Chapter 2: Ginny's Tale
It was almost six o'clock in the evening at the Burrow and the Weasley's were in a panic. Ginevra Molly Weasley, the youngest of the seven Weasley Children, had been abducted from Diagon Alley. The event took place shortly after noon that very day and the family had not heard a word from anyone, the ministry or the kidnappers, since Hermione returned with the news of the girl's abduction. Ginny had been out shopping with her sister-in-law Hermione when several death eaters apparated into the alley and began hexing everyone in sight. The group of six death eaters were indiscriminant in their attack and the crowd immediately broke into mass hysteria.
This of course was their goal all along since their true targets were Hermione and Ginny Weasley. Ginny, realizing this grabbed her sister-in-law and made their way to the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. Due to the influx of people, and the amount of time to act, Ginny pushed Hermione into the pub, slammed the door and cast a locking spell on the door to keep the death eaters from reaching her sister-in-law. Hermione pounded on the door, begging Ginny to unlock it but by the time someone could remove the charm on the door the death eaters and Ginny were long gone.
The entire Weasley clan was sitting in the living room awaiting word on Ginny. Mrs. Weasley and Hermione were taking this hardest. As her only daughter, and the youngest of her seven children Ginny was the one that Molly worried about the most. She was also the only one not married or seeing anyone special, not since Harry Potter. Hermione was upset because Ginny had sacrificed herself to keep her safe. Molly had done her best to try and make the young girl see that it was not her fault. Given the chance she knew that Hermione would gladly have traded places with Ginny, a statement that Hermione assured her family was true.
The Weasley clock suddenly chimed six o'clock and then an all too familiar sound of gears and a spoon moving on the clock were heard. Molly went to look and saw that the hand with Ginny's picture had moved from Mortal Peril to Home. Not believing the clock for a moment the mother of seven moved to the staircase and was greeted by her slightly bruised, tattered clothes, teary eyed but very much alive daughter. Ginny ran up to her mother and let the older woman engulf her in her arms.
"Ginny." Molly cried out as she held her daughter tightly.
"What happened? Where did they take you, how did you get away?" Ron asked as he embraced his sister.
It took Ginny awhile to talk but finally found the strength to talk about her ordeal. "Draco Malfoy and five of Voldemort's death eaters had me locked away beneath Knockturn Alley." Ginny told him.
The color of Ron's face suddenly turned as red has his hair.
"Don't worry about it Ron. Malfoy and his cronies are already in ministry custody, as are his associate." Ginny told him.
"But, how did you get free?" Hermione asked, happy to see the girl alive and safe as she hugged her
tightly.
Ginny didn't answer the obviously worried girl and simply hugged her sister-in-law to reassure her that she was all right. No more questions were asked of her at that time. Ginny just continued giving each member of her family a large hug and a kiss and they all expressed exactly how glad they were that she was home. After a while she told her family that she was in dire need to change and cleaned up. After some heckling from the twins Ginny went upstairs, picked out some clothes to wear (and discarded her tattered ones), walked to the bathroom. When she was done, she walked down the stairs again to find her mother and father sitting in the living room eagerly awaiting her presence.
"Sit down dear, there is something we have to discuss." Molly told her daughter.
"What is it mum?" Ginny asked not particularly liking the expression on her mum's face.
Arthur decided to answer for his wife. "We know you've have a very trying day Ginny… but we feel we have to tell you something. It is of great importance that you be even more careful from now on when ever you leave the burrow." Stopping his statement for a moment.
"You were extremely brave today, protecting Hermione, escaping from the death eaters. It's just… It might not be safe for you to go out alone." Arthur told his daughter.
"What are you talking about?" A bewildered Ginny asked. "I'm more than capable of taking care of myself." A slightly angry Ginny explained. It was obvious to all that her "Weasley Temper" was beginning to take over.
"What aren't you telling me?" The young woman inquired looking between her parents.
Molly handed her daughter a folded copy of the Daily Prophet. She looked at the headline:
Harry Potter Escapes Azkaban!
Dementors destroyed!
Aurors' Defeated!
Diggory and Dumbledore Stunned!
Ginny tossed the Prophet on the table. "You're worried that Harry will come after me aren't you?"
Ginny asked her parents in a disgusted tone.
"Yes Ginny." Charlie stated upon entering the room.
"We all are." Bill announced as he and the family returned to the living room.
"Well don't be." The youngest Weasley declared to her family.
"Why not. It's our job to worry." Ron informed her. "What makes you think that he won't come
after you? It's just the kind of thing he would do."
"BECAUSE HEBROKE OUT OF AZKABAN TO SAVE ME YOU STUPID PRAT!!!" Ginny
yelled at her once favorite brother.
All eyes in the room were on Ginny now. She took a moment to regain her composure and explain.
"I was magically bound to a chair in a locked room. It was very dark and the only company I had was Draco Malfoy when he would come by to taunt me by saying what the Dark Lord would have him do to me. It seemed I was to be his instrument to drive Harry, mentally, over the edge. The Death Eaters were simply awaiting his arrival. I was alone when I heard several spells being cast. I couldn't make out who was saying what, much less if it was the Ministry that had found me, or my family. I was extremely nervous and then the door to the room I was in exploded and that was when I saw him. I didn't recognize him at first. His hair was long and he had a beard from his stay in Azkaban but I saw his eyes, and his scar and I knew it was him." Ginny told them.
"He told me that he knew I was in danger, that he could see into Voldemort's mind again. He had learned through their connection where I was and how many death eaters were standing guard over me. The dark lord hoped letting Harry feel everything that he was doing to his victims would drive him over the edge. Harry didn't say how he summoned the power to get out of Azkaban, just that he broke out to save me." Ginny said trailing off. She had to regain her composure for a moment due to the conflicting emotions she felt about the whole situation.
"He took me to a place I'd never been to before a temporary safe house. He showered, shaved and changed. Then we talked. He thanked me for believing in him when all of you turned against him. He thanked me for giving him the strength to stay sane and to live. Then, all too soon for me, he gave me a Port Key to bring me back home." Ginny said with tears in her eyes.
"Apparently he didn't want you all worrying about my safety more than you already were. Awful considerate of him wouldn't you say?" Ginny asked calmly.
The Weasleys were in sitting in stunned silence. All save Ron. He was standing.
Ginny then stood and walked over to Ron. She then slapped him hard across the face. "That was for all the horrible things you've said about Harry. No one (especially the wounded Ron) could believe that Ginny had just done that. Fred and George quickly recovered and snickered to themselves about the bright red mark on Ron's left cheek.
Just as Ron turned his face back to retort Ginny smacked him again. "That was for thinking the worst of him after he risked everything to save me. You're an insufferable prat who never deserved Harry's friendship." Ginny then stomped out of the living room and back up to the stairs to her room. When she was inside she slammed her door to make sure everyone knew just how upset she was with her family.
No one, not even her parents, dared to try and talk to her when she was like this.
Sometime later a knock was heard at the door Ginny lifted her wand and pointed it at the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me Ginny. Can I come in?" Hermione Granger asked.
"If my git of a brother is standing next to you I'll hex you both." Ginny yelled through he door.
"He's not." Hermione replied.
Ginny knew that he was but decided to be merciful to the traumatized girl and told her to come in. Hermione opened the door, slid in and quickly closed the door. She noticed that Ginny only had a few candles lit, the curtains drawn and she was sitting on her bed relaxing. Ginny held up her hand signaling for Hermione not to move.
"I SAID GO AWAY RON!!!" Ginny yelled.
The two young ladies then heard Ron's footsteps and some low mumbling as he walked down the stairs. Hermione simply shook her head. She had told her beloved that his plan wouldn't work. Still, she knew that he had to try. "Ginny, they're just worried that's all." Hermione told her sister-in-
law.
"Well when they stop treating me like a child I will stop acting like one." She told Hermione.
Ginny then cast a charm the created a large clapping like sound. Several loud yelps could be heard through the floorboards. "Do they truly think I'm as thick as they are? That'll teach them not to use extendible ears during one of my conversations." Ginny said with a grin. Even Hermione chuckled.
"Is…. Is there anything else that you didn't tell us Gin?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about." A serious faced Ginny retorted.
"How about that silver chain I saw around your neck earlier?" Hermione said.
"I wondered if anyone noticed." Gin said smiling.
"Your mum and I both did. The rest were too enthralled with your tale to notice." Hermione explained.
Ginny just nodded her head in acknowledgement.
"Well?" An anxious Hermione badgered.
"Don't worry about it. Anyways of course there is more to the story. But some of it is just to personal and I don't wish to discuss it with you or anyone else… at least not yet." She said to the slightly older brunette.
"I understand Ginny. You've had an extremely trying day so I promise I won't push you." Hermione informed her.
"By the way, thanks for risking your life for me." Hermione said tears in her eyes. She hugged her sister-in-law and just held her as she cried. Ginny was now crying as well.
"You would have done the same for me." Ginny replied through the tears and the sniffles.
Hermione could only nod her head she was so emotional.
When the tears stopped falling and the two girls had recomposed themselves Hermione asked the one question that was truly on her mind. "How is he?"
"Remarkably well for someone who spent the past ten years in the worst place imaginable." Ginny stated.
"You love him still don't you?" Hermione inquired.
"Of course I do. I never stopped." Ginny answered.
It was a beautiful and sunny August day when Ginny awoke. She looked out the window and smiled at how radiant everything looked today. Ginny sat up in her bed and stretched, still feeling the sting of some of the bruises, but still felt very good. She quickly dressed and made her way downstairs to enjoy some of her mothers excellent cooking. The previous day she had only eaten breakfast before she was abducted. The death eaters had fed her nothing and Harry only managed to acquire a few rations for them that night. Ginny bounded happily down the stairs, a smile on her face till she reached the kitchen. Immediate her smile faded when she saw her parents sitting at the table with Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Amos Diggory.
"Good morning Ginny." Molly and Arthur said.
"I have nothing to them." Ginny told her parents and started to go back upstairs.
"Ginny, we have to ask you some questions." Amos Diggory announced.
"Stuff your questions. I'm not going to tell you anything." She replied in a hostile tone.
"Ginny, be reasonable." Sirius stated.
"How was hell Sirius, because I distinctly remember telling you that's where you could go the last time I saw you."
"Ginvera Molly Weasley." The girls embarrassed mother stated. Ginny just ignored her and glared at Sirius who said nothing to her comment. A decade had past and she still would not give Harry's godfather a single iota of forgiveness.
"Miss Weasley, you're making this more difficult than it should be." Amos Diggory stated trying to defuse some of the tension in the room.
"Really. Enlighten me then. Why should I repeat information that my parents have already given you?" Ginny asked giving her parents a hateful glare.
"Because you haven't told us everything that transpired after your rescue." Arthur interrupted.
"I told you all that you needed to know father. They don't care about what the death eaters did to me? They don't even care about what they were planning to do with me. No. All they care about is the location of Harry Potter." Ginny said.
"Well if that's all you want to know then you can all stuff yourselves. Stay away from me or else I can assure you that you will all be very sorry. Now if you'll excuse me I seem to have lost my appetite." She said, then apparated out of the room.
"Potter has obviously influenced her somehow. Maybe a charm or a curse?" Amos said to Ginny's
parents.
Molly shook her head, "I don't think so Amos."
"I think she still loves Harry, and its obvious that he still loves her. He mustered up power beyond comprehension to save her life." Dumbledore interrupted.
"I agree." Molly said.
"Then I have no other recourse than to put Ginny under twenty-four hour surveillance. If he approached her once, he'll likely do it again." Amos said with a sigh.
"And if he does, what will your course of action be Amos?" Arthur asked.
"I think it is in the best interest of the public, that he be eliminated." Amos stated. He then finished his tea, and departed the Burrow.
Ginny who had only apparated outside of the Burrow was standing in tears. She had heard what the Minister was planning and was scared. She drew her necklace from under her blouse and looked at the ring Harry had given her, a ring that she had wanted Harry to place on her finger just last evening. She looked at it and replaced it under her blouse.
"Stay safe my love." Ginny said in a low whisper.
