What He Has Left
Chapter 1: Return to the Unfamiliar
It was a Wednesday morning that found Ginevra Molly Weasley sitting on a cherry cushion chair in the foyer of Château de Vau. She had been waiting all morning for the arrival of her mother and as she sat in the chair she reflected on the last time she'd seen the Weasley matriarch.
Rain was pouring on the ramshackle Burrow and Ginny sat in a rocking chair wrapped in her favorite blanket staring at the fire. She could hear raised voices coming from the kitchen, Bill was furious and Fleur was speaking French. Even Professor McGonagall seemed extremely on edge ever since she'd been here, and Ginny sat watching the fire lick the grate. Every so often she would catch a word or end of a phrase.
"…the only thing to do." McGonagall.
"But…she'll be lonely!" that was Bill, she could feel the anger in his voice.
"Nicholas will keep her company," Fleur cooed.
"…not fair," Mrs. Weasley.
"…necessary," Mr. Weasley.
Ginny sat contemptuously, thinking about how ironic it was that everyone would be bickering about her fate without even asking her what she wanted to do. She knew she had brought this upon herself. She knew Harry was stupid for thinking she wouldn't be targeted by Voldemort, and now she'd gone and made herself even more susceptible to an attack. She didn't want that for her family.
They would all go into hiding; it was the only option. She would be going far away from the rest of them, and just in case they were to be tortured for her whereabouts, the place in which she would be staying would be put under the Fidelus Charm. Who the secret keeper was going to be? Well…she had no idea.
Mrs. Weasley hurried into the room and kneeled before her only daughter. Ginny tried to put on a brave face even though she knew this might be the last time she would see her mother for a while.
"You can't stay here anymore, it isn't safe. None of us can stay," Mrs. Weasley explained. Ginny lost the heart to tell her that she already knew what needed to be done.
"Will I be able to see you regularly?" Ginny asked brokenly. She was answered with a sad smile from her mother and a simple shake of the head. No, they would not be able to visit with each other. Ginny didn't think she could do this without her mother.
"Will I be able to reach you at all?" Ginny sobbed feeling her frustrations pour through her anger. She felt her mother gather her up into her arms and pat her back reassuringly. It was unfair, Ginny thought, that she was forced to grow up before she was ready. Still, there was that all too familiar voice in the back of her head that told her everything she needed to know, you brought this upon yourself.
"We'll be able to exchange letters, not by owl. It will have to be done the Muggle way so Voldemort won't suspect it. You will be okay," Mrs. Weasley told her and Ginny knew that it was true, "I will always be thinking of you. I will always be worrying about you. I will always be there for you, but most importantly, and you must never forget this Ginny! I will always love you."
The memory faded from Ginny's mind as she heard footsteps on the main staircase. Ginny looked up and smiled gently as her eyes settled on the face of Nicholas Vou. He smiled kindly in return and extended his arms to which she quickly embraced. They stayed together like that for quite some time before Nicholas whispered into her ear, "Let's take a walk." It was French, but in the three and a half years of living there she had learned.
"Alright."
She knew this day would have to come, eventually; they had both known. But now that the day had arrived, Ginny wasn't sure if she could bring herself to leave a place and a person who had become a surrogate home of sorts. There was a feeling of three snitches fluttering in her stomach and it wasn't exciting.
Ginny allowed herself to be led out onto the grounds; they walked by the gardenias and the trellis of jasmine that hung throughout the gazebo. The air was slightly chill for August and Ginny pulled herself closer to the body of the man beside her. She felt his side rumble as he laughed at her.
"And what is so funny?"
"You are."
"I am cold." Ginny stated simply.
"We can fix that," Nicholas said affectionately and waggled his eyebrows causing Ginny to blush at the suggestion. Nicholas had always been overly flirtatious, but she had made sure that he knew they were just friends. He had become the best friend Ginny had ever known. Living in isolation with someone for three and a half years could do that to a person. She would miss his flirtation.
"Not while I still have my say you dirty Frenchman! Where is Emmie," Ginny opted for a change of subject.
"Still sleeping, like an angel sent to earth. She is truly beautiful," Nicholas smiled. Ginny reflected on his reaction for a little while. Nicholas had loved Emmie since the day he had met her and had treated her like a princess. Ginny had often admonished him for it; she did not want the girl to become a spoiled brat like some of the people she'd remembered from school. An image of a pug faced Pansy Parkinson swarmed her vision and she frowned in distaste.
"Jealous?" Nicholas inquired casting Ginny a sideways glance. Ginny laughed at him.
"Jealous of a child? No. I love her too much. She really is beautiful."
"She takes after her mother," Nicholas said studying Ginny. She could feel his calculating gaze and frowned once more at his comment. What was he trying to do? Drag up bad memories? She had learned her lesson in this château and much more. Now, she just wanted news from home. She knew the war must be over, even in Bordeaux, France they knew, but no one had sent word for a year after. Ginny had started to worry that maybe there was no one left. She remembered the blinding panic that maybe they had all died. Ginny shivered pushing the thought from her mind.
Just then there was a popping noise and the house elf Pimpim bowed deeply before announcing the arrival of a red haired guest. Ginny smiled hugely and took off running back to the entrance of the château.
Molly Weasley took in her extravagant surroundings and muttered, "Oh dear," as she observed the house that her daughter had inhabited for three and a half years. Molly sighed as she thought about her daughter. There was an uneasiness in her stomach at the thought of seeing her daughter again, the last time she had seen that bright head of long hair had been when her daughter was sixteen. Sixteen. She was so young and yet so…adult. She didn't gripe and moan about her situation, she had stepped up to the plate and taken responsibility for her actions. Molly stood wringing her hands in a nervous fashion. It had been so long.
Then she saw her, running down the hall, hair flying out behind her and face bright and smiling. Molly met her halfway and the two women stood hugging each other for a long time, Molly felt her daughter shaking and realized with surprise that she was crying.
"Ginny, dear. You look so lovely!" Molly examined her daughter. She had gained slight height but was still short. She had lost a lot of weight which caused Molly to frown; she would have to remedy that thinness. Her daughter's hair was longer and more vivid; her face was bright and beautiful. Molly smiled and kissed her daughter's cheek.
"Oh Mum! It's so great to see you," Ginny beamed encompassing Molly in a hug again.
"Come now darling, we have much to discuss," Molly motioned for her daughter to move them to a sitting room.
Ginny was so happy to see her mother, but could tell instantly that there was something that her mother was trying to hide. Her mother gave her the basic run down of things after she'd left. The rest of the family had gone into hiding and had stayed there under McGonagall's orders. Her father had had a difficult time adjusting to not being helpful and had taken to reading Muggle magazines that were found in the house.
After a year of no word, Ron and Hermione showed up at the house with an unconscious Harry. This was the part of the story that Ginny really listened to. Molly had set about fixing Harry up, but some of his injuries were things that she'd never come by before. Molly had tried to get the extent of the events out of her son, but all he would say was that Voldemort was gone. It had been three months later when Harry finally awoke.
"That marked the start of your second year here," her mother told her taking a sip from the tea that Pimpim had brought up earlier. Their conversation was interrupted however by rushing footstep as a bright ball of red hair ran into the room and jumped upon Ginny's lap.
"Ooft. Emmie!" Ginny gasped. The little girl looked up at Ginny; her brown eyes alight with excitement.
"Mummy! Nicholas and me are playing."
"Nicholas and I," Ginny corrected her daughter.
"Yes," Emmie said nodding her red head emphatically. She placed her hand on Ginny's mouth and said, "Shh, don't tell him where I am Mummy." She then pushed herself off of Ginny's lap and hid behind the sofa. Molly was watching the display with tears in her eyes and Ginny patted her arm gently. Nicholas soon followed the young girl making a spectacle of looking in drawers and under rugs, places that Emmie couldn't possibly be hiding. Ginny heard a soft giggle behind the couch and muffled her own laughter. Nicholas stomped over and stopped by Ginny looking down at her and winking.
"Is there a pixie around here miss?" he asked addressing Ginny in French. But it was a small voice behind the couch which answered.
"I am not a pixie Nicholas!" Emmie crawled from under the couch to glare at Nicholas, who had a look of deep surprise on his face.
"Look what I have found. A pixee!" Nicholas spoke switching to English.
"She can speak French?" Molly asked Ginny looking wide-eyed at the precocious child who was tickling a laughing Nicholas on the ground. Ginny nodded watching the pair fondly.
"Nicholas and I speak French frequently and so she picked up on it as well as English, it is amazing what a child's mind can do," Ginny beamed, proud at her daughter's precociousness. Nicholas had gained control and was now making Emmie giggle incessantly as he tickled her. When he finally relented, Emmie ran to Ginny. Ginny scooped her child into her arms and kissed her forehead lightly while Nicholas took his place beside Ginny on the sofa.
"Hello, Molly," Nicholas said switching on his charm. Ginny watched as her mother blushed deeply and giggled like a school girl.
"Stop teasing," Ginny admonished. Nicholas pouted at her before he turned down the veela charm. Ginny turned her daughter to face Molly.
"Emmie, this is my Mummy. She is your grandmum," Ginny said. Emmie looked up at her mother and then at Molly before she extended her small hand, which Molly took gratefully.
"My name is Emmie Lilica Weasley."
"My name is Molly, but you can call me grandmum. We've met before, though you won't remember that because you were just newly born. But I want you to know that I've loved you since the moment you breathed," Molly said smiling at the young child before her. Emmie climbed out of Ginny's lap and into the lap of her grandmother.
"I love you too grandmum," Emmie said wrapping her small arms around her grandmother's neck. Molly cried into the little girl's shoulder. When Ginny caught her mother's attention she smiled.
"Let's go home." Molly said.
"Come with us," Ginny pleaded to the man who had helped her through the most confusing time of her life.
"And do what with the château?" he chuckled. Ginny brushed her hair from her face and looked into sad blue eyes. What would she do without him?
"We could get a flat in London, we could live together, you, me and Emmie. Then we could visit here during the summers. Please Nicholas," Ginny pleaded when he started to laugh at her again.
"I cannot lose you, you are my best friend," Ginny whispered. She felt his hand on her cheek as he lifted her face to look at him. He spoke clearly and slowly so she could understand.
"There is one man in this world for you Ginevra, and I am not him. I have had your devotion for about four years now, and I will cherish that for as long as I live. But you must go now, with Emmie, and start your life. I will always love you." Nicholas kissed the top of her forehead and smiled sadly. Ginny felt her heart breaking; she would no longer see him everyday. She wouldn't wake up to the sound of French composers and the smell of coffee. He would be in France and she would be in England.
"You will visit?" she asked hopefully. She knew he couldn't at least deny her this. He smiled ruefully and nodded the affirmative.
"Eef zat is what you want," he spoke softly. Ginny felt an impatient tug on her hand and looked down to see Emmie.
"Mummy, grandmum is ready to leave."
"Alright darling, let's go." Ginny started to lead her daughter away, but stopped when she saw her daughter staring at Nicholas expectantly.
"Come Nicholas," Emmie commanded expecting him to obey as he had done her entire life. The look that crossed his face made Ginny want to cry out. He loved Emmie so much, and had treated her as if she were his own daughter. Ginny reflected that in a sense she was his daughter and he her father in many ways. Ginny moved to pull Emmie along, but Nicholas held up a hand. He knelt before Emmie and grabbed her small hands in his large ones.
"My angel, you have wings to take you places I am not able to go. My home is France and yours is England and you must go to find your place." Emmie stared at Nicholas clearly struggling to understand what was happening.
"My home is you Nicholas," Emmie stated and a tear escaped one of Nicholas's eyes. Emmie wiped it away and patted his back, "Why do you cry?"
"My angel is leaving me to heal more hearts sicker than my own," Nicholas said gruffly. Ginny thought to look away, but she wanted this memory imprinted with her forever.
"And will you not go with her?" Emmie asked, finally understanding what was happening. Her lower lip quivered and her tears started to flow.
"I have not her beautiful wings."
"I will make you some Nicholas. Or, I'll be a pixie like you call me and give you pixie dust. Come Nicholas. Come," Emmie cried.
"I cannot," he kissed Emmie on her cheek and held her close before he placed her in Ginny's arms while the young girl kicked and screamed and clawed for Nicholas, the only father she had known.
"Nicholas! Nicholas," she cried.
Molly ran up to them muttering, "Oh dear," before she pulled out the portkey and tapped it; Ginny felt the tugging sensation behind her navel before France disappeared from her vision and it wasn't a scene she was likely to forget.
Ginny, Emmie, and Molly were plopped into the middle of a living room that Ginny did not recognize.
"Where are we?" Ginny asked.
"Home dear," Molly said looking at her daughter.
"But…the Burrow," Ginny stated lamely taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. Molly took pity on her daughter and led Ginny to the window showing her the familiar surroundings.
"The Burrow was burnt down dear. We rebuilt everything, same location, different foundation." Molly informed smartly. Ginny nodded solemnly seeing the evidence of how long she'd been away. This place felt foreign, and with a sinking feeling she wondered if she'd ever be able to call this place home once more.
Emmie clung to her mother's leg as her big eyes took in the unfamiliar surroundings. Molly watched the two standing there, mother and daughter both looking extremely lost and out of place and it made her heart ache. She hoped that in time they would come to love their surroundings.
"It is going to take major adjustment dear," Molly said bustling to the kitchen and yelling out the backdoor for someone. Ginny prepared herself for the onslaught of red headed freckled face siblings and their wives and their offspring, but instead it was just her father. He took Ginny into his arms and wrapped her in the most familiar warmness she'd felt all day.
"Dad," Ginny breathed. He stepped back and beamed at her. Ginny moved and presented Emmie to her father.
"Look at this young one, isn't she the spitting image of her mother," Arthur marveled.
"This is your grandpa Emmie." Ginny said looking down at her daughter who was staring blankly ahead. Ginny shook Emmie's hand hoping she would say something.
"Emmie Lilica, don't be rude. Say hello to your grandpa!" Ginny admonished her daughter in French. Her father cast an impressed glance her way, but it was nothing compared to the amazement he showed when Emmie said, "Bonjour grandpa, my name is Emmie Lilica Weasley."
"Oh Ginny, she's so smart. Does she speak English?" he asked, looking worried that he might not be able to communicate with his granddaughter.
"She speaks wonderful English, I'm not certain what's wrong. Emmie? Have you lost your English tongue? Why do you speak French?"
"I want to talk to Nicholas," Emmie stated looking at her mother.
"Emmie, Nicholas is not here. You cannot speak with him," Ginny said to her daughter apologetically. Her daughter however either did not seem to understand or was being completely stubborn.
"I want to see Nicholas. I won't speak English."
Ginny didn't have the heart or the stamina to be properly angry. This day had been physically and emotionally draining on her, she had so many memories that she was trying to keep at bay and so many phantoms to revisit. She simply sighed heavily and shrugged at her father as she took her daughter in hand and sat on a high backed sofa near the fireplace; above which stood the old family clock.
"Where is everyone else?" Ginny asked, slightly disappointed that more people weren't here to greet her, and yet oddly relieved that she wouldn't have to face them all at the same time.
"We didn't want to overwhelm you on your first minute back, but your mother has planned an excellent feast. Everyone will be over later," he father finished. Ginny didn't like the sound of everyone.
"Who is everyone?" Ginny asked. Her father looked slightly guilty as he answered. Ginny was amazed once again about how much Ron's expressions mirrored those of their father. Ron, the idea of closest brother brought her to a painful pause.
"Oh well, all of your brothers, even Percy I think your mother might have mentioned in one of her letters that that bridge was mended. He's still broken hearted after the death of Penelope though. Bill and Fleur, Charlie and whichever date he's managed to pick up this week. The twins, Katie and Angelina, Ron, Hermione, and Harry will be coming late and—"
"Harry," Ginny said. It wasn't a question; in fact she was surprised at how much more accusing it sounded. She couldn't deny that she felt slightly betrayed by her parents. Didn't they know how difficult this was for her without throwing Harry into the mix?
"Yes." Arthur said. Ginny shook her head. She couldn't handle this right now not with…Emmie. The young girl had fallen asleep in her mother's lap. Ginny decided to drop the inquiry in order to take her child to bed. Her father showed her where Emmie would be staying and then showed her the room she would be staying in which was across the hall from Emmie's room. As Ginny looked about the room her father pulled up a chair and asked her to sit.
"There are some things we must discuss," her father started, looking older than Ginny had ever remembered seeing him, "Harry doesn't know that you have a child. Let alone that he happens to be the father of said child. Ron and Hermione don't know either." Ginny's head snapped up at this information.
"Why not?"
"They were gone Ginny, and we didn't know if it was your wish that we told them so we didn't, and your brothers haven't said anything either," Ginny was about to speak but her father put up his hand silencing her, "There is more. Harry is staying here, even though he has plenty of property on his own he has only ever felt comfortable here and so your mother and I said he could stay. He is rarely home, since he and Ron have been doing Auror training for the past year." Ginny nodded swallowing the bile that was running up her throat at all of this information. Her father sighed and Ginny knew there was more, there was something he wasn't saying, something her mother didn't say.
"What else dad?"
"He…He's been seeing a woman named Kailen Jimmings for about five months now. She seems to make him happy," Arthur didn't sound particularly happy to be delivering this news to his daughter. Ginny nodded slowly, but ran to the loo as fast as her legs would carry her, retching painfully into the toilet. It was about fifteen minutes before she emerged again only this time it was her mother who greeted her.
"Where's dad?" Ginny asked.
"In his study. He was really upset that he upset you. You can't go upsetting yourself dumpling."
"I didn't upset myself and neither did he. It was his news which upset me. I mean, what the hell is that wanker thinking? He asks me to wait for him, and I go into hiding and five months before I'm aloud to come home he gets a girlfriend?"
"Ginny, it's not that simple," Molly started looking decidedly uncomfortable. Ginny groaned inwardly thinking that she couldn't possibly take any more information, especially if it was information that might potentially let Harry Potter off the hook.
"Please then, explain it to me for I am at a bit of a loss." Ginny snapped. Her mother drew back slightly, but she nodded ruefully and beckoned Ginny back to her room where they both sat on the bed. Molly sighed and looked extremely shaken and Ginny wondered what this was all about.
"When was the last time I wrote to you?" her mother asked. The question caught Ginny off guard and she tried hard to think about it. The last letter she'd received was the one that was brought the day before Ron, Hermione, and Harry showed up at her parent's hiding place. She voiced this and her mother nodded.
"I didn't receive another letter from you. I sent you a couple, did you receive them?"
"No, just a letter from McGonagall saying that correspondence wouldn't be allowed any longer for fear of interception." Ginny stated trying to remember the exact wording of the letter. Molly nodded deep in though.
"She did seem to be losing it in her last year, well, that explains why you didn't receive my letters; she must have been intercepting them."
"But why?"
"Minerva, even though the war was over, was fearful that there still would be death eaters searching for you, she therefore refused to let anyone know where you were—in that, she was faithful to you—but in not being able to tell us where you were and not hearing from you for so long, we feared that you might be dead," Molly stopped short and buried her face in her hands. Ginny hadn't known, she had missed her family and had worried that they might not be alive, but she'd never thought that they'd be thinking the same thing about her.
"Harry took it the hardest, claiming it was his entire fault. He was so broken Ginny, it would have torn anyone to pieces. He worked hard trying to catch as many death eaters as possible so Minerva would relent and tell us something but she never relented. It wasn't until her death that we were finally able to locate you. By that time Harry had found a companion in this other woman and there was nothing we could do. Please believe that Ginny. I never wanted you to feel pain, but war touches everyone, he thought you were dead. He's only had about a week to adjust to this new information that we found you." Molly looked at Ginny with pleading eyes, but Ginny was not yet willing to relent with her anger. Instead, she settled for asking the next obvious question.
"Is she coming for dinner?"