Harry grabbed his backpack and Firebolt. It was time to go. Without a backward glance, he made his way down to the Common Room. Ron and Hermione were there, packed and ready to go.
The early morning sunlight pouring through the small peaked window promised a beautiful day. Harry was feeling more optimistic than he had in weeks. He had a job to do, but it wouldn't be alone. He had Ron, Hermione, and the help of Dumbledore and the entire Alliance. He grinned. Oh yes, and he was virtually indestructible, thank you very much. That would be helpful.
But of course, the best part was the sense of peace that came over him as he thought of Ginny. She would be safe at Hogwarts, at least at present. She wasn't particularly happy about it, thought Harry with some amusement. Ginny REALLY didn't like being told what to do, but she was helpless to do anything else. He thought that perhaps he should feel guilty that she was making this sacrifice so that he could remain safe. He didn't. Not at all. Let her suffer. As long as she was out of danger. He stifled a chuckle, then glanced furtively around to make sure that she hadn't heard. She hadn't….
"Hermione? Where's Gin?" he asked, turning to sweep the room with his eyes. Nowhere.
Hermione looked up from Ron's pack, which she seemed to be reorganizing.
"I thought she was with you, Harry."
"Nope. Must be upstairs." Whistling, he took the steps 3 at a time before slowing himself down at her door. No point in antagonizing his love with his good cheer.
"Gin?" he pushed open her bedroom door slowly and poked his head in. "Gin?" It was empty. Pushing back the slight twinge of foreboding that irritated his brain, he pulled back the gold and red bedhangings. Empty. He heard the pounding of his feet as he raced back to the common room.
"She's not there!" Harry had unconsciously pulled his wand and stood holding it clutched in a tight fist.
Ron and Hermione both started.
"Well, OK…" Ron started for the portrait hole. "I'll go check the Great Hall…."
"Ron! She hasn't gone ANYWHERE without one of us in…in…weeks!" Harry could feel his heart start to thud in his chest.
Dumbledore's head appeared in the doorway, followed by his voluminous black robes as he climbed through.
"Well, now. I assume that you're all ready to go?" he surveyed the three students brightly.
"Professor, is Ginny with you?" asked Hermione anxiously.
"Ginny? – why no…She's not here to say goodbye?" Dumbledore turned to Harry. He looked concerned.
Harry didn't answer. He leapt for the portrait hole, but the Headmaster's hand stopped him.
"Harry, if you are joining forces with our Alliance, I really must insist that you try to curb this impulse of yours to rush headlong into things. It will not serve. Dumbledore gestured him to a chair as if inviting him for tea. The blood rushed to Harry's ears.
"Professor! I –"
"I believe it's called the Marauder's Map, isn't it Harry? Wouldn't it make more sense to simply check it?" Dumbledore smiled slightly.
Ron's mouth dropped open. "How did you --?" he asked before Hermione poked him sharply with her elbow. Harry didn't need to be reminded twice. He fled back up the stairs to Ginny's room. He'd given it to her for safekeeping. Snatching it from beneath her bed, he tapped it impatiently with his wand.
"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good" he mumbled. The map slowly appeared, spreading from one end of the parchment to the other. Harry's eyes darted swiftly back and forth, searching. "Come ON, Ginny!" He ran to the window and held it up to the light. "Please!"
Nothing.
She wasn't there. She was gone.
Harry's knees seemed to give way and he collapsed back on Ginny's bed. A sense of complete and total helplessness descended on him as the map drifted to the ground. He couldn't run faster and catch her. His skill on his Firebolt wouldn't bring her back. He could cast spells all day and she wouldn't magically reappear.
Struggling upright, he fought through the glaring red panic that was threatening to overwhelm him. He tried to force his breathing to slow, feeling the pounding of his heart in his head and his throat. Think! He silently yelled to himself. THINK! Did she leave to go and find the Alliance? Without him? She wouldn't! Well, maybe she would. He felt a slight jolt of excitement. That was it! Of course! He didn't stop to examine the part of his heart that was hoping ardently yet doubtfully that this was indeed the case. He pulled himself up and ran for the door.
Three concerned faces greeted him.
"She's gone. She decided to go without us."
Hermione clapped her hand over her mouth. Ron swore, grabbing his head with both hands. Dumbledore's eyes weren't sparkling at all. He didn't speak. He pulled out his wand and swirled it briefly in the air.
"Ianitorious!"
Green sparks flew out and formed a small glittering knot. Everyone watched, silent and curious. The Professor grasped it in his hand and examined it carefully, turning it to see every angle. Finally, he shook his head, made a motion as if to cast it away and it was gone. He turned and stared into the fire for a long moment. Turning back, his eyes were blazing.
"She didn't leave by the front gates, Harry." he said abruptly. "Or by any of the normal routes. Nor by any of the secret passages. We've been careful to monitor every person that enters or exits Hogwarts for the last year. Since…since the last breach of security."
Harry could vaguely hear Ron's gasp through the echo in his head. HOW? HOW? Then how did she leave? Was she so determined to go alone that she somehow managed to hide all traces of her path? Harry wouldn't put it past her. He could feel the echo reverberating and turning to anger. Just when he'd been feeling OK again, she had to do this –
Pain exploded from his head, almost knocking him to his knees. He staggered slightly, clutching his scar. He didn't even notice Ron and Hermione rushing to his side to prop him up. The pain was terrible – worse than it had been since –since when? He struggled to claw his way through the horrible burning to fully examine what was going on.
Suddenly a freezing gust tore through the room with a wail like a banshee. Before the hair on his neck could even rise in reaction, the room was plunged into darkness as if extinguished by the wind. Hermione screamed. Without warning, the fireplace blazed up in a tangle of red and purple flames that writhed and slithered, reaching out into the room like tentacles. They rose higher as the horrible wailing sound grew more painful and more tortured.
Dumbledore had raised his wand and a soft blue light flew out over the three students, forming into a sort of paddock around them. Harry ran to his side, wand raised, but was thrown back as if the faint blue barrier were elastic. Ron and Hermione grabbed him as he fell back and he felt four sets of fingers grip him like a vise. Peering up, he could see the sickening snakes of fire dart and wriggle around Dumbledore's black form. The screams seemed to take on a human quality, taking shape and forming words as the volume slowly fell.
"Haaaarrrrry!!!!!!!! Doooon't listen to them!"
Harry thought he would be sick then and there. His scar was thudding dully now, forcing him to stare mercilessly at the truth. The awful wailing was starting to sound all too horribly familiar. The words became clearer. He felt as if the sickening purple and crimson flames were reaching around his throat as he heard Ginny's voice, terror-filled and pleading.
"Harry! No!! Don't come! It's what they want!" There came a loud crack, followed by a sharp cry. "NO!" The voice was defiant now. "I WON'T!!!!" Wrenching screams suddenly filled the room. He clutched his head as the pain tore through it once more. His heart stopped in horrible realization. The pain in his head. The screams. The Cruciatous.
"GINNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Harry's hoarse bellow mingled with the shriek to produce a horrible cacophony of pain and terror. He threw himself against the blue barrier, holding on to keep from flying back as it held him struggling. The screams stopped suddenly as if snuffed out. The room rang with the silence.
Harry lunged forward blindly once again, fighting the blue barrier. Professor Dumbledore was facing the fireplace and holding his wand like a weapon; effectively ignoring him.
"Professor! LET ME GO! They've got her! I have to --
A voice broke through his cry, shocking him into silence. It was a cultured, amused, deadly voice.
"So, Harry, it seems that once again we have you at a distinct disadvantage. Tsk tsk – you really should have kept a closer eye on your little trollop –" the voice grew louder and uglier. "I told our Lord that you would have to take your eyes off of her at some point – amazing what a little Dark Magic will do for a handful of floo powder."
"What do you want?" Harry yelled, his voice cracking. "Do you want me? Do you? YOU CAN HAVE ME. JUST LET GINNY GO!" He was gripping the blue restraint with shaking fists. He felt the energy that only comes from pure hatred coursing through his veins. Hermione put a steadying hand on his shoulder and he threw it off with the cry of a cornered animal.
He could hear a soft, cruel chuckle.
"Why yes, Harry. We do want you. In fact, we want your company so much, we're willing to make it easy on you. Just pass right through the fire and join us, please. And don't try following Dumbledore!" the voice suddenly sounded less confident and more angry and fearful. "You won't be able to anyway."
"Let her go first!" Harry noticed that he didn't sound afraid. With surprise, he realized that he didn't feel afraid. There was a problem to be solved. He was going to solve it. There was no question. Voldemort wasn't going to win this time either.
Laughter rang out; evil mirth crawled up the back of his neck and stabbed him behind his eyes. The voice taunted him. "You want to deprive us of the pleasure of seeing little Ginny die yet again? So sorry Harry. It looks like you don't really have the upper hand now, does it? Come through the fire, Harry. Now of course, if you'd rather just sit and listen to her sanity drain from her…"
The screams tore through Harry again, filling the room with Ginny's suffering. He barely noticed the glaring, burning pain in his scar.
"Professor. Let me go." His voice was steady. He stared at the Headmaster unflinchingly.
Dumbledore raised his wand and the barrier immediately disappeared. Harry pushed Ron and Hermione away and strode toward the sickening fire.
"Harry! Wait!" He felt a firm hand on his shoulder. It was Dumbledore. He turned and stared briefly into the old, wise blue eyes. "Harry. They're right. I can't go with you. This will be your own fight. But please listen to me – " Harry made an impatient gesture, eyes on the flames. "You'll need to concentrate on your connection with Ginny! Not just Commendare Mori!" Dumbledore grabbed both shoulders and stared at him. "Listen to me Harry! There is a greater connection between the two of you! You need to think about your parents, and their parents and everyone in the Potter line that lived and died fighting the Dark Arts. This line can continue – truth can prevail! "
Harry stared. The words seemed to slide off him without entering his brain. What was he babbling about? Couldn't he see that he was in the way?
"CONCENTRATE Harry!" Dumbledore's voice rumbled. "You CAN save her and yourself." With that, he dropped his hands from Harry and stepped aside. Without so much as a glance back at Ron and Hermione, he leapt into the flames.