Ginny's Discovery
By: Lil Padfoot 16
-Just
a small ficlet that was written a while ago in response to a challenge.
The challenge was to write a series of journal entries from the
"missing" three days in CoS. Ginny's PoV.-
Ginny walked up the stairs to her room, intending to go and get a book to read, but when she saw the door to her brother Ron's room, she couldn't resist peeking inside.
Harry Potter had been staying with them for only a couple of days now and he was so fascinating to watch. Plus, he was staying in Ron's room. She pushed open the door and saw an orange shirt and a Gryffindor tie crumpled near a wall.
Ron is so messy! she thought. At the foot of the camp bed Harry was using was his trunk and on top of that lay a slim book.
She picked it up curiously and flipped through it. She flushed when she realized that it was Harry's journal. She couldn't resist reading it, though.
July 31st, 1992,
This was the
worst birthday of my life. Dobby, who is a house-elf, got me in
trouble for magic I didn't do.
Uncle Vernon's locked me in my
room. He's promised to make me pay for losing that business deal
for him. It wont be anything too bad, though. He's only ever
slapped me around a couple of times.
Ginny
stared, horrified at the book. His Uncle had slapped him? He was locked in his room? She
flipped the page to the next entry, scared of what she might find.
August 1st, 1992,
It hurts to write this down, but I need to. I have to get this out of me before I explode. I feel so sick at the thought of my family
My Uncle had bars fitted on my window today so I can't escape. He says that he'll never let me go back to Hogwarts. And I can't even send a letter to anyone for help, because Hedwig is locked in her cage. She can't even go out and get her own dinner. I have to feed her what's left of mine, though that's not even much.
He came back after work and beat me up. I think he was drunk, because I could smell the alcohol on his breath. My wrist hurts from writing this. Actually, all of me is in pain.
I'd better be careful. If my Uncle hears me writing, he'll be back. He's dangerous when he's drunk. I'm really scared of him right now.
Oh Merlin thought Ginny. His Uncle had hurt Harry? That man needed to be punished. She read on, determined to get through it all and help Harry. She flipped the page and found that Harry's handwriting had become quite shaky.
August 2nd, 1992,
Oh God, I'm hoping I make it through the summer. I'm in so much pain right now, I can hardly write.
Dudley has been kicked out of Smeltings and Uncle Vernon's blaming it on me, though he should know I didn't do anything. I don't even have my wand. I tried to explain that, but he refused to listen. He's threatening to lock me in the cupboard under the stairs and let me starve to death. I can't let that happen. Someone has to come and save me, before he does anything worse to me.
I've got a splitting headache. He hit me in the head with Dudley's Smelting Stick. It might have been bleeding, but I can't check right now, since there's no mirror in my room and I'm locked in here. But Merlin, does it hurt.
The entry stopped
there.
What was a Smelting Stick? wondered Ginny. The last entry in the book was the day, or rather, night, Harry had been rescued.
August 3rd, 1992,
I can't write too much now, but I think my Uncle's gone insane. He beat me until I passed out this morning. It's getting dark, but he hasn't come home yet. I think he's out drinking again. I'd better go sleep now. Maybe if I'm lucky, he'll kill me in my sleep.
The entry stopped and Ginny felt sick. Harry had been wishing for death. She gently closed the book and began to place it back on Harry's trunk.
"What are you doing?" asked a voice angrily from behind her.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help but see. I didn't mean to read it," stammered Ginny as she dropped the book. Harry strode over and picked it up, his emerald eyes flashing darkly from behind his glasses.
"How much did you read?" he asked.
"I--I saw what your Uncle did to you before my brothers rescued you," she said quietly.
"You shouldn't have messed with my stuff," said Harry coldly.
"I didn't mean to," she protested.
"I'm sorry, Ginny, but I have to do this," said Harry. He pulled out his wand and leveled it at her.
"What are you doing?" she cried.
"Solving the problem," said Harry. "Obliviate."
-Fin-
