Chapter 3 – Obliterate persona Unus Affectus
The sky was clear, blue and endless; so was the chatter in the compartment – endless; the only thing limited on the train, speeding across the English channel, was the menu. The Channel current was turbulently drifting below the desultory winds tugging fiercely at a very resolute and determined Ginny Weasely, heading home.
Two years had passed since her last visit to England for Fred's funeral – the first flew by quickly riding on wings of hope, the second dragged excruciatingly slow weighed down by the mounting disappointment of high hopes left unfulfilled to this day. The line had been drawn. It was time to do what was needed to be done.
The train ride back home gave Ginny the space and time to think about her past, present and future. She had made a decision far important than anything else before in her life. The plan was to go and meet Hermione before anyone else; the spell was to be performed at midnight; the rest would be her destiny.
X-X-X
Hermione was late – or was it Bill who was supposed to pick her up? Hermione had insisted that they take one of her older brothers into confidence and have him present during the task. Perhaps Hermione had asked Bill to escort her from the station to their destination for today - Hermione's apartment.
However, what Ginny did not count on was finding herself staring at the unmistakable messy black hair above a million faces crowding the station. Standing at the door of her compartment looking out for either Bill or Hermione, Ginny was certain as the day that is was Harry's messy black hair that she saw at the far end of the crowd approaching the platform. Memories came flooding back to her mind – the desperate hug they shared when she arrived and the scare when they said good-bye the last time she had come home. Ginny had no choice but to recover from the shock in a matter of seconds. She quickly disembarked from the train to get away to the other end of the platform mingling into the crowd. Her mind was rapidly churning ideas for excuses in case Harry spotted her and caught on with her. Damn! It was going to be tough to find Bill or Hermione away from her train compartment. Ginny quickly hid behind a square column, peering around to look out for Harry and searching for Bill and Hermione in one sweeping glance. She was feeling every bit the novice that she was, having completed just a year of post NEWT auror training in Madrid's Elite Auror Academy, although her grades had been good enough to secure a ready acceptance of transfer into the Auror academy of London.
A large group of athletes chanced to pass her by and she impulsively jumped in front of the group to get the benefit of a human shield to escort her to the exit. She didn't have any choice but to leave the station with out Bill or Hermione. Hoping that they would not search for her for too long, she flagged a cab and made a quick get away giving him Hermione's address .
X-X-X
Harry stood rooted to his spot in the midst of the crowded station, utterly in disbelief of the result of his sensing charm.
Ginny! What was she doing here?
He did a mental check on the calendar and it didn't add up. Ginny was returning to London tomorrow not today.
Puzzled, his quarry forgotten, he got ready to send another sensing charm focused on Ginny.
"Harry! what are you doing here?"
"Hermione!" Harry seemed as surprised as Hermione.
"Harry!" Hermione was clearly at a loss for words and edging close to panic.
"What are you doing here?"
"I… I… I came to drop off a friend of mine."
"Did you see Ginny?" Harry did not waste any time in being direct.
Hermione's heart leaped into her mouth as she struggled her hardest not to appear flustered or panicky.
"Ginny!" She squeaked. Wormtail would have managed to sound less squeakier than her. "No."
"I am pretty certain she was here. I was chasing a suspect, and as I was trying to sense them, I sensed Ginny instead."
"Harry, that can't be possible. She is coming back only tomorrow."
"Are you sure? 'cause…"
"Oh absolutely. She isn't coming home until tomorrow."
"But Hermione, I can't be wrong in sensing her. I just don't understand…
"Harry, I am telling you she isn't supposed to be here until tomorrow."
Lacking a solid argument and the slightest inclination to distrust his best friend, Harry let it drop although making up his mind to check on his sensing skills at the academy the first chance he got. Harry moved on to the one question that had been giving him sleepless nights ever since he had heard about Ginny's impending visit.
"Hermione! Do you know how long she is coming for?"
Hermione merely lowered her eyes for a moment and looked back at Harry to find him frantically scanning the crowd, his face clouded with worry.
Bloody aurors!
"Harry, when you had the chance, you never went to see her and now you are seeing her when she is not here."
Harry looked at Hermione with defeated eyes. It was true. He had lost his chance at least in this lifetime. He was tied to his destiny and had no business chasing an impossible dream.
"I have to rush off now – will catch you later. You are coming to the burrow tomorrow, right?"
Harry's silence spoke volumes to Hermione but she did not have the luxury to stay and convince him against what was, for her clear understanding, a certain preponderance to avoid Ginny, much like the last time.
"Don't do it, Harry. You can't avoid her forever. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
How in the world am I going to find her now?
"Hold on, what is Bill doing here?" Harry had spotted Bill standing at the far end of the platform.
"Bill! Well, he might have got some work …"
"Let's go and ask him if he came to get Ginny." Harry's suspicion renewed.
"Err... Harry, but she is not coming back today."
"Then, why is he here?" His sensing abilities may not have gone haywire after all.
"As I said, it…."
"Oh cut the crap Hermione. Let's just ask him."
Bill whirled around to see Harry and Hermione approaching him reminding him of a raging bull dragging along a little girl caught up by her pigtail.
"Bill, Hi!"
"Hi Bill!" Hermione's voice was few octaves higher than the opera singer he had endured to please Fleur last night.
"So you have also come to drop off your friend." Bill was given no chance to reply either greeting. Harry jerked his head suspiciously to look at Hermione's agitated gesturing.
Bill cursed silently.
"As a matter of fact I just dropped one of my old colleagues and his wife on their way to Scotland." came his calm reply.
"Why would anyone go to Scotland on a train?" Harry interjected not devoid of suspicion although he didn't want Bill to feel that he was in the ministry room facing third degree.
"Muggles! Harry. However, I would go on a train ride to celebrate our anniversary. Not all of us are un-married workaholic bachelors. Life goes on …you know."
Harry looked away stone-faced.
"What were you doing here by the way?"
"O, I was just chasing a suspect."
"And you lost him?"
"Yeah, I lost him." Hating to admit that even 3 years after their break up Ginny still had that kind of power to affect distract him, Harry lowered his eyes sheepishly.
"Well I am off to my home now. I need to get something before I go back to work. So see you guys." Hermione quickly saw the opportunity to make a get away hoping Bill would catch her Gawrp sized hint.
Bill too was quick to make his exit leaving Harry alone with goose bumps, standing in the middle of the train station. The elusive suspect was forgotten for now – replaced with thoughts of the one person whom he couldn't get away from even when asleep night after lonely night for the past 3 years - Bill's only sister, his own dream from another impossibly distant life, Ginny Weasely.
X-X-X
The intended parties finally gathered at Hermione's apartment a few minutes later.
"Hermione, your wards are really pathetic. Even a child could get through - with as much effort as for passing OWLs. I will give you that much." A smug Ginny got up from the couch of the living room to greet Hermione as she hugged her dear friend.
"Ginny, you are not a child and these wards are your brother's handiwork in any case." Hermione squeezed Ginny's shoulders in relief; she was relieved to see Ginny safe inside her house – even thankful for the vulnerability of the wards.
"Ha! Guess Ron wanted to make sure he could get through easily if you ever threw him out of your house."
CLANG!
"Bloody hell, Hermione! Why do you have to move things around in your house? I had the perfect co-ordinates of your couch and now..." Bill materialized out of thin air right in the middle of Hermione's dining table. "Your damn candle stand poked me in the ribs."
Ginny and Hermione's laughter filled the room as they got up from the couch, startled, to greet Bill.
"Bill! That should teach you a lesson to apparate into a single witch's house un-announced. Houses have doors and you are supposed to knock on them, you know." Hermione caught the crystal candle stand just in time from rolling off the table and smashing to pieces.
"Hi! little one. How did you come here?" Ginny hugged Bill tightly, sensing the barely suppressed concern in his voice as he bounced back to his cheerful self.
"Bill! I've lived 16 years in England you know. I know a thing or two about getting around here. And since you guys did not consider me important enough to come to the station on time, I had no choice but to get …"
"Ginny, did Harry see you?" Hermione got the first chance to ask the all-important question to her friend.
"I don't think he saw me but …"
"Yeah! yeah, I know. He has a nose better than a blood hounds." Bill finished for Ginny although not quite using the words she would have used.
"Err Bill. He doesn't exactly use his nose to sense people, you know." Hermione couldn't help defend the superior enviable abilities of her best friend.
"Well, it's the same thing. You smell people you can't actually see. You feel people you can't actually see. It's the same thing, you see."
"Did Harry say he sensed me?" Ginny couldn't help but ask tentatively, her heart beat racing at the thought of catching Harry's attention.
"What do you think? Of course he did. He was tracking a suspect and instead of sensing him he sensed you since you were so conveniently in the vicinity."
"But he was not trying to sense her, so how…" Bill seemed a bit irritated at Hermione's smugness.
"That's why he is Harry Potter, Bill."
"Well, that he is, but let's leave him to his chasing death eaters, shall we? I want to know what you girls are up to now. The last time you people trapped me in one of your schemes, I ended up baby-sitting a whole bunch of muggle kids at the Ministry for your blighted Brotherhood and Cohesive Living Drive. It better be something better than BROCOLI, for God's sake."
Bill found himself watching two nervous witches casting furtive glances at each other
"Girls! have you murdered someone? Because I just might die of suspense here."
The glances had turned into full-blown urges by now, though still silent. They were not even trying to be discreet about it.
"Ginny? Hermione? What is going on?" Bill was getting impatient anticipating which one of the two witches would break the silence.
Ginny was giving her ultimate death glare to Hermione.
"Do you want me to do eenie meenie miney moe for you?" Bill offered highly amused by the silent battle and anxious to see who would give in eventually.
Hermione's lips were resolutely sealed as she was shaking her head vigorously. Bill was surprised to see that Ginny was, for a change, on the defensive.
"Alright, Ginnykins, its' you, since you are involved in this in some big way to come all the way from Spain and hide from mum for one full day."
Ginny tried to shake her head as vigorously as Hermione's but the dice had been cast. She had no choice now but to face her big brother. She bowed her head down resigned to her fate.
"Ginny?"
"Hold on Bill. Give me a minute." She countered testily.
Ginny was certain that they were in for a big fight - Bill would blow up on hearing what they had planned to do, but it had to be done anyhow. Nothing in the world was going to change her mind. She did not think she could live otherwise.
"Amm… Bill, I… I have …decided to… do something drastic about the Harry situation." Ginny finally managed to get out something - to begin with.
"Harry situation?" Bill raised his eyebrows a little. "And what on earth is this Harry situation?"
Ginny was silent again. The words wouldn't come to her mind let alone to her lips.
Naturally, Bill got a little worried. "Has he done something to you or …?"
"No! no! no!" Ginny burst out. "Of course not! He has not done anything… at all. That is the problem actually…well part of it at least."
"Ginny!" Bill almost shouted at Ginny but then recovered to chasten patiently at her cheeky remark. "Surely you are not suggesting that I should help to make Harry do something…. to you…." The trouble was he wouldn't put anything past his little devil of a sister.
"No, no, no… it's not what you think Bill. It's something else, altogether."
"Well then what is it? Something. Drastic. - to do with Harry. Why don't you just tell me straight, Ginnykins, instead of trying my patience here?"
"All right, but listen to me fully before you say anything. It's something very different, unexpected and drastic - you have to hear me out. Okay?"
Bill nodded quickly lest Ginny lapse into another bout of silence.
"Two years ago when I came for Fred's funeral Harry broke up with me. He didn't even say anything actually. He just handed me a note as I left."
"But I thought you had already broken up when you left for Spain 4 years ago?" Bill was puzzled to say the least.
"Yeah, we did but it was not … it wasn't real. The situation was such that it didn't have any meaning. I was waiting for him and he knew I was waiting for him to get rid of Tom Riddle. He was tied to his destiny, and didn't want to be tied down by me. I understood and supported his decision, but we didn't break-up as in a real break up."
"Ok. I think I understand what you are saying. Go on."
"But now, Voldermort has been gone for 2 years, and still there is not end in sight. Harry doesn't want us to be together - says his life is too dangerous and he doesn't want me to take any part of it."
"Really? He said that?" Bill sounded almost incredulous but happy about the whole situation. "Well I didn't credit him with that kind of maturity or wisdom but he has gained new respect from me after hearing this."
"No!" Ginny countered vehemently. "No! it's not right. Bill, it's never going to change. This danger, this threat is going to be there forever - especially if he wants to be an auror. He can take up another job but I am okay with it if he wants to be an auror. Only one cannot stop living their life because of unforeseen danger and threats."
"Ginny, going by what happened two years ago I would certainly back Harry in this decision. It's a good decision; I have to agree with him. It was a close call for you and if Harry had not been there ___"
"I could have died I know, but that doesn't mean I should live like the dead now. It's not fair. So I am going to be an auror now and I can take care of myself from now on."
"Well I never agreed with Mum and Dads decision to allow you to train for that but __"
"It's done Bill. I am going to be an auror and there is nothing you or Harry or anyone can do about it now."
"Okay, okay. You don't have to go ballistic on me about it. I was just expressing my views on the subject. Doesn't mean you won't do it. So now what is the problem and what is this Harry situation?"
"Well I have decided to finish my 4th year here in London." Ginny stated gingerly.
"Really?" Bill was pleasantly surprised at the news. Indeed, he had no idea about the price Ginny was willing to pay for it.
"Yes, but that's not all." Ginny peeked a tentative glance at Hermione to see if her friend would volunteer to dish out the rest. Hermione was very intently staring at Bill. Damn witch wouldn't even look at me!
"Okay. Go on I am listening." Bill sensed the undercurrent and didn't want another tug-o-war of wills ensuing.
This is it. Ginny mustered all her courage to serve the final blow. "I will finish my final year here and join the defence ministry a year later to help capture the Death Eaters. Since Harry works at the ministry and probably would teach at the academy too, I am going to do a spell to forget him. I mean Hermione will cast it but I want to forget Harry."
Bill was agog on hearing his sibling's announcement. His mouth fell open and eyebrows danced first up then down betraying his emotions ranging from shock to barely exercised restraint. He was trying hard to understand the repercussions of his little Ginny's words, rather than explode like a volcano at the thought of a Ginny's willingness to tamper with her own memories using some god-forsaken spell.
"What spell is this – the one you are going to use?" His voice was calm enough. Bill the adult wizard had overshadowed Bill the protective brother.
"It's something Hermione discovered." Ginny was glad to put Hermione on the hot seat.
"What exactly does it do Hermione?" Bill asked evenly, almost fighting the urge to accuse his future sister in law of being the brilliant witch that she was. It's not your fault that you are so brilliant – is it?
"I will let Hermione explain since she is best person to do it." Ginny finally succeeded in passing the buck to Hermione.
""Hermione?" Bill was intrigued and anxious to know about the spell.
Hermione face betrayed the remorse she felt at being the one to have discovered the power of the spell; she took a deep breath and began, "It's called Obliterate Persona Unus Affectus. I found it in an ancient book of spells written in Latin. The book was ironically found by Harry when they had joined an international task force to capture death eaters holed up under the ancient ruins of Inca. It's is a very complex spell that takes away specific memories of a specific person. You can be even be specific down to an emotion."
The look on Bill's face indicated to Hermione that whatever she had uttered missed it's mark by yards, or feet, or even miles.
"So what this spell is going to do is make Ginny forget Hermione… err I mean Harry. Right?" Bill sounded more flustered than when he had proposed to Fleur as he grappled with words to understand it better.
"That's correct but not entirely. I mean she won't forget Harry entirely. She will remember him for the most part but forget some memories of him."
"And how will she know which memories to forget and which ones to not to?"
"We will pick one specific emotion – in this case 'love', and one specific person – 'Harry' - and perform the spell using these two variables. If the spell is successful, the subject – in this case 'Ginny' - is supposed to forget all memories of Harry borne out of the emotion of love. So in effect she will forget that she is in love with Harry, she will have no recollection of the time they were going out and any thoughts she had or real events that she experienced as a result of being in love with Harry."
"But if she hated Harry for breaking up with her, won't she remember that?"
"I think not although I can't say for sure because we haven't seen the effect of this spell in practical life so far. However, I doubt she would remember that simply because the hatred would have been a direct consequence of love. In fact, I think in this case - greater the love greater the hatred. Very different from how we all hated Malfoy during our Hogwarts years."
"Actually it might be very interesting to know the exact moment she actually fell in love with Harry based on what all she remembers after the spell is performed."
Ginny cleared her throat loudly at that and glared at Hermione; the older witch immediately realized the insensitivity of her thoughts and offered to appease Ginny, "Of course only Bill and I will know about it since no one else is supposed to know about this spell."
Bill's mind was playing out the scenario after the spell and wondering about the repercussions of the spell. "But will she remember when she first met him and the chamber incident? And what about the common room kiss that rocked the whole world?"
"I think she will remember meeting him at King's Cross and the chamber incident unless she had already fallen for him at age ten. The common room kiss will most likely be forgotten and that will be a potential problem since it's in public domain and if ever someone talks about it she will draw a blank and that might cause some confusion and raise eyebrows, even suspicion. In fact, all their interactions in public domain have the potential to raise eye row if people talk about it and Ginny shows no recollection of it. But she will remember all the facts about Harry and his life sans her own involvement in it."
"How about reversing the spell? Can that be done?"
Hermione momentarily admired Bill's analytical mind before thrashing his and probably Ginny's hopes. "No. I didn't see anything about reversing the spell."
"And you don't want to tell any one about it?"
Ginny nodded looking Bill full in the eye hoping he could read the desperation in her eyes.
"And you want to do this today? You cannot wait for some time and think about?"
Ginny shook her head silently maintaining a brave façade especially since she knew that the determination she was holding on to was now fast diminishing after hearing about the finality of the spell.
Bill knew he couldn't deny this little girl he loved so dearly, the chance to live a life amongst her friends and family, even if it meant doing irreversible damage in tampering with her memories. He doubted she would even look at another wizard until she was in love with Harry. This was not the way he would have wanted this to end but maybe that's the way it was destined to happen.
"How long does it take to complete the spell?" He finally asked sending a wave of joy to the two girls' faces even though all three realized there was no real joy in losing precious memories of love from one's life. Ginny got up and threw herself into her brother's arms, shaking in relief, as she tried to suppress any sobs escaping her now weary control.
Hermione broke the lull finally, "Ginny I need you to pick the strongest memory full of love which you associate with Harry. You have an hour to decide in which I will do some preparation for the spell."
X-X-X
A visibly reluctant Ron followed Molly Weasley from the backyard into the house.
"Mum, why am I your favourite son when it comes to doing the house work?"
"Ron you are hardly here to help out ever since you moved out of the Burrow."
Molly was none too happy when Ron had moved out into an apartment after finishing school at Hogwarts; every opportunity that she got, she was sure to ensure that Ron hadn't heard the last of it.
"And since it's your sister's homecoming dinner, the least you can do is spare her the housework."
"Let's see how long she stays here for." It slipped out before Ron could hold back.
Molly knew there was truth in Ron's words besides the cheek; she let it drop.
"Ron, could you send a note to Harry asking how much longer is he going to take? After you have done that, you can take these short eats to the table. It should give them all something to munch on while we get Harry's reply."
"Am wondering if he is coming at all. Give him an earful when he comes, would you?" Ron quipped as he let Errol go.
"I have stalled the dinner as much as I could. The tables were set up half an hour ago. Did he say that he wouldn't come?"
"No, he didn't," Ron supplied as he surveyed the dishes laid out on the counter top and got ready to levitate the dishes out the door
"Mum, this is Ginny's homecoming dinner. Why have you cooked Harry's favourite dishes: treacle tart, lamb chops…?"
Molly gave his unsuspecting son a death glare.
"How long was it since he was born, when he found a family to come home to?" Molly growled as she swatted away Ron's hands. "Don't dip your hands in the gravy."
Ron stammered, "Err… twelve years."
"He is just getting what has been long due to him, and you lot should not have any problem with it. Ginny can eat whatever she wants anytime. She is not going anywhere for some years now that she is home for good…"
Molly shut up as soon as she realized she had let out a closely guarded secret in her rant.
"She is coming back for good?" Ron jumped up from the counter in shock of this revelation.
"O dear, I wasn't supposed to say that. Ron, don't just let anyone know about it."
The bell rang at that instant prompting Ron to hurry to the door.
Harry stood at the door looking like a zombie coming to a Halloween party.
Ron froze at the sight of a harried looking Harry – almost driven to panic by the recently acquired knowledge, about Ginny's plans to stay in England for good, threatening to broadcast from of his brain, involuntarily. Neverthless, panic did come rushing when he remembered what an accomplished Legilimens Harry was.
Ron quickly uttered - "Harry, you are here finally. Deal with Mum. I have got work to do" - and hurried out the back door with the levitated dishes, leaving Harry to face the music.
Harry walked into the kitchen to find Molly sitting on a chair looking out the kitchen window watching Ron balance the dishes. Mustering his best smile in his current state of mind, he threw his head in her lap and wrapped his arms around her.
"Sorry I got late, Mum." Harry apologized but offered no further explanation.
This was a first for him – perhaps his level of desperation was at an all time high due to the brief incident at King's cross two days ago. The gentle caress of her careworn fingers on his hair made him realize his folly in not doing this before whenever he was down and out.
Molly continued to run her fingers through his hair. "It's okay Harry. You work too hard." Although she suspected that work had very little to do with his current state of mind.
Taking his time in the soothing luxury of her warmth, Harry finally raised his head and looked at Molly. He knew that although they had never talked about his relationship with Ginny, or the lack of it, Molly knew and understood as nobody else did, his need for Ginny. While everyone knew that there was and could be no one else for Ginny but him, only Molly acknowledged the fact that Ginny's feelings for Harry had not risen from the depths of deprivation that Harry had suffered for the most part of his life.
"What can I do to help?" Harry finally asked to prevent conversation.
Molly looked him deep in the eyes and smiled slightly pointing to an array of dishes, "I need to take these outside. You may bring as many as you can and sit next to me. Would you?" She got up from the chair and deftly levitated two dishes walking out the kitchen door.
Harry took a deep breath. The moment had come – to face Ginny finally. Using his fingers to levitate the rest of the dishes Harry followed Molly into the back yard. Immediately he noticed Ginny seated at one end of the table surrounded by a group of young witches and wizards; he recognized Parvati, Neville, Luna and Dean Thomas.
The numbness that engulfed his senses caused him to almost to drop the contents of the dishes to the ground; mercifully, he recovered in good time to steady them back into balance. He sighted Molly at the opposite end of the table and instantly made a beeline for her.
"Ah! Harry. Goodness! You brought all of them together. Please put them in the centre would you? I will arrange them as needed."
Presently six Weasely faces looked at the new arrival – their eyes nearly popping out of the sockets. Harry Potter indeed! Surprises never cease.
Only Hermione sat a little tensed as she watched him enter the lion's den.
"Harry!" Mr Weasely called out. "How are you son? It's been a long time. Come, come, grab a chair."
"Hello! Mr. Weasely." Harry tackled the easiest one.
"Harry! Long time mate. Didn't expect you to turn up today. Any special occasion today? George was the toughest one of the lot, and merciless too.
"Hi! George. Nothing special. Just thought I would drop in."
"Harry, that's some magnet Ginny's got. You couldn't stay away could you?" Charlie went one-step ahead of George. Their side of the table errupted in peals of laughter as Harry smiled sheepishly and looked around finding himself at the receiving end of an intent stare from Bill, Ginny's second eldest brother. His senses involuntarily sharpened but he had vowed not to try his Legilimens skills on friends and family.
"Yeah, our Ginny is quite the magnet. Look at all the blokes buzzing around her like bees on sweet honey or may be flies on sweet honey. Especially the fly wearing a svelte black blazer. Harry hope you are not out of practice swatting flies. I can always help you. It's a tough job you know." George continued the jibe.
The picture George painted forced him, impulsively, to take sly peek at the far end of the table where the young witches and wizards were vociferously engaged in adolescent bantering. Harry felt a small hint of anger threatening to envelope his countenance; his eyes went stone hard with concentration as he brought his senses into control. He did not mind being their punch bag for the evening but the truth in George's words was needling painful holes on his control; and the evening had just started.
Percy was not too keen on talking to Harry for which Harry was thankful, one less to rag him. He was already regretting his decision to come to the burrow this night.
"I will let you know if I need your help George." He dismissed George politely before making a hasty turn towards Ron and Hermione. Summoning the image of his head in Mrs. Weasely's lap to sooth his senses, he walked towards his friends.
Ron raised his hand to shake Harry's and pulled him down on the chair next to him.
"Harry, how did it go with Mum?" Ron quipped smiling as his eyebrows did a little dance of their own.
Finding something at which he had an upper hand Harry smugly smiled, "Capital! There is at least one person in this world who will never desert me, you dog. Unfortunately I have to be thankful for it to a traitor like you."
"Ha! At least some one loves you still. Seems to me like Ginny has forgotten you completely." Ron wasted no time in being brutally honest with his friend.
"Ron! Let's not discuss Ginny." Harry was fighting his own private battle in denying to himself the real reason for his visit to the burrow on this day.
"I know you don't want to talk about her but she has really changed man. She has been flirting shamelessly with that fellow Josh Taker - Dean Thomas's new flat mate. And she hasn't asked about you even once since she has arrived."
Harry couldn't help but take an un-hurried look at Ginny right across the full length of the dinner table. Her hair, radiant as ever, was falling into a curtain over her cheeks as she bent her head down to listen to her neighbour. Her brown eyes lit up with delight as she gave her most endearing impish look to her beholder. Harry chanced a glance at the fellow she was talking to. The wizard was pleasant faced - and hopelessly falling in love with her. Harry tried hard to fathom her feelings but short of doing legilimens he couldn't get far in his assessment.
"Hey! Harry. Long time." Dean called across the dinner table as if on cue.
Harry raised his hand to acknowledge him.
"Hi! Harry" "Hi! Harry" "Hi! Harry" Three more voices chimed in. One of them was Ginny's – for sure, but it was disappointing to be greeted by her in such manner – diminished by the accompanied voices of others.
Harry took a moment to mask his disappointment before turning to return Ron's concerned gaze. He wasn't sure himself if he was ready to take the chance with Ginny yet - another brush with death and he would go back to square one in no time. If Ginny no longer felt the same about him, it would be of no use to tell Ron anything at all, but he needed to know how she felt.
"Harry! How was Brazil? Was it the same suspect you were chasing the other day? Or a new one?" Hermione spoke from the opposite side of the table providing a much-needed distraction.
"Yeah! The bugger took me all the way down to Brazil. They have a big set up down there. We will to keep an eye on that region from now on."
"Oh sure, I can keep an eye on coastline, particularly the beach in Rio, while you can cover the Amazon." Ron offered immediately.
Unfortunately George, the merciless, heard the last bit of the conversation and then on it was Harry's turn to be 'it'.
"Say if there is a witch in trouble in the sea, and a wizard drowning too. Who would you save first?" George asked to the general male population.
"Why of course first save the witch , little brother." Charlie sang.
"Wrong answer big brother, save only the witch cause the wizard is just pretending to drown to get her attention and the witch went in to save him."
"Shut up George. That was a lousy joke."
For the next one hour Harry sparsely ate the delicious meal laid out on the table; George's and Ron's words kept playing in his mind, forcing him to glance surreptitiously at Ginny every once in a while. Mrs. Weasely had prepared all his favourite dishes even though it was Ginny's home coming dinner party; he wondered what Ginny would make of that, if she noticed it that is; Josh Taker was giving her very little opportunity to do so. His heart was sinking deeper and deeper as his mind was running wild with images of Ginny and the handsome bloke together and getting closer and closer.
Finally the dinnertime was signaled over as some folks started rounding up the dishes and levitating them back to the kitchen. Harry too got up to help Molly with whatever was remaining on the table when Ginny walked over to them. Harry's heart stopped beating as she came and stood right across the table; he got his first close look at her then. She looked beautiful in a black vest top and green-checkered skirt swaying lightly as she moved. Her hair was shining in the glow of the magical lanterns surrounding the dinner table; he imagined it slipping silkily through his fingers. His mind was numb with fear that she might ignore him completely; he would have been quite happy to be at the receiving end of a venomous tirade, but it was just not her style.
"Mom, we are going towards the lake for a walk. Is there anything else you want me to take care of before I join my friends?"
Join my friends. His fears had come true. She was going to ignore him completely; she refused even to look at him.
"Ginny, did you say hello to Harry? He doesn't come here often these days but he came today." Harry winced at Molly's obvious attempt to revoke the ignore mode Ginny had put him on.
"O yes, Mum, I did, but I will do it again if you want me to. Hi! Harry." Ginny breezily brushed aside Molly's subtle censure. Harry was aghast to see the ease with which Ginny was ignoring the history of their heartbreak.
"Hi!" was all he could mumble.
"You all can join us if you want to. The evening is promising to be an excellent one." Ginny extended an invitation as casual as the greeting earlier.
Harry barely muttered an acknowledgement of her invitation, only Molly was naïve enough to be delighted at the turn of the conversation.
"Okay. See you around then." Ginny sauntered off cheerfully leaving behind a stunned Harry and a nearly ecstatic Molly. Harry's mind was racing to figure out what had just transpired. Could one really expunge their past so thoroughly from their minds like Ginny had? Even with her mind in a fit of seething rage her eyes had never been able to hide her real feelings for him; they spoke to him their own language, assuring him that his love was secure. The absence of that reassurance shook him harder than the revelation of his prophesy had.
"I will take these inside Mum." He quickly made his way towards the house carrying a grand total of two dishes in his hands.
Somewhere along the way to back to the house he acknowledged it was time to admit that the evening was a fiasco and that he had suffered enough for his exceptionally bad judgement. Their break-up had been surreal for him until now, today it just became a reality.
He needed to get away from the burrow; there better be a ministry mission to recourse to. History surely likes to repeats itself.
X-X-X
A minute later Hermione was ranting at Ron.
"Ron, what do you mean he just left. How can he go without saying good bye to anyone?"
"He said bye to me unless you don't count me in anyone." Ron quipped back
"I mean how could you let him go? It's with so much difficulty that he makes it to the burrow and then you just let him go." Hermione's exasperation was beyond reason.
"Hey! He is a full-grown healthy athletic wizard. What did you expect me to do? Grab him by the ankles and chain him down?"
Hermione glared at him.
"And besides you know his reflexes, I don't stand a chance. Looks like Ginny sure ticked him off big today. "
Hermione was rendered speechless unless she wanted Ron in on Ginny's secret.
"Where is she anyway?" Hermione had half a mind to give Ginny a good piece of her mind.
Ron shrugged and pointed towards the kitchen back door.
Hermione charged out to find the culprit for Harry's ruined evening only to find Molly slowly levitating huge load of dinner dishes back to the house. She immediately joined in to help her.
"Where's Ginny, Mrs. Weasely?"
"She went for a walk with her friends, dear. She asked Harry, Ron and you to join them. Maybe the lot of you could enjoy a small game later? It would be great to see Harry and Ginny play together, no?" Mrs. Weasely was oblivious to Hermione's concerned look.
"Did she… did she talk to Harry?" Hermione hesitated to be so direct.
"Yes, of course. She did. Splendid! isn't it? It's good that they are friends again . Then there is hope for more, isn't it?" Molly winked at her mischievously.
God! Have mercy on Harry. Friends! Hermione did not have the heart to thrash Molly's dreams.
She tried to be gentle, "Mrs. Weasely, Harry had to leave urgently for some ministry work. He won't be able to spend the rest of the evening with us." She avoided making eye contact with Molly by pretending to watch her step unnecessarily.
"Gone? He didn't even say bye to anyone. The ministry really takes undue advantage of him you know. Ginny invited him for a walk by the lake and now he cannot join her. What a wasted opportunity."
Hermione couldn't help but smile at Molly's outrageous expectations and now exceedingly far fetched plans for Harry and Ginny.
"I haven't got a chance to talk to her much, Mrs. Weasely. Let me go and find her." Hermione dropped the dishes inside the kitchen and headed towards the lake at full speed.
X – X – X
"Hi! Hermione." It was Dean who saw her first and waved at her.
Ginny was not to be seen in the group and so was Josh Taker. Hermione cursed herself and set off to find her future sister-in-law and see what she had set upon herself.
She found them sitting on a ledge over the pond engaged in cheerful conversation.
"… that's how I learned flying." Ginny was entertaining him with her childhood stories.
Josh Taker was an astonishing specimen of beauty to say the least. The bloke not only had naturally razor sharp impeccable features, he had given himself to hard work to earn a physique to go with it too. He could have posed for the witch weekly in a drab cloak and still witches all over would have drooled at his muscular built.
"Hermione! Come join us. We were just taking a lazy walk to enjoy this amazing weather. Have Ron and Harry come too?" Ginny cheerfully greeted her dear friend.
No sign of guilt . What did you expect? At least Ginny didn't betray any offence or disappointment at being interrupted in her private tete-a-tete. That was the most positive Hermione felt about anything this evening.
"No, Harry had to leave and Ron is discussing something with dad." Hermione decided against pulling Ginny aside for a private talk as she realized how pointless it would be. The girl absolutely had no feelings for Harry!
What a blasphemy on love that was!
"So, Josh, you told me earlier that you are a law consultant. Tell me who you work for?" She decided to find out more about Josh Taker just in case.
X – X – X
"Auror Ron Weasely!"
"Bloody hell!"
"Auror Ron Weasely, disrespect for your seniors is not the recommended start for this glorious day."
"Bloody hell, Tonks!"
"I see, so you had a very comfortable night on Hermione's couch!"
"As a matter of fact I did have a very comfortable night on Hermione's couch."
"I wonder then who's the new bloke who spent an uncomfortable night in Hermione's bed." Tonks wiggled her eyebrows.
"Oh! shut up Tonks! Hermione finally made an appearance tying the sash of her dressing gown.
"What's the story then?" Tonks took the chair since Ron was still sprawled on the sofa.
"Err.." Ron's reply was cut short by Hermione's "What's the story at your end first? What are you doing here this early in the morning?"
"Blame it on my curiosity. I couldn't wait any longer to find out what inspired Harry to come barging into the ministry looking for an escape mission, yet again. Is Ginny back in town?"
"Right in one." Hermione sighed.
"Where has he gone now?" Ron quizzed.
"Indies. You won't believe what he threatened me with."
"What?" "What" Ron and Hermione echoed anxiously.
"That he would set all captive Death eaters free and end up chasing them the rest of his life or get locked in Azkaban himself."
"No way. He wouldn't do that."
"Of course he wouldn't, but you should have seen him Hermione. He scared the hell out of me. I had to apparate him out of the ministry to save him from disciplinary action."
"When is he coming back?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"Probably a week or maybe not. He will make sure he stays back to tie all the non-existent loose ends. Coward." Tonks cursed
"Is he supposed to teach at the academy this year?" Hermione asked tentatively.
Tonks eyebrows shot up immediately. "Does this have anything to do with Ginny?"
"It might. It does if he is going to be teaching at the academy."
"Is Ginny joining the academy?"
"Yes. She will be completing her last year here in London."
"And Harry will be her professor. Hermione, is Ginny out of her mind?"
Hermione wanted to say 'That's exactly what she is."
"No she isn't. Just home sick and love sick I suppose. Why don't you help me make some breakfast in the kitchen?" Hermione gestured Tonks to follow her. "Ron the shower is free."
The two witched huddled in the kitchen while Ron reluctantly got up to get dressed for the day.
"Harry won't be able to handle it Hermione. You know him. He will blow up the academy or something." Tonks didn't care if Ron heard their conversation or not.
"That's a possibility. But it won't be so bad I guess." Hermione whispered.
"Won't be so bad? Hermione it will be mayhem. They will bring down the whole academy."
"Trust me Tonks. It will be different." She gestured at Tonks with her hands to keep their voices down.
"What do you mean? And why will be different if it's Ginny and Harry all over again?" Tonks whispered, finally.
"Well Ginny is different and I guess not in love with Harry anymore."
"Not in love with Harry? I will be damned if that girl can…Ginny will never get over Harry. That's impossible." Tonks almost lost it.
"Nothing is impossible Tonks. We live in a magical world for Merlin's sake."
Hermione gave her a defeated look and broke the eye contact.
Tonks was stunned into silence for a full minute; her eyes bored into Hermione's face, intensely looking for answers.
"So she doesn't love Harry anymore? But how can…"
"It's a new spell."
Hermione words finally pulled Tonks out of her confused state .
"New spell! To forget that you love someone? What does this spell do? Where did you find it? How does it work? Who cast it? Tell me…. "
Hermione raised her hand and frantically signaled Tonks into silence as Ron came in the hallway buttoning his jeans. Not even Tonks best auror trainning could have prevented Ron from seeing and sensing that something was amiss, and majorly so.
"Well you two have a good breakfast. I will see you at the ministry Ron. Got to do a lot of paperwork."
Ron looked at Hermione with quizzical eyebrows at which she shrugged, "She is upset about Ginny's behaviour."
"Frankly speaking so am I. She was way over the line last night. She completely ignored Harry the whole time. He might as well have been the yard fence for all she noticed."
"Don't forget what Harry did last time she was home. He ignored her and did not even visit the Burrow to avoid her."
"That's not true Hermione. He went to pick her up at the station and drop her and he saved her life for Merlin's sake." Ron's agitation was growing and directed more at Hermione than at Ginny now.
"That's true Ron but it can't go on like that forever. Ginny deserves a closure. And if she has finally let go, good for her."
Ron went quiet mulling a little more over the situation that had developed since last night. Much as he wanted Ginny to be happy, knowing that Harry would be miserable was not acceptable to him.
Hermione put her arms around Ron and hugged him lightly.
"I know how you feel and I am feeling the same but their life can't stay in a limbo anymore. It has to either move forward or turn around and change it's course.
Ron hugged her tightly in response thankful for the lack of complications in their love life. He kissed her deeply and said,
"Does this mean I get to sleep in the bed tonight?"
"Yes it does. Sorry, I was just not myself last night. It affects me as much you know. Harry is my best friend too. And you shouldn't have let him go off on his own."
"Don't start it again. I know how you feel. Sorry for not being understanding last night."
The couple stood hugging for a moment. After a while Hermione arched back and looked at Ron, "When are you going to tell him that Ginny will be joining the academy?"
All color drained from Ron's face as he realized that it fell on him, as the good old buddy, to tell Harry of Ginny's plans. To be a mouse and bell a cat would have been easier and less suicidal.
"Hope fully he won't come back for another month. "
"Ron!"
"What?"
"Harry won't be gone for a month and even if he were, you would still have to tell him before Ginny starts attending classes at the academy."
"Gives me some time to think about it and plan a strategy at least."
"This is not a war or something Ron. Just tell him directly."
"And what? Get my insides blown up. Do you have any idea how he will react to it? There are other ways to get rid of your boy friend Hermione. The more I think about it the more feel that it's best not to tell him in advance."
"Don't be a cad Ron. You owe it to tell him."
"No Hermione. I think I won't. He will be miserable if he knows about it in advance. If it comes as a surprise, he might be able to deal with it better."
Hermione fell silent. Maybe Ron had a point there.