Ginny sighed and put sown the paper. She was beginning to get a headache.
"There's been Death Eater attack on Diagon Alley. Flortescue's was burned down." Ginny watched the picture of flames engulfing the place she had spent so much time at as a child. She sighed, putting her face in her hands and suddenly feeling nauseous. The Great Hall and all its wonderful smells of breakfast made her stomach churn.
"What?"
"How?"
"When?"
Ginny momentarily removed a hand from her face to gesture at the paper in front of her. She felt someone snatch it out from under her, and heard a chorus of gasps around the table. She sighed again, and looked up.
"I thought it was over." She said, shaking her head. No one spoke. They had all thought that when Voldemort was dead, the Death Eaters would wither disband, or be captured.
Hermione was still intently reading. "Listen to this." She said, her eyes getting wide.
Despite the recent defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,
by none other then Harry Potter, small bands of Death Eaters
have been spotted in Diagon Alley, and even in residential areas.
The dark mark, can still be seen in the night sky on occasion, glowing
as green as ever. The dark influence on the wizarding world,
seems untamable, and it is unknown how and when they will
emerge next.
The table was silent for a few moments as Hermione finished reading. Ron, Hermione and Ginny shared a significant look, all wondering for a fleeting moment if the reign of terror would ever end.
"But I thought it was over. Potter killed You-Know-Who...it's over, right?" A small Gryffindor boy squeaked out to Ginny's left. Once again, the three of them exchanged a glance, Hermione took the lead.
"Of course its over, the Aurors just haven't had a chance to round everyone up yet." She reassured him, and he seemed content with that answer. The three of them, knew that was a lie, but did nothing to correct his naivety. Perhaps he could have more innocence then they did at his age.
...
Thankfully, the next day was a Saturday. The trio needed a day off to rest, they had been extremely busy as of late and a little down time was much needed. Especially for Ginny, her Head Girl duties were taking a toll on her. Occasionally, she would be doing something, and almost black out she was so tired. Any hope of real rest was thwarted however, the recent attack only created more work and worries for all of them. As hard as they tried not to let their thoughts drift off into the attack, and what was going to happen in the future.
I thought it was going to be easier.
Ginny thought as she blankly stared out the window, it was beginning to rain. The trio was sitting in the common room, not doing anything in particular. One thing was certain though, the three were deadly quiet.
I thought it was over. I thought that finally, after all this time we could live in peace. We could be happy. I thought that...if...if we faked being happy at first it would eventually become real happiness, and we could move on from the war.
A particularly nasty voice said in her head. She rolled her eyes at her own bitterness, and looked around at her friends. Merlin, they looked as if the war had started again. Their eyes were dark, and devoid of any happiness. Hermione was in a comfy chair in front of the fireplace; Ron was on the floor, leaning against her legs. She absentmindedly ran her fingers through his hair, neither of them really noticing the simple gesture.
There will always be someone out there who wants to do harm to others.
At least they have each other.
She thought in a slightly jealous tone, feeling an unusual emotion begin to bubble up inside her.
We deserve that....
Ginny jumped at the unexpected tone in her voice. It was harsh and ragged, sounding not at all like herself. She shook her head as if to physically clear her mind. She cleared her throat and suddenly needed an excuse to get out of the room. There was no "we." That "we" was dead.
"I- I...um, I'm going for a bit of a fly, be back soon." She said, going to her dorm without another word, to grab her broom. She was thankful that her dorm had a separate exit, so that she didn't have to see them again.
...
On her way out, she heard Hermione say something about "rain," but Ginny paid it no mind. She determinedly went into her dorm, and made her way to her room. She found her trunk and rummaged through it, looking for the bit of wood that offered her an escape. If she was lucky, she wouldn't run into anyone who wanted to chat. She never really had much luck.
"Hey Gin." Connor's charming voice said, coming from her door.
"Don't call me Gin." She said through gritted teeth and continued to rummage through her things.
"Yes, Miss Weasley." He said in a falsely stiff tone. "May I say, your demeanor is as charming as ever?" He said sarcastically with a roll of his eyes, as she blew a chunk of red hair out of hers. She didn't reply. Fortunately for Connor, she found the damn thing quickly. In about two seconds, he was headed for a good hex. She pushed her way past him with a little more force then intended, and he nearly lost his footing. She didn't care however, and proceeded to head towards the door.
"Damn it, Ginny, is it too much to ask, that we be civil to each other?" He said in a slightly exasperated tone. A crack of thunder was heard in the silence. Ginny didn't stop to say anything, she continued to make her way towards the door in a fast pace, she could feel the beginnings of rage work its way into her.
"Gin-"He said with a sigh, and grabbed at her wrist. "Just talk to me, I'm not so bad."
"DON'T CALL ME GIN!" She yelled, spinning around, white hot with anger. She had somehow drawn her wand, but she didn't remember when. She held it steady, pointed directly between his eyes, the tip never quivered. The broom was discarded on the floor. His hand was still holding her wrist firmly. Her breathing was ragged, and coming in short gasps. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and she could feel the beginnings of a throbbing headache. Neither of the two moved however, and Connor returned her seething gaze with one of his own. They stood there for what felt like hours, locked in an epic battle of wills. Another round of thunder could be heard. This time, louder then the last. His jaw clenched, and Ginny's gaze focused on the muscle. This was enough to break the mounting tension, and she yanked her arm away when she had the chance.
"Leave me the hell alone." She whispered, lowering her wand, and picking her broom up. She then spun on her heels and left the room, leaving a concerned Connor in her wake.
...
Ginny didn't even wait to get to the Quiddich pitch. The second she was outside, she mounted her broom and took off. She shot off in the air, hoping to leave her worries behind. It only took a few moments for her to become soaked to the bone. The rain was coming down in sheets now, and was pelting into her skin. She tried to shake off the anger, but it wasn't leaving easily. She moved like a red bullet through the sky, with no destination in mind. She turned her broom upwards, rocketing into the air, going higher and higher until Hogwarts was a tiny speck below.
And yet her thirst for fresh air wasn't sated. She went higher still, till her broom started to vibrate. The thunder reverberated in her ears. It sent a cold chill through her veins. Yet it was satisfying. It was as if, the anger and rage and hatred she felt made her feel alive. She had been dead so long, to feel something, anything was exhilarating. She now craved the feeling, and couldn't get enough. Her pupil's dilated, and she tilted her head back, the rain rushed over her face. Her body half convulsed for a moment, and she gasped as the power finally overtook her. The higher she rose, the more satisfied it was. She let it take control, relishing the feel of the darkness. Relishing the feel of anything really.
Stop. Let it go, let the anger go.
A feeble voice said. Ginny however paid it no mind. A harsh and ragged laugh emerged from her lips.
Why would I want to let this go? I feel...free.
She continued to hurtle through the sky, high above everyone else. She felt so alive, so real. Not the damn phony girl that pretended she was fine, not the scared and sad girl that comforted everyone else. Her pulse was racing her mind full of dark images. She flashed again on the book in Diagon Alley, and felt regret that she hadn't read further.
The broom had just about reached its limit, and was becoming hard to control, despite her superior flying skills. She thought for a moment that she should head back, that being this high during a storm was dangerous, but only for a moment.
Why head back now? Just when you're feeling awake for the first time in years, feeling real since your second year? No...Just a little longer...
Ginny broke into a wicked grin, yes; I haven't felt this real since second year. Since I allowed him to control me.
Her mind was as clouded as ever, wrapped up in the darkness that was surrounding her more each moment. The small voice in her head, her conscience maybe that told her right from wrong, good from evil had dissolved. Ginny didn't know how or why, she had suddenly been overwhelmed in darkness, but it felt good. She was hungry for it. Perhaps if she had not been wrapped up in the glorious feeling of pure evil, she would have noticed the broom losing speed. She growled willing the broom to go further, but it was done, completely spent of all magical energy whatsoever.
It started to plummet towards the ground, Ginny yanked up furiously, trying to will it to work. She screamed in frustration, becoming more animalistic each second. Her red hair was soaked. Her upper lip was curled in a snarl. Rain was pounding on her harder then ever. The ground was coming closer; Hogwarts was growing in size by each passing moment. She yelled again in fury, desperately trying to get the broom to exert any magical properties. The searing wind tore at her face and whistled in her ears, her hair whipped around her in a tangled sheet of red amongst the grey. The frigid rain felt like it cut her skin like a knife. With each passing second, the ground was becoming more of a threat. With another angry growl, she focused all of her dark magical energy on doing something, anything.
Three...
She narrowed her eyes, focusing on her landing spot.
Two...
She inhaled, and another wicked smile crossed her lips.
One...
She jumped from the broom, knowing she only had one shot.
"GINNY!" A voice roared, breaking her concentration. She looked over for a split second; someone was running over to her. She gasped, and her eyes widened, the ground was so close, how had she gotten that high?...She didn't have enough time to react, the power was gone. She desperately grabbed her wand, and pointed it at the ground, hoping for a miracle. A bolt of red something burst out of her wand, with a deafening crack. The moment it hit the ground, it sounded like a bomb had detonated. It hit the ground, making a rippling effect that strongly resembled a pebble being dropped in a puddle of water.
Sometimes, when a Witch or Wizard is in life threatening situation, they perform random acts of magic. They can only be described as magical surges. The surge depends on the power of the person performing the magic. As luck would have it, Ginervra Weasley was much more powerful than anyone had anticipated.
She closed her eyes a second before she hit the ground, wondering if death was painful.
Then something happened. A magical anomaly, if you will.
The ground swallowed her.
It then proceeded to spit her up.
She flew up maybe fifteen feet or so, and landed with a thud. Her broom had already landed, and was a pile of splinters about 50 feet away. She didn't move, she simply laid there, her eyes wide open, the rain falling on her face, thunder slowly fading in the background.
"Ginny!" A voice said in a frantic tone.
She was unaware to the boy holding her. Repeating the same question "are you ok?" Over and over again. She continued to look up. Life felt as if it was in slow motion, the rain seemed to take eons to hit her face. Even Connor's voice seemed to be slowed.
If she was dead where were Harry and Fred?
She felt herself being slowly lifted off the ground and carried to the hospital wing. Ginny continued to look up at the sky, and slow motion rain. She didn't feel Connor's hands on her, she felt nothing. Empty. And in that moment she knew she was alive. The empty feeling was all consuming, and something she felt every day, she just hadn't known it until now. There was no doubt about it, she was most definitely alive, and she had survived the fall.
Damn.
...
"A fall like that...she shouldn't have survived."
"All on her own you say?"
"That broom was shattered; I saw it with my own eyes."
"What the hell was she doing out there?"
"Not one scratch. Not a broken bone. Nothing."
Ginny kept her eyes shut tightly. She didn't want to be around anyone right now. Most of all people with questions she didn't have the answers to. She knew that she would have to answer them all eventually, but how? She didn't even remember what had happened. Despite the fact that her eyes were closed, she could tell who was in the room, and where they were, but that made no difference in her demeanor.
You'll have to face them sometime...
She cracked her eyes open.
"Ginny?" She felt a hand in hers.
Hmm. I can feel, who knew?
"Yeah." She croaked out, her mouth and throat were dry. But that was the only thing wrong. Shouldn't she be in agony or something? I mean falling several hundred feet might sting somewhat.
"How are you feeling?" Hermione asked, she looked as drained as Ginny felt.
"Spectacular." She said pulling her hand away, playing it off like she was trying to move a little.
"What- what happened out there?" Ron asked, his face pale.
"I got lost." She said, trying not to lie. And in a way it was the truth. "It was the storm. I lost track of where I was."
The others in the room exchanged glances; the explanation wasn't enough for them. But Ginny didn't want to talk anymore. Connor was standing in the back his hands in his pockets, looking at her intently. They made eye contact for a moment, and for some reason her eyes filled with tears.
"Good Heavens! Why didn't anyone tell me she was awake?" Madam Pomfrey said bustling into the room, her face flushed. "Out!" She barked. "Out! The lot of you!" She said shushing them out of the room. Ginny was thankful for the woman's timing. All she did, was check her vitals, and give her some nasty tasting potion, that made her feel slightly woozy. The entire time she mumbled about "risk takers, and how she felt the whole lot of them should be locked up". Ginny would hear her mutter the word "storm," or "lucky," or "dead" every once in awhile.
Yeah, she was lucky not to be dead all right.
...
Eventually Pomfrey left her alone, just the way she wanted to be.
That's what you want. To push everyone away, and to be alone. It hurts less.
Ginny was scared, terrified of being alone. And yet she was pushing everyone away. She knew she was hurting the people she loved most by doing it. But in the end, she couldn't lose anyone else. She just couldn't do it.
She was scared, and frightened, and alone, and angry. Something inside her was changing, and she didn't like it. She was so angry at everyone lately, and she couldn't control it. The thought never crossed her mind that it could have been a magical influence.
"Ginny?" A voice questioned from behind the curtain. "May I come in?" Hermione asked. Ginny took a moment to wipe her eyes. She saw her enter through the screen that Pomfrey had put up for privacy.
"Yeah." She said, trying to put on a false smile.
Hermione made her way over to the chair next to her. She looked serious.
"Ginny..." She started, her tone dark. "Something's wrong." She said making eye contact. "F-First the bathtub, and now this...you're not well." She said sadly. "You need help. I think you're in danger, I think-...I don't know" She finished lamely. She looked up and grabbed Ginny's hand. "You're not in this alone you know? We're here...we want to help." She said tears in her eyes.
Tell them. You can't handle this on your own. Whatever's going on with you...they can help.
"I know I'm not alone." Ginny said with a false smile. "It was an accident, really. I just- I-I got lost in the storm is all." She said hating herself.
"If there's something else going on, you would tell us right?"
"Of course."
Hermione only studied her and sighed. She then stood, and headed for the screen.
"We miss you." She said looking heart broken.
Ginny said nothing in return, she just watched her leave. She heard the door click after a few moments, and knew she was alone.
"I miss you too."
...
A/N: I took a little vacation. But now, I'm back and ready to start writing again. You see, I change my mind about this story every day. One moment I think of one ending, and the next, I'm onto something entirely new. It can be rather daunting and scary because I just don't want to disappoint people. There's nothing worse then a mediocre ending to a story that you get really into.
Who knows what going to happen now? By the looks of it, not me.
Reviews please, I'm feeling rather discouraged.
Oh and happy 4th of July to everyone who celebrates. May your fireworks be as good as Filibusters.