Prologue: Chamber Aftermath
The last echoes of Tom Riddle's last screams rang off of the Chamber walls as Harry knelt and stared down at Ginny as she began to move. He smiled, at least she would survive, as his vision started to blur around the edges. He could tell by the look on her face that she was scared for him when she saw he was hurt. The pained look in Ginny's eyes was almost more than he could bear.
Both of them stared in awe as Fawkes landed between them. They were amazed as the Phoenix cried tears that healed Harry's arm and nullified the poison that was running through his veins. They smiled at each other, eyes meeting, knowing neither of them would die this day. Harry stood and offered Ginny his hand to help her to her feet. She was still rather shaky and cold to the touch as she stood. Harry felt a tingle as their fingers touched. Ginny must have felt it also because she looked up at him in surprise. Their eyes met again. Ginny blinked back tears as she was sure Harry was going to hate her, but she couldn't turn away.
"I'm so cold," Ginny shivered, not taking her eyes from Harry. She felt drawn to him, not knowing why.
"Come here," Harry smiled gently, as he hugged her close. He felt she needed comfort, but he didn't know why he was feeling that way.
Ginny hid her blushing, but smiling face in his chest as she felt his warmth envelope her just like she had always dreamed of. Harry stood still, his mind racing. Why does this feel so right? he thought. They both felt their wands start to vibrate softly, then started pulsing. An almost blinding glow emanated around them, much to their surprise, lighting the entire Chamber, making the far depths of the crevices even darker. As the light subsided, the body of the basilisk started to smolder with steam. Fawkes let out a joyful trill, drawing surprised looks from both of them.
"That was strange," Ginny looked around feeling a little confused.
"Wonder what it was?" Harry asked. Ginny shrugged, then shivered again as she looked at the basilisk.
"Can we leave now, Harry?" she asked almost pleading. Harry nodded and started to walk toward the entrance, still holding Ginny around her back. Slowly they made their way to the caved-in wall of rock. They could hear rocks being shifted and moved on the other side. There was now a hole large enough for them to fit through.
"Ron," Harry called.
"Harry," Ron answered, as his face came into view. "Ginny, you okay?" he asked, concern plain in his voice.
"Cold, but I'm alright, thanks to Harry," she smiled up at Harry. Harry blushed slightly. He offered her a hand up the rocks. Ginny gladly took his help, carefully climbing to the whole. Ron helped her down the other side as Harry made his way through the whole. He gave Ginny a strange look as she stood close to Harry. Ron looked even more confused as Harry put his arm around Ginny.
"Come on, Lockhart. Time to go," Ron grunted as he pulled the man to his feet.
"Go? Go where?" Lockhart asked. "Don't you live here?"
"Never mind, just come with us," Harry sighed.
Ginny giggled slightly at Lockhart's lost look. Ron led, pulling Lockhart by the arm, past the basilisk skin and to the slide that led back up to Hogwarts. Ginny clung tightly to Harry as Fawkes carried them up the tunnel back to the castle.
Several hours later, Harry sat in the hospital wing yet again. Madam Pomfrey had insisted that he stay the night just to make sure he didn't have any ill effects from the venom. Harry was trying and failing to calm his mind enough to sleep. His thoughts were racing, nothing in his head made sense to him. He should be feeling happy at setting Dobby free from the Malfoys, but for some odd reason, all he felt was dread and despair.
Harry rolled on his side in an attempt to get comfortable, facing the curtains of where the petrified students were, but nothing was working. He groaned to himself. He thought about asking Madam Pomfrey for a sleeping potion, only to remember she was asleep already in her office. As Harry settled on his other side, he saw Ginny sitting a few beds away with her arms wrapped around her legs and her head down. He could tell she was crying by the way her shoulders shook. He felt drawn to her for some reason. Harry quietly got out of bed, moving over to hers to try and comfort her.
"Hey, what's wrong, Ginny?" Harry asked placing a hand gently on her shoulder.
"Everyone is going to hate me," she whimpered as she looked up with a tear-streaked face. "And sure I'm going to get expelled."
"No one is going to hate you," he reassured her. "You weren't in control of your actions. People will understand. At least those that know the truth. The rest think it was someone else that kidnapped you. Professor Dumbledore made sure that the truth was covered."
"But…" Ginny started. Harry shook his head as he laid a finger on her lips. They both felt a tingle as he rested it there.
"Everyone thinks you were just kidnapped; I promise," Harry reassured her again. "And you're not going to get expelled. Besides, I, for one, don't hate you. Your family certainly doesn't hate you. Ron was almost beside himself with worry."
"Really?" she asked, as Harry wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Yes," Harry nodded.
For some reason, seeing her like this was tearing his heart to shreds. He reached out, pulling her close. Harry stroked her hair, trying to comfort her. Ginny cried on his shoulder until fatigue claimed her. Harry tried to lay her down, but she only snuggled closer. The same glow surrounded them again, but it only lasted a few seconds. With a resigned sigh, Harry lay down beside Ginny, still holding her close. Within a few minutes, they both were fast asleep.
Molly and Arthur Weasley opened the ward door and stopped. Molly's eyes flashed with anger as she saw her only daughter sleeping in the arms of a boy. Arthur quietly walked to Ginny's bedside. He stopped with a look of shock on his face. He could see it was Harry with his arms wrapped around his daughter. They were both sleeping rather peacefully, making Arthur smile slightly. Ginny had streaks of tears on her face, and there was a wet patch on Harry's shoulder. It was obvious to him that Harry had let her cry on his shoulder to comfort her. His admiration for the young boy grew more than ever before. Arthur gently covered them with a blanket, carefully removed Harry's glasses, and turned to his angry and shocked wife, placing a finger to his lips. He ushered her out of the ward just as quietly as they had entered.
"Arthur, what are you doing?" Molly asked with a dangerous edge in her voice.
"It's only Harry," Arthur placated her placing his hands on her shoulders. Molly relaxed slightly. "He was just comforting her. If anyone knows what she went through, it's him. He was holding her as she cried on his shoulder. They must have fallen asleep like that. All perfectly innocent."
"Oh, Arthur," Molly cried, hugging him. "Why our little girl?"
"I don't know, but she's in good hands for now."
The Weasleys returned home to the Burrow at the end of term two days later. Ginny had been quiet and withdrawn. Even the news of her father winning the prize money from the monthly drawing in the Daily Prophet had not excited her. The announcement that the family was going on vacation to Egypt to see Bill and Charlie still didn't even bring her out of the shell she had placed around her. Ginny had just quietly excused herself and gone to bed. The rest of the Weasleys all looked on with worried looks.
Later that night, the silent Burrow was awakened to a scream of pure terror. Molly and Arthur rushed to Ginny's room just ahead of their sons. Molly gasped as she opened the door. Ginny was thrashing in her bed, glowing slightly, but deep in the grips of a nightmare. Ginny's magic was swirling around the room like wind trapped in a corner. Loose parchment, quills, clothes, anything that was not secured down was swirling in the vortex. Molly hurried to her daughter's bedside to try to calm her.
"No! Harrry! Noooooo!" Ginny screamed. Tears were streaming from her tightly closed eyes.
Molly tried desperately to wake her but Ginny was too deep into the nightmare. Ron paled as he heard his sister cry out his best friend's name knowing that few things would ever make his sister scream with such terror. Percy looked at him, and for once didn't look pompous, only concerned. Fred and George looked on in helpless worry for their sister. Ginny finally stopped thrashing, the tears continued to stream down her cheeks, but still, she did not wake. As Ginny stopped thrashing, her magic calmed as well, dropping the things that had been flying around the small room.
"Percy, come sit with her," Molly instructed as she stood. "You three go back to bed."
"But, Mum…" Ron began.
"No, Ronald, back to bed," she glared at him.
With a look at Fred and George, the three moved slowly back up the stairs to their rooms, throwing worried glances over their shoulders as they went. Molly looked at Arthur when they were gone.
"What do we do, Arthur?" she asked choking back a sob.
"I've been thinking about that, dear," he said, looking at Ginny through her door. "Remember how peaceful she looked when we found her and Harry in the hospital wing? What if there's more to it than that?"
"Arthur, you're not suggesting…"
"If anyone knows what she went through down there, it's Harry," Arthur stated. He looked at his only daughter. A sad expression crossing his face. "It may be that he was the one that saved her, and she feels safe around him, but I can't stand to see her like that. If Harry can help her get over it, then so be it."
"What about our vacation?" asked Molly. "We can't afford to take Harry with us."
"We'll find a way to take him with us," he shrugged. "Let's go have a chat with Albus."
Arthur turned, leading Molly down the stairs. They reached the fireplace in the sitting room, Arthur taking a pinch of Floo powder from the mantle and tossing it in. "Albus Dumbledore," he called into the green flames.
Albus Dumbledore sat in his office staring at the fire. He was expecting a Floo call. His thoughts turned to the previous few days. He remembered his magical perceptions sensing a strong presence as he sat talking with Harry and Ginny after they had emerged from the Chamber of Secrets. As he had let his eyes see the power around him, he was startled to see the connection that ran between Harry and Ginny and their wands.
After they had left, Albus had gone straight to his personal library and sought answers. His discovery was surprising, but not very fruitful. He knew there was very little information, but after he had considered the circumstances of the events, Albus was fairly certain that he would be speaking with Arthur and Molly Weasley very soon.
Albus frowned as he also knew his plans for young Harry had to change. It was no longer just Harry he had to consider going into the coming storm. This is what bothered him the most, he hated to have to change his plans. At least, some of his past "sins" hadn't been discovered as yet concerning Harry. Those would be devastating to everything. He would just have to wait and plan accordingly.
When Arthur's head appeared in his fireplace Albus was not surprised. "Hello, Arthur," he smiled. "I've been expecting your call."
"You have?" asked Arthur, taken aback.
"Yes," he replied mildly. "What can I do for you?"
"Molly and I are worried about Ginny. She had a nightmare tonight. Thrashing around and screaming, her magic swirling. Then she…"
"Called out Harry's name?" Dumbledore asked with raised eyebrows.
"Well, yes," Arthur stammered, shocked. "How did you know?"
"My dear Arthur, I have seen a very strong magical connection between them after they came out of the Chamber."
"Albus, what…" Molly began as she replaced Arthur's face.
"A bond of some sort."
"What kind of bond?" Molly's eyes widened in shock.
"I believe he may be the only one that can help young Ginevra through this troubling time," Albus commented simply, ignoring her question. "By the way, congratulations on winning the drawing. What do you plan on doing with it? I have a feeling there was something else you wished to ask."
"Well, yes. We were planning on going to see Bill and Charlie in Egypt," Molly admitted a little confused. She wondered how the Headmaster had found out about the prize money already.
"We were wondering if maybe you would consent for us to take Harry on vacation with us?" asked Arthur. "As you are his magical guardian."
"I think that would be a splendid idea," Dumbledore smiled. "And a good time for them to get used to their connection."
"Albus, this connection, what kind of bond is it?" Molly asked again, almost breathlessly.
"I'm afraid I haven't found that out precisely, yet," he stated. "However, all of the conditions appear to have been met for a natural bond of several types to be fulfilled, but I believe they need to discover this bond they share on their own, or it could damage what they share." He knew how rare any kind of bond was, and how much rarer a natural bond of any sort was. Albus, and no doubt Arthur, also knew that most such bonds came with some kind of legality.
"Surely, there is something that you've found?" asked Arthur.
"It does become a bit more complicated with certain things I have on some of them," Dumbledore frowned. "Tell me, what is Ginny's wand made of?"
"Yew wood and phoenix feather," Arthur answered, a little confused.
"Ah, I thought as much," Albus steepled his hands in front of his face. It was beginning to make sense.
"Why do you ask, Albus?" Molly asked.
"You see, Harry's wand is holly and phoenix feather. No, not the same phoenix, but mates."
"How do know this?" Arthur asked astonished.
"Well, my phoenix gave only two feathers to have wands made," Albus stated as he glanced at Fawkes, who had a smug look on his avian face. "His mate only gave one."
"Are you saying Ginny's wand contains the mate's feather to Harry's?" Molly asked almost breathless again.
"Yes, I am quite certain," he sighed. Dumbledore knew this would not sit well. "You see, Voldemort has the brother wand to Harry's, and very few phoenixes will part with their feathers."
"What?" screamed Molly. "That makes Ginny's…"
"Yes, I'm afraid so."
"How are you so certain?" Arthur asked.
"I had Mr. Ollivander keep tabs on these three wands, knowing one day they would surface in the hands of a young witch or wizard. He informed me when Harry started school about his wand, and again this past August about Ginny's. I am still doing much research, but this may have been another factor in the formation of this bond between young Ginny and Harry."
"Is this bond permanent?" asked Molly. "Not that we have a problem with Harry."
"Time will tell. If they choose to fall in love, then yes. If not, I'm not sure what will happen," Dumbledore said with a shrug. "Now, I have already taken the liberty of obtaining some extra funds for you to use for Harry, and the paperwork necessary to take him with you. Fawkes will be delivering them shortly. I must caution you, however, it would not do you or any of your sons well to stand between this bond. It could end badly if you do. And I'm not speaking for just you or your sons, but the whole Wizarding World, but that is a discussion for another time."