over.
Now she couldn't help but wonder how many others she knew were long dead with her being left ignorant to it because of her own selfishness. `No not selfishness. Not completely. I didn't just leave because of myself. I left for my husband and my son,' she thought. `But not reading the list that was pure selfishness. I couldn't, or rather wouldn't face the death that I had escaped because I didn't want to admit that if I had been there I could have tried to help.'
She sat staring into her glass for so long she simply lost track of time and everything around her. Too soon sleep took over and her glass fell from her limp fingers, spilling its contents to the ground.
Soft fingers brushed her cheek. "My sweet Ginevra. It's been far too long my love. Wherever have you been hiding yourself?"
"Tom?" She looked up to find a very youthful Tom Riddle standing before her.
He gave a hallow laugh. "Yes my dear. You have been a naughty young lady not allowing me to visit you, such a naughty girl indeed. I can't fathom what you hoped to accomplish by pushing me aside into the darkness at the back of your mind. You know I'll never leave you."
She stepped back slowly, trying to avoid having him inside her personal space. "Tom you can't be here. This isn't real."
"Of course it's real Ginny. I'm always real here inside your mind. You know the things I can do to you."
"This can't be real. I must be dreaming." She couldn't keep the fear out of her voice. "Tom you don't belong here. Just leave. Leave me please. I have my own life and you had more than a few chances at your own."
He reached out and grabbed her wrist so quick she couldn't get away. His grip was so tight it was sure to leave a mark. "Whatever is the matter Ginevra? Can't stand the look of me? Such a pity. You're so weak. You were then and you remain so now. I have no problem showing you your weaknesses."
"NO! Tom, please no." Her voice cut through the darkness like a knife.
"No amount of screaming will deter me. You should know that by now little girl."
He pulled her to him, bringing her back flush with his front. Wrapping strong arms around her he clutched a hand to her throat. "I'm not a little girl," she choked out.
"Of course you are Ginny. You'll never allow yourself to grow up Ginny. Oh my sweet, evil, tainted Ginny."
The voice changed little by little. It wasn't Tom's voice. "Ginny, Ginny, Ginny…"
"She's not waking up."
"It's a night terror. They happen from time to time."
"Ginny, love, come on now you have to wake up. It's not real Gin. Please, you're scaring everyone Ginny."
Slowly the image of Tom faded from her mind and the feel of familiar hands on her arms became more dominate in her sleep ridden mind. "Drake?"
"Yes. Thank the gods. I couldn't get you to wake up." Squatting in front of her, he gathered her in his arms and held on for dear life. Slowly he let go and stood up in front of her. She looked around and realized she was still under the arbor. "How long have I been out here?"
Draco smiled warmed and extended his hand to help her stand. "All afternoon."
"I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"It's okay. You just worried us."
"I didn't mean to do that either. I was thinking of Luna and I let myself get caught up in some long gone memories. I guess it must have sunk into my subconscious."
"I know. You were screaming. Alex heard and came and got me. You had him very worried. I came straight out when he said you were yelling about a Tom but he couldn't get you to wake up."
"Yea it was Tom. It's nothing, just the usual."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. I'm fine, really. I guess I should go in and make sure the girls know I'm okay."
"And Isaac."
She stopped just as she moved through the vine veil. "Huh?"
"He got here about three. Seems he couldn't resist finding out who was visiting after all."
She smiled. If there was anything that could be said about their son, it was that he was very curious. "Well then we should go in." She turned and made her way out as if nothing had happened.
Severus followed Ginny and Draco out. "Does she always go on as if nothing happens after one of these?"
"Pretty much."
"Do they happen often?"
"No. In fact that is the first she's had in years."
"I suppose I have caused it. For that I'm truly sorry. I didn't intend to dredge up the past for either of you."
"You didn't. It would have happened anyway the moment we set foot back in Britain." He opened the door allowing his godfather to enter before him. "We should probably get the lab cleaned up. She is worse than you about leaving messes."
Severus grinned. "Well at least I taught one of you something."
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