.: X :.
Doll's House
It had been a hard year for the Weasley family. When the Aurors announced Ginny's abduction, Molly blamed Arthur for allowing her baby girl to attend that Mediwitchery summer course. The fight that followed that accusation was the worst in their twenty-eight years of marriage. In the days following the fight Arthur didn't come back home, under the pretext of his job at the Ministry and the Order of the Phoenix's activities.
Harry could do nothing but feel guilty: Ginny and him have been dating since the end of April –right after she split up with Zabini, a it was obvious to him that he was the reason for her kidnapping. Remus Lupin did his best to convince him to not act without consulting anyone, promising him that the Order would do everything to find out where Ginny was and to save her.
"I have no idea of where she could be," said Severus Snape. "I know the Lestranges partook to the kidnapping: I thought that by provoking Rabastan, he would let something slip … but it was useless."
And they could do nothing but wait.
Molly had a serious breakdown when the coffin and the tombstone sent by the Dark Lord were delivered at the Burrow. She went into St. Mungos, and the First Lady was among the first people to visit her. Mrs Fudge offered the poor mother her help and comforted her with words as sweet as honey. She visited Molly almost daily, and before she was sent back home, the older woman ordered to buy a new clock.
"It's broken, since the girl's hand is still on mortal peril," Mrs Fudge explained to Bill, "surely you can imagine the effect it could have on your mother's nerves."
And slowly, the Weasley gave up the hope to see Ginny again.
But there was something good, a small consolation, and thanks to that Ginny's kidnapping, Percy reconciled with his family: for a whole year he had been too proud to admit he was wrong. In her rare letters she sent to him the previous year, Ginny wrote him to be a man who laid aside his pride to make amends for his behaviour. The reconciliation was slow and difficult, but Percy was at the Burrow when Molly came back home from St. Mungos. All five sons living in Britain were now close to their mother, and Charlie's owls arrived every day and he flooed home every other day.
The following winter was cruel, the weather was freezing, and the Death Eaters' activities increased and they seemed to act without logic. Azkaban was once again attacked and it seemed the Dementors were on the Dark Lord's side. That was a long and tiring battle, but at the end the Aurors regained control over the prison and the Dementors.
"It's pretence!" Moody said after the battle. "It's not that easy to regain control over the Dementors!" but no one cared about what the old Auror said.
Then spring came and the birth of Charlotte Malfoy seemed to confirm the hypothesis that some runaways were hiding in Malfoy Manor.
"You are heartless! Her father never ever saw my daughter, how could you even think he's here?" said Narcissa Malfoy, crying, while holding her baby as the truth spells confirmed her words.
Nonetheless, the abode was carefully inspected. Bill volunteered for the Spellbreakers squad, hoping to find something –anything- about his sister. Surprisingly Malfoy Manor passed the test with flying colours and the Ministry's employers went back home with their tails between their legs.
But in July an owl arrived for Mrs Weasley from Miss Isolde Melusine Zabini. The letter informed the Weasleys that Virginia was alive and healthy and that everything was being done to bring the girl home. Mrs Fudge said that was a cruel joke, adding they shouldn't trust a girl with loose morals but hope was back in Molly's heart.
Dear Mrs Weasley,
I am delighted to announce that, after long and difficult negotiations, your daughter Virginia will be at last returned to her family on the fourth day before the ides of August X August, at around five in the afternoon.
My heart rejoices with both you and your loved ones, because of the natural joy begotten from a lost and found child and of also that of a righted injustice.
Isolde M. Zabini, G.E.
Charlie took one week off to be at the Burrow that day, and he had a pleasant surprise: he came with Alexandra, one of his colleagues, whom in due course would become his wife.
Bill sighed, leaning against the door's jamb. His mother was sitting before the fireplace, holding hands with her husband, her eyes fixed on the flames. Fred and George were busy with helium balloons and confetti, as Charlie and Percy rearranged the food on the table. Sitting on a settle, Penelope was talking with Alexandra, helping her with her English. Harry, Ron and Hermione would arrive as soon as they finished with their last exam for the Auror Academy. Madeye Moody was the only member of the Order to be there, because he wanted to be sure it was really Ginny, and not a Death Eater posing as her. Bill's eyes caressed his wife, who was sitting in the best armchair. Fleur seemed even more beautiful, her breasts swollen with milk as her pregnancy draws to an end.
Feeling restless, Bill glanced one last time at the fireplace. "I… I can't wait anymore," he said, massaging the bridge of his nose and turning towards the door. "Blow up a firecracker as soon as Ginny arrives."
"Sure!"
"Fred, George! Don't dare even to think about that!" Molly reproached them. "And you, Bill..."
Bill gave a cheeky smile to her mother and winked at her.
He was almost at the top of the stairs when he heard the door open and a barely audible, yet emotion-filled, "I am at home". Bill turned, staring at the girl lingering on the threshold.
"Ginny?" he whispered incredulously.
The girl raised her eyes on him and a smile bloomed on her lips. "Bill!"
The young wizard went down the stairs three at a time and hugged tightly his sister, both laughing like children. At the sound of Ginny's voice, the others rushed to the entrance. Molly was crying and was almost afraid to touch her daughter, fearing it could be just a beautiful dream; Fred and George lit up some cold fireworks, and whizzes and multicoloured sparks filled the little room; Arthur could do nothing but caress his daughter's face and whisper "my little princess", as he used to do when she was a little girl. Moody was the only one to not share that happiness: he yelled for more than half an hour that first they had to be sure she was indeed Ginny.
Charlie rolled his eyes and said: "You know, Ginny, Norbert is a she."
"Really? Is she hatching? Hagrid would be pleased to known he'll be a grandpa," she laughed.
"Dear Circe, I didn't know Rubeus had a child!" Arthur exclaimed in utter surprise.
Charlie and Ginny glanced at each other and burst out laughing, as the others looked at them, puzzled. "Don't worry Moody, she's really my sis," Charlie said, hugging the girl again and the display of joy became noisier and more exuberant than before.
Ginny gladly let her family smother her with kisses: how much she had missed them all, and that sense of security, to be protected from the world's dangers. She was so happy she almost couldn't bear it, and she began to cry. "I… I thought I would never ever see you again…" she sobbed.
Molly hugged her daughter, lovingly patting her back. "Hush, you're at home, honey, you're with us now…"
"And you, Moody, shoo! This is a private party!"
The old Auror grumbled and he went away saying: "See you tomorrow."
About one hour later, Ron, Harry and Hermione arrived with Angelina, and they joined the welcome back home party.
"You know, the others wanted to come here today too," said Ron, filling his own plate, "but you'll meet them all tomorrow: Aunt Cynthia will throw a birthday party for you."
"And we have to celebrate Bill's new job as well," added Fleur, stroking a scar crossing her husband's face with her forefinger.
"Job?" wondered Ginny, "What job is it?"
"He was asked to teach Charms at Hogwarts, and he accepted. We have rented a cottage at Hogsmeade, and we're moving in next week."
"Really? I expected Professor Binns to retire, not Professor Flitwick! Tomorrow I'll congratulate the Headmaster for his choice, you'll be a great teacher Bill!" Ginny laughed. "And then, I have to tell him something too," she added whispering, feeling as if she had to share with Professor Dumbledore what she now knew about the Dark Lord.
A heavy silence fell on the Burrow's garden. Arthur took a glass to his lips nervously. "Actually, Professor Flitwick didn't retire, it's just… well, the governors liked him better than McGonagall to be the new Headmaster."
Ginny fixed her father as if she didn't understand what he had just said. Molly sobbed and got up, saying with a broken voice that she was going to fetch the cake.
"Professor Dumbledore is dead, Ginny," Harry said at last.
It was as if Ginny's world crumbled, now who would she confide in about what she knew about the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord? She couldn't trust the Ministry, knowing that Mrs Fudge herself was one of Lord Voldemort's most devoted followers!
Mr Weasley squeezed gently her shoulder. "I'm sorry princess, I didn't want your welcome back home party to end in this way…"
.: ° :.
Tom was restless: this was the first time he couldn't sleep since the night he got his body back. Why couldn't he take the image of Virginia lingering on the Burrow door? Why did he feel as if he… he not even dared to think that.
He pushed the sheets away and got up. He opened a window, letting the breeze caress him as he looked at the violet sea and the sky, which was turning white, signalling the beginning of another day. Without knowing why, Tom put on his trousers and shirt, as well as the previous day's sock and shoes.
He went out on the terrace, breathing the salty air that was scented with summer. As he went down to the garden, the fragrances inebriated him and he felt his head becoming lighter and lighter, freer and freer from inappropriate thoughts. He walked toward the wildest part of Santa Eufemia, where an ancient incantation had stopped time and left it as an eternal spring. There he took a tiny branch and whipped the tender grass. Slowly he felt… he didn't know exactly what he was feeling, but it was strong and heady, as if he had drunk too muck wine.
It was the beginning of a folly.
He picked daisies with still sleeping corollas; wild roses that scratched his hands and asphodels, about which a myth had said they carpets Limbo. He picked branches of blooming myrtle and periwinkles and brooms and gorse and climbing and every kind of herb and wild flower that he met on his walk. After awhile he held a forest of wild flowers in his arms. Then the feeling of intoxication was so strong that Tom began to laugh. Not his usual cold and sadistic one, but a fresh and genuine laughter like that of a child discovering the world and was still able to feel wonder at the sight of a butterfly. And Tom laughed, sensing with footstep a slipping stem, a flower spreading petals on his shirt's sleeves, a breaking branch.
Ginny was awakened by something falling on her chest. In her arms, she found a great bunch of wild flowers. Without wondering about where that unexpected spring came, she tightened her grip around the flowers. Ignoring the scratches, she was ecstatic looking at their simple beauty and inhaling their fragrant scent. Then she spread her arms, the flowers now covering the bed. It was then that she noticed it: hooked to an ivy shoot, there was a brooch - two emeralds snakes biting their tails, coiled as the symbol for infinity, and enamelled ivy's leaflets and tiny coral berries completed the fine jewel.
Her eyes widened as she recognized the Meridiæ coat of arms: she looked fearfully at the broken window, breathing frantically. She could sense his presence in the garden.
"Wasssup Ginny?" said Hermione sleepily, as the other girl climbed over her. "Where are you going!" she added with alarm in her voice.
Ginny didn't hear her, she ran down the stairs and opened the entrance door - no one was in the garden but a couple of gnomes who watched her curiously. She walked around the house, glancing at every bush and every tree. She was almost frantic, feeling as if a part of her heart was being torn apart and threw away. What should she have done if she saw Tom there? Why was she thinking about him? She was back at home with her beloved family, that was all that mattered.
Ginny yelled as she backed into someone.
"Dear God, you scared me, Ginny! What are you doing here?" said Hermione, panting.
"I…" Ginny bit her lower lip, trying to think of a witty answer. Should she tell Hermione she thought the Dark Lord was at the Burrow? "I think Fred and George threw those flowers in my bed."
Hermione sighed, shaking her head. "I wonder when the two of them will grow up…"
Ginny merely nodded and went back inside the house, glancing at the spot where she last saw Tom.
.: ° :.
"Ginny!" chorused three girls, involving the young girl in a group hug as she arrived at Perlandwell. This was a small estate in Yorkshire that was part of Cynthia Miller's dowry when she married Michael Weasley, Arthur's uncle. No one knew why Aunt Cynthia had volunteered to organize a party for Ginny, she wasn't Aunt Cynthia's favourite relative.
"Audrey, Chantal, Asia, you're choking me," replied Ginny, but still hugging them back.
"I told you that was a bad idea," laughed one of them, swinging her long silvery blonde hair: at a first glance, you would mistake Asia for a Malfoy, only to find out she was actually a Muggleborn.
"We were so lonely without you last year," added a black girl, ignoring Asia and giving Ginny a tighter hug.
"Oi girls, say cheese!" exclaimed Colin, waving his hand to attract their attention to take the first of many photographs
Everybody that Ginny knew was at Perlandwell, from Ginny's dorm mates to the members of the Order. Even great grandmother Roisin was there, and she hasn't left Ireland since Bill's birth. Ginny was so happy: not even twenty-four hours ago she thought she would never seen her loved ones again, and now she was celebrating her birthday with them. After everybody wished Ginny a happy birthday, they moved to the back garden, where a long table loaded with food and drinks stood on to side. The people lingered on the grass, talking and laughing.
"Where's Loveday?" asked Lupin, looking around worriedly.
"She's around somewhere with her boyfriend, don't worry," Alexandria Sparrow, Mr Weasley's assistant, replied nonchalantly.
"That's why I'm worried, Alex!" he exclaimed. "I'm her tutor, and I know Sirius would never forgive me if something happens to her!"
Mrs Weasley patted sympathetically his back. "Come on, you can't mollycoddle her. Look, there she is!" she pointed out, "And she isn't alone."
Unable to hide her concern, Molly continued "Is your relationship still difficult?"
The wizard nodded, fixing his eyes on a dark-haired girl. "She's still wondering why the Ministry allowed a Halfblood werewolf to be her tutor. Moreover, it isn't easy to make her accept the truth about Sirius."
They looked at each other, and Alexandria sighed. "What did you expect, Remus? She grew up thinking her father abandoned her, and you knew Sirius better than anyone else. At least she isn't calling him names anymore," she said sympathetically, her eyes boring into his.
Molly looked around embarrassed and decided to leave the couple alone.
Noticing that they were almost out of sandwiches, Molly went in the kitchen to fetch some more. She was also thinking about Remus and Alex, wondering why he had preferred her to Tonks. Miss Sparrow wasn't a bad girl; she was a hard worker, and Arthur spoke highly of his assistant. She was even in the Order now, and Alexandria was as old as Percy, making her one of the youngest members of the Order. Mrs Weasley sighed, it wasn't her business, she should be happy for her friends.
"Mum! Mum, Ginny went off with that Snake!" announced an incensed Ron, storming into the kitchen.
"Don't be rude, Ron."
"But don't you, don't you disapprove!"
"Dear Merlin, am I an bad mother," replied Mrs Weasley, handing a tray to her youngest son. "I don't like the idea of my own daughter alone with a Slytherin, but we have to thank Mr Zabini that she's back home, so we have to at least be civil with him. And are they actually alone or is one of your brothers watching them?"
Blaise glanced over his shoulder, chuckling slightly. "I wonder if he realize that I know he's spying on us."
Ginny rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue at George, who tried to hide behind a tree trunk. "Can't they leave me alone?" She complained loudly while glancing at her brother.
"I think that'll be impossible, Virginia: they thought you were lost forever…
"Thanks Danu, Melinda's distracting him, she's such a dear."
Ginny smiled as she led Blaise to the greenhouse. They didn't talk until they were inside the iron and glass structure, both looking somewhat embarrassed.
"You know, Blaise, Aunt Cynthia has a rare plant in her greenhouse," Ginny said suddenly, wanting to break the uncomfortable silence. "The name's so complicated and long that I can't remember it! Come, I'll show you," she exclaimed, grabbing his hand.
But Blaise wrapped her in an embrace. "You don't know how much I've missed you…" he whispered, brushing her temple with his lips. "I did as much as possible to… and now you're here with me."
Ginny blushed violently at those words and at the sudden closeness: something inside her made her feel almost uneasy. "Blaise, I… are you sure -"
"I don't care that I'm not your..." He paused, unable to finish. He tried again, "only a fool would not realize what he did to you," he said, raising her face to look into her eyes. "It would take more the amoral behaviour of a psychopath to change what I feel," he ended, kissing her.
Ginny didn't know why, but something was wrong. Despite what had happened during this past year, she still loved Blaise, yet kissing him seemed somewhat… wrong.
These weren't the lips she knew. The lips she knew were more feverish, arrogant and tender at the same time. The lips she knew grazed hers shyly and stealthily, as if they wanted to swallow her lips; and they were smooth like silk and soft like cotton candy. The lips she knew kissed her with a passion that wrapped around her like a flame and needed her as if their very existence depended upon her.
The kiss that Ginny knew was Tom's kiss.
Ginny drew away, slowing lowering her head. "I'm no longer the same girl from a year ago," she whispered slowly. "You can't love some one you don't know anymore."
"It is natural to change with the passing of the time, we can get to know each other all over again!" exclaimed Blaise, grabbing her shoulders. "You just need to… want it."
Dismayed, she stared at him with watery eyes. "That's the thing, Blaise. I'm not sure what I want anymore."
.: ° :.
Rabastan sat back in an armchair, bending his head backward and closing his eyes. He was tired, just like the other Death Eaters around him. It had been a fatiguing afternoon, talked about the details for their next attack, and more importantly, about the changes in the Dark Lord.
"Can't we just kill the brat?" Bellatrix suggested, sitting the arm of Rodolphus' armchair.
"The most drastical remedy is not always the best," Erzsèbet replied quietly. "I know our Lord better than all of you together: it's only a fleeting whim, it'll pass."
"That doesn't change the fact that his behaviour is quite worrying. He had always taken part at our meetings, even if it was only to decide upon nonsense." another Death Eater replied thoughtfully.
Bianca sighed, massaging her temples. "That's pretty true Dominic, but he has… different priorities right now. As he made known to me a couple of days ago, he doesn't feel like coming if he's unable to properly focus on our agenda."
Bellatrix snorted. "Really? And what would be more important than giving the Magical race its proper place in the world? Is it something about your lovable sister?"
Bianca tightened her lips and narrowed her eyes to two tiny fissures. She did not reply, and Rodolphus interjected: "Please, ladies, when would you stop with this rivalry?"
"Are you… are you defending her, Rod!" his wife said enraged.
"I'm defending anyone, Bella. But it's not our fault that you don't realize how noxious that jealousy of yours is."
The two women glared at each other. Bianca snorted, turning her head to the other side, while Bellatrix got up and walked toward the door. "I'm going to the dungeon."
"Don't kill or drive anyone crazy," said Rabastan. "Remember we have to be in Newcastle within two and a half hours!"
"Speaking of the attack," said the Death Eater called Dominic. "Is Loveday going to be there?"
"Oh no, have you forgotten she's busy twenty four-seven? She can't jeopardize her position inside the Order," replied Rodolphus softly. "That's why Edna made it easy for the werewolf to become Loveday's guardian."
"That reminds me," said Mrs Fudge spoke up suddenly, "I have to suggest to Amos Diggory to control Mr Lupin. Mr. Lupin may take Wolfsbane Potion every month, but I won't risk the life of a dear young lady like Loveday." The people around her nodded, approving her diligence with hushed voices. If the Dark Lord values her so much, it wasn't only because of her position as First Lady. "Anyway, they'll never suspect her, she isn't marked. And it's the same thing for François, Juan-"
"Wait wait wait!" exclaimed Rabastan. "I'm getting lost. I know François is Lesmaudit's nephew, but who's Juan? This is the first time I have heard of him…"
Edna and Brighit looked at each other, then Edna said: "He's Madrilena's son."
"Madrilena's son!" exclaimed Rabastan, Dominic and a third Death Eater - Ean Mulciber- in unison, all three of them sounding surprised. "I didn't know that…" they all muttered.
"She was a… free spirit," said Brighit quietly, looking out the window.
"And tell me, who is supposed to be the father?" asked Ean nonchalantly. "If his blood isn't pure-"
"That's a very poor excuse! You know Madrilena, do you think she would let herself get pregnant by someone unworthy? Moreover, she had never been interested in having a husband," replied Brighit. "Anyway, I suppose she told the identity of Juan's father to Rosa and Astrid."
"Both they're both dead," Rabastan whispered mournfully.
Brighit shrugged her shoulder, not caring about the trivial problems of her three friends. The most important thing for her was to know that there were indeed worthy people who would take her place among the Dark Lord's ranks when she dies.
.: ° :.
Eventually, the thirteenth of August came. And because Arthur preferred for Ginny to be questioned as late as possible, he was very surprised when his daughter herself asked to be heard by the Aurors as soon as possible. You would say she was impatient to reveal what she knew about the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. Actually, at first she was slightly upset when she found out that she would have to share her information with the Ministry's Aurors, but Arthur did his best to let Tonks and Shacklebolt be the ones to question his daughter.
Ginny lingered before the fireplace, feeling her blood boil as she saw Edna Fudge coming out from another fireplace, The First Lady gracefully dusted off her dress robe, with the contrite attitude of someone with a terrible secret and doesn't know if she should share it or not.
"Ah ah, you can keep on with your act, but everybody'll know who you really are within an hour!" Ginny muttered under her breath, hiding a wicked smile as she walked with her father toward the elevator.
When they arrived at the second level, they headed for Scrimgeour's office, where the Head of the Aurors, a secretary and the two members of the Order were waiting for them. They greeted each other quite formally, but Tonks winked at Ginny as she offered her a chair.
"There is no need for you to stay, Mr Weasley," said Scrimgeour, noticing that the father had taken another chair. "This is a mere formality, and you have your own job to do."
Arthur opened his mouth to reply, but then he noticed Kingsley shaking slightly his head. He sighed sadly, and placing a kiss atop of Ginny's head, he whispered. "Don't worry, little princess, as soon as you are done, come in my office."
She nodded and smiled at her father, while accepting the cup of tea Tonks was handing her.
Rufus Scrimgeour's eyes followed Arthur Weasley as he walked out of the office. He then nodded to his secretary, who accioed a quill and a piece of parchment over, and he asked the girl to tell them what had happened in the last year. Ginny started to tell what happened during the ambush at the Knight Bus, answering every question the old Auror asked her. But when she started talking about her awakening after her kidnapping, she felt oddly ill, as if something was scratching her insides, and moreover she wasn't able to properly remember everything!
Scrimgeour seemed to realize something was wrong, because suddenly he asked her if one of the Death Eaters had cursed her.
"N-no… unless it happened before I got my soul back," she replied pensively.
The old Auror sighed, pursing his lip. "All right, then, I'll ask Doctor Smith to visit you. I hope you realize that you are the only prisoner of the Death Eaters to have come back alive and… sane."
Ginny nodded slightly, sipping a glass of water as her throat suddenly felt dry and itchy. She was about to resume her tale, when someone knocked on the door. Scrimgeour nodded to Shacklebolt, who opened the door with the intention to dismiss the intruder. But the younger Auror's eyes almost popped out as he saw Edna Fudge.
"Excuse my interrupting you, Mr Scrimgeour, but… I need to talk with you, urgently," the sniffling old witch said with a broken voice.
"What's wrong, Aunty Edna?" asked Tonks, quite worried.
Scrimgeour sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mrs Fudge, but this isn't a good moment for a chat."
"B-but I…" Edna said, and then she bit her lower lip and whispered. "All right, Mr Scrimgeour, I hope you don't mind if I'll wait here until you have done."
Ginny felt her blood froze in her veins. What was Mrs Fudge up to? Why did she pop in during the questioning? Was she… trying to control her! Ginny tightened her lips, looking defiantly at the First Lady. Edna Fudge looked back at her, hiding her sneer behind the edge of a cup of tea.
"Where were we?" said Ginny, slightly hysterical. "Ah, yes, now I remember!"
"I suppose you suspect that there are Death Eaters among the Ministry employers, right?"
"It wouldn't be the first time," replied Kingsley, wondering why she had changed topic so suddenly.
" And I suppose the ones you have been able to catch so far have all been small fries. But I think you could take care of some… big shots, both here and inside the Death Eaters' inner circle," Ginny said, coughing harder and harder, throwing a satisfied look to Mrs Fudge, who was trying her best to look cool.
"Who are you talking about, Ms Weasley?" asked Scrimgeour with a whisper, leaning closer towards the girl.
Ginny opened her mouth to reply, but suddenly everything went black.
.: ° :.
The sun beamed through the window, painfully hitting Ginny's eyes. Waking up in a St. Mungos' bed wasn't a pleasant experience, it makes some one fears for the worst.
The young witch shielded her eyes with a hand, smelling a flower's scent mixed with the typical aseptic smell of hospitals. She hated that smell, it made her think of the summer after her first year, when she was hospitalized to be "cured" from the Dark Lord's possession. That definitely wasn't a pleasant experience.
As soon as her eyes adjusted to the light, Ginny looked around the room. There were six beds, but only the one at the far end of the room was currently occupied by a wizard, where a nurse in her pristine dress robe was bandaging his torso. There was a bunch of flowers on her bedside table, and she recognized them as the ones her mother grew in the Burrow's garden. Ginny sighed, letting the nurse check her temperature as she stared at the clock on the opposite wall.
"Why am I here?" she asked with a thin voice.
The nurse shrugged her shoulders, replying with a bored voice. "You had a kind of a seizure, but we can't tell you what the cause is yet. Doctor Moro is still waiting your tests' result."
Ginny sighed, turning on her side and placing her cheek on the palm of her hand. Something told her that this was Mrs Fudge's fault. Surely the woman had hexed her or something… nah, it was impossible, there were three Aurors with them, and it would've been too risky. She didn't know why, but she felt that Galene would probably be able to tell her what happened. The nurse was gone now, leaving the two patients alone. Ginny closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep. She didn't want to see or talk to anyone, she just wanted to sort out what had happened. She tried to remember what had happened at the Ministry, reliving every moment as if it was a film. But it didn't matter how hard she tried, she could only recall how she was feeling more and more ill as she started answering the Aurors' questions.
The opening of the door distracted her from those thoughts, as she glanced at the mediwizard who walked in. He looked younger than Lupin and was a handsome man, with a tired expression on his face and a smell of gin and tobacco around him. The mediwizard asked the other patient a couple of questions before he approached Ginny's bed and read her case sheet. "How are you, Ms Weasley?" he asked without moving his eyes from the sheet.
"I'm fine, I suppose." she replied, reading Dr. T.L. Moro on the badge pinned on his chest. "Why am I here?" she asked again.
Doctor Moro didn't reply, he sat on a nearby chair and checked her pulse, and then he pointed the tip of his wand in her eyes, pursing his lips thoughtfully. "Odd," he thought out loud, "very odd."
"What's wrong?" Ginny asked, almost panicking.
"Apart from a dehydration and a vitamin deficiency, it seems you are pretty healthy, hence I can't medically explain your seizure."
"While you were…" he hesitated, trying to express his doubts painlessly. "Did they cursed you?" and there was no need to explain who they were.
Ginny nodded, lowering her head. "Yes, Cruciatus Curses and…"
"I wasn't talking about those kinds of spells. Anyway, a Spellbreaker will examine you, just to be safe," ended the mediwizard.
Ginny was speechless and then she snorted. Obviously, Lord Voldemort wouldn't let you go back home alive and well without taking a couple of precautions.
In the following hours a Ministry's Spellbreaker, who could find nothing but the traces of past spells, had visited Ginny.
"I'm sorry, but I can't find any signs of active spells or curses," said the Spellbreaker to Doctor Moro and Mr and Mrs Weasley. "Unless… no, it's impossible."
"Unless what!" cried Mrs Weasley hysterically.
The Spellbreaker sighed, shaking his head. "Unless it is a traceless spell, but that's impossible: every time a wizard castes a charm or a hex, he causes an alteration in the magical tissue. But there is a price to pay when you alter the magical tissue. For an everyday spell, for example, it's just a bit of energy that could be recovered with a couple of sweets –that's why usually wizarding people eat more than Muggles. It's this part of ourselves, as well as the slight distortion in the magical tissue that remains after a spell is broken or wears off, that let us know someone's magical history. Since I didn't find in your daughter the traces of a Conspiracy of Silence spell or something else like that, you understand that this hypothesis is simply… absurd."
Arthur and Molly looked at each other sadly, as Doctor Moro said, lighting a cigarette. "We'll do other and more accurate tests."
"But there is no need for you to stay here," he said to Ginny, "I think you can go back home tomorrow morning."
The young witch nodded, felling relieved that her stay at St. Mungos was that short. Arthur follower the Mediwizard and the Spellbreaker to the hallway, talking with low voices. Molly sat on her daughter's bed instead, sighing heavily, as her mind was lost in thousands and thousands thoughts. "At least you're here with me now…" she whispered, smiling at Ginny.
The girl smiled back at her mother, and opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly a rumbling noise in the hallway silenced her. Someone was running frantically, and she heard Mr Weasley exclaim: "What now!"
Gabrielle Delacour appeared in the frame of the door, panting as she caught her breath. "It's a girl!" she exclaimed with a broad smile on her face and eyes shining with joy. "The most beautiful baby girl you have ever seen!"
Mrs Weasley stood up, widening her eyes and placing her hands on her mouth. "When? Where?"
"No more than ten minutes ago, I was waiting with Bill and then he told me you were here and to come and tell you!"
Molly was at loss of what to do, a part of her wanted to stay with Ginny, but another part of her urged her to go and meet her first granddaughter.
Sensing her internal struggle, Ginny laughed. "C'mon, mum, I know you want to go with Gabrielle. But you have to come back here at once to tell me how the baby looks like," she said, winking.
Mrs Weasley hugged her daughter and then she went away with Gabrielle.
.: ° :.
Before they went back home, Ginny wanted to congratulate Fleur and Bill on the birth of their daughter, Cyrille –that was her name- was a beautiful baby girl, who, according to Mrs Weasley, looked a lot like Bill when he was her age. The new parents were simply beaming and every occasion was a good occasion for Bill to talk about his baby girl. At last, normality and happiness were back at the Burrow. Things couldn't be better for the Weasleys. They were reunited and their numbers growing. Now their biggest worries revolved around baby Cyrille and Ginny's health and her exams as she prepares to attend her last year at Hogwarts.
Ginny was studying for her exam with Bill's help while the twins were degnomizing the garden. Even though Fred and George lived in their own flat above their shop, Mrs. Weasley still punishes them whenever they cause trouble at the Burrow. Bill checked the equation his sister was trying to solve.
"I think you should ask Hermione to tutor you, you know I'm not that good in Arithmancy."
"I know, after all nobody can match Hermione. Except..." Ginny bit her lower lip. Tom had been a model student in his days at Hogwarts and a perfect teacher for her.
"Except who Ginny?"
"Never mind. Can you explain this spell to me? I tried it yesterday afternoon but I don't understand why I got it wrong."
Bill smiled and watched Ginny cast the spell, correcting her mistakes. The two siblings were deep in a chapter of a Charms book when they heard a distant rumble, like the noise of a motor. Fred threw a gnome aside and stared at the road crossing the wood as Mrs. Weasley came outside, wiping her hands on her apron. "What's that noise?" She asked.
"I bet it's Harry," George replied, grinning as he stooped over his sister. "He uses Sirius' old motorbike to travel. You know, he doesn't yet have his Apparation license, he failed three times!"
Just then, a big black motorbike appeared on the road, roaring as it came near the Burrow. It stopped and the biker took off the helmet. "Hi, do you mind if I stay at your place for a couple of days?"
A/N
The editing of Doom: I have a new Beta-reader, MoreEverithing, that's why I've deleted the unbetaed chapters, which are to be placed with the edited one.
Useless News: you can find the approved ChiDo's Fanlisting at www DOT delirantrose DOT net SLASH listing SLASH chidofan