Part One – Ron's Gauntlet

Thank you for your patience while I live a very busy life. If you'd like to leave a thought or two, I'd really appreciate it!

I'm still sadly beta-less, so obviously all mistakes are mine. If anyone has any suggestions on where to find someone who would not only be a good proofreader but a fun and thoughtful sounding board, I'd love to hear it.

Disclaimer: I own (in no particular order): a car, a laptop, a corgi, thirty-three bottles of perfume, a guitar, a place in the hearts of many, but not these characters.

Chapter Twelve – Send Lawyers, Wands, and Money

"Help!" Hagrid yells as he bursts through the main doors of the castle, freshly fallen snow tracking in with him. "Headmaster, I have a hurt student!" Spotting no one, he shifts the slight figure in his arms, and heads for the Great Hall where he realizes they will all be now for the Christmas feast. Bursting through the doors, he yells again. "Professor Dumbledore! This girl is hurt badly!"

That is all he has to say as he enters the room to stun all the occupants with the exception of Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Pomfrey. McGonagall stumbles a little as she recognizes the long red hair that looks somehow different falling over Hagrid's large arm, but she takes a deep breath and follows Dumbledore. Madame Pomfrey is close behind her as Dumbledore has Hagrid lay Ginevra on a hastily conjured table.

As she gets closer, McGonagall can see blood on the girl's face along with bits of mud and leaves. Snowflakes still adorn her hair, so at least Hagrid had the good sense to bring her to them immediately. "How is she muddy?" McGonagall murmurs to Dumbledore. "The ground is covered in snow. Even being out there for hours, she wouldn't have been able to melt through to the ground!"

"I don't know," Dumbledore frowns, glancing towards the tables where the students have been forced to remain. "Even without seeing her, it would appear that her friends know that it is she. I wonder why she was out alone."

"There are magical injuries," Madame Pomfrey interrupts. "She was stunned, and if you can believe it, someone attempted Legilemency on her! Well, that is certainly odd, no? Any Legilemens worth his salt knows that you cannot perform it on someone who is unconscious! Oh, but she's also hypothermic, so I'd think she'd been out there awhile, and you can see the cuts on her face ore superficial. And her hair has been cut some, which…well, I don't want to think much on that now. Let's get her to the – "

"Wait!" Sirius screams as they start to levitate her. "Is – oh, hell, Gin." He races over to them, ignoring the threat of detention he receives from Flitwick as he abandons his seat. "Oh, Godric, what happened to her?"

McGonagall steps in front of him as the other two continue on their way to the Hospital Wing. "Mr. Black, we do not know yet," she says, trying to calm him down. "I know you are worried about Ginevra, but now is not the time to act like a hothead, is that clear?"

Hagrid steps in, an angry scowl marring his usually genial features. "Someone attacked her, they did. I know tha' much. Left her lyin' on the ground, even mel'ed the snow 'round 'er. Poor gel, lyin' in the mud like that, tied up with Muggle rope in the Forbidden Forest with some of her hair cut off!"

Sirius pales, staggering back a step. "Wh – what else did they do to her? Who did this? I – I'll kill them, the bloody cowards!"

"Mr. Black, that attitude is not going to do any good for anyone," McGonagall tells him tightly, even though she feels much the same way, "And if you and your friends do not remain completely calm and do as told unconditionally, you will not be permitted in the Hospital Wing to visit, and that is not negotiable. Now, Hagrid, if you would kindly join us, I think the Headmaster would appreciate you being around when he is done tending to Ginevra."

They head for the doors, and as soon as they leave, James, Lily, and Remus are hot on their heels, following. They catch up with Sirius, giving him their support as they flank him. When they look at him questioningly, he just shakes his head. McGonagall and Hagrid continue discussing where Ginny was found. James looks over at Sirius. "What did they say happened? What's wrong with her?"

Sirius looks over at his friend, his face grim. "She was attacked and left out there. Whoever did it melted the snow around her so she was left lying in the mud. When I find out who did this, they'll never know what hit them. I'll attack the bloody bastard from behind, just like he did to her!"

Lily moans a little, and James pulls her tightly against his side. "She'll be fine," he whispers, clapping a hand on Sirius's back as he does so. "She's a tough girl, our Gin."

"Who would do this?" Remus wonders aloud. "There is no one here right now that seems capable of something like this, not even the Slytherins that stayed behind. It makes no sense."

"Maybe this is why she lied about her last name," James mutters tersely, not caring at the moment that he's heaping tons of extra guilt onto Sirius's back. "Maybe someone has been after her or her family, so she had to assume a new identity, a new name."

Sirius just shakes his head, pushing away from them as he hurries to catch up with McGonagall and Hagrid. "Professor, is she going to be okay?"

McGonagall slows a little, peering at him over her glasses. "Did Ginevra find you, Mr. Black? After I denied her request to leave the castle for the remainder of the holiday, she resolved to find you and…correct her earlier mistake. Did you chase her off again?"

"No," he groans, not even caring that McGonagall apparently knows at least some of what transpired between him and Ginny. "I haven't seen her since this morning. After breakfast, I went to the owlery with Remus, and we met up with Lily and James in the common room just before coming back down here for the feast."

"Well, she was looking for you," McGonagall says stiffly, her affection for the girl overruling any trace of neutrality. "She was quite upset, but also determined to find you and tell you the truth."

Sirius nods tightly, not sure what to say about that. Hell, what is anyone supposed to say to that? Not only was it fact that she wouldn't have been out there alone if he hadn't acted like such an arse that morning, but now he had to find out that she was actually out there looking for him? Great, just kick him again while he was down.

McGonagall looks over at him and sighs. "If you did not know, it isn't your fault, Mr. Black. And I apologize. I enjoy Ginevra quite a lot, and this is very distressing for me."

"If I hadn't been so angry with her," Sirius whispers, "She'd have been with us, and this wouldn't have happened." The self-condemnation in his voice and countenance is almost too much for McGonagall to take. "I chased her off. I – this is my fault. It's all my fault."

"Oh, do not hold Ginevra blameless," McGonagall tells him as they approach the Hospital Wing, "She made her own bed with her lies, risking all of her relationships, and she knew that. And she also knew better than being out alone, especially in the forest. I cannot imagine what she was thinking."

"If she doesn't – "

McGonagall lays a hand on his shoulder, interrupting him. "Mr. Black, I am sorry if it wasn't clear, but Madame Pomfrey will be able to fix all that ails Ginevra. She will be just fine very soon, I would imagine."

He exhales a breath he hadn't know he was holding, nodding slowly. "I need to see her. I have to make sure that she's okay, have to see it with my own eyes. That's okay, I can do that, right?"

Before McGonagall can answer him, a bemused Dumbledore cuts in, "If you give Madame Pomfrey a few more minutes, I think that will be just fine, Mr. Black," he tells Sirius, his eyes twinkling madly. "I cannot promise that Miss Watson will be aware of her surroundings, though; I am quite sure I recognized a Dreamless Sleep draught being administered, and you know how those things are."

"That's okay," Sirius says immediately. "I won't bother her a bit, I swear. I just want to sit with her."

"I am sure that can be arranged," Dumbledore smiles. "I would not like to think of Miss Watson alone in the Hospital Wing on Christmas. It is good to have our loved ones near to us at times like this."

Sirius nods, anxiously trying to look around the headmaster for a glimpse of Ginny. James answers Dumbledore. "We'll make sure she has a great Christmas, Sir."

Dumbledore smiles at him. "Splendid. Ah, Mr. Lupin, if you happen to find yourself in need of company over the next few nights, let me know. It is possible that I may be of some help."

Remus, Sirius, and James all exchange astonished smiles while Lily looks on in confusion and McGonagall in exasperation. Shaking her head, the latter steps around Dumbledore. "I think I'll go see if Poppy is in need of any assistance," she says. "You will all stay right here until you are invited in, is that understood?"

"Yes, Professor," they all course, much to Dumbledore's amusement.

"Very good, then," Dumbledore nods, his gaze shifting to Hagrid. "Now, Hagrid, if you could be so kind as to show me where you found Miss Watson, I should like to take a look around there, see if we cannot find anything of note. Happy Christmas to all of you. Hopefully the rest of the holiday will prove much more enjoyable than this day has."

Lily and the Marauders watch them leave. As soon as they're out of earshot, Remus turns to James and Sirius. "Did it sound like he knows about…?

James nods. "I'd say so. That's a little disconcerting, to say the least."

Lily snorts, not even bothering to ask. "You know, it is pretty ironic that you lot condemned Ginny for keeping secrets when you do the same."

"A little different circumstances, though," Sirius argues, not bothering to admit that Ginny already knows their secrets. "Or shite, I guess it doesn't matter anymore." He looks at his friends, guilt swimming in his eyes. "She was looking for me. That's why she was out there, vulnerable to attack."

McGonagall comes out before any of them can respond to that. "Does she frequently walk around without her wand?" All four stare at her blankly, until she huffs, forced to repeat herself. "I asked you, does Ginevra frequently wander around alone without her wand?"

Sirius shakes her head. "No, of course not. She always carries it with her. She has a band on her arm that she tucks it into when she doesn't need it."

"Well, it isn't with her now," McGonagall sighs wearily. "Miss Evans, if you would be so kind, please run and check through Ginevra's things. You don't need to dig through her trunk; if you can't find it in a basic place, I'll have the house elves search the room. Now, where have the Headmaster and Hagrid gone off to?"

"Hagrid is showing him where he found Ginny," James supplies as Lily, with Remus offering to keep her company, takes off for the Tower.

"Maybe her wand is there," Sirius notes hopefully. "She is going to be crushed if it is gone."

McGonagall nods vaguely. "Mr. Black, you may go in now. I'm sorry, Mr. Potter. Poppy is restricting visitors to just one for now. And Mr. Black, when you are told to leave, do not argue. Ginevra needs her rest."

Sirius nods, but glances at James who gives him a significant look. Sirius nods at his friend's unspoken offer, grinning. "I can see her now?"

"Yes, you may," McGonagall agrees, eyeing them suspiciously, "And Mr. Potter, you may meet your other friends and tell them to come to my office with their findings on the wand. Then you'll all rejoin the feast and assure the rest of the students that things are just fine now, and there is nothing to worry about."

"Okay," James sighs as Sirius pulls a face behind McGonagall's back. There's no way out of that, so James knows it would be futile to argue.

As the professor leaves, James pulls Sirius to the side. "I'll bring the invisibility cloak down soon, okay? I'll probably sneak in wearing it. Hey mate," he sighs at Sirius's forlorn look, "She'll be okay. Both McGonagall and Dumbledore said so."

Sirius nods. "Yeah, I know. It's just, I treated her so badly. I made her walk down the stairs from the boys' dorms in that little nightie that barely covered her arse, and the worst part? The worst part is that that wasn't even the worst part. That would be the part where I was a huge berk, accusing her of being a Death Eater." He looks at his friend, reaching into his cloak. To James's shock, he pulls out the Marauder's Map. "I already knew that Watson wasn't her last name. That's why I've been hiding this."

"Bloody hell, mate," James sighs. "You've had it all this time. Gosh, I guess I owe Wormtail an apology, eh? That's unfortunate."

"I am sorry," Sirius sighs. "I just wanted to protect her, and I knew that if Moony saw this, he'd never be able to let it go. That just makes me seem even stupider now, right? I trusted her even though I knew she was lying until she admitted she was lying, but couldn't tell me the truth. Then I have to go and act like she's casting Unforgivables on people."

James glances up from the map. "Weasley? That name sounds so familiar; I'll owl my da about that, if you want."

Sirius declines. "No, let me ask her first. Maybe she's ready to tell me. And if she's not…I don't want to push it this time." He shrugs. "If what McGonagall says is true, and I don't know why it wouldn't be, then Ginny is ready to tell me."

"I wonder how much McGonagall knows," James muses, then shrugs it off. "Okay, I'm off." He grins as he backs away. "I hope she won't refuse to see you!"

James expects his friend to laugh, but Sirius just nods. "Me, too."

Pausing, James moves over to Sirius, pulling his best friend into a tight hug. "She'll be okay, Siri. You're both going to be okay, you hear me?"

Sirius clutches him, nodding his head even as he releases his pent-up emotions in a steady trickle of tears. "I don't know what I'd do…she told me she loves me, and I threw it in her face. She should hate me now, Prongs! I don't know what I'll do if that's the case. I – I couldn't stand to lose her, you know."

"She's fine," James tells him again, pulling away only to grasp him by the shoulders, "And you might be a huge berk, but you are her huge berk, and she'll forgive you for that. Just, I don't know, apologize. Tell her you're sorry, that you love her, and she'll be happy and it'll all be okay again."

Sirius nods, gruffly thanking his friend. "Thanks for everything. I – well, I'm a huge mess right now, and if you hadn't stayed, it wouldn't have been pretty."

James grins knowingly. "You'd have probably hexed McGonagall," he chortles dryly, "And she'd have transfigured you into a chair with your face for the seat cushion."

Laughing good-naturedly, Sirius shoves his friend away. "Get out of here. If you don't head off Moony and Lily, McGonagall might transfigure you into something."

"McGonagall sure likes Ginny, huh?" James notes. "I've never seen her that…frazzled, I guess, before. She was almost acting motherly."

"We all like Gin," Sirius points out, not really able to worry about anything but Gin and hunting down whoever did this to her. Nothing else was really registering with him at present.

"Well, apparently someone doesn't like her much," James points out darkly before shaking himself out of that, "But we can worry about that later. Go give your girl a kiss. From me. Because she looked way hot coming down the stairs this morning. Except for the tears, those didn't do a whole lot for me." He laughs with mirth as Sirius growls at him. "Oi, kidding! You don't have to worry about me, I have my own gorgeous redhead, thanks. But Moony…I don't know, you might want to watch that one!"

When Sirius lunges at him, James takes off running. Watching him go, Sirius can't help but shake his head. "Berk," he grins to himself as he pushes through the doors protecting the Hospital Wing from the rest of the school. Madame Pomfrey smiles at him as he passes, and she indicates Ginny's bed with a quick wave of the hand. "She's been completely healed," the matron tells him, "But she does need her rest. If she wakes up, which she most likely will not, encourage her to sleep again."

Sirius nods, willing to do anything and promise everything just to see her. "Bloody hell," he whispers as he steps around the privacy curtain. "Ah, Gin."

She's been cleaned up, and the cuts and bruises that had been on her face are now healed. But she was still eerily pale and still on the bed. He reaches out his hand, faintly brushing his fingers over the back of her hand. What he really wants to do is climb in bed with her, but he knows he'll have to at least wait until Pomfrey has turned in for the night and he has the Invisibility Cloak for cover.

For now, he satisfies himself with picking up her hand and lacing their fingers together.

"You look awful," he tells her, a small smile playing over his lips, the fingers on his free hand lightly tracing over the deep purple smudges under her eyes. "Still the most gorgeous creature I've ever seen, though. But you do look like you've been through absolute hell lately."

He takes a deep breath, settling into the chair placed beside the bed. "This is my fault, I know. You – I shouldn't have treated as I did, and believe me, I know what an idiot I was for doing so. And Merlin, Gin, I am so sorry. Does it help that I don't know what got into me, especially when you came down to the common room? I – I didn't mean any of it, not really. Don't get me wrong, I want to know everything about you including, and maybe especially, this stuff. But Gin, not knowing doesn't change anything. It doesn't take away the fact that I love you."

Sirius stares at her expectantly, willing her to open her pretty eyes any second now. When she doesn't, he releases an audible sigh, leaning forward to rest his head on their joined hands. "Please wake up," he whispers, unable to fully convince himself that she is fine when she won't wake up and tell him that herself. "Ah, love, you need to put me out of my misery here. I can't stand seeing you in bed like this, especially since it isn't mine.

"Just open your eyes," he pleads, resting his elbow on the bed and propping his head up in his hand. "They keep telling me that you're okay, but I need to see it and hear it for myself, from you. So open those pretty eyes and glare at me or open that bloody sexy mouth of yours and yell. Anything, Gin. Do anything."

But she doesn't, the Dreamless Sleep draught powerful enough to keep her slight body sound asleep for the night. Even though she sleeps on in oblivion, Sirius doesn't leave her side. After James brings the Invisibility Cloak to him, he huddles under it and lies next to her on the bed, watching her sleep.

After awhile, he takes the cloak off and climbs out of bed, sitting back in the chair there for him. This proves a mistake, though, when Madame Pomfrey comes to check on her patient and kicks him out.

"Really, Mr. Black, you cannot be here this early. Breakfast won't even be served for – oh, my, two hours! Go back to your rooms!" she orders him.

"Fine," he mumbles, glaring daggers at the woman's back as she puts together a tray of potions. "I just wanted to be with her when she wakes up."

Madame Pomfrey gives him a smile at that. "She will be fine. Now, you look as though you have not slept for a week. Go take a nap before breakfast, and do not come back until the last plate is cleared from the tables. Healer's orders."

He smiles back at that. He is tired, having roughly four hours at the most over the past two nights. So he complies, albeit reluctantly. By the time he gets back to the Tower, he has formulated the plan of hanging around the dorm room for a bit, and then waking up Remus and James to drag them to breakfast. However, the lack of sleep catches up to him, and as soon as he lies down, he's fast asleep.

Utterly bored, James Potter was about ten seconds away from asking Madame Pomfrey if she had any bedpans that needed cleaning. He was a restless bloke, and never had handled boredom well. If one wanted to examine things, they'd probably come to the conclusion that this had something to do with the staggering amount of time frittered away obtaining and serving detentions.

Leaning back in his chair, he perches his feet on Ginny's bed. As he does so, she moves a little, stretching as she wakes up. Grinning, he leaves his legs propped up, waiting for her to notice where she is. It takes another minute, but then she sits bolt upright, looking around with wide eyes. When she spots James, she settles back with a sigh of relief that makes him think the boredom has been worthwhile.

"Why am I in here?" she asks quietly, groaning as she moves too fast, "And what happened to me?" She blinks, staring at him. "Drew the short stick, then?"

"Nah," he grins. "Madame Pomfrey would only let one of us in here at a time. She says you need your rest, but I really think that the Marauders' reputation precedes us, and she didn't want to deal with it. But anyway, I beat out Lily and Remus for the honors of being first in here this morning."

She smiles tiredly at that. "Why aren't you telling me what happened to me? Is it so bad then? Am I scarred, permanently disfigured? Is my hair purple?"

Laughing, James shakes his head. "None of the above, love. If you were, would I, the shallowest man at Hogwarts, be here? I think not. Anyway, we don't really know what happened to you. Hagrid found you outside, in the Forbidden Forest. You'd been stunned, and someone tied you up with Muggle rope. I rather think that Dumbledore and McGonagall are hoping you can shed some light on things."

She frowns, crinkling up her nose. "I was never in the Forest! I walked along the edge of it, but I'm not so stupid as to go in. And…someone attacked me? From behind? I don't…who would do that?"

"I don't think they know," James admits, sighing. His brow furrows as she starts picking nervously at the blanket that covers her legs. "Hey, Gin, they're going to find him, you know that."

"Yeah," she nods, forcing a smile on her face. "So I was only stunned? Why do I feel like I fell off a broom from a great height?"

James grimaces. "Because you were hypothermic when Hagrid found you last night. No one knows how long you were out there. You should ask Pomfrey or McGonagall some of these things; they'd probably have better information for you."

She nods, settling back against the pillows behind her. "Well, what a Christmas, hmm? Spent unconscious and alone in the hospital wing. And that was the good part."

"Bloody hell, you weren't alone! He stayed here, all night!" James corrects her harsher than he intended to. "He'd be here right now, but apparently Madame Pomfrey kicked him out and he crashed when he got to the tower. Two virtually sleepless nights in a row will do that to you."

"He was here?"

"All night."

Ginny nods, mulling that over before bluntly asking, "Why?"

James rolls his eyes. "You know he didn't mean anything that he said yesterday, right? He reacted badly, and he knows it." He pulls his feet off the bed, leaning forward. "He was a wreck last night, when we were waiting for news. I – well, I've never seen him like that, not even when his mum sent a Howler to him here basically renouncing him."

"And he was here?" James nods. "I hurt him," she whispers, "And he was so, so mad at me, James. I didn't mean to do that to him; I didn't want to hurt him. And he'll never trust me again now."

Smiling, James leans forward. "I'm going to tell you something that you'll end up hearing from him, too, okay?" Intrigued, she nods. "He already knew you were lying about your name, Gin. See, we have this map – "

It dawns on her immediately what he is talking about. "Oh, Merlin! Of course, how could I have been so stupid? The map, I cannot believe I forgot about that map!"

James stares at her. "Yeah, the map. Erm, how do you know about the map, Gin?"

"Long story. Let me tell Sirius first, please? I owe him that much."

"Okay," James agrees hesitantly. "I guess that'll be fair enough then. Erm, anyway, he already knew from the map, and didn't push it from there. You know why? Because he trusted you. It was just when he asked you point-blank and you wouldn't tell him that he couldn't handle. As you know, that sent him into full berk mode."

She shrugs, again picking at the blanket. "I had it coming, though. No denying that. I'll be lucky if he ever talks to me again."

James grins. "You'll be begging him to shut up sooner than later, Gin. Look, I told you about him know so that you would know he does trust you. That was just one bad reaction. Don't let that make you doubt everything you have with him."

"When did you get so bloody smart?"

"I think Lils is rubbing off on me," he grins, puffing up at the compliment or idea of Lily rubbing on him, Ginny doesn't know which. "Look, just let him apologize. That's what he wants to do, regardless of whether you think you deserve it or not. And then you can tell him whatever it is you want. And you two can go back to being sickeningly happy and disgustingly in love."

She smiles at that. "You and Lils are no better, you know. Very, very mushy, Potter. Rather nauseating most of the time, as a matter of fact."

"Ah, Ginevra," McGonagall interrupts before James can retort, "You are awake and looking far better than when I last saw you, I might add." She smiles at Ginny as she turns to James. "Very well, Mr. Potter, I shall take over from here. Perhaps you would like to inform your friends that Miss Watson will be released shortly and will see you in the common room."

James grins, jumping to his feet. "I better go let them know, and wake up Sirius. He'll be right hacked off if I don't tell him first!"

McGonagall gives him a genial smile. "Thank you, Mr. Potter. Do try and hold off the stampede back down here, will you? Once Madame Pomfrey releases her, I will see Miss Watson back to the Tower. Is that understood?"

Shrugging, James grins wryly. "Understood by me, but I make no promises on anyone else's behalf. I doubt a herd of hippogriffs would keep Sirius away when he knows Ginny is awake." He winks at Ginny. "Actually, if I wake him with the news, he might run down in whatever he has on. And after living with him for so long, I can tell you that sometimes? That isn't much."

"Mr. Potter!" McGonagall exclaims, her lips pursing in irritation as James and Ginny both struggle to keep straight faces. "Do not make me regret giving you and Miss Evans permission to miss patrols on the very same day next week. That is what is on the line for you here, if any of your friends make their way here."

"Of course they won't," James says so quickly that Ginny can't help but let a giggle escape.

After he escapes, McGonagall lets her lips quirk into a smile. "Well, I daresay I do not want to know what he is up to. Perhaps Miss Evans will be able to keep him in line."

Ginny thinks better of offering her opinion on that, turning to other matters. "Professor, I don't understand what happened. James said I was found stunned and bound out in the forest? I did not go into the forest during my walk! That place scares me when I'm walking near it with friends; going into it alone does not appeal at all."

McGonagall nods, taking the seat formerly occupied by James. "I am glad to hear you were not that foolish. I will also refrain from scolding you for walking alone, as that lesson has surely already been learned, I would hope. Now, Hagrid found you while taking feed to some of the creatures living in the forest. He brought you back to the castle immediately.

"You were bruised, muddy, hypothermic, and bloody, and you had rope burns on your wrists from where you were bound. All in all, considering you had been effectively left for dead, you were in good shape," McGonagall relates, her voice wobbling with emotion. "Luckily, all of your injuries were relatively easy to heal, and Madame Pomfrey had you fixed up and sound asleep in no time. There is the matter of your hair, but I know several charms that will even it up, even give it something of a style."

"Who would do this?" Ginny whispers, shuddering as she runs her fingers through her hair. "It doesn't make any sense at all. A – and that's all they did, right? St- stunned me and t-tied me up? Cut my hair?"

"There were no other injuries. Poppy checked, and I was there with her when she did, my dear. Whoever did this…they magically melted the snow, and left you lying in a circle of mud." She pauses, folding her hands together as she regards Ginny seriously. "Did you have your wand with you?"

Ginny blinks, nonplussed by the question. "Yes, of course. It is very rare that I don't take it with me even to the common room." McGonagall nods grimly, looking as though she expected that answer. "Why do you ask?" Ginny asks tightly, a feeling of foreboding settling over her.

McGonagall sighs, looking at Ginny sympathetically. "Your wand is missing. At this point, it seems likely that whoever attacked you took the wand with them. Unfortunately, as we do not know who did this, there is no way to know for sure that we'll be able to retrieve your wand. We'll discuss options for replacing it tomorrow, if you can wait that long."

Shell-shocked, Ginny can only nod. Her wand? Her bloody wand is gone? She wanted to cry, scream, or rail against the injustice of it all, but instead, she can only manage a tiny, little laugh. "I – I can't believe I have to go wandless. I – I really cannot believe my wand is gone."

"I am sorry," McGonagall sighs, reaching out to clasp Ginny's hand in hers.

"I just – I know it is just a wand," Ginny sniffles, "And I'm lucky, really lucky that this is the worst of things, but…my wand! I love my wand."

McGonagall stands up, wrapping her arms around Ginny as she moves to sit next to her on the bed. "I know, darling girl, I know. I lost my first wand while on vacation with my husband, not long after we married. I cried all the way home, just horrified that it was some child's plaything." She sighs, resting her cheek on Ginny's head. "There is another wand out there for you, and we will find it. I promise."

Ginny nods, burying her face in her professor's shoulder. "I know. I just wish that I hadn't been so stupid as to go out there alone. I – I got tired of waiting alone in the common room, so I decided to walk. Eventually, I got bored walking the castle, so I went outside. That was probably around lunch time. I – I was out there awhile walking. It was just starting to get dark when I decided to go back. That's the last I remember."

"You should tell Mr. Black that you weren't out there looking for him. I believe he is feeling rather guilty. Of course, I might have insinuated you were looking for him as I believed that to be your plan, but I hadn't imagined he'd take all that guilt upon himself."

Ginny thinks that she would've known that. Actually, she knows that she would've, but that is neither here nor there at the moment, so she just nods. "I'll set his mind at ease," she sighs. "James said he was here all – erm, last night."

"All night?" McGonagall arches an eyebrow, stifling a laugh as she releases her hold on the girl. "I should've known. Well, as long as he behaved himself, I supposed he didn't truly cause any damage."

"Yeah," Ginny agrees softly, for the first time since she woke feeling warmth seep into her along with the wonder of hope. He stayed all night. For her. He stayed for her. James had to be right; that had to mean something.

"Ginevra, we will take care of this wand business. And my dear, I cannot tell you how sorry all of the staff is that something like this happened under our watch," McGonagall frets, her arm still around Ginny though they are now sitting side by side. "Albus is quite distraught, as I'm sure you can imagine. We're all working to find out who did this to you."

Ginny nods, knowing that is the truth. "I don't doubt it, Professor." She shudders again. "It's odd, thinking of myself lying out there alone. I guess I'm lucky Hagrid stumbled upon me, then."

McGonagall smiles at that, her hold tightening reflexively on Ginny. "Indeed, you are a very lucky girl." Glancing around, she casts a quick silencing spell. "I have, I believe, validated my theory based on what you told me about V-Vol – You-know-who's diary." Ginny nods, staring intently at the professor. "Ginevra, have you ever heard of hocruxes?"

Frowning, Ginny racks her brain, the word triggering something deep and nearly lost in her mind. It takes a few moments, but then her eyes widen and she smiles triumphantly. "Hermione! My friend Hermione, one third of the Golden Trio, mentioned them once. It was the summer after Dumbledore died, and she and my brother Ronald were in my room talking. I – I listened at the door, hoping to catch them snogging. She mentioned it then."

"I see," McGonagall nods, regarding Ginny thoughtfully. "And what did this Hermione say about them?"

"Well, not much," Ginny sighs, pushing her hair off her face. "Just that…that they had to destroy them. And Ron said that he wished Dumbledore was still there, so he could do it 'his bloody self'." She shrugs. "I don't know much else about them, unfortunately."

"They were looking for them then," McGonagall nods to herself before moving off the bed and back to the chair. "Do you know what a horcrux is?"

Ginny shakes her head. "Well, no. Ron and Hermione didn't mention it while I was listening. I honestly haven't a clue."

McGonagall nods. "And you shouldn't, really. In fact, no one should, but alas, here we are. Ginevra a horcrux is an object that contains a part of a person's soul. As long as a portion of your soul remains, you can never truly be gone."

"A person would…what exactly are they doing? How do you break off a piece of your soul? Wouldn't you feel it, losing a part of yourself like that?" Ginny frowns. "Is this how Voldemort has managed to stay alive? Is immortality really worth losing a part of your soul?"

"Do you really think You-Know-Who is all that worried about losing a part of his soul?"

Ginny's eyes drift closed as this all begins to sink in. Of course Voldemort wouldn't be worried about his soul. His was probably never really whole anyway. "Call him Tom," Ginny suggests, "His given name is Tom Riddle. I've always thought that calling him that took something away from him."

"Perhaps that would not be out of order," McGonagall agrees. "Referring to him as Tom seems to take away a tiny bit of his power." She laughs, but it is devoid of any semblance of humor. "Unfortunately, his ability – no, his willingness, probably even eagerness, to create these horcruxes – "

"Excuse me," Ginny interrupts. "Horcruxes as in more than one? Plural? You think he has split his sorry excuse for a soul into more than two pieces? That – that has to be impossible!"

McGonagall shakes her head grimly. "I am afraid not, and I fear it might be worse than that. While I do not presume to know much about Tom Riddle or even him as You-Know-Who, it does not seem to me that one would go to the trouble of splitting one's soul to risk it with only one horcrux. Perhaps one wouldn't want to risk just two, either. I do have a few theories on this, but it seems presumptuous to discuss them without doing some research into this Tom Riddle to at least confirm some of what I suspect. The more we know about him, the better off we will be."

"That is a singularly frightening thought," Ginny shudders, before mentally shaking herself out of it. "Professor, when Tom was here as a student, he opened the Chamber of Secrets. That is how he was able to do it again, through me. He was the Heir of Slytherin! After I opened the Chamber, Dumbledore told me that he was here when it was first opened and Slytherin's monster was unleashed. Dumbledore said it was fifty years ago.

"Of course, that's about all he told me," she sighs in frustration. "Him or anyone else. Of course, Harry and Ron and Hermione got to know all about it, but no one else was ever given any information, no matter how involved we were."

McGonagall smiles at her. "You are not expected to know everything, Ginevra. This is a puzzle; the only problem is that we have to first gather the pieces before we can even begin to put it together."

Ginny nods, trying to be patient and not demand instant gratification in all of this. "I just wish I knew more and could be helpful. It's not like I'm giving you a lot to work with here."

"Ginevra, I would certainly not say that," McGonagall contradicts her with a kind smile. "Without your help, would anyone know at this time to look for the horcruxes, however many there are? No, absolutely not. That is your doing. Just think, if you did not tell me about your experiences with the diary and its powers and properties, I never would have remembered hearing about horcruxes, nor would anyone else know to be looking for them."

"How does Tom create them?" Ginny asks, biting her lip nervously. "Knowing him, not to mention the diary, it must be fairly advanced dark magic. Extraordinarily so, I would imagine. Even I know that not just anyone can imprint their soul onto a ratty old diary."

McGonagall gives her a small smile. "I suppose it was unreasonable to hope that you would not ask me that question yet," she sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose between thumb and forefinger. "Very well then. In order to perform the charm that splits part of your soul from your body, you must take an action that starts tearing it apart to begin with." She looks at Ginny seriously. "Know that I am only telling you this because I trust you. It is not information to be done with lightly. To create a horcrux, one must commit murder."

Ginny blinks at her uncomprehendingly. How could something that horrible even be possible? She did know what she had expected to hear, but it certainly was not this. "That means that the diary I was in possession of for over half a year was created as a result of murder? As if that bloody experience wasn't morbid and twisted enough already! I was palling around with a bit of Voldemort's soul which he'd split from his body after killing someone!"

McGonagall shoots her an appraising look. "Was he not possessing you for the sole purpose of taking your physical strength so he could live again? Is this really so much worse?"

"I know something!" Ginny blurts out, her distress temporarily forgotten. "The night that Snape murdered him, Dumbledore took Harry out of the castle. Harry said – oh, not to me, but I caught my twin brothers listening, so I listened with them – that Dumbledore was weak because of the protection surrounding the locket. He told them he didn't think he was going to get them out of that cave!"

McGonagall nods thoughtfully. "You think Albus would take a student, a young boy, out with him on a mission of this importance."

Ginny doesn't have to think about it at all before answering. "Absolutely. Harry is the Chosen One, after all, and there are many rumors out there that Dumbledore knew he wouldn't last through the war and was trying to train Harry accordingly. He definitely would've at least taught Harry about the horcruxes if Harry beating Voldemort hinged on that."

"Yes," the older woman concedes, "As unorthodox as that really is, I suppose it made sense that he would know." She shakes her head. "At this point, I am almost of a mind to talk to Albus about things. I know it is a risk, but if we could prove to him your story is true, it would only be of benefit to have him with us on this."

"I – I don't know if I'm ready for that," Ginny says quietly. "It isn't that – no, it is. I don't quite trust him, Professor. I don't know if I can believe he wouldn't obliviate me or anyone else with this knowledge of the future. I know that you know him far better than I ever will, but a big part of me is afraid he'd rather let things play out without my future knowledge."

McGonagall considers that before reluctantly nodding. "As I cannot guarantee he would not do as you fear, you are right and we cannot go to him with this."

Ginny sighs deeply, looking more tired by the second. "Professor McGonagall? What about my friends? I'm going to need to tell them something. I – I suppose I cannot tell them the whole truth, either. Imagine how Lily and James, in particular, would take it."

McGonagall sighs as the girl's face falls and she seems to collapse in on herself. "How do you think they'd take it?" she asks quietly. "Start with Mr. Black. How would he take learning this?"

"He would listen," Ginny states confidently. "I know that much." She pauses, thinking about how else he would react. "I think he would believe me because, like you said before, the groundwork has been laid for him to understand. He would believe me. I can't say that he'd love it and that it wouldn't change things, but he won't doubt me."

"And how does he act once he knows?" the professor presses. "Will he be out of sorts over it? I'm sorry, I hadn't considered these things before, but now that we know more of what we are dealing with, it really is important we think carefully about who we trust."

Understanding the wisdom behind that, Ginny nods. "I have to trust him, though. Since I love him so much, doesn't that mean I trust him, too?"

McGonagall smiles wryly. "Loving a person does not make them trustworthy, but I certainly understand where you are coming from. I – you think can trust Mr. Black? Then you should tell him. He'll know the best course of action to take with his friends."

Ginny smiles gratefully, relieved beyond measure that McGonagall did not forbid her from telling Sirius the truth. She can tell him the truth and hopefully right things between them. That was probably something of a tall order considering how she'd bollixed things to that point, but James had given her hope that she had a chance, at least.

"Do you think I can go now?" she asks eagerly. "You don't even need to walk with me. I really do feel fine. Madame Pomfrey is as great as ever."

"I'm sure you may, and I'm sure you do," McGonagall smiles, but it is a little pained, "But you may not wander around alone, and before you protest, hear me out." Ginny frowns, but nods reluctantly. "Dumbledore is quite convinced that whoever attacked you is on the grounds still. The wards are set as such that we would know if people were coming and going, and as this attack on you could not have been done by anything non-human dwelling in the forest, we'd know if people were coming and going."

"Wards fail," Ginny says bluntly, "And there are ways around them."

"I understand that, Ginevra, but neither Dumbledore nor I feel this is a case like that. Therefore, we will tread lightly when it comes to your safety, in case whoever did this feels like they can come after you again."

Blinking in surprise, Ginny groans. She doesn't know that she can really believe all this – who would want to kill her, really? Surely this was a fluke, mistaken identity, a bored house elf, something! A year ago she would've done the exact opposite of what she was told, since she doesn't quite buy into the whole personal attack, after her thing, but she'd learned that sometimes it was best to listen to what other people said was right. Apparently she'd managed to mature some if she was going to be able to listen and accept silly precautions like this.

So she nods reluctantly, slightly bolstered when McGonagall smiles widely in approval. "Very good, Miss Watson. Now, if you are ready to go, you may change into the clothes that were brought down. I imagine you are eager to see your friends."

As Professor McGonagall speaks with Madame Pomfrey, Ginny changes and thinks about how very nervous she is about seeing her friends again. But before she can think much on it, McGonagall is, as promised, escorting towards Gryffindor Tower, leaving her at the portrait of the Fat Lady. Ginny sighs the password, so caught up in thoughts of split souls and impossible puzzles that she actually manages to blank on her impending reunion for about thirty whole seconds.

But the second she steps through the portrait hold, she is pulled into a pair of strong arms, and reality sets in. "Lucky that was her," James snorts from his chair across the room. "If it'd have been that skittish fourth year boy that's here for the hols, you'd have some explaining to do, Pads!"

Ginny lets herself be held, her eyes drifting closed at the comfort his arms around her bring. She holds him just as tight in return, breathing in his scent and shaking with relief. "I'm sorry," he whispers as his arms tighten convulsively around her. "I am so sorry for everything."

"Me too," she whispers back, "I want to tell you everything."