11. Vinegar & Honey
Tom stumbled onto the deserted street in Hogsmeade.
Ginny, help, he groaned, searching backpack. We need to get to the infirmary.
You turned away from him, said Ginny.
He's an old fraud, said Tom.
What does this mean? Said Ginny.
I don't know, said Tom, throwing the broom on the cobblestones. But if you don't fly, we both die.
I can't, Ginny said weakly. I'm fading…
The temperature dropped and Tom looked up. They were surrounded by a dozen dementors, hovering slowly towards them.
You're afraid, whispered Ginny.
No need to rub it in, said Tom.
I thought they didn't affect you, said Ginny.
Yeah, well, said Tom.
Can't you stun them or something? said Ginny.
There is one spell, said Tom, but I can't work it.
I thought you were a prefect… said Ginny.
Yeah, a model student, said Tom. But it requires a happy memory.
Surely you can think of one happy memory? said Ginny.
When the dark wizard Raczidian tried to cast it without a pure heart, he was eaten by maggots, said Tom.
We'll take our chances, said Ginny.
Tom concentrated.
No pressure, said Ginny.
The dementors were closing in.
Whenever you're… said Ginny.
"Expecto patronum!" cried Tom, shooting a silver horse onto the street. The horse kicked and neighed, scattering the dementors.
I knew you could do it, said Ginny. What was the memory?
Tom paused. A nutella crepe.
Ginny laughed.
Great, now you fly the broom, said Tom.
Ginny didn't respond.
Ginny? said Tom. Hang in there. "Engorgio."
Tom mounted the broom and shot erratically into the night, knocking off roof shingles.
#
Tom crashed into a balcony and ran down empty hallways to the hospital wing.
"Madam Pomfrey!" he cried, but no one answered.
He lay down on the nearest bed and threw the black diary on the floor. An inky blob rose from the diary and took the shape of Tom.
"Ginny," said Tom, shaking her on the bed.
Ginny didn't reply. Her breathing was shallow.
"Stay here," said Tom. "I'll go get Dumbledore, he'll know what to do."
"I'm here, Tom," said Dumbledore, rising from an armchair in the corner.
"You have to save her," said Tom.
"Slow down," said Dumbledore, studying her. "Tell me what happened."
"It's kind of a long story," said Tom.
"Start at the end," said Dumbledore.
"Voldemort cast the killing curse on me - her - us," said Tom. "But it didn't work properly. He doesn't even have a body!"
"I was afraid something like this would happen," said Dumbledore. "Don't look at me like that. If I were truly clairvoyant, we wouldn't be in this pickle, would we?"
"I guess," said Tom.
"I'm impressed Voldemort was able to manage such a complex curse without a body," said Dumbledore. "You became very powerful indeed, Tom. Is it all you dreamed?"
"I suppose," said Tom.
"I am no less impressed you were able to survive it," said Dumbledore. "Any suggestions?"
"We met a mountain fairy," said Tom. "She cast some spell on us in exchange for slaying a dragon. Syt i dalçin or something."
"Ah, the zana," said Dumbledore. "Wonderful creatures. They tend to favor the pure of heart, you know. You say you went dragon slaying?"
"It turned out the dragon was rampaging because it was possessed," said Tom. "Not sure it was such a just quest after all."
"The zana's spell delayed the effects," said Dumbledore. "But even their magic cannot prevent the killing curse. There is nothing I can do."
"What?" said Tom. "You're the greatest wizard in the world! What good is all that power if you can't save a single little girl?"
Dumbledore's sad blue eyes met his. "There isn't a single day I don't ask myself that very question, Tom."
"I refuse to believe it," said Tom. "Voldemort may be broken, but at least he conquered death. Where is your power of love now, Dumbledore?"
"Conquering death was always your obsession, Tom, never mine," said Dumbledore. "There is no doubt in my mind that love will save this girl."
"What?" said Tom. "But you just said you couldn't… Ah. I see."
Tom laughed without mirth.
"You're too late, Dumbledore," said Tom. "I'm a monster. It took murder to enchant this diary. How could it ever be a fresh start? It was too late when you found me in the orphanage. You should have left me there."
"Perhaps I hoped for a night like this," said Dumbledore.
"Well, then," said Tom, taking the basilisk fang from the backpack. "Goodbye, Professor. I wish things could have turned out differently."
"So do I, Tom," said Dumbledore.
Tom plunged the fang into the diary and collapsed into a pool of ink.
Ginny opened her eyes.