Chapter Twenty-Eight: Haste


The sun hadn't even begun to set when Ginny was shaken awake. She had slept only by the good grace of her ability to push things out of her mind, making her sleep much deeper than she had hoped it would be. Hermione stood over her, fully clothed and wearing a cloak to boot. Sighing, Ginny sat up, wiping her eyes and yawning. Hermione went to the wardrobe, tossing Ginny some jeans a thick sweater, along with a traveling cloak that the twins had bought for Ginny on her sixteenth birthday. Hermione left the room without a word, leaving Ginny to get ready in solitude.

Ginny dressed slowly, the dark room filling her with unease. When they met up with Snape, what would happen? Would he even still be there? What had Draco meant when he said that he had a feeling? Her heart beat faster as she clasped her cloak around her shoulders and got her wand from the dresser. She looked at her broom for a moment, but decided against grabbing it. She wouldn't be able to Apparate alone, but she supposed that was how they would get there. Grabbing a hair tie from her dresser, she swept her red hair up and twisted it hastily into a bun and tied it.

She heard voices down the hall as she stepped out of the room. She could hear Bill talking to their mother. She sounded slightly worried, but Ginny knew that she would allow them to go. Though she knew that it wouldn't result in anything horrible Ginny kept herself from going to join in the discussion. She supposed it would be best to just leave them alone.

Walking down the stairs, she spotted Ron and Hermione leaning against the wall in the livingroom talking. Ron was ready also, but looked slightly green in the face. Hermione was holding his hand and whispering to him. Ginny couldn't help rolling her eyes in a sort of amusement. Continuing into the livingroom, Ginny came to a stop in front of them. Ron sighed and looked at her encouragingly, though the way he did so wasn't very comforting.

"Is he still upstairs?" Hermione asked Ginny.

"Yeah," Ginny bit her lip. "How long have they been talking?"

Hermione shrugged, "They've been in there ever since we woke up."

"How long has that been?"

"About half an hour," Ron said. "We wanted to let you sleep a bit longer."

Hermione nodded, "You looked so peaceful."

"It's all right," she reassured them. "Thanks."

Ron and Hermione nodded as they heard a door open upstairs. Bill and Mrs. Weasley came down the stairs as Fleur came out of the kitchen in her sleeping clothes, carrying a cup of coffee. She gave it to Ginny and went to meet Bill at the bottom of the steps. Ginny sipped on her coffee as her mother came into the livingroom. Hermione and Ron shared a look of apprehension shortly, then returned to look expectantly at Mrs. Weasley, along with Ginny.

"She's fine," Bill said. "We'll be heading out as soon as you're ready, Ginny."

Ginny handed her cup of coffee to Hermione and went to her mother. "Are you sure you'll be okay with this? I don't want to make you worry."

Mrs. Weasley smiled at her daughter. "I know you'll be in good hands." She looked at Bill, "Please, be careful, dear."

Bill smiled at her, then stooped down to give her a hug. Hermione and Ron followed suit, hugging Mrs. Weasley fervently also. Ron had a hard time getting out of the hug, but was finally let go in favor a hug from Ginny, who embraced her mother just as fiercely as her mother did her. Looking up at her, Ginny smiled and let go. Mrs. Weasley looked as if she were about to cry as she stood next to Fleur, all of them simply staring at one another in silence.

Awkwardly, Bill kissed Fleur, then turned to Hermione and Ron. "Look, I know you two can't be looking forward to meeting Snape, but I ask you to hold you tongue. I don't want any harsh words spoken if we can help it. We're doing this for Ginny, as well as to save lives. There'll be time for questions later."

Hermione looked at him with a slight rebellion, but simmered down as Ron took her hand once more, giving it a slight squeeze. Ginny looked at them both shortly, then turned to Bill.

"Are we Apparating, then?"

Bill nodded, "You can do a Side-Along with me, as I'm the most experienced. We'll leave now, if you'd like."

Ginny nodded, "Yes, I think it's time. There's no point in waiting."

They all turned and said one last goodbye to Fleur and Mrs. Weasley. Ginny was the first to head outside, followed by Bill and Ron, then finally Hermione. They stood and waited for instructions from Ginny.

She stood for a moment in silence, trying to decide on what she was supposed to be telling them. She knew that they would head to Malfoy Mansion, though she wasn't sure if any of them knew where it was. Turning to Bill, Ginny posed this question.

"How will we know where to go?" Ginny asked him.

"I've been there before with Dad," Bill said. "He was doing a raid a few years back. I can find it fine. I briefed them on the location last night, though. I think we're all sorted out in that aspect."

Hermione nodded, "Yes, we can get there."

Ginny sighed, putting her hands on Bill's arm. Hermione was the first to go, then Ron disappeared after her. Ginny breathed in deeply as she felt herself being pulled after Bill.


The morning seemed even darker as Ginny stumbled to the ground. She had let go of Bill's arm as soon as she felt her feet hit the ground, but didn't give herself enough time to steady her legs. Inevitably, they fell out from under her, causing her to hit the ground. Ron stooped down and pulled her up, Hermione coming over to help her brush dirt from her cloak. After Ginny sorted herself out, she saw that Ron and Bill were already heading up a path leading through the woods they were in.

"Are we in the right place?" Ginny asked uncertainly.

Hermione sighed, "I think so . . ."

They quickly went to follow Ron and Bill, who were both walking as if they had been here a million times. Ginny supposed that Ron was just confident in Bill's directions, but she was doubting it herself. Hermione followed Ron closely, leaving Ginny at the end of the pack. Bill pushed aside some low branches and stopped, waiting for them all to gather around him at the opening.

"The house is just through these trees. I want you all to stay close, as there are traps set up. Make sure you follow my path exactly, as you might end up stepping into something you'll regret."

Ginny fought the urge to laugh at the last comment, and instead nodded along with everyone else. Ron kept up with Bill easily, but Hermione and Ginny had a little more trouble. They walked around suspicious saplings, as well as darker patches of grass. Bill shushed Hermione as she gasped as a mouse ran past them, walking over a dark patch of grass and being impaled by a stake which rose from the ground. Ginny cringed at the sight, but kept her cool. Hermione sped up and kept even closer to Ron after this.

Lights appeared through the trees as Bill came to the end of the path. They all stood waiting for him to tell them what to do next. Ginny looked through the trees. Standing in a large garden was Snape, who was looking around anxiously. Ginny had never seen him look so frazzled. Bill pulled her back from the trees suddenly.

"Wait," Bill said. Ginny stared at him. "I'm going to go out there first. You three wait for my signal."

Not even waiting for Ginny's protest, Bill parted the trees and slid out, leaving them there alone. Hermione stared after him, then at Ginny. Ron sighed loudly, pulling Hermione close to him. Ginny peeked through the trees once more.

Bill had now walked up to Snape, who was looking at him with both shock and relief. Bill began talking to him quickly, Snape casting glances behind Bill and to where Ginny was. Though she knew he couldn't see her, she couldn't help but want to hide as his eyes tried to see into the trees. She heard Ron say something quietly to Hermione, but ignored it. It wasn't her place to worry about them. She only cared about what was being said between Bill and Snape.

Just as she readied herself to turn back to Ron and Hermione and wait, Bill yelled.

"Come on out, there's no one else out here!"

Ginny jumped slightly, but pushed through the trees nonetheless. Walking quickly to Bill, she noticed Snape eyeing her with annoyance. She was completely shocked. Despite the situation and the confusion she was sure he felt, he still had the time to attempt and make her feel lowly in his presence. Ginny glared at him, but not enough for him to take offence. Snape stood a little taller as Ron and Hermione also emerged, hanging back a bit from the three of them. Folding his arms and staring at her with his nose slightly raised, Snape gave off a menacing demeanor. Ginny couldn't help but notice that his ability to intimidate her was waning slightly. Upon noticing this, she found herself addressing him without caution.

"Draco's told me that he might have been found," Ginny said. She relished shortly in the shocked look on Snape's face at her words. "He said that you knew more about it."

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, waiting a bit before replying. "Yes, I do know more about it. What I'm not very knowledgeable about is as to why you are so worried about Mr. Malfoy."

Ginny scoffed, "Don't act like you don't know. I'm quite sure that he's told you."

Snape narrowed his eyes at her. "That doesn't mean that I'll tell you what you want to know. I feel that is something that grownups should deal with. You're just a child, Weasley."

Bill bristled at those words. "Now, wait one minute, Severus . . . that's no way to talk to my sister. Draco wanted her to be involved in this. He wouldn't have told her to come all the way out here if he didn't."

"That doesn't change the fact that it's entirely foolish to think that she'll have any effect on the situation," Snape said snidely. He turned to Ginny, his voice filled with less venom, "I can see where you might be concerned, but that doesn't mean that you can even attempt to understand this situation. What you know about all of this isn't even half of the whole fiasco. It is far too much to try and explain at this point."

Ginny looked at him sincerely, "I don't need to know anything other than the fact that he needs my help."

Snape eyed her with mild curiosity. Ginny could tell that his calm facade was fading fast. This situation was out of their control, and that was probably why he was so reluctant to include her or any of the others for that matter. Ginny looked back at Ron and Hermione, who were edging a bit closer, as if to provide support for her. Bill put a hand on her shoulder and looked at Snape.

"Look, it might be very hard for you to believe, but we are all very capable of helping you. You are in a terrible place, we all know that, and we aren't here to judge you. Just let us help you, and please just help us."

"I . . ." Snape began.

Ginny could tell he was at a loss for words. "We don't want to condemn you now, Professor. We just want to help Draco."

"You don't understand!" Snape said furiously. "I can't just tell you everything. It's all too much. There's so much that needs to be done! I want to help them just as much as you do, but I don't think that you can even do anything about it. This involves too much for you to get past. Too many obstacles are in the way. I don't even know where I would begin to prepare you for what we'd be doing."

Bill sighed, "You can't do it alone."

"I know that," Snape said impatiently. "You do realize who we're facing, don't you? We aren't just going to fight off one big person and get them back. We'll be going right into the heart of the battle. I can't go there myself, which makes it even more foolish to even think that you four could get in and out without any bloodshed."

"There's always risk involved. We know that. I wish you would stop treating everyone like they're half-witted and low compared to you! You have no right to treat us as inferiors, no matter who you think you are!"

Ginny's mouth gaped as she spun around to stare at Hermione. In the back of her head, she was cheering, but on the outside she couldn't even speak. Bill's hand had flown from Ginny's shoulder to his side as he too gaped at a fuming Hermione. Ron was staring at her with a sort of lovesick awe. Snape looked as if he had been punched in the gut.

After a few awkward minutes of silence, Snape finally regained his composure and strode up to look Hermione in the eye. Ginny covered her mouth with her hand in horror as Ron stepped back a little. Bill readied himself to go after Snape, but waited.

"You'll wait here," he said simply, then turned to Ginny. "You'll be waiting also, Miss Weasley."

Bill looked at him, "What?"

Snape sighed and looked at Bill with a sort of vehemence, "I'm caving in, don't question it. You and your brother have some things to discuss with me. The girls can wait here. I've had enough of them for now."

Ginny scowled at him as she walked over to Hermione, who was still standing motionlessly, as if she had just been slapped in the face. As the three men walked up a little closer to the house to talk, Hermione and Ginny watched them proceed.

"How can one man be so damn callous?"

Hermione didn't answer, but instead stared wide-eyedalong with Ginny.