CHAPTER FOUR- GINNY'S ORDEAL
Bill thought after the chicken and pond fiascos, and the nice little fuzzy heart-warming moment with Ron things would get better. Besides, Fred and George, feeling bad about the chicken thing, went to bed without complaint. Ron, who decided Bill was the best big brother, listened to him. So how could something bad happen? But you and I both know something does, for if it didn't, why would there be more chapters? The rest of the day actually went by good. After the others went to bed, Bill, Charlie and Percy cleaned up all the chicken feathers. Percy then went to bed and Charlie and Bill talked.
"Anything planned for your second year at Hogwarts?" Bill asked.
"I'm trying out for the Gryffindor house team." Charlie said.
"You're amazing at Quidditch, you'll get on it." Bill assured him.
"Thanks. I hope so."
"And when you do, I'll be there cheering you on every game. I'll even come to some practices and-"
"Bill no offense but... that warm fuzzy family stuff doesn't work as well on me." Charlie said.
"Er, right. Sorry."
"Its okay." Charlie said with a smile. "Though you better be there for my games."
"I will. I promise."
*****
The next morning Bill woke up completely on his own. No little brother jumping on him, no pancake batter covered kitchen. He actually had a few minutes to himself until...
"BIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!" Ginny screamed. He went up the stairs and found the twins and Ron using Ginny's arms as a tug-of-war thing.
"What are you doing?" Bill asked.
"We want to play with Ginny." Fred said.
"Yeah, we want to try out some firecrackers we found in- OUCH!" George exclaimed as Fred stamped on his foot.
"I'm watching out for her cause I'm her older brother." Ron said, refusing to let go of Ginny.
"It hurts, Bill." Ginny sniffled. Bill picked her up.
"No using Ginny to test out firecrackers." He told the twins and shooed them down to breakfast.
"Breakfast!" Ron screamed and practically flew to the kitchen. Bill carried Ginny down and put her in her highchair. She didn't really need it, but she didn't like the booster seat so she had to use the highchair.
"Yummy." She said, grabbing her toast and biting into it.
"So what's everyones plans for today?" Bill asked.
"I'd like to go outside and read. It's a very warm day out." Percy said.
"All you do is read, Percy. You're eight years old. Live a little!" Charlie said.
"I enjoy reading." Percy said, scowling.
"Reading is fine. I like to read." Bill reminded Charlie.
"Yeah but-but you're COOL. Percy is a total dork anyway he doesn't need to go and-"
"Since mum isn't here I have to say it. Don't call your brother a dork. Yeesh I can't believe those words came out of my mouth." Bill said, shuddering.
"Your mouth, Bill. Your mouth." Ginny said, poking him with her spoon and giggling.
"I want to practice some Quidditch." Charlie said.
"Can we practice, too?" George asked hopefully.
"We want to be on the house team when we're in school." Fred said.
"You're too young to practice Quidditch right now." Charlie said, pushing his chair away from the table. He noticed Fred and George's crestfallen faces and sighed. "But I suppose a little flying practice won't do any harm."
"YAY!" Fred said.
"Charlie you're the best!" George insisted. The three ran outside followed by Percy who found a nice spot to read.
"Whew, gets the twins out of my hair for a while." Bill said.
"You have long hair." Ron said. Bill smiled.
"I know, I like it this way."
"Mama wants you to cut it." Ron reminded him.
"I know. I have to cut it every year before school. But I can let it grow out when I'm out of school and on my own!"
"Own? You're leaving?" Ron asked.
"In a few years, yes."
"No! I don't want you to leave!" Ron cried, hugging Bill's arm.
"Bill leaving?" Ginny asked, eyes getting wide.
"Not for a few years and I'll visit a lot!" Bill said, trying to pry Ron's arms off his own.
"You still love us?"
"Ron ofcourse I do!"
"Then can I have chocolate?"
"No." Bill snapped.
******
The day was so nice that after their nap, Bill ended up taking Ron and Ginny outside. "Wow! Charlie and twins high!" Ron said, staring up at his brothers flying about. Ginny tugged at Bill's sleeve.
"What, Gin?"
"Will brothers fall?" Ginny asked.
"No, they won't." At that moment one of the twins fell and Ginny began crying. Bill raced over and helped George up.
"I'm fine! It wasn't very far." George said and looked at Ginny. "I'm fine!"
"Twin okay?" She asked.
"Yeah, fine." George said, hopped on the broom and flew back in the air. Bill smiled and went back to Ron and Ginny.
"I wanna fly!" Ron said, jumping up and down.
"Hmm." Bill said. He smiled and got his broom. "Percy, watch Ginny."
"Okay." Percy moved to beside Ginny as Bill picked Ron up, hopped on the broom and flew a few feet in the air.
"FLYING!" Ron screeched. "I'm flying! This is fun! You're the best, Bill!"
"Thank you!" Bill said.
"Higher!"
"No, not higher. I don't want to risk it." Bill said.
"Okay." Ron said, clutching Bill's arm and looking down. They flew for a while and landed. Bill looked around but Percy and Ginny were missing.
"Let's go find them." Bill picked Ron up and they went around to the front. Percy was talking to one of his friends who lived not too far. "Percy, what are you doing?" Bill asked.
"Oh, sorry. Brian was returning some books he borrowed." Percy said, indicating the stack of books in his arms.
"Where's Ginny?" Bill asked slowly.
"Right." Percy looked down. "here."
"YOU LOST GINNY?!" Bill screamed. He put Ron down and tackled Percy.
"I didn't MEAN to! I set her down to hold my books and I just-"
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
"Kill Percy!" Ron said.
"Bill I'm sorry!" Percy said.
"I'll help you look for her." Brian said.
"Thank you. Percy, go tell the others. I'll start looking." Bill picked Ron up and began calling Ginny's name. Soon the rest of the Weasleys and Brian were searching everywhere.
"Bill its getting dark." Ron whispered. Bill looked at the darkening sky.
"I know, Ron, but we need to find Ginny." Bill said, gritting his teeth. Finally he sat down on the spot and clutched Ron tightly.
"You okay?" Ron asked, touching Bill's shoulder. He set Ron down and covered his face with his hands.
"Ginny's gone. It's all my fault. I'm a failure. Mum and dad trusted me and now... now..." Bill couldn't help it and began crying. Ron climbed into Bill's lap and pulled his hands away from his face.
"I'm sorry."
"Its not your fault."
"I'm her big brother."
"I am, too."
"Percy lost her."
"I put Percy in charge of her." Bill stood up and picked Ron up. "Ginny is gone. Mum and dad will kill me. They always wanted a daughter and now she's gone." He trudged back to the Burrow. 'She could be anywhere,' Bill thought, staring at the night sky through tear-blurred eyes. 'She could even be.' Bill didn't want to think about it. He went inside the Burrow and the looks on everyone else's faces showed it.
They couldn't find her.
Ginny was gone.
***************
Bill lay on the couch, staring at the ceiling and wondering what his parents were going to do to him. Everyone else was asleep. But he couldn't. Ginny was gone and it was his entire fault. "Better get to bed." Bill got up and remembered the only clean pajamas were downstairs, freshly washed and dried. Sighing, he went downstairs and picked up the rather heavy laundry basket. It was. extremely heavy fo clothes.
Bill set the basket down and flung through it. Ginny was curled up asleep, arm around a cat (asleep as well).
Bill gently lifted his sister up and began crying, hugging her tightly. She, ofcourse, woke up. "Bill?"
"Ginny you're safe!" He said.
"I'm sleepy." She sniffled.
"I'll get you to bed." Bill whispered, kissing her head. "Where did you go?"
"Cat." Ginny pointed at the cat that was awake as well. "Saw kitty going into house and followed it."
"You've been inside this whole time?" Bill asked, amazed.
"Uh-huh. I'm hungry."
"I'll get you something to eat and then to bed." Bill carried his sister upstairs, hugging and kissing her and wondering if he should mention this to his parents.
Nah.
Bill thought after the chicken and pond fiascos, and the nice little fuzzy heart-warming moment with Ron things would get better. Besides, Fred and George, feeling bad about the chicken thing, went to bed without complaint. Ron, who decided Bill was the best big brother, listened to him. So how could something bad happen? But you and I both know something does, for if it didn't, why would there be more chapters? The rest of the day actually went by good. After the others went to bed, Bill, Charlie and Percy cleaned up all the chicken feathers. Percy then went to bed and Charlie and Bill talked.
"Anything planned for your second year at Hogwarts?" Bill asked.
"I'm trying out for the Gryffindor house team." Charlie said.
"You're amazing at Quidditch, you'll get on it." Bill assured him.
"Thanks. I hope so."
"And when you do, I'll be there cheering you on every game. I'll even come to some practices and-"
"Bill no offense but... that warm fuzzy family stuff doesn't work as well on me." Charlie said.
"Er, right. Sorry."
"Its okay." Charlie said with a smile. "Though you better be there for my games."
"I will. I promise."
*****
The next morning Bill woke up completely on his own. No little brother jumping on him, no pancake batter covered kitchen. He actually had a few minutes to himself until...
"BIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!" Ginny screamed. He went up the stairs and found the twins and Ron using Ginny's arms as a tug-of-war thing.
"What are you doing?" Bill asked.
"We want to play with Ginny." Fred said.
"Yeah, we want to try out some firecrackers we found in- OUCH!" George exclaimed as Fred stamped on his foot.
"I'm watching out for her cause I'm her older brother." Ron said, refusing to let go of Ginny.
"It hurts, Bill." Ginny sniffled. Bill picked her up.
"No using Ginny to test out firecrackers." He told the twins and shooed them down to breakfast.
"Breakfast!" Ron screamed and practically flew to the kitchen. Bill carried Ginny down and put her in her highchair. She didn't really need it, but she didn't like the booster seat so she had to use the highchair.
"Yummy." She said, grabbing her toast and biting into it.
"So what's everyones plans for today?" Bill asked.
"I'd like to go outside and read. It's a very warm day out." Percy said.
"All you do is read, Percy. You're eight years old. Live a little!" Charlie said.
"I enjoy reading." Percy said, scowling.
"Reading is fine. I like to read." Bill reminded Charlie.
"Yeah but-but you're COOL. Percy is a total dork anyway he doesn't need to go and-"
"Since mum isn't here I have to say it. Don't call your brother a dork. Yeesh I can't believe those words came out of my mouth." Bill said, shuddering.
"Your mouth, Bill. Your mouth." Ginny said, poking him with her spoon and giggling.
"I want to practice some Quidditch." Charlie said.
"Can we practice, too?" George asked hopefully.
"We want to be on the house team when we're in school." Fred said.
"You're too young to practice Quidditch right now." Charlie said, pushing his chair away from the table. He noticed Fred and George's crestfallen faces and sighed. "But I suppose a little flying practice won't do any harm."
"YAY!" Fred said.
"Charlie you're the best!" George insisted. The three ran outside followed by Percy who found a nice spot to read.
"Whew, gets the twins out of my hair for a while." Bill said.
"You have long hair." Ron said. Bill smiled.
"I know, I like it this way."
"Mama wants you to cut it." Ron reminded him.
"I know. I have to cut it every year before school. But I can let it grow out when I'm out of school and on my own!"
"Own? You're leaving?" Ron asked.
"In a few years, yes."
"No! I don't want you to leave!" Ron cried, hugging Bill's arm.
"Bill leaving?" Ginny asked, eyes getting wide.
"Not for a few years and I'll visit a lot!" Bill said, trying to pry Ron's arms off his own.
"You still love us?"
"Ron ofcourse I do!"
"Then can I have chocolate?"
"No." Bill snapped.
******
The day was so nice that after their nap, Bill ended up taking Ron and Ginny outside. "Wow! Charlie and twins high!" Ron said, staring up at his brothers flying about. Ginny tugged at Bill's sleeve.
"What, Gin?"
"Will brothers fall?" Ginny asked.
"No, they won't." At that moment one of the twins fell and Ginny began crying. Bill raced over and helped George up.
"I'm fine! It wasn't very far." George said and looked at Ginny. "I'm fine!"
"Twin okay?" She asked.
"Yeah, fine." George said, hopped on the broom and flew back in the air. Bill smiled and went back to Ron and Ginny.
"I wanna fly!" Ron said, jumping up and down.
"Hmm." Bill said. He smiled and got his broom. "Percy, watch Ginny."
"Okay." Percy moved to beside Ginny as Bill picked Ron up, hopped on the broom and flew a few feet in the air.
"FLYING!" Ron screeched. "I'm flying! This is fun! You're the best, Bill!"
"Thank you!" Bill said.
"Higher!"
"No, not higher. I don't want to risk it." Bill said.
"Okay." Ron said, clutching Bill's arm and looking down. They flew for a while and landed. Bill looked around but Percy and Ginny were missing.
"Let's go find them." Bill picked Ron up and they went around to the front. Percy was talking to one of his friends who lived not too far. "Percy, what are you doing?" Bill asked.
"Oh, sorry. Brian was returning some books he borrowed." Percy said, indicating the stack of books in his arms.
"Where's Ginny?" Bill asked slowly.
"Right." Percy looked down. "here."
"YOU LOST GINNY?!" Bill screamed. He put Ron down and tackled Percy.
"I didn't MEAN to! I set her down to hold my books and I just-"
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
"Kill Percy!" Ron said.
"Bill I'm sorry!" Percy said.
"I'll help you look for her." Brian said.
"Thank you. Percy, go tell the others. I'll start looking." Bill picked Ron up and began calling Ginny's name. Soon the rest of the Weasleys and Brian were searching everywhere.
"Bill its getting dark." Ron whispered. Bill looked at the darkening sky.
"I know, Ron, but we need to find Ginny." Bill said, gritting his teeth. Finally he sat down on the spot and clutched Ron tightly.
"You okay?" Ron asked, touching Bill's shoulder. He set Ron down and covered his face with his hands.
"Ginny's gone. It's all my fault. I'm a failure. Mum and dad trusted me and now... now..." Bill couldn't help it and began crying. Ron climbed into Bill's lap and pulled his hands away from his face.
"I'm sorry."
"Its not your fault."
"I'm her big brother."
"I am, too."
"Percy lost her."
"I put Percy in charge of her." Bill stood up and picked Ron up. "Ginny is gone. Mum and dad will kill me. They always wanted a daughter and now she's gone." He trudged back to the Burrow. 'She could be anywhere,' Bill thought, staring at the night sky through tear-blurred eyes. 'She could even be.' Bill didn't want to think about it. He went inside the Burrow and the looks on everyone else's faces showed it.
They couldn't find her.
Ginny was gone.
***************
Bill lay on the couch, staring at the ceiling and wondering what his parents were going to do to him. Everyone else was asleep. But he couldn't. Ginny was gone and it was his entire fault. "Better get to bed." Bill got up and remembered the only clean pajamas were downstairs, freshly washed and dried. Sighing, he went downstairs and picked up the rather heavy laundry basket. It was. extremely heavy fo clothes.
Bill set the basket down and flung through it. Ginny was curled up asleep, arm around a cat (asleep as well).
Bill gently lifted his sister up and began crying, hugging her tightly. She, ofcourse, woke up. "Bill?"
"Ginny you're safe!" He said.
"I'm sleepy." She sniffled.
"I'll get you to bed." Bill whispered, kissing her head. "Where did you go?"
"Cat." Ginny pointed at the cat that was awake as well. "Saw kitty going into house and followed it."
"You've been inside this whole time?" Bill asked, amazed.
"Uh-huh. I'm hungry."
"I'll get you something to eat and then to bed." Bill carried his sister upstairs, hugging and kissing her and wondering if he should mention this to his parents.
Nah.