Thanks to: TimeToWriteIsHistory, Kellsabelle, dhmhtra375, PHSYCOSUE, CookieBandit, Jokegirl, cubye4, Lissa powers, Contagious Pickle, Thydude, hetero-bi, emcee31, nalaagirl, bookworm71717, BeeUtifulgirl, amyjzzzzz96, melred, Dimcairien, for favoriting, alerting, or reviewing. :D

Sorry for the re-update. You don't have to read it again, unless you really really want to. I just made some grammatical corrections.

I do not own Harry Potter. I own the Weasley twins...nah I'm just kidding just I wish I did! ;)

Happy Almost Christmas!


Chapter Seven - This Means War

"Vulnera Sanentur. Vulnera Sanentur. Vulnera Sanentur."


"Give me the Cloak!"

"Lily, no, I'm not going to give it to you. You're going to get yourself hurt," James protested. It was nearly midnight. He loved Lily more than anything in the world but they had a Potions test in the morning.

"Don't you dare coddle me James Potter! I will not be treated like a child! I'll get myself hurt if you don't give me the Cloak. I'm going down there regardless. I'm going to curse him. I'm going to show him just what he does to other people. And then when he's had enough I'll curse him again!" Lily stomped back and forth across the wood floor of the seventh years' boys dormitory. James was sitting on top of his Cloak with Sirius beside him, holding it down with weight enough that Lily could not pull it from beneath them.

"Lily, calm down, you don't even know it was him," Peter said quietly from across the room. Remus had left already to go to the Hospital Wing.

"Of course I bloody well know it was him!" she screamed, shoving all of James' things off his desk in their dormitory. She picked up a quill and wrote something on a scratch piece of parchment. "The curse he used was one he invented himself; he told me a long time ago that he was going to make it." She handed the parchment to James.

"Sectumsempra. How can you prove it though love?"

"He's used it on you already," Lily said through clenched teeth and James' hand moved to the slight scar on his right cheek. "You'rethe reason he invented it. Ginny's damn well lucky he shared with me the counter curse back in fourth year and that I still remembered it. Give me the Cloak so I can go kill him."

"She's not even your friend."

"No, but she's a Gryffindor. And my dorm mate. And she's a good person. She doesn't randomly curse people. You don't even do that. What difference does it make anyways? Wouldn't you want to kill him regardless, I thought you hated him!"

"Why are you so eager to defend someone who can hardly stand to look at you?"

Lily froze and looked down at the floor. Tears splashed the wood and James stood, unable to watch them fall without wiping them away. He held her face in his hands. "Because the curse was my idea initially," Lily said shamefully. "To use on Bellatrix Lestrange," she added, as though she might redeem herself. "She bullied me in first year."

"Well done, Lily-flower," Sirius said delightedly. Lily looked at him murderously.

"Are you out of your mind!" she resumed stomping around the room again. "It was merely an angry thought I shared with him out of sheer immature frustration! I wasn't actually going to make it! But you two kept bullying him and by fourth year he'd gone and made it behind my back, with a special little twist. Mine was to be made with charmed magic. It would cut the skin where the person had hurt someone else before. Snape's version cuts the skin endlessly with Dark Magic! There's not stopping it and without the counter curse you'll keeping cutting and bleeding until you die."

"Lily, I understand that you feel guilty. But you need to let Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall handle this," James said to her seriously. She pulled away from him with dark eyes.

"James, you don't understand. We are in the middle of a war," she said gravely. "The Ministry wants to prepare us for it but I think they are already too late. The war is here. Right here, in Hogwarts, just as it is elsewhere. We may not be able to name them off the tops of our heads but we have our own Death Eaters here. We need some Aurors. I plan on being one of them. There's no running to Dumbledore and McGonagall anymore. The three of you, get that through your thick skulls. This isn't the protected school we once knew. This is the battle field. And it's started with Ginny."


Days and days went by and Ginny was still unconscious in the Hospital Wing. Remus kept a close eye on Regulus, making sure he was not attacked either, because he knew that was what Ginny would want him to do. It was unfortunate how frequent the attacks were becoming. In the next week after Ginny's attack, six more muggle-borns had been targeted. Two were still in the Hospital Wing with Ginny. Remus went daily to visit her, as did Lily. Oftentimes they went together.

Remus had little idea what to do now. He knew about Voldemort's horcruxes. But he didn't know where they were and there were six of them. What if Ginny died? Would the future rest on his shoulders? Did Professor Dumbledore know? And even if she didn't die now…what if she died later? How was he going to find this Harry boy once he was born? He didn't even know the kid's last name, only that his parents had been killed when he was just a year old and that Ginny starts dating him in her fifth year.

"There is going to be a boy named Harry. And before he's born there is a prophecy made about him and the Dark Lord. It says his parents will defy Voldemort three times, that he'll be born at the end of July, and will have power that Voldemort will not understand," she'd told him that evening. "The prophecy is overheard and the family is put into hiding. But they are betrayed while under the Fidelius Charm. Voldemort finds them and kills his parents. Harry was only one. He failed to kill Harry because his mother died for him. He becomes the only person to have ever survived the killing curse. His curse rebounded and he was destroyed. By then, Voldemort had made six Horcruxes. Harry became a seventh. In the end though, Voldemort killed Harry." Tears had come to Ginny's eyes. To Remus, this was almost like story time. To Ginny, this had happened only a couple months ago. "He sent me here to find horcruxes and to finish Voldemort off. A second chance. Once I find the one in Hogwarts, I'll be off looking for the rest."

"Ginny you should talk to Dumbledore and Sirius and James and Lily and Peter. Even Frank and Alice would want to help. We can help you. You can't go looking for six Horcruxes alone."

"I'd have to tell them all this. It's too dangerous. It's much easier and safer if it's just me."

"But now I'm in it too. It's not going to be just you, not ever. You can tell someone else. Tell them that your parents were part of a fighter group closely associated and that's how you know all of this. You wouldn't be lying. At least think about it," he'd pleaded.

That's all he knew. Without Ginny, Remus would only have one year to find this Harry. How would he help fight this war? He knew practically nothing about Voldemort or any prophecy made about him.

Between each class Remus would be halfway to Dumbledore's office to talk to him before he changed his mind and rushed to his next class before being late. What the hell was he going to do? He needed Ginny to wake up. Wake up Ginny, wake up. We need you.


Lily was determined to see that Ginny got better. While she was glad not to hear Ginny crying in the evening before bed when she thought they were all asleep, Lily knew she'd rather that than know she was unconscious in the Hospital Wing because of her loud mouth back in first year.

They all sat at the Gryffindor table; Lily beside James, then Sirius. In front of them sat Remus and Peter. Lily slipped out her wand and only James noticed. He looked over at her and then at Snape and then back at her with pleading eyes. Please don't,he seemed to be saying with his eyes.

Levicorpus, she thought and Severus Snape went flying into the air by his right foot, dangling at least fifteen feet in the air. James looked impressed. His spells had never gotten him that high. He swiveled around as others laughed at him, even his own friends chuckled. He glared right at James but Lily leaned forward, her eyes piercing. Snape's went wide with fear and Lily smiled. Liberacorpus,she thought and he came crashing down on the table.


James was thinking long and hard about what Lily had said. There were times in the day, at least once a day, when he wanted to kiss her senseless. That night had been one of those moments. She was pure kindness, something he would never be. He found too much humor in everything to be kind enough, even to a girl that had never said a damn word to him. Lily went to see Ginny every day she was unconscious, always making sure she was comfortable, getting better, and breathing better. He decided then that he would join Lily. He'd wanted to become an Auror anyways. It didn't matter how soon he started.


Peter wondered at the ferocity of Lily Evans. To have a girl like that would've been a dream for him. He envied James more than anything. Handsome, talented, and popular, even with their teachers regardless of how many detentions he got. He went from class to class each day following behind him and Sirius, listening but hardly speaking as they talked about becoming Aurors, fighting the war, ignoring their new class to be started after Christmas, and about Ginny Weasley. Ginny was an odd girl they said. Ginny was very pretty, Sirius allowed. Ginny was very quiet, much like Peter. Ginny was afraid of Peter. Ginny didn't like Sirius or James. Ginny only liked Remus. Ginny this. Ginny that.


Sirius couldn't stop thinking about that girl. She was always in his head, in his dreams like he knew her somehow. But he didn't know Ginny. Regulus did. And she knew Regulus. He didn't know Regulus. He didn't know Ginny or Regulus. Sirius went to class every day, slowing down on the teasing and bullying as prompted by Lily's fabulous use of rhetoric and intelligence against her doting and wonderful boyfriend. It was no fun teasing someone when your best friends were having none of it. James was wrapped up in Lily, who was wrapped up in Ginny, just like Remus. And Peter…well he was just too…dumb. But he knew she was right anyhow. Aurors. Oh how his mother would hate him. How sweet it is…


Ginny woke up in the comfort of the white linen bed she'd been accustomed to previously. This time though she was not covered in bandages. She looked as though nothing had happened at all, except for the hundreds of pale scars all over her body. Luckily they were light, very nearly gone. But she felt like she'd been run over by the Hogwarts Express. She remained lying down, hoping somehow her dizziness and nausea would drift away.

"Dear, drink this," Madam Pomfrey said, after a half-hour or so when she noticed that Ginny was awake. "It's blood replenishing potion. Do you feel sick? Dizzy? Do the lights hurt your eyes? Is it hard to breathe? Can you speak?"

Ginny took a long gulp of the potion, nearly choked on it and took another. "I do feel sick. I'm not dizzy anymore. The lights are fine. I breathe fine."

Madam Pomfrey sighed. "Well good. After that nasty curse you took I wasn't so sure. You've been on blood replenishing potion for six days. But I daresay we did a fine job. Please relax. Don't move too swiftly, we don't you vomiting all that potion. It'll be such a waste. We just need you to get better. The Headmaster will be down in a bit."

"What is she doing here?" Ginny asked softly, noticing the other seventh year red head asleep beside her. She was sitting in a transfigured sofa chair with her head resting on her crossed arms on Ginny's side table. She was breathing deeply but soundlessly and her wand was clutched desperately in her right hand.

"It was Miss Evans who found you that night. She was the only one who knew the counter curse. If it were not for her…well I think you know," Madam Pomfrey said euphemistically. "She insisted on staying the evening and has come back every day since, as has your friend Mr. Lupin. She was here at nine yesterday, studied here. Fell asleep around 3 in the morning I figure."

"She's been here all night?" Ginny asked, feeling a warmth she hadn't had in long time fill her heart. Guilt of the same sort filled her as well. She looked down thankfully at the nice girl. "What happened?"

"That night she levitated you down here after she'd used the counter curse when she found you, instructed me to use Dittany to stop the scarring, brought the Headmaster and your Head of House down here, and then rushed back up to Gryffindor Tower. She only came back just after midnight. She looked angry."

Ginny nodded and Madam Pomfrey went off to help another injured wizard. She looked around the Hospital Wing: nearly all the beds had been filled. A boy beside her was still unconscious. She couldn't tell what house he was in. But he looked only eleven years old. There were students of all houses and ages scattered around the room, half of them asleep or unconscious, a few in pain, others chugging potion as though it were Felix Felicis, and most bandaged.

Ginny wondered how Lily knew the counter curse. But she remembered: Lily had been best friends with Snape when they were younger. He probably told her of its invention.

It wasn't long that Ginny contemplated Snape's and Lily's relationship until Professor Dumbledore accompanied by Professor McGonagall entered the Hospital Wing and headed straight for her bed. Professor McGonagall transfigured a side table to become a chair and sat beside Ginny, opposite the resting Lily. Dumbledore stood at the foot of her cot.

"Miss Weasley, do you know who did this to you?" Dumbledore asked. He looked exhausted. Professor McGonagall held Ginny's hand and Ginny noticed the Headmaster's eyes fleetingly pass over the gesture and then quickly look away. Ginny truly appreciated the old witch's motherly affection but she couldn't help her overwhelming desire for Molly Weasley to be sitting beside her.

"Of course. Haile, the Carrows, McNaughton, Smith, Crabbe, Malfoy, Goyle, and a few others. Haile used the torture curse on me. But ultimately, it was Severus Snape," she said the name with malice, "who used a spell of his own creation on me. Creative isn't it?"

"Don't make light of the situation Miss Weasley, please," Professor McGonagall said sensitively.

"Is there any way for you to prove this?" Professor Dumbledore asked her, though knowing Ginny would not lie.

"Teach me how to draw a memory."

"My goodness Miss Weasley," Professor McGonagall said, "that's supremely advanced magic."

"Minerva, I don't think it should be a problem for Miss Weasley to learn. She is indeed already capable of producing a corporeal patronus. A horse. Most adult wizards even have trouble with it."

Professor McGonagall's eyes grew wide with shock. Clearly, she was impressed.

"I learned in my fourth year," she added, thinking that it was not quite as impressive as Harry, who had learned in his third year.

"But, while I don't believe you will have any problem learning to draw your memories I would rather not teach you. I find it advisable to keep all your memories securely and safely in your head. They are very precious. And very dangerous in wrong hands."

"But what if I die? What if they try to kill me again and they succeed? My memories would be lost forever."

"Indeed they would. And we would have to make do with what you've already told us. But it is far easier to protect one thing instead of two, especially when that one is capable of fighting for itself and determinedly keeping its own secrets."

Ginny nodded her understanding and asked instead, "So what precautions are we going to take in order to assure my protection?"

"For starters, you are never to walk about the castle or the grounds alone," Professor McGonagall said. "That is the most significant."

"Also, your teachers have been informed of your importance and they have been directed to make the extra effort in taking care of you," Dumbledore added.

"How much of my importance do they know?"

"Simply, that you are important. Only your Head of House," Professor Dumbledore said, motioning to Professor McGonagall, "and myself know exactly why. The other teachers trust my judgment enough to protect you blindly. You will, Ginny, need to restrain yourself from outbursts like you made at the assembly or you will further make yourself a target, making the rest of our tasks considerably more difficult."

"Sir, I have books…" Ginny looked down at Lily. "Special books. They're very important. Should I give them to you for safekeeping?"

Dumbledore hesitated. "No, I don't think that's necessary. Hide them well within your things. They should be fine."

"Wait a moment. I can prove it was Snape," Ginny realized just as she spoke, thinking of her books. "It's written in his Potions textbook. Grade six. He wrote it in the margin, I don't remember the page." She remembered that it was where Harry had found the spell and had used it on Malfoy.

Professor McGonagall stood. "I'll have Horace confiscate it immediately."

"Shut up and let me in!" The two professors and Ginny turned to find Remus pushing rudely past Madam Pomfrey. He made a beeline toward the group without removing his eyes from Ginny.

"How are you feeling Ginny?"

"Mr. Lupin," Madam Pomfrey exclaimed softly, scurrying up behind him, "please lower your voice."

"It's quite alright, Poppy. Remus is merely worried for the well-being of his friend. It is the first time he has ever had the opportunity to worry about the health of a friend of his. Usually, it is the reverse as you well know, having Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, and Mr. Pettigrew accompanying him so often. I suspect he wants to do just a good a job of worrying as his friends do for him." Madam Pomfrey sighed but nodded and left to tend other students.

"Hey Rem, how are you feeling?"

"Me?" Remus asked incredulously.

"It seems as though Miss Weasley is attempting to mask her own situation by highlighting your own well-being Mr. Lupin."

"And you are gracefully undermining that attempt Professor," Ginny said and the old wizard chuckled.

"Mr. Lupin, Miss Weasley will be fine," Professor McGonagall assured him. "She was attacked by a few of your fellow classmates late Sunday evening. As a friend of hers may I impede upon your help in protecting her? Keeping her company through the corridors and the grounds?"

"Absolutely," Remus replied instantly.

"Now that's done with, I believe the two of you should deal with your other friend, who I believe might be suffering from a decent crick in the neck," Professor Dumbledore said, pointing at Lily, still fast asleep beside Ginny.

Dumbledore and McGonagall left.

"Lily…" Ginny prodded that girl slightly and she opened her eyes and looked up at Ginny. She looked away. Remus still didn't understand why.

"Ginny? You're ok! Thank God." Lily jumped up and wrapped her arms around her and Ginny patted her awkwardly. "How are you feeling? Do you want something to drink? Hot towel or something? It's a little chilly in here, do you want another blanket?"

"I'm fine. Thank you. For everything." Ginny stared down at her sheets. "Really, thank you so much. Madam Pomfrey told me you found me and knew the counter curse."

"Of course," Lily replied, a little disheartened. "I would hope that it would be the same for all of us. We're all on the same side." With that, Lily left the Hospital Wing too.

"You could have done a better job than that," Remus told her. He took the seat Lily had just left. "But we need to talk. I've been thinking all week about you." Ginny's heart lifted oddly. What did that mean? "What would happen if you had died? We don't know enough. I think the most important is where the you-know-whats are. And then secondly, where this boy Harry is from. What's his full name? If something happens to you, no one will ever know anything."

Ginny sighed. "I agree with you. I think you're right. But you're not going to like it." Ginny had Remus give her bag. She pulled from inside the Cloak of Invisibility.

"But that's…how did you get James' Cloak?"

"This is where it gets hard. Harry gave me this Cloak. James should still have his own. This one is from the future."

"That thing has been handed down through James' family for centuries. How…?" But Remus suddenly realized.

"That's how I know you. That's why it's too hard to look at James and Lily. Harry's full name is Harry James Potter. And he has green, green eyes."

"Potter…? Green…But then…" Remus' face filled with shock.

Ginny had told as much as she could about what was important, strategically leaving out certain names and places and Tonks and Teddy. She told him about Harry, that his parents had been killed because they'd been betrayed by a friend but not who they were. She told him about the prophecy made about Harry and Voldemort, about his seven horcruxes, one that included Harry himself. She didn't mention Peter's doings or Sirius going to Azkaban or Frank and Alice Longbottom being tortured into insanity. She said nothing about Severus Snape and his duplicity because of his love for Lily Potter. She refused to tell him about his future. Just the cold hard facts that led to the end. But she knew it wouldn't be enough anymore, no matter what Dumbledore wanted.

"James and Lily have a son…"

"And he was outstanding. I loved him."


The next day, word had finally gotten around that Ginny had woken up. Regulus came down after breakfast. It was a Saturday. The days were getting colder. Christmas was coming but no one seemed to be humming carols on their way down the hall.

"Are you ok?" Regulus asked, walking up beside her and checking her sheets and pillows for comfort.

"I am now. I wasn't so good earlier. Apparently I've been out for a week."

Regulus nodded.

"I'm glad you weren't there though. You see, you don't have to be part of this. It's just terrible."

Again, Regulus merely nodded. They sat talking quietly for a little while about school and classes when a little Hufflepuff boy passed by with Madam Pomfrey toward the exit. His name was Able Montgomery, Ginny had learned, a first year, attacked the night after Ginny with numerous Cruciatus Curses. He'd spent a good while in the bed beside Ginny's until he woke up and was moved to a bed closer to Madam Pomfrey's office because he kept having nightmares. He was finally recovered and allowed to leave to go back to class. He looked up at Regulus with terror and hugged close to Madam Pomfrey. This reaction did not go unnoticed by Ginny Weasley.

"You didn't. Tell me you didn't," Ginny demanded shaking her head, pulling away from him.

"I didn't do anything…"

"But you were there weren't you? Weren't you! Regulus, he's eleven years old! And you watched them mutilate him."

"I didn't do anything though. Yea I was there, I don't want to get cursed either you know," Regulus said.

"He's a child," was all she replied. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"I won't do it again, I promise. Ginny, don't, it's not that bad."

"How can you defend them? Look around the room Regulus. Look at all the people they've hurt in the past week. Seven days alone and there are five people in here who can barely breathe. We can't go to class, live our lives. Some of them are so young they can't even defend themselves. Some are so young they don't even know why they were attacked. They know nothing about this war."

"Ginny-"

"Regulus, listen to me. Do you enjoy the idea of killing someone because they aren't like you? Because that's what these people are doing. It's genocide. It's like…like killing me because I have red hair. Every day Voldemort and his Death Eaters hunt down and kill muggles and muggle-borns because they aren't like us. And they think its fun. Regulus, you are a good person. You're not like them."

"But they're my family. Of course I'm like them. I can't just leave them like Sirius did to me!"

For the first time, Regulus was opening up to Ginny. She saw the pain Sirius had caused him by leaving. He didn't understand why Sirius left – all he saw was abandonment. Ginny let her voice soften but her purpose did not waver. "Regulus, I'm sorry. I'm sorry Sirius hurt you so much. But you can follow him. He is on the right path. I don't believe he meant to hurt you. I believe he needed to get out and he didn't know how to bring you with him. He was so young. You were so young. You needed your parents."

"But he's a bully. He hurts people," Regulus protested, sitting on the edge of her bed, one hand covering his mouth. Small tears streamed down his face.

"He's not a killer. And neither are you."

"How do you know? What if I am a killer? What if I'm no better than the rest of them?"

"Because you have a choice to be better."

Regulus looked at Ginny helplessly, pleadingly through tear soak eyes. He was desperate. "How do I do it Ginny? How do I make that choice? I need help."

Ginny took hold of his hand. She squeezed it. "You have to be willing to give up everything you have now. Your family. You have to let go of your appreciation of everything they've done for you. You have to forget it all. You would have to remove them completely from your life. No turning back. It's too dangerous."

Regulus was silent for a moment, thinking, holding in tears, trying to wrap his mind around everything. Tears fell slowly but silently down his cheeks. "Ok Ginny. Just…just show me how."


The chapters are indeed getting longer and longer. Hope you guys don't mind! Special thanks to TimeToWriteIsHistory and Kellsabelle for their consistent reviews and exclamation points! Your enthusiasm makes me want to post faster. I'm ignoring winter homework for you guys!

Again, all of you have a Happy Christmas if you celebrate it and a Happy Holiday nonetheless, whatever you celebrate!

Hint: I'll give you a present if you gift me with reviews! How does that sound? :)

Also, reading is much better if you click the 1/2 or 3/4 screen. Just a hint, it's annoying to read these long long lines, depending on the type of monitor you have. I always lose my space.