Time Changes Everything
A Fanfiction by Eimaan
Disclaimer: Everything is J.K.Rowling's – only this insufferably long chapter is mine!
Chapter 25: To Break The News
Author's Notes:
Hi there! I'm sorry for being a day or two late but unfortunately, my mother banned me from the computer for a day. That's because my sister and I were fighting really, really bad. Anyways, that's aside…
I've changed my penname again…it's now Eimaan, as you probably know. It's pronounced, if you wish to know, (Eee-maan), and it means "Faith in the Unseen".
Ok, on to fic-matters. Here's chapter 25, the most difficult of all the chapters yet. In this chapter, you'll get to understand what was happening to Ginny, well most of it, and the rest will be gradually revealed to you in proceeding chapters.
About the next chapter – I hope it comes up soon. I'll be traveling back to Pakistan on 3rd August and I hope I can finish this story before that because I know that as soon as I get back, my routine is going to be turned upside down! So, I really, really hope I can finish this within the next week.
And now the reviewers! Thankyou so, so so much for all those lovely reviews, they are sooo very flattering!
I want to thank you all for reviewing!
Sierra Sitruc: Thanks a lot! I hope you keep reading!
Sofalina: I'm very glad about the concern shown for Ginny but well…let's see what happens…
Sakura: Thanks! :)
Munku J. : I got your email but I couldn't reply before I got chapter 24 out. Also, thanks for reading UB (Unfinished Business). I hope you liked it. Also, you mentioned the Dementor's kiss…you'll read in the following chapter something related to a Dementor's kiss. Anyways, keep reading!! Love, Eimaan.
Julephenia: Thanks a lot for your comment over at my other story – Unfinished Business! That made my day! A QoHG?! Ohhh…I don't think I fit in with them in any way…thanks for reading!
Julia2CJ: Thanks! I couldn't help that cliffhanger. The chapter was getting really bug and I had to cut it off somewhere! Really, it was entirely unintentional! Keep reading!
Pudadingding: I know, I'm sorry for that cliffhanger but as I said above, it was unintentional! Anyways, keep reading and do keep checking every day or two for updates!
Sew2100: Thanks a lot, lot, lot! Please keep reading!
Skip-e: Hi there Abba! Thanks for reviewing again and I'm glad that you're glad to have liked this chapter. Maybe you'll like this one even better? I hope. Cheerio!
Anoriel: Thanks for reading and do keep checking back!
River Dragon: Thanks, I hope you like this chapter!
Varity: Hi there! Thanks for reviewing again! And how's "It's Gonnabe Me" coming out? I'm waiting for part 6!
Ciara Moondagger: I am writing as fast as I can!! And I hope you love this chapter! Do review…love., Eimaan.
And thankyou Ax – Official Fic Guardian for that lovely email! I really hope I don't get any flames but if I ever do, I'll be sure to ask you to deal with the flamer! Use your scepter thing…you can call it anything you like…what about Zirius? It's up to you entirely!
Love,
Ameera aka Eimaan
Before leaving you to read the chapter, I must tell you that even though I've changed by penname to Eimaan, if you email me, can you address me by my real name – Ameera? That's me – Ameera Khan aka Eimaan. Thanks!
Now, without further ado, let's go ahead and read the chapter!
* * * * *
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George entered Dumbledore's office, for a moment, they all paused.
'Dad?' George said, staring at his father and then his eyes darted to Dumbledore sitting in his armchair. Mr. Weasley was sitting in a large chair but not looking at the people who had just entered. He glanced Ron's way for a moment and then looked away again.
'Come in, Ron, Fred…all of you,' he said, in a very controlled sort of voice and Harry began fearing the worst. There was a strange feeling of mourning in the atmosphere.
The twins, Harry, Ron and Hermione were beckoned by an even-faced Dumbledore to sit in chairs and they did so quietly. Mr. Weasley was still looking away but then he took a deep, audible breath and looked up, the wrinkles even more evident on his face.
'Dad, where's Mum?' Ron spoke up, his voice shaky and his hands and feet tingling with worry.
'She's here…you can see her later,' said Mr. Weasley quietly and glanced at Dumbledore. 'Professor Dumbledore has something to tell you.'
Dumbledore was looking at Mr. Weasley sympathetically.
'Arthur, I think you should join Molly in the other room. I'll send the others up later,' he said in a soft voice. Mr. Weasley nodded, got up and put a hand on George's arm briefly before leaving. The twins, all signs of cheerfulness long gone from their faces, turned to Dumbledore. They, too, began expecting only the worse. Never in their entire lives had they seen their father so weary and miserable.
'I have asked you here,' said Dumbledore after a moment, 'in addition to your parents because I believe you deserve an equal right to be informed.'
Dumbledore paused, looking at his hands and his voice became heavier when he spoke.
'It is difficult to determine exactly where to begin but…I want you to know something. The ones we truly love never leave us. They stay with us as a part of us forever, wherever they might be or wherever they might go.'
There was silence and by now, everyone was simply listening to Dumbledore, waiting for him to continue. It was as if they had lost their voices at the tone of his voice and forced themselves into listening patiently. The gravity of the situation was finally understandable and Harry, his chest already beginning to tighten, was staring at a knot on Dumbledore's desk.
'I know this news will be worst on you because you love Ginny and are closer to her than any other in this school. But you have got be strong and willing to accept what is true as true…this is the war of truth against evil – evil in all its forms. To be strong and to learn from the truth, to carry on unaffected and stronger than before is the only way you can counter the effects of such a war.'
Dumbledore paused and glanced at the students before him. Their faces were pale and in case of the Weasleys, especially, they were shocked. They knew what he was going to say but they didn't know everything. Dumbledore knew that was what he had to do: the painful job of breaking the news to them.
'It is even more terrible that the most innocent of us, who are not directly involved in the war, are targeted and become victims to the cold-bloodedness of evil,' he said, gazing intently at the faces of the people seated before him.
Ron looked up, panic clearly evident in his eyes.
'W-what are you saying?! W-what's h-happened?' he stammered, fearing his suspicions would be confirmed. But he couldn't believe it…how…it couldn't be happening…what was Dumbledore saying?
'Where's G-Ginny?!'
Dumbledore took a deep breath. Even Harry was looking up at him now, his green eyed gaze steady and unmoving. Fred and George looked nothing short of distraught; they were staring at Dumbledore as though he had gone mad, though not saying a word, their age and maturity causing them, by some degrees to control themselves.
'Ginny is right here…in Hogwarts – in the room next to this one –'
Ron made a move to jump up and go but Fred stopped him gently and even Dumbledore said,
'Wait. You have to listen to me. There is nothing you can do to help. I will allow you to see her but first you must know…the truth…Ginny fell victim to Voldemort.'
Dumbledore knew he had to say those words some time and there was no use postponing the fact or hiding it. It would only worsen the pain.
Silent tears were pouring down Hermione's face and she hid her face in Ron's shoulder. Harry was looking away, as if he had known what was coming and was trying to stop his tears from falling. George had his head in his hands, his shoulders heaving in silent anguish and Fred, startled, was the only one looking at Dumbledore.
'W-what? No! Ginny was okay! We saw her…even yesterday and day before yesterday. She was alright and if she's here – what happened?!'
Dumbledore raised his hand slightly.
'Please. I know this is most hard on you and difficult…but I will tell you everything I know. Your parents have already been informed and they are with Ginny right now.'
'What do you mean? Is Ginny alright? But how –' Hermione said, looking up slightly and gazing pleadingly at the Headmaster, hoping he could answer in the affirmative.
'That is what you have to know,' said Dumbledore urgently. It was no use stalling matters. They had to know. The sooner they would know – the sooner they could be with Ginny before…
'You all know what happened to Ginny in her first year…the unfortunate events of the Chamber of Secrets. Ron, Harry and Hermione, working together, you were able to finally defeat the Basilisk, each of you contributing in his or her own way. The school rejoiced as everything alright again – everything was back to normal. But –'
Dumbledore looked away, a thoughtful but sad frown coming across his face.
' – Everything was not as perfect as it seemed. By enchanting Ginny and sharing, finally almost destroying her soul, Tom Riddle, later known as Lord Voldemort, not only created a kind of magical contract between the two of them but also learned the secrets of her soul to some extent. The contract I am talking about is one of revenge.'
Dumbledore looked up to see each of the students gazing at him intently, as if ready to hear whatever he had to say. Their eyes were red from crying and their skin pale from the shocking news but they were determined to listen. They had to know what had happened to Ginny.
'I can only assume – I am not certain of Voldemort's motivations – but there could be several reasons why he victimized Ginny.
When an innocent being is attacked or taken advantage of by an evil force or something with bad intentions, it creates a binding magical contract between them. Revenge. Voldemort tried to kill Ginny, feeding off her soul, in her first year, enchanting her while she had done him no harm, so now Ginny was in a position and obligation to take revenge, in any part of her life. It was harmful to Voldemort even though Ginny was only a little girl. He didn't face any threat from her otherwise. But the magical contract, like all magical contracts, is binding and this deep, old magic is one even the wisest of us have failed to understand. And so had Voldemort, I presume – which is why he was in a hurry to finish off every last bit of resistance before him so that he could expand his evil without any fears. He knew such magic would intensify which each passing second and he wanted nothing in his way.'
Dumbledore looked up to see Harry gazing right at him, his jaw firm and drawing strength from that young, determined gaze, he was able to continue.
'This is only one reason why Ginny was targeted, I believe. There could have been another reason too. Voldemort has mastered some of the depths of Dark Arts that I myself have never dared touch, as it is purely evil and destructive. He has become able, I have gathered from various sources, to, to some extent, carry out wandless magic – but of the evil form. By learning the secrets of Ginny's soul and utilizing his own experience, he was able to touch her. He was able to touch her soul once again.'
Dumbledore took a deep breath, looking up. Everyone was astonished as if not being able to believe the theory Dumbledore had presented before them.
'I am sure of this, at least, as the way he used to victimize Ginny. It was unfortunately undetectable except for signs that could hardly be noticeable – I could only presume. But when Harry confirmed that Ginny did act strangely sometimes…and then…the incident that went unnoticed. You may remember, the day after Christmas – Boxing Day, when I was not present here, Ginny fell mysteriously unconscious, not waking up for a very long time. That is something I was told of only today. But of course, in a school of magic, such incidents could merely be put down as a joke or a sleeping draught.'
Dumbledore sighed sadly.
'I do not think Ginny felt any of it. I myself met her a few days ago, in the corridor with her friends and I had no reason to feel that something was wrong with her – it did not show in her daily life – except in some circumstances, of which one I was told of by Professor McGonagall today. Day before yesterday, something occurred at breakfast. Harry, Ginny aimed a knife at you –'
'What?' Harry burst out on instinct. 'Ginny didn't aim it at me –'
'She did and that,' said Dumbledore quickly but gently, 'was because she wasn't herself. Voldemort had leaked into her soul enough to be able to control her – manipulate her and –'
Ron jumped up, whirled and stumbled out of the office before anyone could stop him.
'I'll go after him,' Fred managed in a croaky voice, getting up. It seemed he wasn't feeling any better than Ron.
Dumbledore looked away, at the wall and took a deep breath before continuing.
'I…that is why I think Voldemort had another reason to take control of Ginny's soul. So that he could target you, Harry.'
Harry looked as if he might get up and run away too; tears were falling from his face steadily but his jaw had slackened, his calm control over himself vanishing. He slumped in his chair, his head bent. Dumbledore remained silent, his own head bent.
'P-professor – what going to happen to Ginny now?'
Dumbledore looked up to see Harry raise his own head to listen. He paused for a moment, taking in Harry's saddened appearance and tear stained face.
'I will tell you the truth. This is one of the most advance forms of Dark magic and I have tried my best but I am afraid that Voldemort has come out successful this time. Last night, Ginny tried to attacked Harry again while he was sleeping.'
George and Hermione were looking at Dumbledore, shocked but Harry's head was still in his hands.
'But Harry woke up and ran after her…she fell unconscious and she has been like that ever since. Voldemort has completely taken over her soul and somehow – I do not know why…perhaps he does not find her useful anymore…he has been draining her life out of her…like…a Dementor's final weapon…only slower than that.'
Hermione gasped.
'I am very, very sorry to tell you this and in this way…but we…I can't…she's got very little time.'
Hermione looked away and her tears began falling once again. Dumbledore stood up.
'Come with me. She's in the next room.'
Hermione and George got up immediately, numbed by the shock but Harry remained still, his face in his hands.
Dumbledore turned to him and put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly and then led George and Hermione to the next chamber.
* * * * *
Harry couldn't have believed it if he hadn't heard it with his own ears. It was insane…mad…she had been okay. He had seen her yesterday…spent so much time with her out in the grounds…the attack at Hogsmeade…the Ball…she couldn't just die all of a sudden. Voldemort couldn't have…
But then there was the unnerving truth he had just heard. Everything did make sense…if he related individual incidents…but he didn't care at the moment…he couldn't bring himself to.
The only thing Harry could think of was that Ginny was going to die. Her life was being sucked out of her by someone that dwelled on other lives to expand its evil. And the objective of that evil had been, whatever Dumbledore talked about magical contracts of revenge…the object of taking over Ginny…
He had only himself to blame. He, Harry, was why Ginny was dying…it was his fault. Everyone around him was in danger because of him.
The thought itself choked his soul but his tears had dried up. He was beyond grief now. The guilt – the horrible guilt refused to let him even cry in peace. It bubbled inside him, expanding until he felt that even the air that he was breathing was poisonous. The walls of the room were bearing down upon him. He got to his feet, knocking aside a chair, his eyes unfocused as he tried to control himself – his anger at himself and at Voldemort and his life – the way it was turning out.
His anger fought to let itself out and his hands balled into fists. Then he felt a gentle hand on his shoulders. He could tell who it was but just then he couldn't turn around.
'Harry,' said Dumbledore gently, 'Please sit down.'
But Harry didn't move. His muscles had gone rigid.
'It was my fault,' he muttered, 'She's dying because of me.'
'No,' said Dumbledore patiently. 'It isn't your fault or Ginny's. It was Voldemort's doing –'
'If it hadn't been for me, he wouldn't have done this to her!' Harry said loudly, his voice shaking.
'We do not know,' said Dumbledore, 'but the obligations of a magical contract –'
'There was no such thing! It was entirely my fault! I let Sirius spare Pettigrew's life and he – he got Voldemort back! I got Voldemort back – it was my blood –'
At that moment, Harry could feel only guilt and anger at himself. Dumbledore gripped Harry's shoulder in a strong hold.
'Harry,' he said, quite loudly and firmly, 'Listen to me! Blaming yourself for any of this won't get you anywhere. It is not true – no matter what you may think.'
Dumbledore paused and took a deep breath. Harry's shoulder's sagged after a moment.
'You should get some rest,' said Dumbledore, 'if you don't want to see Ginny immediately…'
Trying to think properly, Harry decided he couldn't face the rest of the Weasleys just then.
'I'll go…to bed…' he said unthinkingly.
'Very well,' said Dumbledore in a low voice, 'I must go to Arthur…please, I suggest you go to the Hospital Wing. I informed Professor McGonagall that you'd be in the Hospital Wing today…'
Before Harry could say anything else, the Headmaster turned around and left the room. Harry sighed deeply, part of his mad anger evaporating. But the truth was still there…and thinking about what Voldemort had done to Ginny caused anger to surge up in him again with deep feelings of sorrow. Ginny was going to die and there was nothing anyone could do about it! Not even Dumbledore whom Harry thought could counter any sudden threat or solve any problem – especially when Voldemort was concerned. But he realized now – Dumbledore was only human.
Harry wanted to pound his fist into something – he felt so helpless. Wasn't there any way to save Ginny – any hope at all?
His eyes roved over the desk impatiently as he tried to gather his thoughts. And then, his gaze fixed at a word in a book, lying open on Dumbledore's desk. He had apparently been reading it.
He could see the heading on the top and it made all of Harry's other thoughts vanish.
Charmziriui: The Legend Behind Them
Harry froze for a second. He had completely forgotten the Charmzirius Ginny had given to him on his birthday. He remembered it had been very cold the previous night and had chilled him deeply when he had held it. What if it, like Ginny, had been affected by Voldemort's intrusion into Ginny's soul? He remembered the words inscribed on the little, bronze-gold ball; they talked as if about a bond between the giver of the Charmzirius and the receiver…and that…only the receiver would be able to feel the effects…
The change in the feeling and nature of the Charmzirius wasn't something ordinary. What if…
Harry's gaze went back to the book and then, he grabbed it and turned it around, his eyes roving the page.
The Charmzirius is said to be a legendary, non-living object. Its purpose is said to be like that of a Cheering Charm or a Calming draught. Though many, until recently, believed that the Charmzirius was a legendary object, recoveries of three functioning and intact Charmzirius have proven that they do indeed exist.
A Charmzirius is a small ball shaped object, fashioned from bronze though initially silver and gold were also used. It has two halves that open to reveal Zirius, a rare rock in molten form that emits a warming sensation. It is said that those who possess Charmziriui cast a Personalizing charm on it before giving it to the person they want to. The Charmzirius is, therefore a very personal object and usually, the person receiving it is able to feel an echo of the givers feelings, though usually warm and calming.
It is, however, said that after the death of the person who performed the charm on the Zirius in the Charmzirius, the peaceful and warming sensation vanishes and the Charmzirius is handed down by the initial receiver to the person he wishes to give it to.
It has, therefore been seen that Charmzirius are handed down within a family, generation to generation. The metal of the Charmzirius may get worn out with time but the Zirius remains perfectly fine.
Recently, three Charmzirius were discovered in Britain and to this date, no others have been recovered in any other part of the world. These are especially difficult, almost impossible to make now and, as the excavators of Zirius, the rare molten rock, lived hundreds of centuries ago, now, only the three Charmzirius found recently are the ones that are thought to exist.
There are several legends about the Charmziriui with varying degrees of nonsense added to them as the stories were told and retold. To this date, only one legend about the Charmziriui remains authentic and accepted by all the major sorcerers and wizarding communities.
It is the ancient story of Badb and Koess, two twin brothers who once lived in, what is now, Wales in Britain. It is said that these two brothers were two of the most power wizards of their time and era. They possessed great magical skills by birth and naturally, as they grew up, they were trained in highly advanced magic. However, Badb and Koess were exact opposites. While Koess was the peace loving and compromising one by nature, Badb was quite violent and ambitious. He had great plans for his future and wanted to gain control over all realms of magic and establish his rule by defeating the head of the magical community of their lands – the powerful sorcerer Zosh.
Incidentally, the grandmother of Badb and Koess had given them a Charmzirius, which she herself had received from Grott, the famous wizard conqueror, and her husband. When their grandmother died and the effects of the Charmzirius, which were shared between the two of them, vanished, Koess decided to give it to his brother. And thus, the Charmzirius created between them a special bond.
Badb knew he could not defeat the great sorcerer Zosh alone and thus, he came up with the only plan he knew would lead to the defeat of Zosh. He decided to use the Charmzirius.
Badb knew the Charmzirius had great powers aside from its basic purpose of calming, and those powers were just waiting to be discovered. Unknown to Koess, Badb started working on the Charmzirius, continuing for years until he reached his goal. He had known that such type of powers existed in Ziriui and he'd finally unlocked the secrets barring him from using those powers.
Badb worked on the bond that the Charmzirius had created between himself and Koess. He had traveled far and wide in his search and now he had understood the depths of the bond.
Badb discovered that the Zirius of a Charmzirius, with a drop of blood each from the giver and receiver of the Charmzirius, when taken by the giver and the receiver would unleash great magical wonders. He had worked everything out only in theory but to this date, his discoveries have amazed and shocked the wizarding community. Badb calculated that drinking the mixture of Zirius and blood, the very souls of the giver and receiver of the Charmzirius would be brought to face each other in a strange place, the nature of which even Badb probably did not know. It was, possibly, the limit of the depth of bonds the Charmzirius created between the two souls. Badb was also intelligent enough to calculate and understand that since the energy required by such a process was in massive amounts, the Zirius, though normally indestructible, would lose much of its powers. Though no one has yet understood the reason of existence of this capability of Zirius, they have accepted it as being true because of what followed in the story of Badb and Koess.
Badb found out that by meeting in the "World of Souls", as he wrote in his notes, the two souls could perform great feats – even kill each other by means of some sort of fight – of what type we do not know. Since the Zirius would lose its power, it would have power enough only to retrieve one soul from the World of Souls after the purpose, whatever it was, had been achieved.
In his thirst for power, Badb had gone positively insane. He planned to convince Koess to join him in the World of Souls, where they would unite their powers. When he did tell Koess this, he lied that he wished to do this so that the two of them might be of greater help to the wizarding community. Badb, infact, intended to kill his brother's soul while stealing all his magical powers. When that would happen, he, as the strongest wizard, would come back into the mortal world from the World of Souls and rise to defeat Zosh.
No one knows when Badb and Koess finally carried out Badb's plan and how it turned out. We can only guess from the notes that Badb left behind and from the speculations that various sorcerers made after studying those notes. This was because the night Badb and Koess's souls met, their human bodies left in Badb's home, the souls never returned and Badb and Koess simply died.
Zosh is said to have commented later that he speculated the power that the two brothers shared had destroyed the Charmzirius. About the two brothers, he could only guess that something had gone wrong in either Badb's calculations or that possibly, the two souls had exterminated each other, leaving them both dead.
No one ever tried out Badb's ideas for themselves again. It is, perhaps because, either the Charmzirius are so rare and that the fact that from this meeting of souls, only one soul came return to its body – either the giver or the receiver's body, no one had ever dared to carry continue Badb's cold blooded but fascinating theories.
The bonds created by Charmziriui being based on very deep feelings, the givers and receivers have so far, and we hope that it remains so incase dark wizards like Badb resurface, never again tried meeting in the World of Souls for any reason. And, as everyone might now, Badb's theory could hardy ever be used for a good cause.
Harry's heart was pounding in his chest. The words repeat themselves in his mind and phrases came back to him. He was sweating all over his face and with slightly trembling hands, he picked up the book and hurried out of Dumbledore's office.
* * * * *
Hours later, Harry was still awake. He was at the top of North Tower, where from the window of the topmost level, he could see the entire grounds spread out and the lake beyond them. He was settled on an old settee by the window ledge and in the light of his wand, he had been reading the book he found in Dumbledore's office again and again. The night was cold and the small room was dark and dusty but Harry knew he would be undisturbed there.
He knew he had found something of great importance. It had been lying on Dumbledore's desk…maybe he had read it too…then…didn't he realize what it meant? Or had Dumbledore not read it all until then? Or…?
Harry couldn't understand that. All that mattered was what was written in the book. If that story about Badb and Koess really was true…was there any chance…any hope that they could help Ginny in a similar way? Maybe…but every time Harry's eyes fell on that part of the article that said about only one soul surviving if someone carried out Badb's theories…a foreboding rose in him. It made him want to shut the book and throw it away – forget that he had ever read it…
But he didn't. He didn't know why but he held onto the book.
Sometime later, it was dawn. As Harry gazed out at the bluish-gray sky, his mind recalled Ginny. She had become the thing he loved most after his parents and Sirius – more than Ron and Hermione, where a different type of love was concerned.
She had taken over him completely.
Harry sighed, feeling helpless. Almost. He looked back at the cover of the old, battered book, his thoughts jumbled up in his mind. He had no idea what to do. What if, like the book said, Badb's theory was all wrong? Badb and Koess had died themselves…maybe it was all nonsense.
But then he thought of Ginny.
Harry steeled himself. He had to do something. He couldn't lose her. He got up, deciding to go back to
Dumbledore and ask him about that article in the book.
* * * * *
And there it was! Don't forget to review!
I hope you loved and, hopefully – the next one will be out very, very soon!
Love,
Ameera K.