Chapter 2
Desire
Author's Note: Forgot to mention something at the end of last chapter. Everyone is expecting Fate's 'idea' to come quickly. It won't until happen until after the Azkaban event, which will probably be a few chapters from now. Just to clear that up.
Ginny's flashback in this chapter was not planned at first. But several reviewers of the final chapter of the first story wanted to see something happen, so I am adding it.
(Ginny)
Saturday July 3rd, 1993Ginny Potter was walking up a long gravel road surrounded by tall trees. She had been up and down this road many times. It was the road that stretched from the village of Ottery St. Catchpole to her home, the Burrow.
She loved hearing the wind whip through the tall trees that bordered on either side of the road. On the left side, the trees grew taller, because they were magically charmed to do so – her father had set the charms – in order to hide the Burrow, and the sport of broom-flying and Quidditch, from normal Muggles who lived in the village. Birds tweeted on either side. She loved this sound. It was so peaceful...
Then, suddenly, the birds were not tweeting peacefully. They were cawing and squawking loudly, scared by something. As Ginny looked around at the birds, they took off out of the trees and flew higher into the air. As she watched the birds, she saw something off in the distance. Grey clouds perhaps?
No... it was smoke barreling in the distance! In the direction of the Burrow!
Panicking, she ran forward up the road, and as she reached the opening of the trees, where the beginning of the long driveway that led to the Burrow was located, she screamed in horror. The Burrow was engulfed in flames!
And not just regular fire. Fiendfyre.
She ran forward toward the Burrow, but the fire was way too hot, and she had to back away from the heat. The flames licked out through the doorways and every window throughout the building. Inside the house, she heard the terrible screaming and yelling... and it sounded like her mother's voice. Not just her mother's voice either, but her father's, and Ron's, and George and Fred and Percy...
She tried to yell, to speak some words, but her voice was hoarse, nothing was coming out. Suddenly, she heard cackling behind her and turned around. Pansy Parkinson was standing there, her wand pointing toward her.
"Told you I would do it," Pansy said, "Now it is your turn... AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Ginny screamed as green light barreled toward her...
… and she jolted awake from the dream. She sat up in her bed, and inhaled and exhaled while she looked around. She was in the master bedroom at Potter Manor.
"Just a nightmare," she whispered, "Just a normal nightmare. Not a prophetic nightmare. It won't happen because Pansy is dead... you killed her..."
Ginny shivered at the thought. Even in the warm temperatures of the natural sunlight, and summer air coming into the room through the open windows, she felt cold.
It had been three-and-a-half weeks since she had sent a Bat-Bogey Hex – overpowered by the rage she had felt at the time – at Pansy Parkinson, which basically blew away the girl's nose. It led to her asphyxiating on her own blood that spilled from the hole that had remained of her nose, and dying right there on the floor of the Chamber of Secrets. Three-and-a-half weeks and she still hadn't gotten over the fact she had murdered the girl, even in self-defense, even when she saved Harry.
The thought of her lover, Bond-Mate and husband, Harry Potter, made Ginny turn her head to check on him. She smiled when she saw Harry sleeping peacefully next to her. Obviously they had not shared that nightmare. Harry was nowhere to be seen in it.
She laid back down against her pillow and watched Harry as his eyes fluttered. Obviously he was dreaming about something. Ginny hoped he was dreaming of something nice, and not like the nightmare she had.
She closed her eyes as she tried to calm herself down.
"Stop thinking of that dream," she whispered to herself, "Think of something else."
Her mind immediately went back to a moment nearly a week prior, Sunday evening, the day she and Harry had returned from the end of their second year at Hogwarts, they had stopped by the Burrow before going to Potter Manor. They had gone there to have dinner with the family, and talk to her parents about something she had been dreading all day...
Flashback:
Sunday, June 27th, 1993
Ginny had expected her parents would have started the discussion she had been waiting for during dinner, but it wasn't until after dinner when her mother had requested they remain at the Burrow for a few minutes before going home. So, at her mother's request, Ginny and Harry walked into the living room and sat down together on the couch near the fireplace.
Harry, Ginny said, can't we just Floo home right now? I feel like – like I will never see Potter Manor ever again or something.
Don't be silly, love, Harry said, I'm sure it will be fine.
I wish I had your optimism.
It isn't optimism, Ginny. Remember, they know all about the emancipation factor. You want to move into Potter Manor permanently, and they can't do a thing about it.
I hate having that option.
Let's just hear what they have to say before you even think about emancipation.
Ginny smiled. She wanted to kiss Harry right then and there, because kissing him always calmed her down, but she heard her mother and father walk into the room. Her mother took her usual chair near the couch, and her father took his favorite, an old recliner that creaked if the occupant moved the wrong way.
"Ginny, I'm sure we all know why we're having this discussion," Mrs. Weasley said, "It is to talk about your request to move into Harry's house... permanently."
"The letter I sent you wasn't a request, Mum," Ginny said, keeping her voice calm and soft, "It was – more or less – an announcement of the decision I made – we made – Harry and I made – as a – a married couple."
Mrs. Weasley looked at her husband, and Ginny noticed her mother's lips quiver.
"Okay," Mr. Weasley said, "A decision. Can you explain why you made this decision?"
"We made this decision a long time ago, Daddy," Ginny said, "Last September, when our Bond healed back to normal. Last summer, it was more or less an experiment of living together, since we had no other choice, and by the time our Bond healed, we didn't want to leave each other's side. Basically we were very happy living with each other. Now it is different, because we have that freedom of not always having to be in the same room. But we still want to, in a way, I guess you could say."
"Ginny," Mrs. Weasley said, "That is something I wanted to talk to you about. You called it an experiment right, when you lived with each other? Now, don't you think you should experiment the other way? Live separately, and see how you cope with that. Live here for the summer and -"
Mrs. Weasley stopped mid-sentence when Ginny shook her head.
"No, Mum," Ginny said, "We can't do that for two reasons. The first is this: we are never going to be separate again. We will always be connected by this Bond. We can hear each other's conversations with people, we have the ability to see what our mate can see – both of us do now – and we can talk to each other in our mind. We will always be together – there is no way we can separate. There might -"
Damn it, Ginny said to Harry, I don't want to tell them we've been sleeping in the same bed since September.
We could give them the same excuse we gave Dumbledore?
Good idea.
"We've been trying to figure out what our Bond needs," Ginny said, "And we believe our Bond wants us to sleep in the same bed together again. We were having a hard time sleeping all year because we weren't together in the same bed. I had the urge to teleport to him nearly every night."
Ginny smiled to herself. That last part was very true. She just wouldn't tell her parents she had always acted on that urge. Even then, Ginny thought her mother might say something about them sleeping in the same bed. So did her father, because he spoke first.
"Does that urge... hurt?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"It gets to the point sometime where we have trouble sleeping," Harry said, "So if we sleep in the same bed while at Potter Manor, we believe we could calm our Bond down."
"So... you see, Mum," Ginny said, "There really... there is no point to experimenting like that, because we would just feel a strong desire to be with each other and probably teleport out of pure desire and need to be close to each other."
"Well, Ginny," Mrs. Weasley said, "Your father and I wanted to have this discussion with you, because we would miss you very much if you moved away. You're still very much a part of this family, and you are almost twelve. You're still my baby girl, and – I can't think of you leaving yet, it is just so hard. So... what if we let Harry stay here for a while? He's family now – we love you, Harry."
Ginny looked at Harry, and noticed he was smiling.
"Ginny," Mrs. Weasley continued, "if we were to let him sleep in the same bed as you, in your bedroom, would you move back in? I remember what you said about your bond stopping you from doing anything – er – serious, so we wouldn't have to worry about that. He'd be very welcome."
"We discussed this already, Mum," Ginny said, "Remember? As much as Harry loves this place, he wants his own home."
Harry nodded to emphasize this.
"Yes, but Ginny," Mrs. Weasley said, "Sirius and Amelia will be going away on their honeymoon soon, so really, other than your house-elves, nobody would be at Potter Manor besides the two of you."
Ginny shook her head. "Mum, there is something else we haven't told you. The second reason why this separation isn't going to work."
"And what is that?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Harry has two summer homes that belonged to his grandparents, then his parents," Ginny said, "He really wants to visit one of those this summer. Sirius and Amelia have invited us – both of us – to go to France with them this summer, for a few weeks, and we're going to be at the summer home in La Rochelle."
"A few weeks?" Mr. Weasley asked, "How long?"
"We'll... be back in time for school shopping for third year," Harry said.
"Before or after your birthday, Ginny?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"I don't know yet," Ginny said, "More than likely after. Harry's been hinting about taking me to Paris for my birthday."
I do not remember doing any of the sort, Harry said.
You're thinking about it, though.
Evil little vixen.
Love you too... we can talk about it later.
"Ginny, I was very much looking forward to celebrating your birthday at home," Mrs. Weasley said, her lips quivering again.
"I know, Mum," Ginny said, "And I am sorry, but we've been planning this for a while. I'll be here for Sirius and Amelia's wedding reception, and then we'll be home at least for two weeks in August. But... we really want to do something like this. It is something for us – something we need to do. Mum, Dad, I know you two have always wanted nice holidays together out of country. Think of it like that for us."
Mrs. Weasley frowned. "I really wish you would give this a second thought. We really do miss you. We miss you when you're at Hogwarts, and now we'll hardly see you during the summer."
"I'm sorry," Ginny said, "I've made up my mind."
"If that is your decision," Mr. Weasley said.
"It is, Daddy," Ginny said.
Mr. Weasley nodded. "Okay, then."
Mrs. Weasley sighed, her full of reluctant resignation. "Okay... please do try to visit us when you can. I just miss you too much."
Ginny smiled and released Harry's hand. She stood up and walked over to her mother, and hugged her before she could even get up from the chair.
"I miss you too, Mum," Ginny said, "Believe me. But this is what I want."
Mrs. Weasley nodded, though Ginny could hear her softly crying against her. She let her mother hold her for a couple more minutes.
Ginny sighed as she broke out of her reverie. She really hated having that conversation with her parents. She and Harry both had decided very confidently that they were not going to tell her parents or most of her family – besides Ron – that they were from the future. At least, not until they either had to because they had no other choice, or until after this mission - the mission they had set for themselves the day they had come back in time - was complete and they were victorious. She remembered the stress her and Harry's Soul-Bond had put on her family and herself and Harry. She didn't want to feel that stress again any time soon.
Especially when she and Harry had a lot more to be stressful about at the moment.
Ginny turned to Harry and chuckled when she noticed his eyes fluttering. She knew he was awake... he had not fooled her since the early weeks of their marriage in the other timeline. She leaned over to him and kissed him softly.
Mmm... my favorite way to wake up in the morning, Harry said, as he kissed her back.
I am very aware of that.
Ginny laughed when Harry wrapped his arms around her and pushed her back against her pillow. He deepened the kiss, and she licked his lips, then softly nibbled on his bottom lip, teasing it.
Mmm... you haven't done that in a long time. I forgot how much I missed that.
Ginny grinned against his lips, kissed him again and pushed him away back onto his pillow.
"Come on," she said, as she rolled off the bed and stood up, "Sirius and Amelia will probably be awake sooner rather than later, and before they peek in on us to see if we are awake, I want to do something we haven't done in a while."
"What is that?" Harry asked.
Ginny smiled seductively. "Take a hot bath together. It's been nearly a week since we've been back here and we haven't taken a single bath together."
"I have watched you though," Harry said, grinning.
"Without my permission?" Ginny asked; truthfully, it had been a while since she cared whether or not he spied on her, but she still liked to make him nervous about it. Besides... she had spied on him too.
"Er..." Harry said, "This bath... any bubbles?"
Ginny rolled her eyes at the slight change of subject, and shook her head.
"I'd love to, Mrs. Potter," Harry said, "We're going to need a hot relaxing bath. Especially if we're going to survive everything that is happening today."
"Do you mean going after the ring Horcrux?" Ginny asked, "Or getting fit for groomsman' robes and bridesmaids' dresses."
"Both," Harry said, grinning.
"I thought so," Ginny said, "And I agree. Come on!"
Ginny grinned, shrugged out of her sleeping gown, letting it fall to the floor, and walked into the bathroom, stark naked. She chuckled when she heard Harry hurry in after her.
Our bond might not let us feel the urges and extreme desires we have for each other, Ginny thought, though not telepathically, as she started filling the tub with comfortably hot water, but Harry... well, he has the mind of a young man, and the body of a soon-to-be teenager. Even without the desires, he is that typical randy boy when it comes to me... but that is one of the many reasons I love him so much, simply because he only feels those desires for me.
(Harry)
During breakfast, Sirius and Amelia had informed Harry and Ginny they would be meeting with Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks, the other groomsman and bridesmaid for the wedding, at Madam Malkin's in Diagon Alley at one-o-clock that afternoon, where they would get fit and try on robes and bridesmaid's dresses. So it was decided, to give Harry, Ginny and Sirius all time enough to get the ring Horcrux and destroy it, that they would set out at at ten, after saying goodbye to Amelia, who wished the three of them luck – Sirius a bit more thoroughly than the other two, they left Potter Manor and made their way past the protective charms of the house. Because Harry had been the only one, out of the three anywhere even remotely close to Little Hangleton and the Gaunt shack, it was decided he would initiate the Apparation, while Ginny and Sirius went long with him via Side-Along.
So he concentrated on his destination, while holding onto Ginny's and Sirius' hands, then closed his eyes and allowed himself to Apparate. A hot summer wind greeted him half-a-minute later, and he opened his eyes. He was standing a location he had not been for many years, but if his plans went right, he would be back there in less than two years – Hangleton Cemetery where Tom Riddle, Sr. and his parents were buried.
"Where are we?" Sirius asked.
"This is where I will confront Voldemort if my plans go smoothly," Harry said.
"Here?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah," Harry said, "Come on."
He took Ginny's hand and led her and Sirius through the cemetery, and out past a small, beautiful church, that looked vacant at the moment, toward a narrow lane. Settled a couple hundreds to the west was the town of Little Hangleton. Harry recalled one of the trips through the Pensieve when he and Dumbledore followed Bob Ogden to the Gaunt shack, and remembered a sign that informed him Little Hangleton was one mile down the lane. So, he figured they just had to walk down the lane in the other direction until he discovered something familiar.
So he led them on down the lane. As they walked, Harry noticed a familiar landmark he had seen before, not just in the Pensieve but in dreams as well. Far off in the distance, nestled on a hillside was a large manor house. It was not where they her headed, but if he remembered it was in that direction. He pointed to the house, for Ginny and Sirius' benefit.
"That is Riddle House, the home of Voldemort's father and parents before Voldemort killed them," Harry said, as they continued their journey down the lane, "If I recall, it is now being watched over by a Muggle caretaker named Frank Bryce."
"You know the caretaker's name?" Sirius said.
Harry nodded. "He was murdered by Voldemort, during the summer of my fourth year."
"If there was anyway to save him," Ginny said, "Would it affect our plans in anyway?"
"I don't know," Harry said, "It was either his death or Bertha Jorkins' which created the horcrux in Nagini."
"Did you say Bertha Jorkins?" Sirius asked, and Harry nodded, "I know her. She works at the Ministry."
"If the timeline goes the same way," Harry said, "She will be going to Albania sometime over the next year, to visit a relative, where she will eventually be killed."
"Can we save her?" Ginny asked.
"If I recall, it is her information Voldemort takes," Harry said, "that would lead to an attack on the Quidditch World Cup next summer."
"Harry," Ginny said, "If we warned Bertha Jorkins and this Frank Bryce bloke, Voldemort may never be able to make a Horcrux out of Nagini. You wouldn't have to worry about killing her that night in the graveyard. Plus, we might not have to worry about an attack on the Quidditch World Cup."
"Frank would probably think we're mad," Harry said, "But I'm sure we could find someway of convincing him to leave Riddle House. We have time to convince him before the events happen next year. As for Bertha..."
"I might be able to convince her not to take this trip," Sirius said, "May take some time."
Harry nodded.
"Are we sure about this, Harry?" Ginny asked, "Do you believe this would hurt our plans in any way if we warned those two and changed their fate?"
"I'm going to have to put more thought into that, Ginny," Harry said, "At the moment, I am not sure."
The three travelers went silent as they continued down the lane. Soon, Harry saw the familiar hedgerows and a lane that turned off in the direction of Riddle House. They walked down it before they came up on a dirt road that Harry recognized.
"We're very close," Harry said, "Come on."
Tall, wild hedgerows surrounding a lumpy, rocky and potholed dirt surface welcomed them. Down the dirt path, there were a group of trees, and Harry instantly realized that was his destination. He led them toward it, and found their destination.
The Gaunt shack, a wooden building half-hidden amongst the tangle of trunks, sat there, old and rundown. The walls were mossy and so many tiles had fallen off the roof that the rafters were visible in places. Nettles grew all around it, their tips reaching the windows, which were tiny and covered in grime, dirt and dust.
"The ring is in there?" Ginny asked.
"Yeah," Harry said.
"What a dump," Sirius muttered. "Even if you wanted to use Fiendfyre, it would be a firetrap for all of us."
"No Fiendfyre," Harry said, "I need this ring."
"Will you explain why you need it?" Sirius asked.
Harry looked at Ginny, who shrugged.
We can tell him sometime, she said, He'll keep it a secret, you know that.
"We'll make that explanation a wedding present, eh?" Harry asked.
Sirius grunted. "Whatever you want, kid."
Then, just as Sirius walked forward, Harry heard a crackling of wood and a rustling of leaves. Suddenly, large vines started crawling and writhing across the ground like snakes, straight toward Sirius' legs. Harry twisted his wrist, and his wand appeared from its holster, and through his fingers.
"Diffindo!" Harry said.
The vine nearest Sirius split in two and retreated, but more were coming toward them. Sirius and Ginny mimicked Harry's incantations, as more and more vines were cut and sent back toward the trees. Then a vine dropped out of one of the trees before they could react and wrapped itself around Sirius' arms and hoisted him into the air.
"Diffindo!" Harry said, pointing his wand at the vines.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ginny said.
The vines cut away from Sirius' arms and he started to fall, but Ginny's spell made him hover a few feet off the ground, then allowed him to slowly, safely, make his descent back to the ground. Sirius brushed away the other vines and the three pointed their wands around waiting for more attacks. But nothing came. The attacks had stopped.
"What – the bloody hell – was that?" Sirius panted, breathing heavily.
"One of the Horcrux's defenses," Harry said.
"One of them?" Sirius asked.
"There might be more," Harry said.
"Bloody wonderful," Sirius grumbled, sarcastically.
Sirius moved toward the shack's front door first, his wand pointed at the door, as Harry and Ginny followed him, their wands pointed out different directions as they looked around for any possible signs of more defenses.
"Hexia Revelio," Sirius said, as he pointed his wand at the door, then followed it up with other charms that detected Dark spells, "Okay. There is one hex of some kind on this door. Give me a bit of time here. Need to figure out what it is before I attempt to lift it. Keep a look-out."
"Be careful, Sirius," Ginny said.
Ginny, Harry said, Do you remember what I told you before we went into the Chamber of Secrets that day?
Harry...
Sounds like you do, but I am going to say it again. If I think this is going to be dangerous, you and Sirius need to get out of the house when I tell you to.
Harry, no...
Yes, Ginny. It could be dangerous. I'd be too worried about you to concentrate.
And you think I wouldn't worry about you?
Of course, you would. But I have to do this.
We're in this together, Harry. Through thick and thin. Didn't our vows say that at our wedding?
I'll have to remember to leave those off the vows when we get married again.
Funny, Harry.
Ginny, promise me.
Fine, I promise. But you better not make me regret it, Harry.
"Okay, I think I am done," Sirius said, looking over his shoulder at the young couple, "It was a hex to incapacitate us and make us forget why we were here if we touched the doorknob. It is removed."
"Voldemort wouldn't have wanted to kill anyone who discovered his Horcruxes right away," Harry said, "He would have wanted to interrogate us before he killed us."
"Sounds like something he'd do," Sirius muttered, "What's the plan? Go in cursing and hexing anything that moves?"
"The ring is apparently under some floorboards," Harry said, "Hidden by some sort of magical concealment. We need to look for traces of magic in a section of the house. It would be there."
"Do you two know how to look for traces of magic?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah," Harry said, and Ginny nodded.
"Wands ready then," Sirius said, as he turned back to the door.
He murmured under his breath, and the door opened by itself. Harry and Ginny followed him through the doorway and into the house. It was very dark and dusty. The only light came from slivers of holes from the windows, and the natural light of day, though that wasn't much under the heavy cover of trees.
"Look around for any signs of magic," Harry said, "As well as any defenses. Could happen at any -"
Suddenly, without warning, Sirius walked slowly across the floor toward the middle of the shack. His empty hand raised and he began grasping at air.
"Sirius?" Harry asked, "What's wrong?"
"I need it!" Sirius gasped, "I need the ring!"
"What?" Ginny asked, "Sirius, stop!"
"I NEED IT!" Sirius growled.
"Desire enchantments!" Harry said, in realization, and knew what he had to do. "Sorry, Sirius, this is for your own good! Stupefy!"
The spell hit Sirius cleanly in the back, and he slumped over on the ground.
"Ginny, get him out of here," Harry said, "Go. Now! I'll find the ring!"
"Harry," Ginny said.
"You promised!" Harry said.
Harry stared at Ginny, looking for any signs of a desire enchantment on her as well. He didn't want to stun her, but he would if he had to.
"Okay, Harry," Ginny said, nodding.
Harry sighed in relief. Harry walked forward with Ginny toward Sirius, their wands pointed out just in case of more defenses. When they reached Sirius, Ginny applied a Featherlight Charm on him took him by the arms then dragged him back toward the door.
"Be careful," Ginny said, "I love you."
"I love you too," Harry said, with a smile, then his expression turned serious again, "Get outside. Revive him and tell him what happened, but do NOT let him back in here."
"I'll stun him myself, if I have to," Ginny said, then dragged Sirius outside.
Harry turned around and looked forward, in the direction that Sirius was going. He knew he had to be close.
"Diffindo!" he said, pointing his wand at the floor.
A long fissure-like crack split the wood flooring in two, and loosened some of the boards. He levitated some of the boards away, and as he did, he could feel a sudden, tiny desire in the back of his mind. He ignored the feeling and walked closer toward the hole in the floor.
And that was when he saw it... an aluminum box, that resembled the one he had seen in the memory of Tom Riddle's orphanage room, was nestled into a small hole. Harry pointed his wand at the box and did a series of finalizing spells he had read about over the past month at Hogwarts. When he felt happy that he had done enough, he slowly reached for the box, then put a finger on it. Nothing happened, so he picked up and pointed his wand at it, then did a complicated version of the unlocking charm.
Harry strengthened the Occlumency in his mind, and opened the box. Laying there in the box was the Horcrux ring – instead of a jewel, there was the Resurrection stone – he could see the tiny mark of the Deathly Hallows carved into it. He closed the lid, and walked back out of the house. Sirius was now awake and standing there with Ginny; both of them smiled when they saw him.
"Found it," Harry said, lifting up the box.
Ginny ran over to him, and wrapped her arms around him, then kissed him softly on the lips. He returned the kiss for a mere moment, before she backed away and hugged him again. Harry looked at Sirius, who was staring at the box in Harry's hand.
"Sirius – erm –" Harry muttered.
Sirius raised a hand to stop him. "Ginny told me what happened. I couldn't stop myself. It hooked me in. You did the right thing. Good job, kid."
"Thanks," Harry said. "Let's go figure out how to destroy this infernal thing, without damaging the stone."
Without bothering to walk away from the shack, they apparated back to the outside of Potter Manor, then headed inside. Amelia was there, and when Harry asked her if she wanted to see a Horcrux get destroyed, she reluctantly accepted the invitation. The four headed down into the basement, and Harry retrieved a small Basilisk fang from the safe, knowing the sword had a better chance of damaging the stone.
Harry set the box down in the center of the basement floor, and Sirius, Amelia and Ginny backed away against a wall. Harry opened the box with his wand, then kneeled down to the box and closed his eyes, strengthening his Occlumency barriers again as he picked up the ring and quickly set it down on the floor. He opened his eyes, grabbed the Basilisk fang with both hands, then looked up at Ginny. She nodded and smiled.
Harry turned back to the ring, and forced the fang down into the body of the ring, away from the stone. Immediately, he backed away from it as quickly as he could. Loud, high-pitched shrieks filled the air, and Sirius stood in front of Ginny and Amelia, protecting them. The shrieks soon died down and black ooze spurted from the ring and puddled onto the floor.
Harry crawled back over to the ring and picked it up, then examined it. The stone was intact and unmarked.
"Horcrux is destroyed," he confirmed.
Two Hallows obtained now, he said to Ginny.
One Horcrux left, if Nagini doesn't become one, and we both know what that is.
Yeah... me.
Well... I was going to have a small scene where Harry and Ginny tried on robes and dresses for the wedding, but it wasn't too important. And I thought this was a good ending to the chapter.
Hope you liked this chapter! Everything having to do with the ring Horcrux took some thinking! There was a reason I have been avoiding doing this scene, until now and it was because it was so difficult to figure out how to make it believable!
Now, I need some reviewer response – because I have such lovely readers and reviewers! I have no idea what I am going to do with Frank Bryce and Bertha Jorkins. Do you believe Harry, Ginny and Sirius should find a way to save them? I'm not sure how much bad it would do for the story... I can think of a couple good things, the two mentioned in this chapter! I need to think on that more, and I'd like to hear from you!
Edit: Realized how important Bertha's capture is to my story, thanks to a few readers, so yeah... that one is answered!
Next chapter... Sirius and Amelia's wedding! It will probably be a two-part chapter, because it will be the wedding and two reception parties, as well as some pre-wedding stuff. In fact... the wedding might not even actually take place next chapter, and it might just be pre-wedding stuff.