Chapter Five: A Dead Body
Covered by Minerva's cloak, Ginny could not see her family's faces as they departed.
They travelled across Hogsmeade, carrying only one rucksack. Ginny left her birthday present.
She concentrated on the two pairs of feet below her: her own scruffy boots, and Minerva's pointy, green shoes striding over stone slabs. Soon they were through the narrow archway leading to a courtyard. Ginny stole a look from under the cloak. Rearing up in front of her was Hogwarts.
Minerva put an arm around her shoulders. "Nearly there," she whispered, and they slid across the snow covered courtyard.
A dead body lay in the middle, covered in snow.
"Who is this?" Minerva rolled a young, dark haired boy over with her shoe. "He's solid stone."
In Gryffindor Tower, Ginny settled herself on a rug by the fireplace. She unlaced her boots and pulled them off.
Ron's old socks, soaking wet, stuck to her feet. They had been Fred's before; or George's? She wiggled her toes by the fire, drying her feet.
"Would you like some new socks?" asked Minerva.
Ginny nodded, too shy to talk. A pair of thick, purple socks appeared on her feet.
"We'll keep the old ones though," said Minerva. "Clean," she told them. "Fold." The socks did what they were told.
The dead body, sprawled on a couch behind her, shivered. Ginny curled up by the fire, reading a book, trying to ignore it. If Minerva did not notice it was alive, she was not saying anything.
The door, a hole hidden by a painting of a fat lady in a toga, burst open.
"Ron! Dad!" yelled Ginny, hurling herself at Arthur. "Where's mum?"
"She's gone to Hagrid's with the boys," said Arthur. "Ron and I came to give you this." He fished in his pockets. "It's here somewhere."
"Are you mad?" Minerva demanded. "What are you risking our lives for?"
"Dad! Look at my socks," said Ginny.
"Mmm, very nice," said Arthur, still fishing in his pockets. "Where did I put it?"
"This better be important, Arthur," said Minerva. "If you were seen or followed…"
"Do you like my socks, Ron?" asked Ginny.
"I'm frozen," said Ron, and Ginny led him to the fire.
She pointed at the dead body. "He's really frozen. We found him in the snow, and brought him here. I think he's breathing."
Ron whistled, impressed. "Hey," he said, "I reckon he's waking up now." The boy opened his eyes and stared at Ginny and Ron.
"What's your name?"
"Slave," he mumbled.
"Slave...?" Ginny repeated. "That's a stupid name."
The boy just closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
"That's weird," said Ron.
"Hey, if I'm going to be Minister of Magic, does that mean you could be my slave too?" asked Ginny.
"Don't be daft," said Ron. "Nothing could make me do that."
"Yes, I suppose," said Ginny.
Arthur overheard the conversation. "I'll always be your dad, and mum will always be your mum. Even if you'll be in charge someday." He held a package. "I found your birthday present. Happy birthday, Ginerva." He gave Ginny the present she'd forgotten.
Ginny tore off the paper and beheld a drawstring bag. She pulled it open to see a pebble. "Uhh, thanks Dad..." She held it in the palm of her hand.
"It's a pet rock," he explained. "Tickle under its chin."
Ginny settled to tickle it all over, since rocks don't have chins. It opened beady black eyes that looked at her, before four stumpy legs burst out of it and it scurried around her hand.
"Brilliant!" exclaimed Ginny.
"Don't feed it too much, or it will get heavy and lazy. It needs a walk every day, too."
"Arthur!" yelled Minerva. "That is a very careless thing to risk our lives over!"
The pebble closed its eyes and settled down to sleep. Ginny put it into her pocket to keep it warm.
"Scary picture, hey?" Ron commented on one of the portraits of a one eyed witch. He yelped as Albus Dumbledore appeared through it.
The ghost's expression was agitated. "That Muriel woman. She noticed Arthur and Ronald and figured out where you've gone. They're sending a Death Eater here."
"Right," said Arthur. "Then we'll be off. I'll take Ginny with me. She's obviously not safe here."
"She's not safe anywhere, you fool!" said Minerva.
"This is not the time to argue," said Albus. "She is coming up the stairs."
The portrait swung open. Bellatrix stood in the hole. Her face was pale as she surveyed the scene. She carried a gnarled wand and stepped forward.
Slave leapt up, in her way.
"Out of my way, fool!" she struck Slave so he crashed to the floor, then grabbed Ginny.
"Let go of me!" yelled Ginny.
"There's someone who wants to see you; but he wants to see you, dead!" she pressed the wand to Ginny's head.
Crack!
A green flash came from Minerva's wand. It knocked the Death Eater off her feet and threw Ginny clear of her. A white sheet of light followed, encircling them like a bright blade cutting them off from each other.
Minerva threw open the rubbish chute. "It's the only way out," she said. "Arthur, you go first. Try and do a cleaning spell as you go down." She gave Arthur a shove and he tumbled down with a yell.
Ginny pulled Slave to his feet. "Go on," she said, pushing him in headfirst. Then she jumped in, followed by Ron and Minerva.