The 7th Child
A/N: So I figured out how to post new chapters so why not do 2 tonight?! Please review!
- Eve x
Chapter 1: Loss of innocence
Despair.
That's all Ginny had felt for the time she'd been in this cell, in the dark recesses of Azkaban. She knew she hadn't been in there long enough for the dementor-induced madness to take hold, but it felt like she'd been there for an eternity. But still, the small flicker of hope that Dumbledore and her family would rescue her kept her alive. It kept her from succumbing to the darkness that permeated every corner of this island.
Until the article.
Some cruel (or kind) guard had thrown her today's prophet and she had grabbed at it greedily before it even hit the floor. The paper was dated a week from her arrest (only 1 week?!) but that wasn't what held her attention. The headline was bold, mocking and painful, yet it held her stare like nothing else.
WEASLEY FAMILY DISOWN DEATH EATER DAUGHTER
Ginny's entire body shook. Her family thought she was a death eater? They thought she willingly did this? Her family didn't even want her anymore? Not for the first time, Ginny wished she'd died in that chamber. Her family… well not her family anymore, Ginny thought angrily before the crushing weight of it all hit her. She was alone. Completely alone. That small flicker died a little. For the first time Ginny realised that she might actually be stuck here for the rest of her life.
"Hey kid, you wanna throw that over here?"
Ginny turned sharply. In the cell across a skeletal man leaned against the bars his hands outstretched for the paper. His dark hair was matted and wild, and his eyes were sunken into his face. A glimmer of madness hid in their depths, and Ginny instantly recoiled. But at the same time, he was the first person to acknowledge her as a person, and not just a prisoner in this place. 'I shouldn't be afraid of someone who's in a cell' she thought, slowly forcing herself to relax. Then she spoke, and, to her pride, her voice didn't even shake.
"Yeah, I would, but I don't know if my throw would make it."
"I just saw that catch kid, and that was Quidditch player reflexes so I don't think a 5 metre throw is going to be that difficult."
Despite the circumstances, Ginny preened under the praise and lobbed the paper. To her glee it landed right it the man's arms.
"Told you you could do it, no need to hesitate next time, honestly kids…" he trailed off mumbling to himself incoherently. Ginny turned away, ready to have (yet another) nap, but the man's voice suddenly startled her.
"This is you? You're a death eater?"
Ginny spun back round, stung and bitter.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT! I mean, yes that is me but I'm not a death eater, I didn't mean to do anything wrong, Dumbledore said I was possessed and it wasn't my fault but Fudge came barrelling in with Malfoy and…"
"Hey hey hey, calm down." The man stopped her rambling, and lent through the bars as much as he could. "I believe you."
"You… you do?"
"Yeah, I know what it's like to be accused of something you didn't do, or be told you're something you're not. It hurts, but you have to hold on to the understanding that you're innocent otherwise the floating bastards from hell will have a field day. Oh shit sorry shouldn't have swore… oh fucking hell did it again… MERLIN'S SAGGY BALLS!"
Ginny giggled, an odd sound in this place full of night terrors and dread. This strange man, with his mad eyes was trying to make her laugh by saying things her mum would scream at her for, but it was working. This man, who knew as little of her as she knew of him, had been so kind to her and without reason.
"Who are you?" Ginny asked. "I'm sorry, but I have no idea who you are, and you've been so nice to me."
"Me? I'm surprised you don't know. I'm Sirius Black."
-The 7th Child -
Dumbledore sighed. Despite his best efforts, the Weasley family had decided to take part in an interview that exposed the entire ordeal of the Chamber and Ginny's role. To make the situation even worse, any mention of the diary had been forgone, and so poor Ginny Weasley had had the blame placed (quite unfairly in his not so humble opinion) on her small shoulders. Getting Ginny out of Azkaban now was going to prove to be quite difficult if not impossible. 'She didn't even get a trial' Dumbledore thought sadly 'Much like with Sirius Black, they assumed guilt.' And then the wheels in the great Albus Dumbledore's mind started turning.
-The 7th Child -
As Dumbledore began to think about the situation, Ginny Weasley listened in growing horror to Sirius Black's tale. At first she'd been terrified, (Sirius Black was infamous in the wizarding world) but as he explained, the knot in Ginny's belly loosened and was gradually replaced with indignant anger.
"So I was thrown in here without a trail and left to rot, much like you. You'd think the ministry would have grown up after 11 years but still…" Sirius trailed off and looked up at Ginny who caught his eye and attempted to smile.
"I believe you. If you weren't innocent you would have gone mad by now."
"But I'm not innocent. I killed Lily and James with my ignorance."
"And I petrified 4 people, a ghost and a cat and nearly killed Harry with mine."
"Touche"
As Sirius moved further back into his cell, thus ending the conversation, Ginny looked up at the ceiling. Neither of them had properly committed the crimes of which they were accused (Sirius was ignorant, and Ginny possessed) but yet, neither were entirely blameless. She was not completely innocent, but she was not evil. And she was going to get out of this hell hole and prove it. To her now non-existent family, to the ministry and to everyone.
Her last thought before she fell asleep was that wishing she died in the chamber was a bit pointless. After all part of her did die. Her childlike innocence now lay in tatters where Harry had stabbed the diary.
