Professor Potter Chapter 29 Ginny's Story
Soon after Harry had left her to go meet Hagrid to look for Grawp, Ginny headed back towards Gryffindor Tower to get the invisibility cloak. It had been in her trunk since the beginning of term, Ginny having taken it from Harry even before they had left the Burrow to come back to Hogwarts. It had come in handy, allowing her to move through the halls undetected and met him near the Room of Requirement several times over the last two months. Their trysts were strictly against the rules, as both Harry and Ginny were reminded by McGonagall before term started, by Hermione until she got off her high horse, and by the git of all ghosts Severus Snape whenever he felt bored and wanted to interrupt them.
As she entered the busy common room she ran into Dean and Seamus who were making a Jack O' Lantern at one of the tables. Pieces of pumpkin were everywhere and they looked like they were making a bad job of it, with the pumpkin having two uneven eyes, a crooked mouth and a very big hole where a nose should be.
"I told you we should have used magic!" said Seamus as he threw a knife on the table in frustration.
"We never use magic to make them at home," replied Dean. "Hey, Ginny, do you use magic to make Jack O'Lanterns at the Burrow?"
"Not when we were kids," she answered as she walked by. "We couldn't use magic so we learned like Muggles." She kept walking without stopping.
"Where you off to?" Seamus said. "Give us hand, eh?"
"Busy," she answered. "See you at the feast."
Up in her room she shared with Hermione, Ginny opened her trunk and grabbed the cloak. Then she took her book bag and stuffed the cloak inside, pulling out the Marauder's map from under her sweater and putting that in there too.
Now to get the key, she thought. Then her stomach rumbled, a sure sign of hunger and a reminder that she hadn't had breakfast yet. No breakfast, no time alone with Harry, nothing was going right today. As she looked out the window of her room she saw it getting greyer and greyer and wondered if it was going to rain. More than likely snow, seeing as it was cold outside. She remembered that Harry was just wearing his light jacket and had no scarf or gloves. She consoled herself with the thought that if it started to snow Hagrid would be sure to turn around and come back right away.
Five minutes later Ginny was back down the stairs of Gryffindor Tower and was going to head off to Harry's quarters when Hermione came through the doors from outside her cheeks were pink with the cold and she looked like she had run most of the way from the shop to Hogwarts.
"Oh, Ginny, thank goodness I found you."
"What's going on?" Ginny asked with worry.
"I saw Harry at the shop and told me what you suspect so I've come to help."
"Okay," Ginny answered, glad she wouldn't have to do it alone. "I was just on my way to get the Key to Hogwarts from Harry's room."
"I can do that," Hermione answered. "Did he say where it was exactly?"
"Pocket of a pair of trousers he wore yesterday."
"Right. I'll get his map, too."
"I've already got it."
"Great. See you up by the tapestry near the room."
"Okay. I see you on the seventh floor."
They parted and Ginny started back to the main staircase to go to the seventh floor and then her stomach rumbled again. She could never stand watch for hours up in that corridor if her stomach kept growling. Then she thought she should have just given the map and cloak to Hermione to take the first watch while she ate. She could always go catch up with her, but then thought it would be easier just to go eat and then catch up with her by the Room of Requirement. Ginny made up her mind and headed for the kitchens.
Not ten minutes later she was inside. The kitchen was boiling hot, all of the stoves and ovens going and many house-elves were scurrying around preparing many dishes of food for lunch and the feast later tonight. It took a few moments but one of the elves spotted Ginny and then soon Winky was there, looking tired but also cheerful. The little house-elf and many others fussed over her and gave her toast with jam and marmalade, a cup of tea, and some cookies. After about twenty minutes Ginny realized she was supposed to meet Hermione and gave her thanks and headed out again, feeling full and better.
Once out of the kitchens Ginny decided to take a look at the map, just to know if Hermione had actually made it to the corridor where the room was yet. She looked around first to make sure no students were about and then took out the map. Yup, there was the dot with Hermione's name in the corridor with the tapestry of trolls trying to learn ballet. She looked like she was walking back and forth by the wall. As Ginny watched, Hermione walked back and forth three times and then stopped. Then she did it again.
"She's trying to open the room…but someone is already inside!"
It had to be Snape…but…he was a ghost…he didn't need to open the room, he could just float in there anytime, like he had done when Harry and her had tried to be alone. Old git, Ginny thought. As she thought on Snape more foul things about him came to mind, mostly about his interrupting her and Harry and his thinly veiled barbs at their relationship. I bet he never even kissed a girl his whole life. Greasy haired evil bugger. Haunting Harry, giving them all grief over his foolish obsession to apologize to Harry's mother for something she didn't even know he had done. And the lies from him! The wand is evil, oh, no its not, didn't I tell you, I just need the feather. Must have slipped my mind. Oh, the book? Yes, Voldemort gave it to me, but really, why would he want to be resurrected when he thinks he can't be killed? Wallace Stone? He's a nobody, why would Voldemort trust him. You're way off the mark, Potter. Bloody ghost!
As she walked and looked at the map one more thought came to mind. Snape was a ghost, so he couldn't prevent anyone from opening the room any more than he could open it. Someone else was in there, someone alive and breathing. Who was it?
"Ah, Miss Weasley," said a voice and she swiftly put the map behind her back as she saw Professor Flitwick coming toward her in the hall just before the main staircase. "How are you today?"
"Fine, Professor…bit busy right now," Ginny replied in as cheery a voice as she could muster.
"Oh, I see. Off to plan another great Quidditch victory, are we?"
Jeez, does he have sour grapes because our house kicked his house all over the Quidditch pitch?
"Er…no, the next game is not till February."
"Yes, of course," he answered. "Well, you certainly put together a good side against my house, I must say." He did seem a little miffed that his house had lost and then Ginny remember Flitwick had bet Hargid ten Galleons on the game. Maybe that's what put him in a sour mood. But that was weeks ago.
"Just doing our best, sir," she answered politely while secretly wishing he'd bugger off.
"You know Ravenclaw hasn't won the Quidditch cup since…oh, since your brother Charlie became Seeker for Gryffindor. Since then it has only been Slytherin and Gryffindor as the champs. Terrible shame. And how is Charlie these days?"
"Fine, sir. Back in Romania with his dragons." She was getting a bit uneasy, wanting to go meet Hermione but unable to think of a polite way to tell a professor to beat it. But then she didn't have to.
"Well, good for him. So, must be off. The Great Hall needs a little more wand work to make it perfect for the feast tonight. More decorations I mean," he explained. "Have a nice day, Miss Weasley."
"You too, sir." And then he was gone. As soon as he was out of sight Ginny hot-footed it to the stairs and headed up as fast as she could, wishing she had a broom or a house-elf to help her move faster. It took another ten minutes to get to the seventh floor and as soon as she rounded the corner to where the tapestry was she saw the corridor was empty.
"Where is she?" Ginny said to herself as she pulled out the map again. She looked frantically for Hermione's dot on the map and finally located her heading back toward Gryffindor Tower. Ginny thought to head back there but then decided she had better just stay here and stand watch since that was the plan. She took out the invisibility cloak and threw it around her body and then sat on the floor opposite the wall where the Room of Requirement door was located.
The floor was hard and cold but it was better than standing all day. She took out the map and looked at it, seeing where different people were, and then remembered how Harry had told her how he had looked it when he was on the run last year, how he had wanted to make sure she was safe and how much he had missed her. Thinking on that and about him made Ginny feel warm all over.
Ginny looked for Hermione again and found her in Gryffindor Tower next to dots representing Dean and Seamus and no doubt they were telling her they had seen Ginny. For sure Hermione would be back up here in a short time. Just as Ginny went to fold the map up and put it away she heard a voice.
"It's clear. She's gone."
Snape.
She looked up and saw his ghostly head sticking out of the wall where the Room of Requirement was. Hiding here the whole time. Harry was right. Then the door appeared and after a moment it opened. Out walked Professor Horace Slughorn. Ginny found herself more surprised by the fact that she wasn't surprised Slughorn was involved with Snape than the fact that he was involved with Snape.
"They are persistent," said Slughorn as he looked up and down the corridor with a nervous disposition about him.
"Indeed," said Snape as he floated in air beside the portly potions master. "I will see you at your quarters in ten minutes."
"Yes, yes, ten minutes," said Slughorn looking very nervous and worried. "I do wish there was another way, Severus."
"You made a promise," Snape replied in his menacing way. "I kept my end of the bargain. Now it is your turn. Unless you want me to tell Potter everything. And perhaps McGonagall also."
"No, no, of course not," said Slughorn swiftly. "I would be sacked, without a doubt. But…are you sure she will release me?"
"You knew her as well as I did," said Snape. "Once I have done what I need to do I will explain it all to her. Then she will release you."
"She will want to see Harry."
"Yes," replied Snape. "You are right. Perhaps we'd better get him and explain it all now."
"Wonderful," said Slughorn, sounding relieved. "I think we can find him in his quarters or in Gryffindor Tower. I'll fetch him right away."
"So he can convince you not to do it?" asked Snape in his silky way. "I am not a fool, Horace. No, Potter will try to stop us despite his deepest desire to see his mother again. We will only get Potter once the deed is done. But it must be done today. With first Potter and Miss Weasley up here nosing about and then Miss Granger there is no doubt they have finnaly realized where I have been hiding myself. Time is running out. Go back to your quarters and wait for me. Then we will complete it."
"Yes, right away," said Slughorn in a decidedly downcast tone. Then Snape just faded back into the room and the door sealed itself shut.
Slughorn walked past Ginny's location. She pressed herself against the wall as he walked by, muttering to himself.
"Bloody ghost," said Slughorn in frustration. "Never should have listened to him. What madness this is! But I am in too deep now."
Ginny got up and followed him from a distance and thought over all Snape and Slughorn had been talking about and reached only one conclusion. Slughorn had been preparing the resurrection potion. He had been the one who broke into Harry's quarters. He had taken the book, feather, and hairs. Snape had promised him something and now Slughorn had to pay for it, by turning into Harry's mother so Snape could apologize. But what had Slughorn received to take such a risk?
The book. That's the only thing that made sense. Slughorn has the book and is going to sell it or already has sold it.
Ginny's mind raced as she thought of what to do. 'Get Harry' first came to mind but he was far away with Hagrid outside of Hogsmeade by now. Find Hermione or McGonagall or anyone else, but there was no time. Slughorn could be in his quarters and finished the potion before anyone could help her.
There was only one thing to do. She had to get to Slughorn's quarters before he and Snape did. She had to get the feather and hairs before they completed the potion.
At the floor where Slughorn's quarters were Slughorn went one way and Ginny went another. She knew a different route to get to his rooms, and being much younger and faster than Slughorn she knew she would beat him to the rooms. Some students were still wandering about the castle, it being Saturday, so she kept the cloak on since she didn't want any interruptions. A short while later she arrived outside of his quarters.
Ginny took out her wand, reached up out of the folds of the cloak and whispered "Alohomora". In an instant the lock came opened. She pulled the door open, stepped inside, and then as soon as the door closed behind her, all went black before her eyes. Ginny felt her body falling to the floor and then she was dreaming, or hallucinating, or – she knew not.
She was on a mountain top, on a brilliantly clear day and the sun was shining. The air was fresh and she almost felt she could reach out and touch the sky.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" said Harry and there he was standing beside her. He took her hand, squeezed tight and then smiled. "Let's fly."
With that he leaped from the mountain, dragging Ginny with him.
"HARRRRRYYYY!" Ginny screamed, but as they fell she felt as light as a feather and then she knew she could fly and they were flying, across the landscape, over mountains, then hills, villages, towns, lakes, and rivers, and soon alighting at the steps of the Burrow.
"That was fun," said Harry with a grin and then the scene shifted. They were inside the Burrow, and Ginny was sitting in a chair and her parents were on the sofa and Harry was standing before them.
"I love Ginny," said Harry to her parents. "I would like your permission to marry her."
"But He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is still out there!" said Mrs. Weasley in worry. "He is still after you. You will only put our daughter's life in danger. He must not know you love her!"
"No Mum," Ginny found herself saying. "Harry killed Voldemort!"
"Don't say that name!" Mr. Weasley shouted.
"He's dead!" Ginny shouted back with equal force. "Harry killed him!"
"No," said Harry. "I didn't kill him. The Elder Wand killed him. Besides, Wallace Stone is planning to resurrect him. He has part of his body. So he is not dead, not really, not yet. Your parents are right. I can't be with you until this is finished. I'll be back when the deed is done."
Then Harry leaped out the window and was flying away. Ginny ran outside and shouted his name and tried to fly after him but she couldn't, her body now heavy and full of sadness as she watched him disappear in the distance.
"Romantic troubles?" said the voice of Snape in his mocking way and there he was, whole, and not a ghost, standing there in the garden of the Burrow.
"It's all your fault!' Ginny shouted him. "You lied and manipulated us! We could have stopped Stone by now! You ruined everything."
"Yes, I must take the blame," said Snape. "But now I need your help."
"I'll never help you!"
"Miss Weasley?" came another voice, Slughorn's and then she felt his hands on her face.
Am I asleep?
No…yes? It was hard to tell.
"Miss Weasley, drink this."
She felt a cup at her lips and was ready to drink when…she felt a surge of rebellion inside of her and she screamed. "NOOOOOO!" Suddenly she was wide awake, knocking the cup out of his hands.
"What the hell are you doing?" she yelled at Slughorn, who was standing over her. Ginny was lying on his plush sofa, a pillow behind her head.
"Forgive me," said Slughorn in all sincerity. "It was only a refreshing draught. I do not wish to harm you, my dear." He bent down and picked up the goblet and with a wave of his wand the spilled potion was cleaned up.
"Told you she wouldn't be understanding," said Snape. "We have wasted too much time."
Ginny sat up and spun around, stood on wobbly legs and glared at Snape with all the hate she could muster.
"You…you…arrogant, self-centered, selfish bastard!" she yelled with venom in her voice.
"I have been called worse, I assure you," said Snape calmly. He was standing by a table and there on the table was the Marauder's map, spread out in full and Snape was looking at it. The invisibility cloak was folded and sitting on a chair nearby the table
"My dear, sit down," said Slughorn. "You've had a rather nasty incident."
Ginny still glared at Snape but then felt weak and sat again and stared at Slughorn. "What happened to me?"
Slughorn looked very embarrassed. "Ah, well, my fault really. I placed a stunning spell on my doorway…I…you see…I…"
"There is no need to explain to her, Horace," said Snape. "She was breaking into your quarters and got what she deserved. But that is neither here nor there now, we've got other…."
"Not a chance you are talking your way out of this one!" yelled Ginny as she stood again. "I saw you two up at the Room of Requirement! I know what you are up to. And I'm going to tell Harry and McGonagall everything!"
"Oh, dear," said Slughorn, looking defeated. "I think I need a drink." He went to his liquor shelf and poured himself a large glass of wine.
"Calm down, Horace," said Snape as he floated toward them. He glared at Ginny. "And what do you think we have been up to?"
"You got Professor Slughorn to steal the book, feather, and hairs from Harry's quarters. You are making Polyjuice potion and are now ready to make the resurrection potion. Then Professor Slughorn is going to drink it and turn into Harry's mother so you can get what you want. In return you promised him the book and have threatened to expose him if he does not finish the task."
"Oh, my," said Slughorn and he took a large gulp of wine and sank into his soft armchair. "It's all quite true. And it's all over, I'm afraid Severus."
"Not quite," said Snape with menace. "Miss Weasley and I are going to come to an understanding."
"The hell we are," said Ginny with venom. Then came the chime of a clock, and then the clang of a bell. As it started ringing off the hours Ginny asked, "What time is it?"
"6 PM. Time for the feast," said Slughorn in a dejected tone. He took a large gulp of wine. "Possibly my last at Hogwarts."
Ginny felt weak again. "6 PM? How…how long was I out?"
"Many hours, I am afraid," said Slughorn. "The spell was intended to protect the work I have been doing here. I'm afraid I made it too powerful."
"Your work?" Ginny asked. "So, you've made the potion?"
"Yes," said Slughorn. "It is complete, just a short time ago, so I am afraid the feather and Lily's hairs have already been used."
Slughorn stood and walked her towards where a bench where his potion making apparatus was set up. Ginny looked in the caldron and there was a reddish golden liquid. In a small flask nearby was some more.
She just stared and pointed to the flask. "That's…that's Harry's mother?"
"Yes," said Snape and Ginny expected him to seem happy, but he wasn't. "But, as I was trying to say before you started yelling, we have another problem."
Ginny looked at him in a daze. "What…what problem?"
Snape floated over to where the map was laid out and Ginny and Slughorn followed him. "Not thirty minutes ago your brother came running up to the school. He found McGonagall, seemed to talk to her, and then she Flitwick and Sprout ran to the edge of the school grounds and disappeared. Soon after Madam Pomfrey also exited the school. I thought, now what can be going on here? And then I just noticed this other dot."
He pointed a ghostly finger and Ginger and Slughorn gasped.
"Merlin's beard!" said Slughorn. "Wallace Stone!"
"Yes," said Snape. "Looks like he is heading to the secret passage to Honey Dukes."
"We've got to warn the professors," said Ginny, all ready to leave. "And stop him!"
"Wait!" shouted Snape. "The professors are back, near the main doors now, coming inside…"
But as they looked, it seemed like a traffic jam of students by the main doors and the way toward the Great Hall. Dozens of dozens of black dots were converging on the same place, heading toward the feast.
Then Flitwick's dot separated from the others and was seen heading outside again. Then Ginny could see Harry, Hermione and Ron's dots separate from the crowd and go off down a corridor.
"It's Harry!' she said with joy and then started heading for the door.
"NO!" yelled Snape and Ginny stopped and turned around. "Please," he said in a softer tone, his eyes literally begging her.
Ginny hesitated. She had no love for this ghost, but she did suddenly find she felt a trifle bit sorry for him. But that did not justify his actions. "Look, it's over. We can't do this. You can't let Professor Slughorn risk himself no matter what you promised him. Or anyone else. Wallace Stone is here and we've got to stop him."
"She's right, Severus," said Slughorn. "I made the potion. I've done what you've asked. But...I'm sorry…I won't drink it."
Snape sighed. "Then go…take the map…But I want Potter to make the final decision about his mother. I'll await your return to decide my fate."
Ginny gathered up the map and cloak. Then she looked at the flask with the potion and the hairs from Harry's mother inside. She grabbed it and Snape gasped.
"What are you doing?" he shouted as she put the flask in her bag with cloak and map.
"When Harry decides what to do, I want to make sure this doesn't go missing. That seems to be happening a lot around here the last few months."
Snape looked at her and then just nodded. "What choice do I have? Keep it safe."
Ginny just nodded and then she and Slughorn raced out the door. As they ran, Ginny stopped for a moment and looked at the map, looking for Wallace Stone. Slughorn stopped and looked with her. "He was by the entrance to the secret passage to Honey Dukes," said Ginny. "But…he's gone!"
"He's escaped," said Slughorn in a downcast tone. "The map does not go beyond the school grounds it appears."
"Damn," said Ginny. Then her eyes looked for Harry's dot. There he was with Ron, Hermione, and...Kreacher! They were moving up the stairs, and then suddenly they all disappeared! After a moment's surprised she realized they must have Apparated with Kreacher to…the Room of Requirement! She folded out the map and Slughorn helped her and then…she saw Harry, Ron and Hermione, and then they disappeared again, gone inside the Room of Requirement.
"They're looking for me," said Ginny to Slughorn. "Come on before they leave again!"
She folded up the map and then ran, Slughorn huffing and puffing to keep up and then he just waved her on and she left him far behind. Ginny practically flew up the stairs, but it was far, it took time, time she didn't have, and then as she neared the seventh floor corridor with the Here and There Room and the Room of Requirement she heard a girl scream and then running footsteps and then she heard her brother's voice.
"The door's closing!" screamed Ron.
"We're too late!" yelled Hermione and then came more sobs. Ginny rounded a corridor and saw Hermione bent over a young girl in Ravenclaw robes and Ron pounding his fists on the wall where the Here and There Room was.
"Stone!" he yelled in frustration.
"What's in blazes is going on?" Ginny yelled.
"Oh, Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed on spotting her. "Where have you been?"
"Long story. But I found Snape. He's in Slughorn's quarters. Where's Harry?"
"Inside the Here and There Room," said Ron, his eyes barely meeting his sister's. "With…Wallace Stone."
Ginny felt her heart skip a beat. "Where's the key?" she asked in a trembling voice.
"Harry's got it!" said Hermione as she let out an involuntary sob. "Oh, God, Stone was going to kidnap Matilda to turn her into Voldemort and we rescued Harry from the cave and Winston was helping his brother and Hagrid almost died and …and…it's been awful!"
"What…?" Ginny asked in shock as she tried to take in all of this.
Ron took up the story. "Short version is Stone was hiding in the caves near Hogsmeade, he captured Harry, tried to kill Hagrid, made the potion, we rescued Harry, and now Stone and Harry are inside and they are fighting and either Stone will drink the potion or he'll force Harry to take it and it's not good either way!"
"Kreacher! We need Kreacher!" Ginny said in fear.
"He's gone for help but he'll only come back if Harry calls him!" said Hermione. Then Matilda let out another sob and Hermione bent to her.
"Matilda, are you well enough to help us?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, I think so," the young girl replied.
"Go to the hall and get all the professors. Tell them we are in trouble up here and need their help. Can you do that?"
She nodded and then just turned and ran.
"We've got to get in there!" Ginny yelled in frustration as she brandished her wand and looked like she was about to blast the wall where the arched doorway to the Here and There Room was located. But Hermione grabbed her arm.
"That won't work. We need to think!"
"Another house-elf?" suggested Ron but they had none they could call and it would take forever to get to the kitchens to get help.
"There's another way!" Hermione suddenly shouted. "McGonagall's office. Remember what Rostock said!"
"Right!" yelled Ron, eyes wide. "Come on!"
As they ran they quickly explained to Ginny what they had learned about the Here and There Room from Professor Rostock. In another five minutes they were at the entrance to McGonagall's office where the gargoyle stood.
"Password," it said in a haughty voice.
"We don't know," said Hermione in a rush. "Please let us in! It's urgent!"
"No one enters unless they know the password," the gargoyle replied in a smug way.
"Bloody gargoyle, step aside!" yelled Ginny, brandishing her wand.
"What's the password?" asked the gargoyle, now in an indignant tone.
"You as a pile of stone!" Ron yelled even louder, his voice echoing in the empty corridor.
"Stop it, Ron!" Hermione shouted at him and then looked to the gargoyle. "Look, sorry, but Harry Potter is in danger and we need to get into the Here and There Room from the Headmistress' office. Okay?"
To their utter surprise the gargoyle said "Good enough" and it leaped aside. They raced up the stairs and were soon at the door and inside the office.
"Oh, more intrusions," said Professor Black's portrait in anger. "Can't we ever get some sleep? And what are you three doing here without the Headmistress?"
"No time to explain," said Hermione and just as she was about to shout for the Here and There Room there came a loud crack and Kreacher appeared in their midst's.
"Kreacher!" Ginny shouted. "Where's Harry?"
"Master Harry is in grave danger," said Kreacher, his eyes very wide. "The Dark Lord has returned!"
Ginny felt her blood run cold and Ron cursed and Hermione let out a gasp of anguish. Some of the portraits also screeched and a few even fled from their frames. "Is…is Harry dead?" Ginny asked in a hushed tone.
"No," said Kreacher and Ginny felt her heart beat again. "But the Dark Lord tried to force him to get Kreacher to help the Dark Lord escape the strange room after he…after he kills Master Harry!" Then two big tears rolled down Kreacher's cheeks and he let out a big wail and fell to the floor and beat his fists.
This was the end. Voldemort was back. He had Harry at his mercy. It was late, much too late to get help of any kind. Ginny looked to Ron and Hermione. Tears were rolling down Hermione's cheeks. Ron looked frightened but she knew he would leap into the fires of hell for Harry. They had to go…had to try…they could never live with themselves if they didn't.
But they needed an edge. Something to help them defeat Voldemort.
Ginny knew what to do. Knew what would scare him, would give them that edge. He was mortal after all. He had no more Horcruxes. They just needed that split second to do it.
She felt in her bag. Her hand grasped the flask and she pulled it out.
"What's that?" Hermione asked in fear.
"Harry's mother," said Ginny in hushed tones of awe and Ron and Hermione's eyes went wide. "When it's done you tell her where Harry is, you tell her what to do. You give her my wand." She pushed it into Hermione's hands. "It's his only chance."
"Ginny…don't do it!" Ron said as tears formed in his eyes.
"We can beat him!" shouted Hermione, her voice quavering.
"No…we can't," said Ginny calmly. "But she can. I have to do it. I love him too much. And time is wasting."
In one swift movement, before they could stop her or make her change her mind she unstoppered the flask and then took a big gulp and swallowed.
It burned, burned all the way down to her stomach and then there was pain, intense pain. She gasped and dropped the flask and it shattered on the floor. Suddenly she was floating in air and her back was arched, and Ron screamed out that he loved her and Hermione cried out and even Kreacher seemed to be crying in terror and Ginny felt her body spinning and spinning and then…she felt no more.
After a few moments the body floated down to the floor and then landed on its feet. Standing in McGonagall's office was Lily Potter, wearing Ginny's clothes, her long reddish brown hair cascading to her shoulders and her green almond shaped eyes bright and glistening. She took a long deep breath and spoke.
"Am I alive?" she asked in awe and then she saw two people and a house-elf lying on the floor with their hands over their eyes. Slowly they uncovered their eyes and stood and were looking at her in utter astonishment. They were speechless.
Hermione finally summoned her courage to act and she thrust Ginny's wand into Lily's hands. "Harry is in danger! Voldemort is going to kill him! We need you!"
Lily's green eyes blazed in fury. "Where?" was all she asked.
"The Here and There Room!" Hermione shouted and then to their shock and astonishment they slowly began to shimmer with light and then one by one they disappeared from McGonagall's office and then they were all, Lily, Ron, Hermione, and even Kreacher, they were all in the house in Godric's Hollow, materalizing in a shimmer of light in different rooms on the upper floor.
But Lily landed where she had to land and she knew this room, this house, and there was her son, a grown man, and she remembered seeing him twice before, once in a graveyard, once in the forest, but each time she had been a spirit, a whisp of her former self. This time it felt so real, she felt so alive, and there he was, her son, his hair black like his father's, his eyes like hers and it was dark and cold but she saw it all. He was on the floor and in pain and Lily's heart wrenched in grief. And then there her enemy was, the beast who had killed her and the man she loved and so many others. He was standing over her son and he was not like she remembered, he had hair and was younger looking and not so serpentine, but she knew that name he had been born with, Tom Riddle, that name Dumbledore had once told her, this was him, before he was Voldemort, and those eyes, that face, she knew because every mother knows when there is danger to her child and she screamed at him, words she had wanted to scream for the long years she was dead, words that had failed her the night he had killed her, when she had failed to stop this monster and then she spoke with the long fury that had built in her.
"GET AWAY FROM MY SON!"
And then he knew her, he recognized her, the woman he had thought he had killed so long ago, mother of his enemy and here she was, standing before him and then he hesitated and her wand came up and she built all the fury into a single point of hatred and energy and love and in one blinding moment of certainty she screamed the dreaded words at him.
"Avada Kedavra!" And the wand responded and the green light flew from the wand's tip and hit Tom Riddle in the chest and with a sigh of distress he was flung back and landed on the floor, dead once more.
One more chapter to go. Thanks to all who have read so far, especially those who have sent reviews.
