Ginny's wail was high, terrified and so very, very weak. Harry stared at the monster as the cold, clammy misery settled over him like a suffocating blanket. It was useless. Voldemort had won. He had failed Ginny. She was lying crumpled, too weak to even lift her head. She lay there, awaiting her fate – a fate Harry had promised her she'd never have to face. His scar gave a burning stab. The tall robed figure of the Dementor turned to glide over to where Ginny lay. The horrible breath rattled and wheezed. A scabbed gray hand emerged from the robe, lowering the hood. The sight of the gaping obscene hole in the blank face was paralyzing. Harry stared briefly before shaking his head a hard as he could.
NO!
The person he loved most in the world. He looked over at Ginny's defiant tangled locks spread over the slab. Their….child…? Harry concentrated on the thought. He and Ginny had created something with their love – something tangible and real. They had created a trinity; like that he'd had so briefly with his own parents. For one small moment, Harry had a family – one of his very own and he wasn't going to have it taken from him a second time!
Harry fought with his bonds like he'd never struggled before. A growl of rage escaped from his lips as he strained. He saw Wormtail cowering in a corner. Voldemort looked gleeful – like he was about to unwrap a huge long-awaited present. Lucius looked mildly interested. His lip curled in a contemptuous sneer. Harry's wand dangled loosely from his hand.
Harry's wand….
The Dementor was leaning over the shaking form. The skeletal hand reached out for Ginny's hair. It was going to yank her head up and back for the kiss –
Harry thought again about the family he'd created and the family he'd lost. He felt an energy surge through him he'd never felt before. It started in his middle and was flowing out, almost tangibly. Before he knew it, he'd yelled out --
"Accio wand!"
Suddenly the wand shot out of Lucius' loose grip and flew into Harry's bound hands, which he clasped tightly. The Dementor lowered the horrific mouth to cover Ginny's. Without stopping to think about the wandless miracle of magic he'd just performed, he turned toward them and yelled louder than he ever had in his life
"Expecto Patronum!"
He hadn't needed to consciously think about a happy thought. He had his his furture wife and their child to save. That seemed to be enough, for the silver threads shot from the wand. Harry heard an enraged, high pitched scream from somewhere behind him but ignored it. He watched the glimmering curves form the glorious, glittering stag. He felt his heart expand with hope. It raced over to the monster and reared up, crashing into the towering robed creature. It dropped Ginny into a heap. Immediately the Dementor backed away, the Patronus following.
"LUCIUS! KILL HIM!"
Harry turned away just in time to see Lucius Malfoy raise his wand. Harry yanked his own up --
"Expelliamus!"
Lucius flew back as though punched by a Giant. Harry heard his head crack against the opposite wall. He slid to the ground and stayed there, apparently stunned. His wand sailed in the opposite direction, curving gracefully before hitting the ground. It bounced once before skidding into the fireplace. Giant green sparks exploded from the flames and noxious smoke filled the room -- temporarily hiding the Dark Lord from Harry's view. He took the opportunity to turn his wand awkwardly toward his own bonds.
"Diffindo!"
He wriggled his wand as best he could. It worked! The bonds instantly split, dropping easily from his wrists and feet. The Patronus continued to drive the Dementor across the room as Harry raced to Ginny. Grabbing up her wrist, he pressed her scar desperately against his. He closed his eyes and willed the chaos around him away. He concentrated on her eyes, her hair, how much he loved her with all his heart….
"Coniungo!"
Harry felt the energy surge from her scar into his. He felt a blinding pain explode in his head as he drew from her the agony and trauma left from the Cruciatus Curse. He absorbed it joyfully, knowing that every second they connected was making her stronger –
The voice was high-pitched, soft and deadly.
"Deicio."
Harry made a desperate grab for Ginny's hand as it was torn from his grip. He felt himself shoot backward, wind whistling in his ears. With a desperate mid-air twist, he managed to put out his arms to stop himself before hitting the wall. His wand flew out of his hand as he did so landing gracefully into Voldemorts..
Harry didn't pause. He whirled around and stumbled back to Ginny. Despite the sudden despair at being disarmed, he felt his heart leap. She was sitting up slowly clutching her head. He pulled her into his embrace, wrapping her in a protective cocoon. He felt a surge of hope as he felt her arms curl around him and suddenly the full impact of the situation hit him. He now knew exactly how his father had felt. She could still make it – somehow -- if he could just keep Voldemort busy… He opened his mouth to speak, but it was too late –
"So Harry." Voldemort drew back his lipless reptilian mouth into a mirthless smile. The glittering blood-red eyes reflected barely contained rage. "Quite impressive, I must say, but pointless in the end. Your attempt at wandless magic is no match for the Dark Lord – " The voice rose even higher until it was a shriek. …"the greatest wizard the world has seen! You… are…dead!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
Harry flung Ginny back and threw himself on top of her. He turned his head and stared straight into the green blaze that shot from Voldemort's wand. He would meet death head on…
A glimmering white light shot into the deadly path. It placed itself in front of them, stopping the curse from hitting its mark. The… Patronus? Yes! It was the Patronus, shielding Harry and Ginny from the fatal spell as of it were a Dementor. He stared in disbelief as the noble figure stood silent and proud, apparently unharmed by the curse. Harry's mind whirled numbly as the green flash ricocheted off the silver stag and flew straight back, catching Voldemort up and hurling him high in the air. A ghastly shriek resounded through the chamber; climbing higher and louder as it reverberated around them. Ginny's head shot up and she whirled around to see the horrible snake's eyes flash violent red beams as the Dark Lord writhed in agony. They both stared in fascinated horror at the gruesome spectacle created by the green and red streams of light. The screaming figure suddenly started spinning, faster and faster until it vanished in an explosion of pure white light.
The silence fell so suddenly it felt like a loud bang. Harry and Ginny clung to each other as if frozen, staring numbly at the Patronus. The huge silver stag turned and instead of bowing as it usually did, started to shimmer. The shimmer became a sparkle and the sparkle seemed to almost blind them with the brilliance. The beautiful beast seemed to be melting; becoming silver threads as it had been when born. As they watched, fascinated, the strands began to dance and spin into a new form. Harry felt his mouth drop open. It looked like it was transfiguring. The sparkling light seemed to halo the silhouette, shrouding all but the outline in darkness. It was becoming…human. Harry could see the tall figure of a man form and pulled Ginny instinctively closer. The light seemed to fade. As it did so, the details were slowly thrown into relief.
Suddenly the blinding light was gone allowing them to see the man. He wasn't entirely human – there seemed to be a translucence about him that suggested that he was something from another world. However, there was no mistaking the wild black hair; the soft brown eyes; the glasses.
Harry stared, stunned beyond words. After several attempts to speak, he managed to stutter -
"D-d-d-dad?"
The man's face broke into a charming, disarming smile.
"Hullo Harry. Hello Ginny. It's good to finally meet you."
Ginny gulped, groping for Harry's hand. "Hi." She managed to whisper.
"Uh..what…?" Harry had no idea what he wanted to say. He didn't know why he was seeing this and frankly, didn't care. He stared quite rudely. He was drinking in the sight – the sound. This was his father! Standing before him in the …well, not quite in the flesh…
"Why am I here? Your mother isn't the only one that knew protection spells!" James grinned momentarily then grew serious. "You brought me here, Harry. Actually, you and Ginny both did. You both have created something more than, shall I say, the sum of your parts? You knew, didn't you Ginny?"
Ginny turned scarlet. "Er…" She dropped her eyes.
"Gin?" Harry – stunned -- turned to her. She wouldn't meet his gaze so he ducked his head and tipped her chin slightly. "You…knew?" he whispered.
The brown eyes filled, but, in typical Ginny-fashion, she met his gaze squarely. "Yes. I knew… I'd almost thought you'd have figured it out, what with me acting like a crazed cow…" she smiled shakily. " I guess birth control failure runs in the family…" she dropped her eyes again.
Harry didn't know how many more shocks he could handle. Wordlessly, he pulled her into his arms and buried his face in her hair, momentarily forgetting even the specter of his father before him. It was Ginny that pulled away and turned to James.
"So you came because of…because of…this?" Her face went crimson again.
He nodded. His smile was gentle and warm. Harry felt his eyes suddenly fill as well. His father… loved him. Loved them both and the…baby…they were carrying. He loved them enough that before he ever knew them, he created a spell to protect them all.
"The charm I found could only work if the continuing bloodline was threatened." James said softly. "Your mother gave her life, which activated the first protection. You know that." Harry nodded, afraid to speak through the tears. "Well, we wanted to try and extend that for as long as possible. We knew that Voldemort's hatred and need for revenge would continue through generations, so we found it – Tueor Posterum – one of the oldest protection spells. Whenever another generation is threatened, it will protect them. It will go on indefinitely as long as Voldemort is out there."
Harry started. "You mean – he's not…dead?"
James shook his head. "No. I'm afraid not. It's like last time. He's diminished and weakened. Almost dead. Perhaps now, with your help, he will stay that way."
Harry opened his mouth, then shut it. There was so much he wanted to say, to ask. But now that he had the chance….there were no words.
His father smiled again, making Harry's heart swell. He had parents that loved him. Still loved him. After years of being alone, the boy that lived under the stairs in friendless isolation could look into his father's eyes and know that.
"I must go now. Remember, we're still with you Harry – your mother and I. We're very, very proud of you." He glanced over at Ginny and grinned a sudden boyish grin. "What is it about stubborn redheads Harry? It must be a family trait…" He was fading now.
Harry grinned back through a sudden fog of tears and pulled her close. He noticed that she was scarlet again. Together, they silently watched as his father disappeared.
A quiet moment passed. Ginny reached over and gently wiped his cheeks with the back of a finger. He caught up her hand and brought it to his lips.
"Why didn't you tell me, Gin?" his whispered hoarsely.
She drew a quick hand over her own cheeks. "Seemed to me you had enough on your mind. I knew you had to go and this…wouldn't have made it any easier for you."
They heard a groan behind them. Harry whirled around, wand ready. Lucius Malfoy seemed to be regaining consciousness.
Harry grinned and flicked his wand.
"Petrificus Totalus"
Lucius instantly went rigid; his eyes bulging with surprise and anger.
"Nice work. Come on. Let's get out of here." Ginny laughed.
Harry leapt down from the slab. Ginny followed, but continued toward the floor as her knees buckled. Harry caught her and scooped her into his arms. "Oh, Gin! I'm so sorry! Are you OK?" he asked anxiously, pressing his cheek into her head.
He heard a soft giggle from beneath the tumbled curls on his shoulder.
"I'm wonderful."
He suddenly realized with a jolt that she was safe. He wouldn't have to leave now. They would be together. They were having a…no…best not think about that yet. He shook his head to banish from his mind the image of Ron coming toward him, fists ready. He felt a sudden surge of joy; it broke like a wave and washed over him, filling him with warmth. He'd seen his father and he knew now, beyond any doubt, how much his parents loved him. His mind whirling with emotions of an intensity he'd never felt before, he tightened his grip around Ginny and stepped into the red and purple flames.
The common room instantly appeared before them. Ron and Hermione charged them, almost knocking Harry over. Dumbledore smiled warmly, backing away slightly to avoid the throng.
"Oh Harry!" Hermione was crying hard. "We were s-s-sooo scared! GINNY! Are you OK?"
"You and me both." Harry mumbled, elbowing them out of his way to lay Ginny on the couch. She smiled up at Ron, who fell to his knees and wrapped her in this arms.
"When are you going to learn to stay out of trouble?" he muttered thickly.
Harry grinned, thinking that he sounded suspiciously choked up.
He turned to Professor Dumbledore.
"Well done Harry." The Professor said no more. He didn't have to. Harry had a feeling that he already knew what had happened and he felt a warm glow of contentment.
"Thanks."
"I shall expect a full report Harry. Tomorrow." Dumbledore twinkled and moved toward the door. "I shall send Madam Pomfrey to look after Ginny. I think it will probably be better if she does not go to the infirmary. If I remember correctly, either you nor she were very happy with that arrangement last time." He chuckled lightly as he dropped through the portrait hole.
"So Harry! What happened? Tell us!" Hermione squeaked.
"Is You-Know-Who gone for good? Did you do it Harry? Did you?" Ron demanded jumping to his feet.
Harry's green eyes met the dark brown that gazed up at him. He slowly knelt down next to her, catching her hand up in his.
"Harry!" Ron jabbed him with his toe impatiently.
"Er…Ron…Maybe we should go….er…to my room?" Hermione was as always, the quicker of the two.
"No way! I –" Then Ron's brain slowly processed the words "my room". "Oh… Sure. Yeah. Whatever… Bye Harry… Bye Ginny. Glad you're…OK…"
Rolling her eyes, Hermione ushered him out.
Harry grinning slightly, brought Ginny's hand softly to his lips. She smiled, eyes quizzical.
"What?" a faint flush tinged her cheeks.
"I had something I was coming to give to you – before…" Harry shut his eyes involuntarily, "when you weren't… there." He was groping around in his robes now. "Well, I had it for a while now – I never really showed it to anybody – didn't have any reason to -- really – since… after all – I didn't know what it was for, right?" He groped a little more desperately. "It's here somewhere…oh wait…no, that's not it…"
Ginny cocked her head; a grin slowly blossoming.
"Harry? What are you on about?"
"OW! Oh…well – Got it! Whew…OK." He turned back to her, hiding something in his lap. "Remember I showed you the picture and baby rattle Sirius gave me that night he came?" Ginny nodded, looking faintly suspicious." Well, there was this other…thing he gave me. He didn't explain it and I had no idea what it was. So, I did a little research and figured it out for myself." He held up the beautiful red and gold embroidered cord.
Ginny's face flooded with crimson. Harry laughed, pulling up her hand which was still clasped in his. He pushed an end of the cord into her opposite hand and grasped the other end.
"An…Adiunctor?…Harry…you didn't know what it was for?" she whispered, raising her eyes to stare steadily into his.
"I do now." He answered gently. "I had to look into Wizard Wedding Rituals for the Not-Very-Bright, but I caught on eventually. I wanted to give this to you before…you know… as sort of a -- promise for when I came back. Now I don't have to. All I ever wanted was a family of my own. Now that I pretty much have one, I was hoping…that…er – you would maybe…" He slowly and awkwardly pulled his end of the cord around their clasped hands. "Will you, Gin? I mean, it won't be official until the Ministry has all the paperwork and stuff, but,,,"
He trailed off as he watched her bring her end up and around their clasped hands. He looked up into eyes that reflected back the love he was feeling.
"You…you…will?" he seemed to have trouble breathing…
She grinned and whispered, "Do you know the words?"
He nodded; feeling like he was going to burst from the joy that welled up at her words. Together they pulled the Adjunctor around their clasped hands and crossed it. Together, their eyes met. Together, they whispered –
""Concentus…Coniunxi…Marito…For now and forever."
Together….United…in Marriage. For now and forever.