A/N: how terrible! I read somewhere that HP5 might not be out sooner than autumn 2003! Not even this year! I can't bear the thought that we'll have to wait one and a half years for it! Why, for heaven's sake? Rowling said she was ready with it, then why do we have to wait? Or did Rowling lie? Does she have writer's block and hasn't written anything for months? I'm desperate, people, tell me that this rumour isn't true, please!!!

Now to your reviews: many of you suspected Tatyana to be Remus' secret love, but she isn't. They haven't even met and they will never meet.

J-Kid: no, Mileta isn't that much of a danger. Someone/something else is. Don't worry, the Fred-Angie-George thing will work out.

spanglestar: I'm happy you liked Hungary. Which part of the country have you visited? Budapest, maybe? (just because I live there.)

LilGinny: Arianna is a cute name, but I already have names for all future characters, thanks :) The weather is quite warm and sunny here nowadays, so I already have a bit of tan.

teacherchez: I like Minerva, of course, but not all the guys fall for her (why would they? She's and old spinster!:) No, I'm saving Rosmerta for someone else, not Lupin. Albus is already together with Mrs. Figg, I just don't write about them (maybe I will in the sequel, I don't know). Yes, I think that Arabella Figg is the same old Mrs. Figg from Privet Drive (or her daughter or sister.) We'll see in OotP, I hope. I personally don't think that Harry will die in book7 – if someone dies then it's going to be Albus/Severus/Ron. If Ron dies, then Harry will surely marry Hermione, but I hope that Ron stays alive, marries Herm and Harry gets Ginny. Neville is cute, but I think Ginny deserves someone better: Harry, of course. Why do you think that JKR hinted at a H/Hr relationship? Just because she kissed him on the cheek at the end of book four? I think Hermione loves Ron. And really, Harry cannot die, because the fans would kill Rowling if she killed him off! No, Angie isn't making it up and she'd never play the twins off of one another. She's too nice for that. And yes, the review was long enough, thanks! :)

Crazycutee831: Dudley is a tenth- (or more) generation squib. Yes, the SW film will be played both in Hungarian and in English here in Hungary. I can't believe I'm going to see it in three days!

Blondie in Disguise: I know the feeling of loving and hating a story at once. But if you already dislike it, then soon you are REALLY going to hate it, LOL :) After this chapter it will turn rather dark.

Mabel Weasley: you can have Remus… until the final chapter of this story :)

jeanine23Dr: first of all: I have read the sex ed story you mentioned, but didn't like it at all. It wasn't funny, just rude. Have you seen any of the SW films? No, I don't like Lord of the Rings. The movie was quite okay, but I absolutely dislike the books. Many people love them, but for me they are terribly boring. Frodo wakes up and they discuss what they should have for breakfast on 40 pages… arggghhh… it's not the book for me, not at all. This is the second time I'm reading it, but I still haven't managed to grow to like it (not that I wasn't trying! I DID try to find something to love in it, but I couldn't. If you are a great LotR fan, please, don't feel offended, tastes are very different, you know :) And please, DO study a bit more! Don't let your grades drop! Finally: X_Tow_Naga is a he, not a she :))

Cassandra Anthemyst: what? I have forgot to mention your name??? My apologies! I'm really, really, really sorry! Yes, Fred will do the right thing :)

X_Tow_Naga: I have learnt this otherwise: you don't need to display magic in order to pass it on to your child. Certain genes can be recessive through several generations before they prop up again. For example I inherited my terribly bushy hair from my great-grandma – not from my parents or grandparents. It's true that life isn't fair, but Ginny meant it for only their situation. IMHO life is never fair. I don't know whether Percy has friends, but I seriously doubt it :) About the rings working in danger: of course in the jewellery shop and at the middle of last chapter it worked without danger, but if you want to get to a very restricted place (like Durmstrang) you can only get there with the ring when in danger. I suppose the owner of the jewellery shop told this to Harry in The Dancing Bear, when Harry had already decided to buy it (but I left it out, people already said the story was boring, so I didn't want to bore the readers even more with technical data about the gems.) So, to restricted places you can only get with the gem's help when the bearer of the other gem is in trouble. Oh, yes, it's called transportation in Hungarian as well, I don't know why I remembered 'teleportation'. Never mind, it will stay teleportation, it sounds good. Yes, the fight between Herm and Ron was short, only to continue later… :) Foreshadowing? Who knows? *enigmatic smile* About the wizard priests: with this I only wanted to show how much I didn't agree with the Christians' HP hatred. I'm also Christian, but I don't find anything satanic in Harry – on the contrary, I think this book shows lots of Christian values: Harry, the boy who had never been loved is able to love others without selfishness and he doesn't let Sirius and Remus kill Pettigrew (forgive your enemies), etc. So I just thought: why not give that bunch of freaks (the bigot priests) a slap by saying that even wizards have priests? I think that priests who condemn Harry are seriously stupid. I for one know a Protestant pastor who is a great HP fan and I'm happy that there are normal priests as well! Angelina might have been drunk as well, but women usually don't admit that they were drunk. If they have a hangover, they say: "Oh, how terrible, there must be a front coming, my head hurts so much!" I don't think there are semi-permanent birth control spells. There might be such potions, but not spells (at least not in my story.) So, you're not a morning person, huh? I'm not one either :))

Mage: had I included H/G's anniversary, I should have included Herm/Ron's as well, but that would have meant writing even more fluff, and I'm getting a bit sick of it :))

aurora riddle: how do I do it? No idea :))) Nothing happened to Fred besides getting angry and cursing George. George, however is at St. Mungo now, unconscious.

Eclectus: you haven't read The greatest scandal of Hogwarts history, have you? Because in there I explained how Dudley and Millicent Bulstrode got together. Yes, Davie is Dudley's brother – he was born in the final chapter of "Scandal". Lily is one and a half year old now. If you really haven't read my first story, then I advise you to do so, because things will happen in the future that are based on things that happened in TGSoHH, and you won't understand parts of the plot if you haven't read the original fic. Yes, I have seen The sound of music at least 10 times, I love it! (I got the idea for the Edelweiss from there :)

princesswitch: are you all right now? I hope so.

NuttyBuddy: you'll get to know how this Fred-George-Angie thing works out… at the end of the fic *evil grin*

blaubaerin: Herm decided to forgive Ron because it was Christmas. Remus reminds you of Superman? Hahahaha! That's gross! Maybe Angie was also a bit tipsy, that's why she didn't recognise that it wasn't Fred (she just didn't admit having been drunk).

zzxm: are there jewish wizards? Why not? There are wizards in all countries and of all religions (just remember the Moon Run in TGSoHH, there were wizards and witches from all over the world.) Don't worry you'll get to know about the Dumbledore/Dumbledore grudge (in the very last chapter :)) (I might have asked this before, but I have forgot, sorry: so, are you a boy or a girl? I'm just interested how many male readers I have.)

jennyKT: I did write about Muslim wizards in TGSoHH (remember: Egypt) and even about Hindi wizards (remember: India).

xenocide: I just love hooking up people with each other, I can't help. Am I writing a soap opera? Well, truth be told I have watched way too many Brazilian and Mexican soap operas, they must have affected me. (May I ask something stupid: are you a boy or a girl? I might have asked this before, but I couldn't keep everyone's gender in mind.)

PepsiAngel: have I outdone myself? *grin* thanks :) Well, of course Percy is the nickname for Percival. I thought it was obvious, but it seems I was wrong.

One_Winged_Butterfly: in the article I wrote about Gildy's boxers I wrote that he went off to Tibet to flirt with a yeti while his evil house-elf placed his boxers at the disposal of the Gilderoy Pants' Fans witch-society, that had an exhibition of the boxers at Madam Malkin's. It was really hilarious – and the guy who played Lockhart in the RPG said he was rotfl. Yes, you are going to see Gildy again, but not much.

Arif: I live in Budapest. What does 'doozy' mean? Did you write it in a positive or negative sense? Yes, condoms will work for a change. I don't think that Trelawney is really nasty – by far not as nasty as Rita. Trelawney is rather amusing. No, there are more than 14 chappies left – 20, to be exact. Yes, I have read ginnypotter and it was really good. I have even reviewed a couple of chapters. She just doesn't update quick enough! (which sucks, because by the time she updates, you forget what the fic was about :(

Tessa: you'll see Percy again (though only for two single sentences at the end.) Don't worry, he'll be all right. Yes, the build-up chapters are over (at least I think so.)

Wood's secret lover: no, don't worry about George. Sean Biggerstaff is really cool, but I'm not naming anyone after him.

Moony Lover: who wouldn't love champagne? :)) Sorry, no hints!

Kristen Michelle: I wish you were right about HP5 coming out this year and not next year! *sigh* I don't think I could wait any longer. Is your mum going to read this? (sorry, I forgot whose mother was the one who read my fics, was it yours?)

Also thanks to Gwen Fifortry, The Face of Evil, Super saya-Jin Gotan, AmandaPanda, Angel Wings, Kit Cloudkicker, HerbieWerbie, Bienfoy, K.C. Hunter, Harrysgirl, Coolio, Debra T. Lewis, unsigned, Almah, goldenstar555, chicory tee, ladyyuy, Hollis, AlexanderPheonix, BlueIce, Evil Monkeys Abuser, LisaQT3, Waldomier, ILOVELINKPARK222, notebook girl, spangle*star, jennaration, Lady Lupin (sorry if I forgot anyone!)

Warning: this chapter contains material (swearing) that is close to R rating!

Chapter 19

Corpus delicti

"I simply can't believe it." Ginny sighed, dropping herself into an armchair back at the Black Manor. "Poor Percy. How terrible for him."

"And poor George." Harry said. He had been told that medi-wizards had taken the younger Weasley-twin to St. Mungo after receiving certain curses from Fred.

"And poor Fred." Ron added. "George had knocked up his girlfriend.

"I'd rather say poor Angelina." Hermione commented. "She had been had. But George didn't do it deliberately, he was drunk, after all!"

"I can't even imagine what they're going to do now." Harry said. "I mean… when this pregnancy stuff happened to Ginny and me, at least there wasn't another guy."

Ginny gave him a peck on the cheek. "What other guy would I want if I have you, my sweet liquorice wand?"

Harry turned pink, hoping that the others didn't bother with interpreting his wife's comment. To his greatest relief they didn't. Everyone felt tired. Ginny said she wanted to have a look at the kids before she went to bed, so she headed upstairs. Ron and Hermione followed suit.

"It's really pity." Sirius told Harry. "It started as a good party. Nice music, pretty women, delicious tart…"

"Yeah. Dumbledore ate several slices of it." his godson replied. "You know, Sirius… when we were talking, I mentioned his brother to him, and he… changed."

"Changed?" Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Would you expand on it?"

"He fell silent." Harry shrugged. "He looked so distant for a while… then he started joking, as though he wanted to change the subject. I think… there's something seriously wrong with Albus and his brother. Shortly after I got to know Aberforth, he told me that they had had a row and that's why he had left Great Britain. He also said that the reason why Albus refused to play judge at the tournament was that he knew Aberforth would also be there. Now Albus said he had forgot that his brother would be there at Durmstrang, but I had a feeling that he was lying. When Aberforth first told me about this I thought he didn't mean it… that their row wasn't something to be taken seriously. But now I tend to believe that it was. I wonder what it could be about, though."

"Yeah, that must be something interesting." Sirius replied somewhat nonchalantly.

"You don't take this seriously, do you?" Harry asked.

"No." his godfather shook his head. "I've been occupied with something else, you know."

"And that something is worrying you." Harry perceived.

"Exactly." Black nodded. "I'm… not supposed to tell this to anyone, but… it's about Remus."

"What happened to him?"

"What? Nothing. And that's his problem."

"I fear I don't understand."

"He is in love with someone. He tried to deny it, but he couldn't lie to his best friend." Sirius said.

"Does that woman not love him back?"

"No idea about that." his godfather shrugged. "But one thing is sure: she used to love him… before she got to know what he was."

"A werewolf, you mean?" Harry asked.

"Yup. She chickened out. Left him. And Remus has never loved anyone since then… not even physically, if you get what I mean."

"Ooooh." Harry breathed. "Poor guy. But they did it before… didn't they?" Sirius remained silent. "Oh, that's even worse. Heavens, poor Lupin. Couldn't we help him somehow?"

"If only we could…" Sirius shook his head. "And even if we could, he wouldn't let us."

"Wouldn't let us?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You don't know Remus, Harry." his godfather sighed. "Not as well as I do. When we were children he was very shy… because he felt inferior. You can't imagine how hard it was for James, Peter and me to make friends with him. He was way too introverted, never talking to anyone, always sitting in a corner all by himself… but the three of us couldn't bear to see him that way, so we didn't leave him alone until he was willing to talk to us. And slowly, very slowly he became our friend. But even then, he always refused to accept our help… after we got to know what he was, he accepted help even less than ever before. He said he didn't need anyone's compassion. We… tried to persuade him that we wanted to help out of friendship, not compassion, but Remus was stubborn… he would never have let us try and become animagi, had we told him about it in advance."

"What? You didn't tell him?"

"No, because we knew he'd go to the headmaster or something to tell on us… not because we were breaking a rule… but because he would have thought that we did it out of sympathy. So we didn't tell him, and one night when the full moon was up, we surprised him. He was in his werewolf state, so he couldn't tell on us, he could only show his anger. But his anger subsided soon. During his terrible werewolf hours we – in animal form – stayed with him and he realised that it wasn't compassion. It was friendship. He managed to accept that we became animagi for his friendship, but he still hasn't lost his pride and still wouldn't let us help."

"Strange." Harry muttered. "How can someone be so shy and so proud at once?"

"No idea. Remus is a riddle." Sirius gave him a faint smile.

"It's not right, Sirius." Harry hung his head. "If someone, then he would deserve to be happy. To be loved. Life's so damn unfair!" he slapped the armrest of his chair irritably.

"Damn unfair, huh?" Sirius looked at him. "Yeah, it is. And to many people."

*You wanted to say 'to you, too, Harry', didn't you, Sirius?* Harry thought and stood up. "I'm sleepy. G'night."

* * * * *

Next day everyone woke up late. It was already midday when Harry deigned to get up and that was only because Hedwig and her kids started madly tapping his room's window. Had they not arrived, Harry might have got up only for dinner.

"No letters, Hedwig?" he raised an eyebrow and let the owl-family in and sat down on the bed again. "Then what is this excitement, huh?" Hedwig gently nipped his fingers while Helena, Hannah, Helga, Herold, Hector and Hubert all perched themselves on Harry's shoulders, knees and one of them on his head. "Just needed some affection, eh?" he laughed, reaching out to caress the small owls. "I see. Missed me, haven't you, old girl?" Hedwig hooted her agreement

After having devoted time to the owls, Harry went downstairs. He found Ginny in the kitchen, wearing a strawberry patterned apron, helping Dinky with preparing lunch. She looked so sweet that Harry felt his heart melt.

"Hi, dearest." he sneaked up to her from behind and kissed her neck. "What is this wonderful smell, huh?"

"Some speciality I've learnt from a Witch Weekly recipe lately." she replied. "Now go, let me do it in peace."

"Oh, does this mean that I'm a distraction to you?" he laughed, gathering her into his arms. "Um, what about a bit of real distraction, huh?"

"What do you mean?" she giggled.

"There's still two left of Hermione's packages." he started nibbling on her left ear. "And I'm going to leave tomorrow. We should make use of them the sooner the better…"

"Harry! Really!" she slapped his hands playfully. "There'll be time for that, but now let me cook!"

"Dinky could do it alone." he pointed out.

"But I want to do this." she replied resolutely.

"Ginny…"

"Out with you!" she pointed at the door. "Out! And don't you dare disturb me before lunch!"

"Does that mean that you're available after lunch?" he asked with puppy-eyes.

"Maybe." she grinned. "Now go and play with Lily a bit."

"Aye, aye, captain! I'm going to teach her a bit of Quidditch, then."

"You… you aren't planning to make her ride a broomstick?" Ginny blanched.

"No. That will be second lesson. Now she'll only learn how to hit the bludgers." Harry winked at her and shut the door behind himself.

"Crazy." Ginny whispered. "But that's why I love him."

* * * * *

"Oooooooh, this was wondrous."

"The meal or the…?"

"Both." Harry took Ginny into his arms, kissing her forehead. "I could stay like this forever."

"Naked, you mean?" she asked. "You could catch a cold, you know. Or another pneumonia."

"You know what I meant." he whispered into her hair. "I wish I didn't have to leave tomorrow. This one and a half weeks have been simply perfect… with a couple of exceptions, of course."

"Oh…" she chuckled. "Poor Perce. I wonder if he has started eating yet."

"Really serious depression, huh?" Harry pulled up the quilt to cover their cooling bodies. "Has George come around yet?"

"No. But according to Doctor Fiddlesticks he is going to be all right soon." she replied. "Anyway, it's not George I'm worried about. It's Fred. He truly loved Angelina."

"Why are you talking in past tense?" he asked. "Do you think Fred doesn't love her anymore? Just because…"

"I don't know, Harry. This is going to be difficult to settle. The twins have always been on excellent terms with each other. This incident could ruin everything."

"What if it already has?"

"No idea. I wish I could help them."

"Yeah, me too." he sighed. *And Lupin as well.* he added in thought.

* * * * *

After dinner the family sat down before the fireplace, just to enjoy their last opportunity to talk before parting for a long time again. Harry and Hermione weren't coming back before Easter. Hermione promised Ron to try and ask for a portkey so that she could come home for his birthday (1st March), but she also told him not to get his hopes up, because it wasn't by far sure that she would be able to come at all. Everything depended on her tasks at Durmstrang (which, up till now, have not been too much, but she suspected that in the future she would need to play the chaperone for McGonagall. Minerva had been quite disappointed when she left to spend the holidays with her family – Hermione was sure that Minerva was afraid to be alone with mad old Aberforth Dumbledore.)

"Well, I guess I go and say goodbye to the kids and Hedwig. We're leaving early tomorrow." Harry stood up after a long chat.

"I'll go and pack your suitcase, shall I?" Ginny offered.

"Thanks, that would be a great help. I'm really tired."

"You don't look it." she smiled. "But packing suitcases is definitely no man's job. I saw what your clothes looked like after you packed them at Durmstrang. It was a hard job making them look normal again… I had to use some really strong ironing charms."

* * * * *

"… and the prince kissed Sleeping Beauty, who opened her beautiful, sky-blue eyes and laughed at him. 'My dear prince! You have come for me!' The prince married her and they lived happily ever after… Good night, my little princess." Harry bent down to place a kiss on his daughter's forehead. He wasn't sure whether Lily had understood the tale – she was only one and a half years old, after all… but she seemed to enjoy it. Maybe it was only because of her father's soothing voice that she loved so much.

"'Arry?" she opened her stunningly green eyes.

"What, dear? I thought you were already asleep."

"You go, 'Arry?"

"I have to, my sweet." he replied, though he knew this wasn't totally true. He didn't have to go back to Durmstrang right now, he could have stayed until the second task, but that would have meant that Aberforth had to arrange everything on his own – because Viktor (being not creative enough) wasn't much of a help in this area. Harry didn't want to let old Aberforth Dumbledore do everything alone, so he decided to go back and assist in making up various obstacles and placing protection charms. Seeing his little daughter so sad about his departure made his heart sink, but he thought it would be unfair to let his old friend down now. "I'm leaving tomorrow, dear," he continued, "but I am going to be back soon. And until then you have Angel to take care of you." Angel was a stuffed unicorn that Lily had received from Harry for her first birthday. She loved that toy over all others. "You just hug Angel and think of me, and I'll be there with you."

"Where?" she asked.

"In your heart." he placed his hand on Lily's chest. "In there. And now, sleep my little princess."

She nodded and clutched Angel to herself.

"Good night." Harry looked back from the doorframe, smiling at the small form cuddling with the stuffed unicorn. Sometimes he still couldn't believe that this precious little being was his flesh and blood. She was simply too perfect – and exceptionally clever. As though she had been at least three years old. *She's like a second Hermione. I wonder what Hermione's future children will be like… little Einsteins?* he mused as he closed the door behind himself. *Ginny will have packed the suitcase by now. It's time for a nice, memorable good-bye-night.* he thought, feeling a huge grin spread on his face as he opened the door to their bedroom. *There's one more left of Herm's packages, so…* he couldn't even finish this train of thought, because the first thing he saw as he entered was Ginny standing in the middle of the room, practically shaking, her face chalk-white, her hands holding some kind of a crumpled sheet of paper.

"Gin?" he felt like running up to her, but she held out a hand, indicating that she didn't want him to come any closer. "Gin, what?"

She sniffed – Harry was sure that she had been fighting back tears – and handed him the piece of paper.

Dear Harry,

Please, forgive me, I didn't want to get you into such an embarrassing situation. I know I'm a despicable little bitch for deceiving you with tears, but it felt so good to be consoled by you. I would like to thank you for last night – it was the most wonderful night of my life (until my brother caught us).

Love,

Mileta

Harry felt his knees buckle. It was the letter he had received from Krum's sister after that terrible incident in The Dancing Bear. When he received it, he was already sick and possibly didn't know what he was doing when he nonchalantly stuffed the letter into the pocket of his dressing gown – the dressing gown that now was lying on the bed, next to a half-packed suitcase.

"Ginny…" he began, taking a step in her direction.

She held up both her hands again. "Don't touch me!"

"But dear, this is not what you think it is…"

"No?" she hissed. "NO??? Do you think I'm totally crazy? Do I look crazy?"

"'Course not, but you are misunderstanding things…"

"Misunderstanding?" she let out a harsh laugh. "There's NO misunderstanding here!"

"But…" he had no idea what to say at all.

"You are a pathetic liar, Harry. I have told you that, haven't I?" she said with an unusually chilly voice. "So don't even try and lie to me! Everything is clear from this little love-letter! 'embarrassing situation'… 'despicable little bitch'… 'it felt sooooooo good to be consoled by you!'" she spat with a face of a banshee. "'the most wonderful night of my life!' That shameless little… Mileta. Who's this Mileta at all?"

"Krum's sister." Harry sighed.

"Aha! 'my brother caught us'! Great! You go around shagging Krum's sister, what a nice way of international magical co-operation! That's what Percy would suggest: to create excellent relationship with wizards from other countries, go and fuck their sisters!"

"GINNY!" he bellowed. "I NEVER SHAGGED HER!"

"Never? Hah! You really seem to take me for a complete idiot, Harry." she folded her arms, her eyes sending lightning-bolts at him.

"I – never – slept – with – anyone – else – but – you!" he shouted.

"That's right. I never thought you slept with her." she replied coolly.

"Ginny!" he ran up to her, gripping her arms against her will. "Ginny, I never loved anyone else!"

"I never thought you loved her!" she shook his arms off herself. "You don't need to love someone in order to shag her."

"You aren't going to believe me, are you?" he frowned. "Then maybe we should resort to Veritaserum. I'll gladly subject myself to it."

"Veritaserum, eh?" she snapped. "Oh, how convenient!"

"Convenient?" he blinked.

"Yeah. You know as well as I do that in order to use Veritaserum you need to get the permission of the Ministry! It was really convenient for you to offer me this, because you knew that I would refuse… I'd never air our dirty laundry in public! The honour of my family means more to me. The honour of the Weasleys, I mean… not that of the Potters, because you don't seem to have it!"

"You said I was pathetic." he whispered. "But it's not me. It's you."

"Pathetic? Me?" she howled.

"Yeah. Pathetic, miserable… psychotic, that's what you are! You are not the Ginny I had fallen in love with! You changed after Daniel's birth. You…"

"Me? Changed?" she hissed. "And what about you? Haven't you changed? Haven't you found yourself being psychotic? Miserable?" these words stabbed Harry in the heart. She had told him exactly what had happened to him. But he didn't have time to brood over this, because she carried on with her tirade: "You were feeling miserable and helpless, weren't you, Harry? You felt you needed to show someone that you weren't that miserable at all… and that's where this Mileta came in, wasn't it? She made you feel like a real man again, didn't she?"

"You… you are obsessed!" he snapped. "You are imagining things! You are… truly ill, Ginny!"

"Ill, aren't I?" she yelled. "Oh, yea, I am! I'm totally crazy! Crazy because I love someone who doesn't deserve it!"

Harry stepped closer. "You love me? You love me. I love you too, Ginny." he reached out with both hands, but she recoiled. "Heavens, Gin, you can't imagine how much I love you."

"Then why have you cheated on me?" she whispered with tears welling up in her eyes.

"I haven't cheated on you. Never. Our marriage is… sacred to me!"

"That's what I think of our marriage!" with a swish of her hand she tossed their wedding picture off the nearby beside table. Its glass case broke into a hundred little splinters… so did Harry's heart.

"Okay then! So be it! This is what I think of our marriage!" he shouted, and Ginny heard a clunk, followed by the bang of the door slammed shut.

She looked down to see something rolling on the floor, stopping right before her feet. As the light of the candles fell on it, the small object glinted gold and ruby.

Ginny knelt down and picked up the object – Harry's wedding ring with the magical gem set into it. The gem wasn't glowing now that the magic bind had been broken when Harry took it off.

Ginny's gaze fell on a piece of paper also lying on the floor – it was the letter that Harry must have dropped. She reached out with a trembling hand and snatched it up. "Dear Harry… Love Mileta…" she whispered, feeling tears pouring down on her cheeks. "Why have you lied to me, Harry?" she hid her face into her hands and carried on sobbing until she felt that there were no tears left in her at all.

A/N2: you must absolutely hate me now, and I'm prepared for any howlers (with dungbombs attached) that you want to send me :)

Latin explanation: the title – corpus delicti – means an object that proves someone's guilt. For example it can be a gun that has killed someone.