Chapter 24 - Karma is a Bitch
Ron Weasley was feeling happier than he had in a long time. Just one month ago, his marriage was falling apart and he hated his job at the Ministry. Now he felt much lighter; he was enjoying his job at George's shop even though he was working longer hours but time flew because he was having fun.
He was also enjoying his time with Luna. Although they weren't officially seeing each other or anything, he found himself spending more and more time with her. They had lunch or dinner at least once a week and Luna would often drop by the shop, on the pretense of looking for a gift for friends, but Ron suspected it was so she could see him. At least he hoped so.
His content mood was interrupted when his sister Ginny came into the shop, slamming the door so hard that he jumped.
"Ginny! Do you mind?" Ron said irritably.
Ginny marched over to her brother, looking very angry. "I'd like a word with you in the back, dear brother."
"I can't, I'm working. George is meeting with a real estate agent to scout locations for our new shop and I'm covering for him."
"Fine! Well, if any customers come in, they'll have to get an earful of me."
Ron sighed as he knew this was coming ever since he had written the reference letter for Harry.
"So, what are you waiting for? Out with it, Ginny."
"I can't believe that you wrote that letter for Harry. Are you insane?" Ginny fumed. "How could
you support him over me, your own sister? He cheated with your wife! What if I lose custody of the kids because of what
you've done?"
"And what about Harry?" Ron said. "You are saying he's an unfit father when you know that's
complete bollocks. You also know in your heart that he didn't cheat on you. I just want the court to know that your
kids shouldn't grow up without their father. I know that Harry isn't filing for sole custody, so what's the
big deal?"
"What's the big deal? He wants physical custody - that means the kids will be living with him!"
Ron rolled his eyes. "I know, I have a divorce lawyer, too, remember? But mine isn't a snake like Gloria Redall."
"Leave Gloria out of this, she's only doing her job."
"Yeah, was it her job to drag you, me, Harry and Hermione through the mud in the papers? I've been getting strange looks and customers gawking at me ever since that interview came out. George says it's great for business, but I don't appreciate being an object of curiosity!"
"Oh, please Ron! You've always wanted to be famous, and now you are."
"Not this kind of fame!"
"Well, you're about to become more famous, because the courts are going to subpoena you to appear at our next custody hearing."
Ron was shocked. "What? Why? Did the judge not believe my letter?"
"Well, my lawyer thinks that Harry somehow bribed you to write it and I wouldn't doubt it. You know, it's pretty coincidental that you and George are looking to open another shop."
Ron laughed. "You can't be serious! He did no such thing. You know very well that George has been saving up to expand and it nothing to do with Harry's gold!"
"Well, prove that to the judge. We all know that Harry gave Fred and George his Tri-Wizard tournament winnings so they could start this shop."
Ron shook his head. "Ginny, this is completely ridiculous. I wrote it just like I said in the letter -I don't think your kids should grow up without their father. It's not right what you've been doing, and I think you're paranoid to believe the crap your lawyer is alleging."
"Well, I think you're being a ridiculous prat, Ron."
Ron stared at his sister. They had their differences over the years and some nasty fights but he had never felt more of a huge gulf between them as he did now. He barely recognized her anymore.
"Ginny, if you have nothing else to say other than to insult me, I'll have to excuse myself and get back to work."
Ginny, still fuming, decided to leave as she had nothing left to say to her brother. It was obvious that he was being stubborn and she couldn't do anything to change his mind.
"Fine, then I'll see you in court." She huffed and turned on her heel and left the shop. This time, thankfully she didn't slam the door.
Ron was worried. He had never been subpoenaed before but he knew that to take the witness stand he would have to make an unbreakable vow. While he was secure in his position that he would tell the truth, the prospect still made him nervous.
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Still angry and disappointed in her brother, Ginny returned home the Burrow. Molly and Arthur had gone to the market for groceries that morning and had not yet returned. Ginny wound up leaving Lily in her room, giving her some reading and homework to do and promised her she would be back in an hour.
Ginny went straight to Lily's room to check on her progress, but she found the room empty. She then checked the bathroom, the kitchen and the rest of the house but Lily was nowhere to be found, a gnawing feeling in her stomach that something was wrong. She went out to the broom shed and saw that Lily's broom was missing.
She rushed into the garden and scanned the skies for her only daughter, but again nothing. Ginny was beginning to panic when an owl came swooping down in front of her and landed on a small willow tree. With a shaking hand, she read the note.
Mrs. Potter-
We found your daughter Lily in our yard, having fallen off her broom. She was unconscious and we took her to St. Mungo's. The healers are with her now, they hope she will be okay, but you should come quickly.
Your Neighbor,
Sylvia Parkin
Ginny burst into tears, mixed with relief and worry. Why would Lily take out her broom unsupervised? She and Harry had told her many times never to ride without an adult or experienced flyer like James watching her.
Ginny went into the house and left a note for her parents to come to the hospital when they returned home. She immediately disapparated to St. Mungo's and marched up to the check-in desk.
"I'm Ginny Potter, my daughter Lily was brought in by my neighbor, Mrs. Parkin?"
"Oh, yes - she's in with the healers, but you can't see her yet."
"I'm her mother!" Ginny roared. "I need to see my daughter and I want to know how she
is."
The nurse looked sympathetically at Ginny as she was obviously used to dealing with hysterical relatives.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Potter, but the healers need to do their job. They will come find you when they are ready. Please go to the waiting area. I believe that your, um, husband is already there."
Ginny turned towards the waiting area and saw Harry pacing by a window. She sighed and walked towards her estranged husband.
Harry turned around and saw Ginny's worried face, all thoughts of custody battles gone for the moment.
"Harry, what happened? Did they say anything to you?"
He shook his head. "Not really, I was at work when I got the owl from Mrs. Parkin saying she found her laying in her yard next to her broom and that she came to the Burrow but nobody was at home. When I got here they said Lily was with the healers and that I should wait here. I've been here for a half hour."
"Same here." Ginny said. "This is so frustrating, I just want to see her."
"Ginny, can I ask you a question?" Harry asked tentatively.
"What?"
"What was Lily doing left alone?"
Ginny sighed guiltily. "Um, Mum and Dad went grocery shopping and I had to run an errand. I left Lily with her lessons and told her to do her homework. I was only gone for an hour, tops." She said somewhat defensively.
"I'm not accusing you of anything, Ginny." Harry said. "I'm just trying to figure out why Lily would ride her broom without anyone there. It just doesn't make sense, she knows the rules."
"I know." Ginny said. "I just hope we get the chance to ask her."
Just then, a healer approached them. "Mr and Mrs. Potter? I'm Healer Martin."
Harry and Ginny shook hands with the healer. "So how is Lily?" Harry asked anxiously.
"She'll be okay. She has a mild concussion, a broken right arm and some bruises, but I have to say she's a lucky little girl. She fell on a mulch pile. Needless to say, it could've been a whole lot worse."
"Can we see her?" Ginny asked.
"Yes, you can, but only one visitor at a time. She's been calling for her father." Healer Martin said, looking at Harry.
"Well, I guess that means I'm going in first." Harry said, glancing at Ginny who looked crestfallen.
Harry followed Healer Martin to Lily's room. "Please only be a few minutes, she needs her rest."
Harry nodded and went into the room. His heart ached at the sight of his little girl lying in the bed. She was dressed in a hospital gown with a bandage around her head and her arm in a sling. The healers had mended her broken arm, but it was still sore.
Lily's face lit up at the sight of her father. "Daddy!"
Harry settled himself on the side of her bed. "Hey pumpkin, how are you feeling?" He asked gently as he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.
"I hurt all over, especially my head." Lily groaned.
"I'm sorry to hear that, but the healers say you'll be better very soon and then you can go home."
"Can I go home with you, Daddy?" Lily asked.
"I don't know yet. Your mum and I are trying to figure that out."
"I want to live with you, Daddy. I don't like living with Mum, she's been so mean ever since we moved to the Burrow."
A light bulb went off in Harry's head. "Lily, is that what you were doing on your broom? Were you trying to come back home?"
Lily looked ashamed of herself but nodded. "Yeah, nobody was home so I thought I could fly and see you."
"You do know I was at work today?" Harry asked. "You really shouldn't have done that. You worried your mother and me terribly. You know we've told you not to fly on your broom without someone watching."
Lily's eyes filled with tears. "I know, I'm sorry Daddy, I just wanted to see you so badly. I don't want to live with her anymore."
Harry's heart broke at the sight of his sad little girl and took her uninjured hand in his. "Baby, you'll see me soon, I promise." He paused, thinking of Ginny.
"Your mum is outside waiting, she'd love to see you."
Lily sniffled and pouted. "I don't want to see her, she'll just yell at me."
Harry shook his head. "No she won't, she just wants to make sure you're okay."
"Then you tell her I'm okay. I don't want to see her." Lily said stubbornly.
Harry sighed, knowing full well how Lily had inherited her mother's stubborn streak. "Okay, I'll tell her. But you will have to see her eventually."
Lily didn't look happy about that but said nothing.
"Well, Healer Martin told me that I shouldn't stay too long and that you need your rest. But I'll be back to see you very soon."
"Okay Daddy. I love you."
"I love you, too Lily." Harry said, leaning over and kissing her again before he stood up to leave.
Once he was outside, Ginny was waiting anxiously by the door.
"How is she?"
Harry didn't answer Ginny. Instead, he pulled her by the arm and led her into an empty room next door to Lily's. He took out his wand and put a silencing charm on the room.
"Harry, what the hell is going on?" Ginny said, pulling out of his grasp.
"Ginny - do you want to know the reason why Lily was on her broom?" Harry said, trying to contain his anger. "She was trying to get away from you! She said she doesn't want to live with you anymore."
"What? I don't believe it, let me see her." She said, heading for the door but Harry blocked her.
"Don't bother! She doesn't want you to visit her. Ginny, what has been going on with you and Lily?"
"Nothing!" Ginny yelled. "She's just been impossible since I took her to the Burrow. All she says is how much she misses you. Lately it's been getting worse, ever since James and Al went back to school."
"Ginny, this divorce is obviously affecting her, and it's got to stop. You and I need to come to an agreement as soon as possible for the sake of the kids."
"Well, that's what the courts are for." Ginny said.
"Why can't we settle this out of court, like adults?" Harry said exasperatedly. "That's what Hermione and Ron are doing! I've already given you half of my assets, and you want the kids, too? The kids need both of us! Just put your selfish needs aside for once and think of them. Lily could've died today because of what's going on!"
"So you're blaming me for what happened?" Ginny said, stung.
"Yes, I do!" Harry yelled. "You left her alone and she got hurt. You have some nerve saying that I'm an unfit father. You know if I were really desperate, I could turn this around and use this against you to prove that you are an unfit mother!"
"You wouldn't dare!" Ginny yelled. "Harry, I left her alone for a short while. She's not an infant!"
"And what was so important that you couldn't wait for your parents to return home?"
"I had an important errand to run." Ginny said.
"You didn't happen to go see Ron, did you?" Harry asked.
Ginny turned red. "How did you know?"
"Because I know you! I knew you would go see him about the letter. What were you trying to do, make him change his mind?"
"It's none of your business what I said to my brother, Harry."
"Fine, whatever!" he threw up his hands. "There's just no getting through to you, is there?"
Harry removed the silencing charm from the room and walked out.
Ginny followed him. "So that's it? That's how you end an argument?"
"Yes." Harry replied. "We're really going to have to settle this in court."
Ginny watched him walk away, fuming. The nerve of Harry, blaming her for what happened to Lily.
Despite what Harry had said that her daughter didn't want to see her, she headed towards Lily's door only to be stopped by Healer Martin.
"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Potter, but Lily is sleeping now. She can't have visitors for the rest of the day."
"But can't I just look at her, even for a minute?" Ginny pleaded. "She won't even know I'm there. I just want to look at my baby girl."
Healer Martin sighed. "Okay, but just one minute. I'll be coming in to get you."
Ginny walked into the room and saw her youngest child asleep on the bed. She looked so small and fragile with her bandages. It suddenly hit her that she really could've lost her today. Unbidden tears began to fall and Ginny realized that Harry was right. It was her fault that Lily had fallen from her broom and was here in the hospital.
The bitter irony of the situation hit her. She had gone to see Ron to make sure that she wasn't going to lose the kids and in doing so, she nearly lost her only daughter. She wondered if someone up there wasn't trying to teach her a lesson.
TBC
A/N: I know some of you were upset that Ginny got one-half of Harry's assets. I did that because I really didn't want to get into a divorce terms battle, the custody case is more important in this story. Harry never really cared about money anyway, the kids are what's important.
Oh and to the Jewish readers out there - L'Shana Tova!
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