Chapter 10

The light of the countless torches that illuminated the cell cast eerie shadows on the hooded figure, standing in front of them. With a casual movement of his hand, her father who had been chained to the wall next to her began to scream. She wanted to beg him to spare her father, but no sound came out of her mouth. Though somehow, she must have attracted his attention. He stepped to her.

As his hood fell backwards and revealed his face, she froze. A hand closed around her throat. Fingers pressed into her skin. Emerald eyes bored into her. Hearing the mocking laughter, she could not breathe anymore, was not able to think. She was only aware of the screams, the cold metal around her wrists, the knowledge that it was he who kept them prisoner...

Someone shook her.

"Ginny! Ginny, wake up!"

She tore open her eyes, gazed up into the concerned faces of Rebecca and Melanie. Slowly she realized that it had been a dream, nothing more, merely a dream.

She tried to say something, but she managed only a rasping sound. Melanie noticed it and brought her a glass of water. Gratefully she drank and finally succeeded in bringing her trembling under control.

"Thank you for waking me," she said and before anyone could ask a question, Ginny quickly continued and reassured the two that she was fine again. It had been only a bad dream, nothing else.

Though neither Rebecca nor Melanie looked entirely convinced, they accepted her explanation to her relief and went to bed.

"If you still need anything, tell us, will you?"

Ginny nodded and sank into the pillows, but while Melanie and Rebecca fell asleep quickly, Ginny lay in bed and gazed into the darkness.

Suppressing every memory of the dream, she desperately thought back to the previous evening, recalled her feelings as she had danced with Harry. And yet she didn't quite succeed.

As the first tentative sunrays sneaked into the room, Ginny sat up, and leaning against the wall, gave it up. She would not find any sleep anymore.

Looking over, she saw that her friends had not woken yet. Rebecca was smiling in her sleep. Involuntarily Ginny had to smile, too. She could imagine of what Rebecca was dreaming, remembering that her friend had danced with Damian the whole evening. Apparently the Head Boy returned Rebecca's feelings, Ginny thought, and was happy for her friend.

Quietly standing up, Ginny stepped to the window. Drawing the curtains a bit to the side, more sunlight streamed into their dormitory. It promised to be a beautiful day.

As she opened the window and breathed in the fresh air, she was startled by something flying towards her. But it was only Melanie's little sparrow. Landing on the windowsill he looked up at her. Standing still, Ginny watched the tiny bird. Yet as she reached out a hand, the sparrow flew away.

Deciding to let Rebecca and Melanie sleep – neither girl would thank her if she woke them so early on a Sunday – Ginny went to the Great Hall about half an hour later. As she had expected Hermione was already there, though she also had gone to bed rather late the previous night.

Hermione greeted her annoyingly cheerful. A bit irritated, Ginny only nodded, sat down and seized the large pot. While slowly sipping the strong coffee, her tiredness gradually lessened. Bit by bit the others arrived. Ron was, like always, one of the last to come.

"So, what shall we do today?" Hermione asked brightly.

Since no-one of them had any desire to spend the day indoors, let alone do homework they spent the morning on the lake and tried out the boats that had been acquired during the summer holidays. Soon, with always two sitting in one boat, they were even doing a little boat race. Melanie and Neville won. As the others congratulated them, they both turned crimson. But they looked at each other and shared a triumphant smile.

Everyone seemed to be in good spirits. And Harry also laughed and joked with the others. Ginny smiled faintly as she watched him. Though he still guarded his feelings – in Godric's Hollow – he had been much more relaxed – she recognized how far he had made progress in the few weeks since school had started. They had truly all reason to be happy this day, so why wasn't she?

Hearing Harry calling her name, she shook her head, and as she climbed back into the boot, she flashed Harry a brilliant smile, determined not to be depressed anymore. She would not think of this dream, she would not let the memory spoil the day.

"Now, we will win," she said to Harry and grasped the oar. They won indeed and as soon as they were again standing on the shore, Ginny flung her arms around Harry's neck, ignoring her hurting arms and began to laugh as Harry spun her through the air.

In the afternoon they were lying on blankets in Harry's garden and enjoyed the sunshine. While Harry was playing chess with Ron, Damian, who was as well Quidditch captain of the Ravenclaw team, worked out some strategies. Hermione was submerged in one of their school books and making notes.

Ginny was leaning against the old oak and was sleepily listening to Melanie and Rebecca who were busy doing some of their homework. Ginny was only glad that she already had done all tasks on Friday.

"Didn't Skirrow say that he wanted to test our defensive skills in the next lesson? I fear I'll get a bad mark. I just can't come up with spells so quickly."

Ginny looked to the side and gazed at Melanie.

"If you want, we can practice a bit."

Melanie's blue eyes lit up.

"Oh, yes. That'd be great, Ginny."

Ginny nodded and stood up. They walked to the other end of the garden, and Ginny fetched out her wand. To Ginny's surprise she had to hold back herself. It had been only a few times she had fought with Harry and yet she had never realized how much better she had become. Soon their little duel attracted the attention of the others. Melanie got nervous and not soon afterwards Ginny caught her wand.

"Wow, where've you learned this?" Ron asked with large eyes and stepped towards them.

"Harry has been teaching me a bit," Ginny said embarrassed, feeling heat rising up her cheeks, though as she met the gaze of Harry and he nodded appreciatively pride rose in her. And then she heard herself saying,

"Well, Ron? How about you? Do you want to have a try?"

Ron was a more difficult opponent then Melanie had been, but Ginny managed to defeat him also. While the others clapped, and Ron, with a rather baffled expression on his face, was muttering something under his breath that sounded like 'I can't believe it, my baby sister has really beaten me,' Ginny caught sight of Melanie, who was looking at the ground.

Going over to her friend, she took the fair-haired girl by the arm and dragged her to the chamber. There, at least, they were undisturbed. As they leaned against the wall completely exhausted a while later, Melanie gratefully smiled at her.

As they all went to supper, Ginny had difficulties to suppress a yawn. She was tired, yet the shadows of the nightmare had finally left her. While she had eaten almost nothing at breakfast, now she helped herself to a considerable meal.

After supper, Ginny went over to Harry. Stepping around two Slytherins, Harry came towards her.

"Come, let's return to our garden. The last minutes were not exactly enjoyable," he said.

"I tell you, they only wait for an opportunity to poison my tea."

Ginny didn't say anything, just hooked her arm through his.

They left the hall and were about to walk around the corner as steps sounded behind them.

"Mr. Potter!"

It was Professor Snape. Gazing at Harry, he said,

"I've to speak with you."

Casting a fleeting glance at her, he added,

"It brooks no further delay."

Harry regarded Snape briefly and turned to her.

"Gin, would you mind going already ahead?"

Looking from Harry to Snape and again at Harry, Ginny wondered what was going on. Feeling a bit hurt that Harry sent her away, she finally nodded and trudged on.

As soon as the door had closed behind them and they stood in the empty classroom, Harry glared at Snape.

"So, what is it?"

Instead of giving an answer, the former spy rolled up his sleeve. In the first moment as Harry's eyes fell on the lightning bold and the lilies, he could not believe it. He didn't want to believe it, but there was no point in pretending that his sign wasn't there. It was, and as much as he might wish it to disappear it would certainly not.

Well, Harry thought bitterly, did you truly think that you ever could forget the bond? Your past? Voldemort?

Taking a deep breath, Harry stared at his sign, finally touched it with his fingertips and envisioned the Dark Mark. The strong resistance of the bond caused him to grit his teeth.

And you will not win, Voldemort, he thought, determined to direct the magic to his will.

After a while he succeeded. Leaning back on one of the tables for support, he ran a shaky hand over his forehead. As he finally looked up, he was startled to see pain in the black eyes of Snape who quickly put on an expressionless face.

Harry frowned and tried not to show his worry.

"Did it hurt you the last time as well?"

For a moment Snape was silent; then he slowly shook his head.

"No."

Not liking this unexpected development at all, Harry left the Potions master and set off to his chamber. But he didn't come very far. Suddenly halting, Harry clenched his hands and whirling around hit the stone wall. He just knew to little about the damned curse! Rubbing over his hurting knuckles, he forced himself to calmly think about it, to consider his options.

The bond had to be closer linked to his own magic than he had thought. And exactly this had to be the reason as well why the bond's magic resisted so strongly to him changing the signs. Somehow it knew that Voldemort's sign was not his. And it knew that he was the heir. The magic of the bond wanted him to behave like the Dark Lord had done.

For a fleeting moment he truly regretted to have had acknowledged the bond, but then he tiredly sighed, knowing that then those bound to him would very probably have died and who knows what else had happened.

And not to be able to do anything against it, frightened Harry as loath he was to admit it to himself. What should he only do if this little game would repeat itself? If he was forced to change the signs again soon?

Shuddering, he hoped with every fibre of his body that he was mistaken and it wouldn't come to that.

What have you only done to me? Cursing the Dark Lord, Harry briefly closed his eyes. What a fool he had been. He should have known that he would not be able to push the magic of the bond in the deepest corner of himself, and while he might sense it, would be able to deceive himself that it didn't exist.

He had to find a way to destroy the bond. Somehow, he thought and walked on. He could only pray that he would find yet some further information in the secret library of the Dark Lord, knowing that he could not take any chances in trying something out. He had not the slightest desire to kill all those bound to him or to be killed himself at the attempt, nor had he any particular wish to experience what the magic would do if he tried to destroy it. No, he had to know beforehand everything there was to know.

As he spotted Ginny in front of the portrait, he came once more to an abrupt halt.

"Harry? What did he want from you?"

Shaking his head, he stepped to her, and drawing her close, he rested his chin on her head.

"He only showed me something. Nothing important," he said, let go of her and gazing at the bowls with the fruit, he began to hiss.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Ginny wrapped the present for Bill. Humming a melody, she smiled as she regarded the bright colourful ribbon.

Then she jumped up, grasped the present and left the dormitory. In the common room she met Harry and Ron who just was loudly complaining about Professor Snape.

"I don't know when we shall manage all this. Though, I suppose I should be glad that I work together with Hermione. Have you begun already? You work together with Damian, don't you?"

Harry nodded.

"A little, but we are far from finishing it."

While they waited for Hermione, and Ron continued cursing Snape whom he liked least of all the teachers and now where he had given the seventh' class such an extensive task even more, Ginny's thoughts wandered once again back to the strange encounter between the former spy and Harry that she had witnessed.

Harry's remark that it had not been important she had not believed. If that had been the case, Snape would hardly have said that the conversation could not be delayed, would he? Yet as she had asked, Harry had refused to tell her anything, finally telling her in a cold voice that it was not her concern.

This had even hurt her more than being sent away and it had almost led to a quarrel. The thought that he didn't trust her enough to speak with her about whatever troubled him, pained her deeply.

And that something did was rather obvious. Since they had met Professor Snape in the corridor two weeks ago, they had only spent three evenings together. On the others Harry had been busy, with what she still didn't know.

Watching Harry, she saw the dark circles under his eyes, and suddenly was angry at herself. As Harry had told her so bluntly that he wouldn't tell her, she had stared at him and had been about to leave the chamber, as he had hold her back. He had whispered her name, had said nothing else and yet she had heard the pleading, had seen the silent apology in his emerald eyes.

She had stayed and had not spoken anymore of this matter, nor had tried to ask him any further questions. They had acted as nothing had happened and yet Ginny knew that something was amiss. And she knew that she ought to have not so easily given up. But what had kept her, she wondered? Had she been afraid of his reaction? Had it been the knowledge that she had never told him of those dreams she had had?

The knowledge that she would not tell him should he ask?

The sound of quickly approaching steps jolted Ginny out of her thoughts. Turning around, she came face to face with Hermione.

"Sorry, I had still to do something," she told them, slightly out of breath and then they finally set off to the Burrow.

A little later Ginny tensely observed how her mother greeted Harry. In contrast to the first visit it was much warmer. Her father and her brothers also welcomed him. And her parents even asked Harry whether they could call him by his given name. Ginny hadn't needed to be worried.

Grateful to her family that they had taken her words to heart, she gave her father a loving smile as he looked in her direction perchance. Soon afterwards the twins dragged Harry to a corner and told him how far the joke shop had already progressed. As Ginny brought Harry a glass of butterbeer, she listened for a while.

"In two weeks we can open it. Then everything should be ready. And…"

George elbowed his brother into his rips and indicated him to be silent. Ginny turned around and spotted Ron coming towards them. Apart from her the family didn't know yet. It was supposed to be a surprise.

Bill's birthday party was a complete success. It was indescribable how it felt to just celebrate, Ginny thought and loudly clapped when Bill managed to blow out all candles on his enormous birthday cake at once.

Though they had all got presents if one of them had had his birthday, it had seemed not right to celebrate while each day so many people were killed, so that it was the first time that they had organized such a party.

Her own birthday in August had been rather quiet. It had been still too soon after the end of the war and since she had been stuck in Scotland at that time and her mother had been of the opinion that she needed recovery above everything else they had made a picnic on the beach. Ginny would not have minded it, but Harry had not been there and only as she didn't receive any letter, she had realized that he hadn't even known her birthday date, just as she hadn't known his.

Smiling faintly, Ginny walked over to Harry who was talking with Hermione. Harry's eyes lit up when seeing her and putting an arm around her, he drew her close. Ginny leaned against him, for the time being absolutely happy.

Soon the twins saw to various changes, though they kept their word so that nothing unexpected happened neither to Harry nor Ginny.

A little firework from them crowned the evening and Ginny was glad to see Harry even laughing as he stood together with Ron, Hermione and Charlie.

It was already rather late as the first guests decided to go home. Casting a glance at the crowd that had gathered in front of the chimney, Ginny accompanied Harry out. Standing on the terrace in the dark night, they kissed each other. Harry whispered a 'Goodnight' into her ear and had disapparated a moment later.

Disappointed Ginny remained standing on the terrace. As the coldness of the autumn night crept up on her, she flung her arms around herself. She knew that she should be relieved and happy enough that her parents and brothers had made an effort today to give Harry the feeling that he was welcomed and that it was better so for the time being, yet she couldn't help herself as to wish that Harry had been able to stay the night.

Trudging finally inside, she joined Hermione and Ron. As even the last guest had left the Burrow a while later, she went with Hermione, who stayed overnight, to her room, hardly able anymore to keep her eyes open.

She woke with a start. Trembling, Ginny sat up. She remembered her dream only vaguely, but she had dreamed of her night in the cell once more. Noticing that her blanket lay on the ground, she shook her head. It was no wonder that she was cold. She tried to fall asleep again, but there was no point. She was wide-awake. Quietly, as to not disturb Hermione, she stood up and sneaked out.

In the kitchen she fetched herself a glass of milk. Sinking onto a chair, she drank in little sips and reached for yesterday's Daily Prophet. Slowly turning over the pages, her gaze fell on a picture. She jumped up so violently that she knocked over the glass. It fell to the ground and broke. Trembling Ginny shrank back to the cupboard and leaned against it. It took long until she was able to collect the shards and wipe up the milk.

Finally she riveted her eyes again on the newspaper and stepped slowly towards the table. She had to force herself to look into the face of the one wizard who had abducted her out of the train then. Only now she registered the headline and she froze. He had escaped. He had escaped from the Ministry.

A loud noise sounded out behind her. She screamed, whirled around. Realizing that it was only an owl, she laughed nervously. She was angry at herself. It was ridiculous to be afraid. He wasn't here, could not be here. He neither knew her name, nor did he know where she lived and yet merely the thought that he was freely running around, took her back to the day as he had stood directly in front of her, as she had been completely at his mercy for few moments.

Standing in the quiet kitchen, a shudder seized her. The voices of the twins and Percy that rang out from upstairs, made her aware of how ridiculously she behaved. She walked to the window, opened it energetically and fetched the thin envelope inside that the unfamiliar owl had put on the window ledge. It was addressed to her parents, but there was nowhere a return address.

She shrugged her shoulders and went back to the table. A sharp pain in the sole of her foot caused her almost to topple over. With tears in her eyes she managed just in time to hold onto the edge of the table. Cursing, she hobbled to the next chair and blinked. Before she could look at her foot, her mother came in.

"Ginny! What are you….what happened?"

"I've dropped a glass and just now I've stepped into a piece of broken glass," Ginny said and grimaced.

"I'll be back immediately, Ginny, only fetching my wand."

Ginny nodded and was about to lean against the chair as her gaze fell on the letter that had fluttered to the ground. Something had fallen out; something that looked like a photo.

Carefully she stood up, hopped on one foot nearer and bent down. It was indeed a photograph. It was blurred, yet what was clearly recognizable was a blond girl that stood in close embrace with someone black-haired. Ginny frowned. What was the meaning of this? She turned the photo around and regarded the reverse. In black ink some words were written there:

Potter betrays your daughter. You should do something against it.

Sincerely

a friend

Ginny could not believe it. The steps of her mother jolted her out of her paralysis. Quickly she crumpled up the photograph and the envelope. She hardly noticed how her mother saw to her foot.

"So, everything's alright again, my dear."

"Thank you, Mum," Ginny managed to say and escaped upstairs. To her relief Hermione was in the bathroom. She sank down on her bed, smoothed out the photo and stared at it.

She knew, she knew that Harry would never abuse her trust and who ever was depicted on the photo, Harry was it not, he could not have been it.

But who had sent this photo? Why to her parents? She reached for her wand and walking to the window she opened it and leaned out. As the photo went up in flames a little while later, she watched the wind carrying the ash away. But the stale feeling of fear remained.