Word Count: 2,965 (not including A/N, title or line breaks).
home is where you find light when it all goes dark
Bill
It had been two days since his dad had Flooed him when Bill finally made it to Hogsmeade. Gazing at Honeydukes and The Three Broomsticks, nostalgia hit him hard, but then he forced himself to focus. He wasn't here to wander through the village or old school memories; his sister needed him.
Both his parents were waiting for him at the school gates and Bill swept his mum up into a tight hug.
"How is she?" he asked immediately, looking at them.
"Quiet," his dad said. They both looked exhausted and Bill felt guilt twist in his stomach.
"I'm so sorry it took me this long to get here; international portkeys are absolute—"
"Bill, don't be silly. You're worse than Charlie; your father had to Floo him for half the morning to convince him not to quit his job."
"Ginny's strong and we're all here. She understands that the dragons are in peak mating season and Charlie's boss refusing him leave to see her, well, it happens."
Bill shook his head. Charlie had a fiery streak in him that could rival any dragon; he was surprised his boss had stood firm.
"I'll talk to him too, maybe go visit now that I've got a few months off." Bill considered it for a moment and then wrapped his arms around his mum's shoulder as they walked towards Hogwarts.
The extravagant price of the Portkey and everything else was worth it, Bill thought to himself as Ginny's face lit up when she saw him. She ran into his open arms and Bill hugged her tightly. Had his little sister always been this small, felt this frail?
"What are you doing here?"
"I've come to see you. Just don't tell the others; we're going out for the day and I'm not sure if I'll be able to catch up with Perce or the rest."
Bill had gotten permission to take Ginny out for the day. The Headmaster, Madam Pomfrey and his parents were all very worried about Ginny, her possession and how she was handling what had happened over the past year. Bill had volunteered to find a way to cheer her up and so after he spelled her clothes into something more summery and offered his hand, they Apparated to a small village in Cornwall. His and Ginny's favourite holidays with the family had always been to the sea.
He and Ginny walked hand in hand in the sunlight as Bill talked to her about something that had happened in Egypt. He very firmly made a point to avoid talking about school. Instead, they walked along the beach collecting pebbles and then bought the biggest ice creams possible.
Some of the shadows in her eyes faded as they sat in the harbour watching the boats bobbing in the shallows as the tide started to ebb back in. He took her to dinner, whatever restaurant she chose and as Bill watched his sister laugh, colour returning to her cheeks, he felt himself relax slightly.
His little sister was tough, a survivor, and Bill would always be there for her.
Charlie
As he walked up the garden path, Charlie sighed in disappointment, spotting the light on in the kitchen. Percy had written to him about how late his father was having to stay at the Ministry and they were all worried about how overworked he was.
His family needed him right now. His mum was barely sleeping for stress, his dad was overwhelmed and Ginny had been to see her new Healer twice. Percy had closed himself off in his room, worried about his N.E.W.T.s and Charlie had heard that Ron had gone down to try and save his sister — yet another adventure which put too much pressure on his youngest brother's shoulders. The twins had O.W.L.s, which no one had talked to them about. Charlie sighed again. He had been the observer of the family, someone who they all talked to, and whilst he loved his job in Romania, recently he had been feeling more and more isolated.
Peering through the kitchen window, he blinked in surprise. It wasn't his father sat at the kitchen table, but Ginny. She was curled in a chair, hugging a pillow. Charlie hesitated, not wanting to tap on the glass or just open the door in case he scared her. He conjured a small bird, mostly transparent and sent it towards her, the bird passing through the window like a ghost. It was something he used to do when she was a toddler.
"Hey, Gin," he said softly when Ginny came to the door and opened it for him. She looked young, half-asleep with her hair everywhere, wearing a nightie.
"What are you doing here, Charlie?! You're supposed to be in Romania." She looked shocked and he knelt down, grinning.
"It was supposed to be a surprise, but I can't get anything past you. Want some hot chocolate?"
She shifted, letting him in but looking uncertain.
"Okay, but… just don't tell Mum that I'm up, okay? It was just a nightmare and Mum's been really worried."
Charlie hid his face as he thought quickly. It was the sort of thing he probably shouldn't hide from his parents, but he'd find a way around it; he normally did. Until then, he was more than happy to be her confidant.
"Want to talk about it?"
Ginny shook her head immediately. Charlie cocked his head, thinking and then gave Ginny a shifty look.
"Want to go flying?"
Ginny's jaw dropped and she glanced around before nodding furiously. "Mum'll be furious; she doesn't know I fly."
"She won't find out, trust me."
She had to go run and get changed as he went out to the shed and got his old broom and George's. The twins owed him a favour and George's broom was less impulsive than Fred's. They went through the fields to a spot that Charlie knew like the back of his hand, even in the dark. Ginny jumped on George's broom and shot up in the air at a speed that Charlie found impressive.
He'd first taught his sister to fly by having her on the same broom as him, Ginny barely able to walk, her chubby hands gripping the broom handle tightly. As they swooped through the air, Charlie doing barrel rolls and flipping upside down, making Ginny shriek, she ended up laughing loudly and darting so quickly through the air that twice she caught Charlie off guard.
"You're getting slow in your old age." In the dim light, he could still see her smiling.
By the time they drifted back down to the ground, Ginny was yawning so widely he had to carry her home in one arm, their brooms balanced on his shoulder.
"Sweet dreams, Gin," he murmured.
"Thanks for helping me fight the nightmares."
"Anytime. I'll fight anything for you, sis."
Ginny just hugged him tighter.
Percy
He chewed on his bottom lip, staring at the wrapped present on his desk. It was old Christmas paper, but it was all he could find and he didn't want to ask his mum for help. In fact, Percy had decided not to tell anyone about what he'd done.
He had the bedroom above Ginny's and he had gone with her twice to St Mungo's to see her Healer. His dad had barely been home recently and over the first two weeks of the summer, his mum had been run off her feet trying to get the twins to study for their O.W.L.s. Percy had been happy to help and be there for Ginny, although she had sulked for most of the trip back and forth.
Trying not to overthink it, he picked up the present and headed out of his room, down the stairs to the first floor and knocked on Ginny's door.
"Who is it?"
"Percy."
Ginny pulled the door open, looking at him with a mix of suspicion and surprise.
"If I've been playing music too loud—" she began and Percy shook his head.
"No, actually. I've got silencing charms all over my room; the twins have been driving me mad and I've got N.E.W.T.s to revise for. I was wondering if I could come in. I have something to give you."
Ginny took a few steps back, letting him come in as she gave him a look which made Percy rub the back of his neck.
"I was just looking for some books to revise and well… I thought they might help, perhaps." He held the present out to her and hesitated before sitting down at her desk. He hadn't been in her room in what felt like forever. The walls were still pink, but gone were the childlike drawings and instead, there were posters of wizard bands. Percy had never really thought about how Ginny was approaching adolescence and what that might mean.
She sat on her bed and picked at the wrapping paper carefully. Mum had taught them all to recycle and reuse every Christmas or birthday. Percy hated it. He hated how humble they had to be. Ginny pulled each book out, reading the titles carefully and Percy felt himself flush.
"I was looking for books with strong female leads. One is from my Muggle Studies class and the other two, Penelope recommended. The last one is a book that might help with the therapy; it's supposed to help with nightmares and how you think."
"A self-help book?"
Percy stammered and Ginny looked up, tears welling up in her eyes.
"You're ridiculous, Perce, but thank you."
She scrambled off the bed and threw herself at him and he hugged her tight, flustered. He had felt so extremely responsible; he was a prefect and he had promised his parents and brothers that he would look after her. As she teased him, still looking at him gratefully, Percy swore to himself that he'd do whatever it took to do the right thing for his family.
The Twins
George asked her for permission to blindfold her.
"I've literally walked past your room a thousand times, but yes, okay, you idiot," she grumbled.
"You're not a teenager yet, Gin; don't get all argumentative with me."
He wrapped a t-shirt over her eyes, put his hands on her shoulders, and steered her through the living room and up the stairs.
"Now. You have to promise that whatever happens, you don't tell anyone, especially Ronniekins."
"Especially Mum and Dad," Fred corrected.
"Them too."
"My lips are sealed. Can I take this shirt off now? It smells like sweat and boys."
George caught Fred's eye, who nodded as he shut the door behind them. They almost never had anyone in their room, their mum having long given up on making them tidy it after they kept rigging booby traps over the doorway and she got covered in tadpoles for the seventh time. Ginny blinked to get her eyes used to the light and stared around curiously.
"So, why am I here? What 'super secret meeting' are we having? Because I was going to go and see Luna across the fields."
"Sit, little sister. Remember that you promised not to say anything," Fred said solemnly. "George and I have decided we're going to become entrepreneurs."
"Lee knows because of course, he does."
"Yeah, we've been using him as a test subject and it's gone pretty well so far."
"Excuse me, in the last week of term, he tried something and passed out and you shrieked 'You've killed him!' at me," George said with a roll of his eyes. Fred just grinned at him and then spun a large blackboard on an easel around to show Ginny. She got up to read it and glanced at them both afterwards.
"Are you two really up to this? That good at magic?"
For over an hour, the three of them talked. Ginny was clever and after them, the sneakiest in the family, so they both took her input on board. As she was writing a list of ideas, Fred pulled a face at George.
"Hey Gin? How's it going at St Mungo's?"
"Don't say fine," George added softly. "We know it's not okay and we're here for you."
Ginny lifted her head up, looking a little startled and uncertain.
"I mean, it's boring and I can't talk about half the stuff. You know they made Mum, Dad and I sign a big contract that means I can't mention who it actually was in the diary? The Hogwarts governors said they'd expel me and that I would have to go for psychiatric tests if I did. Mum thinks it's because they don't want anyone to know. It's just annoying."
"We'll send them all some itching powder or—"
"That potion that makes you smell like sick for ages."
"What about some—"
Ginny smiled softly at them both as they created more and more elaborate ideas to get revenge on the bureaucrats who'd been manipulating their family.
"You don't need to do that. You do need to work on these potions, though. I don't get why you'd want to have a sweet that would make you pass out. It seems dangerous."
"Now that, sis, is where you're wrong. Trust me, in a year or two, we're going to be millionaires."
"I better get some of this money; half your brilliant ideas are thanks to me."
"Sure thing, sis, sure thing. But you know we're always here for you. And we'll make anyone who messes with you regret it, okay?"
Ginny hugged them both.
"You're idiots. Thank you."
George threatened to blindfold her and lead her back outside to the garden and Ginny ran away screaming with laughter as he chased her.
Ron
The Burrow was in chaos. They were leaving for Egypt in four days and whilst it was amazing that Dad had won the lottery, Mum had been running around like a headless chicken.
All the boys had been sent to get a haircut. Ron ducked away from Fred and George, who were taking the mickey out of Percy, just in case they decided to turn their attention to him and went to look for Ginny. She'd been spending a lot of time in her room and in the kitchen with Mum, but Ron eventually found her listening to the Wireless in the living room.
"Hey, Gin, I've got something to show you."
She turned to look at him curiously.
"It's out in the garden."
She nodded immediately. "Yeah, as long as Mum can't ask me to go shopping with her, I am happy."
Ron led her into the garden and around to the back of the house, by the crab apple trees. Ginny halted when she spotted the large fort he'd made with bedsheets, blankets and pillows. It had been something they'd always done. Before anything important was due to happen, he had built a fort and they had made a den inside. The first time had been when Ginny had done accidental magic and Ron, six years old and protective, had wanted to congratulate her himself. The previous summer, he hadn't been able to make a fort with her the night before she went to Hogwarts because Harry had been over.
He'd been feeling guilty about that for over a year.
Ginny's eyes filled with tears. She wiped them away on the back of her hand and then, as he held one of the sheets up, crept inside, Ron following behind.
"Talk to me, Gin," he said softly. "I wanted to give you some time, but with us all going away, I know it's going to be bloody mental."
Ginny took in a shuddering breath and shrugged, pulling her knees up to her chest.
"You know everything."
"No, I don't. I know what happened to Harry, I saw what it did to him and I have seen what it's done to you. I want to know, Gin. I'm here for you."
He had always been the brother she'd been closest to and so, for the first time, Ginny found herself really telling someone everything that had happened. Ron listened, swearing occasionally, but he just held her hand and let her talk, hugging her when she was done. She looked exhausted and he sighed heavily. They all knew that the Healers at St Mungo's didn't know what to do.
On top of that, Fudge had made it very clear that it was an issue which needed to be swept under the carpet. Fred, who'd been eavesdropping on Percy talking to Bill, had told Ron that before the lottery win, his dad had been threatened with a demotion if he kept mentioning the name 'Tom Riddle' to the Healers.
In fact, one of the Hogwarts governors had suggested that Ginny just be Obliviated and there were questions about whether she would be mentally stable enough to come back to Hogwarts.
His parents and Dumbledore had everything under control, that's what his older brothers said, but that didn't stop Ron worrying about Ginny.
"Ron… you came to get me, you and Harry. Why?"
He blinked and looked at her in surprise.
"What do you mean why? You're my sister. I'd do anything for you, to keep you safe. We all would. That's what brothers are for," Ron said simply.
Ginny had felt shattered by what had happened. There had been a point down in the Chamber when she had almost welcomed fading away. She had assumed they would all be so disappointed that she was weak, and yet each of her brothers, in their own way, had tried to help.
She lay back in the fort, both of them quiet and finally Ginny let herself hope that, with their help and time, she might be okay.
A/N: Prompts and Challenges:
- Hogwarts Assignment #4: Care of Magical Creatures: Task #1 - Write about a strong sense of loyalty
- Lyric Alley: That things will get better
- The Forty Day Challenge: Only characters from one family.
- Play More Chards: Canasta - write about a family coming together
- Scavenger Hunt: Write a family fic
- Serpent Day Challenge: humble (word)
- The Insane House Challenge: Location - The Burrow
- The 365 Prompts Challenge: Location - The Burrow
- The Fanfiction Resolutions Challenge: Write a story in a style you've not used before.
And whilst not challenge related, to give credit where credit's due -
The title inspired by this quote from Pierce Brown's 'Golden Son': "Home isn't where you're from, it's where you find light when all grows dark."