Chapter Twenty-three
In which Remus and Ginny travel by floo
The trio, having witnessed Snape's departure from the demon realm through the mirror, had walked into the parlor. Hermione was both relieved and nervous. Severus had escaped. But the road ahead of her seemed long and perilous. She reminded herself constantly that Ginny, Remus, and she had wandered through the castle unaware and unprotected at the beginning of their adventure and nothing terrible had befallen them. Perhaps their luck would hold just a little longer.
"But the demons know where we are and they just might know the exits too." she thought grimly as they stood before the hearth in the parlor.
"I'll go first and make sure that the classroom is safe." said Remus mostly to Ginny, with whom he shared a destination.
"Be careful." Ginny cautioned him.
"I will be." Remus assured her. Turning to Hermione, he said, "I don't know what to tell you. Trust your instincts and don't let Severus down. See you on the other side of the mirror."
"Of course." Hermione nodded as he left the parlor by floo, leaving the pot of powder with Ginny, who seemed to be holding on to it for dear life.
"He'll be all right." said Ginny.
"That's the spirit." said Hermione with a reassuring smile.
A few minutes later a head appeared in the fireplace.
"Come on, Ginny, the coast is clear." Remus told her.
Only an instant later Ginny had disappeared through the floo as well, leaving Hermione to steel her nerves and make her way to her own destination.
"I can do this." she told herself, taking a handful of powder.
The Divinations classroom was dark and lit only by the light of Remus's wand. It was rather cold too. Remus had found the proper mirror for her and was standing by it when Ginny came out of the fireplace. Ginny shivered as she looked out the open window and into the impenetrable, inky blackness that surrounded the castle. It was as frightening as anything she had seen, including the monster that had mauled Professor Snape.
"Don't fret, Ginny. You'll be back home with your brother before long, just come and say the spell." Remus told her, trying to sound cheerful.
"What about you?" she whispered.
Remus brushed her red hair away from her face and kissed her lightly on the bridge of her nose. He knew that it would be a close thing if he managed it at all. The prefects' bath was a good distance away, but it was his only chance. He wasn't afraid. He said seen too much in his life to fear for himself in that situation. And his heart was scarlet and gold through and through. It was enough for him if he managed to save Severus and the girls, especially this young and beautiful red-headed girl who seemed for some inexplicable reason to love him. If he feared anything as he stood in that cold tower and looked up the void outside, then Remus feared for Hermione and what would become of Ginny if he did not make it. But he knew that Ginny was strong.
"Ginny, I've trained my entire life for something like this. Just be waiting for me on the other side and don't worry." Remus told her.
She looked into his eyes and felt comforted by the strength and confidence that she saw in their depths, and she smiled at him. Of all the things that she loved about Remus, his gentle and ever-present inner strength was the one that mattered most to her at that moment.
"I'll do my best." she said.
"Go on then." he said, stepping away from the mirror.
Just as Ginny raised her wand, something previously unnoticed in the dark room swooped from the high ceiling, where it had lain in wait among the rafters, with its teeth and claws bared. It bowled Ginny over before she could ever scream, its talons sinking into the back of her robes, rending the fabric as though it were mere silk. Her wand tumbled from her hand, clattering upon the floor in the darkness. Had she been alone, that would have been it for her. But luckily she had Remus Lupin there to come to her aid.
Ginny could not hear the spell words that he used over her own screams as she felt the cruel claws of the demon rake down her back, but a moment later it was shrieking in pain and anguish and scuttling away from her. There was a flash of color in the dark room, and the screams of the demon ended very suddenly. Ginny remained frozen on the floor, quivering with fear and gasping for breath as her wounds throbbed with pain.
Remus knelt next to her on the floor, trembling with a mixture of both fear and rage. Her clothes had been torn from the collar to the waist, exposing her back to the sharp claws of the beast that had attacked her, but the marks it had left were thankfully shallow. Remus pulled her robes closed over the cuts and hushed her softly.
The room had seemed empty. He had stood in it, checking the corners and listening for any sound of a demonic presence. Remus had been so certain that it was vacant of anything harmful that he had pocketed his wand for a few minutes during his search for the mirror. This was the last thing he had expected. He should have known better, or so he was thinking as he clumsily used his wand to mend Ginny's robe.
"I'm sorry." he whispered into her ear.
Ginny managed to nod mutely as he caressed her hair. The pain was still very intense, but the fear and panic had begun to fade.
"I'm so sorry, Ginny, but you must get up now." Remus whispered, tugging her to her feet and picking up her wand from the floor.
Her face was as pale as he had ever seen it. He kissed her softly on the forehead and held her close as he pressed her wand into her hand again, closing her fingers around it.
"Can you still say the spell?" he questioned as she buried her face in his robes. He tried not to touch her back. If he had been more skilled in healing magic, he would have done something for her.
"I think so, Remus." she sniffed.
"Then you should do it now. Someone needs to ... take a look at your back."
"I know." she said unflinchingly, pulling away and wiping her eyes. "And ... it wasn't your fault."
"Thank you, Ginny."
"I'm ready."
The pain was excruciating as she stepped in front of the looking glass and raised her wand. Her wand arm trembled, and her lips felt thick as she cast the spell. She thought she was going to faint as she was wrenched forward and into the mirror. She cried out in agony and surprise as the coldness of the looking glass hit her like an icy breeze that stung when it rushed over her wounds.
~
Harry and Ron had just finished moving two chairs and a table out of the immediate vicinity of the mirror at Dumbledore's request when Miss Weasley came tumbling through the looking glass and landed none too gently upon the floor on the Divinations classroom.
"Ginny!" Ron yelled as she remained on the floor, not moving nor making a sound.
"Oh, dear!" said Madam Pomfrey, who had been standing with Minerva and Albus beside a comfortable chair in which Severus had collapsed, exhausted by the quick march from the dungeons to the tower. The mediwitch dashed to Ginny's side as Ron knelt and shook his sister by the shoulder.
"What's wrong with her? Is she all right?" questioned Ron as Poppy swished her wand over the prone girl.
"She seems to have past out." said Pomfrey.
She touched Ginny's robes to find them damp. Her fingertips were red with blood. Her eyes widened and she gasped aloud, but she wasted no time conjuring a magic stretcher and levitating Ginny on to it.
"What happened to her?" asked Ron to no one in particular.
"They must have been attacked." said Severus who was leaning forward in his seat with an uncharacteristically concerned look upon his face.
"Then Remus ...?" questioned Minerva, putting her hand to her mouth.
"Surely they defeated whatever attacked them or Miss Weasley would not have come through the mirror." said Dumbledore logically.
"I'm taking her to the hospital wing. If the others need medical attention ..." Poppy began to say.
"They will be brought to you straight away." nodded the headmaster. "Minerva, perhaps you should accompany your student and contact her parents."
"What about Miss Granger?" McGonagall questioned, obviously torn. She had a responsibility to both girls.
"I will take care of her, if necessary." said Severus. "As she did for me."
Minerva hesitated, looking her much younger colleague in the eye as he made the offer.
How rare it was to hear a Slytherin, the head of that house especially, offer to help a Gryffindor in any way! The animosity ... It had always been that way. It was uncanny for it to be otherwise. Before Severus held the position and before she held hers, Professor Krohn had been just the same. Minerva wondered how Albus had secured Reynard's help before becoming headmaster, what argument or promises he had made to gain the former potions' master's assistance in banishing Grindelwald. She made a mental note to ask him at some later date.
"Believe me, Minerva, I can conjure a stretcher as well as any wizard." said Severus, noticing her reluctance.
"Of course. Thank you, Severus." she finally agreed, turning and following Madam Pomfrey, Ron Weasley, and the stretcher bearing Ginny Weasley out of the tower.
"Come, Severus, you have a date with Miss Granger. And I believe that someone should be waiting for Remus as well." said Professor Dumbledore.
"What about me, sir?" asked Harry, who suddenly had this sinking feeling in his stomach.
"Go with Professor Snape, Harry. He may need some assistance."
~
Remus stepped out of the North Tower slowly, his eyes adjusting to the pale light of the magical torches that burned along the walls, and looked around warily. The tower staircase had been empty and eerily quiet. But not here. Even as he stepped into the corridor, he could hear them, hear their wings moving restlessly. They lined the corridor from one end to the other, like soldiers forming ranks, one long line of them upon his left and one upon his right. They were all looking his direction with their yellow eyes shining in the dim light. Dozens of them ... just standing there ... as though they were waiting for something ... or someone.
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A/N: Another evil cliffhanger.
coolgirlchic16: Harry and Ginny? That is the the only 'ship that comes close to squicking me. Sorry, I know it's half canon, but I just cannot take it. Thank you for reviewing!
plastic: Yeah, that would have been funny. Thanks for reviewing!
Serenity Raye: I will try to post a link at WIKTT sometime soon. The last time I did so, I waited until the story was complete. Thank you very much reviewing!
Aras: I have never driven anyone loony before. Thanks for the review!
Rosmerta: Squishy? That about covers it, I guess. Thank you for reviewing!
awakening: You're welcome! Thanks for reviewing!
Yukito Forever: Awesomeness monkies? Really? Cool! Severus and Ron? That will be the day! Thanks for the review!
JoeBob1379: Good clarification. *nods in agreement* Thank you for reviewing!
LadyTiffany: Thank you very much!
islandgirl: It seemed like a logical place to stop. Thanks for the review!
lil pixie: Nothing should ever be too easy. I guess this chapter answered your question. As for the pairing up *sweats*, I'm having trouble handling the reactions. Thanks for reviewing!
Slythdor: Ron and Severus friends? *chortles* Not very likely. Thank you for the review!
PhoenixFeather7: I saw the movie/mini-series or whatever it was. Very creepy. I didn't think about it while writing this though. Thank you for reviewing!
Aine Deande: I'm glad you enjoyed the Severus/Hermione scene. It was one of those weird things that practically wrote itsself. Thanks for the review!
AnnabelleElizabeth: Thank you for reviewing!
SlytherinQueen87: As dense as Ron is (in my opinion), will he even have noticed yet? I don't know (which is weird, I know). I don't want to say when the story will end because that might spoil it. Thanks for the review!
BARBIE GIRL: Wow. Thank you for the heart-felt review!
Claire Bear Blondie: Thank you!
In which Remus and Ginny travel by floo
The trio, having witnessed Snape's departure from the demon realm through the mirror, had walked into the parlor. Hermione was both relieved and nervous. Severus had escaped. But the road ahead of her seemed long and perilous. She reminded herself constantly that Ginny, Remus, and she had wandered through the castle unaware and unprotected at the beginning of their adventure and nothing terrible had befallen them. Perhaps their luck would hold just a little longer.
"But the demons know where we are and they just might know the exits too." she thought grimly as they stood before the hearth in the parlor.
"I'll go first and make sure that the classroom is safe." said Remus mostly to Ginny, with whom he shared a destination.
"Be careful." Ginny cautioned him.
"I will be." Remus assured her. Turning to Hermione, he said, "I don't know what to tell you. Trust your instincts and don't let Severus down. See you on the other side of the mirror."
"Of course." Hermione nodded as he left the parlor by floo, leaving the pot of powder with Ginny, who seemed to be holding on to it for dear life.
"He'll be all right." said Ginny.
"That's the spirit." said Hermione with a reassuring smile.
A few minutes later a head appeared in the fireplace.
"Come on, Ginny, the coast is clear." Remus told her.
Only an instant later Ginny had disappeared through the floo as well, leaving Hermione to steel her nerves and make her way to her own destination.
"I can do this." she told herself, taking a handful of powder.
The Divinations classroom was dark and lit only by the light of Remus's wand. It was rather cold too. Remus had found the proper mirror for her and was standing by it when Ginny came out of the fireplace. Ginny shivered as she looked out the open window and into the impenetrable, inky blackness that surrounded the castle. It was as frightening as anything she had seen, including the monster that had mauled Professor Snape.
"Don't fret, Ginny. You'll be back home with your brother before long, just come and say the spell." Remus told her, trying to sound cheerful.
"What about you?" she whispered.
Remus brushed her red hair away from her face and kissed her lightly on the bridge of her nose. He knew that it would be a close thing if he managed it at all. The prefects' bath was a good distance away, but it was his only chance. He wasn't afraid. He said seen too much in his life to fear for himself in that situation. And his heart was scarlet and gold through and through. It was enough for him if he managed to save Severus and the girls, especially this young and beautiful red-headed girl who seemed for some inexplicable reason to love him. If he feared anything as he stood in that cold tower and looked up the void outside, then Remus feared for Hermione and what would become of Ginny if he did not make it. But he knew that Ginny was strong.
"Ginny, I've trained my entire life for something like this. Just be waiting for me on the other side and don't worry." Remus told her.
She looked into his eyes and felt comforted by the strength and confidence that she saw in their depths, and she smiled at him. Of all the things that she loved about Remus, his gentle and ever-present inner strength was the one that mattered most to her at that moment.
"I'll do my best." she said.
"Go on then." he said, stepping away from the mirror.
Just as Ginny raised her wand, something previously unnoticed in the dark room swooped from the high ceiling, where it had lain in wait among the rafters, with its teeth and claws bared. It bowled Ginny over before she could ever scream, its talons sinking into the back of her robes, rending the fabric as though it were mere silk. Her wand tumbled from her hand, clattering upon the floor in the darkness. Had she been alone, that would have been it for her. But luckily she had Remus Lupin there to come to her aid.
Ginny could not hear the spell words that he used over her own screams as she felt the cruel claws of the demon rake down her back, but a moment later it was shrieking in pain and anguish and scuttling away from her. There was a flash of color in the dark room, and the screams of the demon ended very suddenly. Ginny remained frozen on the floor, quivering with fear and gasping for breath as her wounds throbbed with pain.
Remus knelt next to her on the floor, trembling with a mixture of both fear and rage. Her clothes had been torn from the collar to the waist, exposing her back to the sharp claws of the beast that had attacked her, but the marks it had left were thankfully shallow. Remus pulled her robes closed over the cuts and hushed her softly.
The room had seemed empty. He had stood in it, checking the corners and listening for any sound of a demonic presence. Remus had been so certain that it was vacant of anything harmful that he had pocketed his wand for a few minutes during his search for the mirror. This was the last thing he had expected. He should have known better, or so he was thinking as he clumsily used his wand to mend Ginny's robe.
"I'm sorry." he whispered into her ear.
Ginny managed to nod mutely as he caressed her hair. The pain was still very intense, but the fear and panic had begun to fade.
"I'm so sorry, Ginny, but you must get up now." Remus whispered, tugging her to her feet and picking up her wand from the floor.
Her face was as pale as he had ever seen it. He kissed her softly on the forehead and held her close as he pressed her wand into her hand again, closing her fingers around it.
"Can you still say the spell?" he questioned as she buried her face in his robes. He tried not to touch her back. If he had been more skilled in healing magic, he would have done something for her.
"I think so, Remus." she sniffed.
"Then you should do it now. Someone needs to ... take a look at your back."
"I know." she said unflinchingly, pulling away and wiping her eyes. "And ... it wasn't your fault."
"Thank you, Ginny."
"I'm ready."
The pain was excruciating as she stepped in front of the looking glass and raised her wand. Her wand arm trembled, and her lips felt thick as she cast the spell. She thought she was going to faint as she was wrenched forward and into the mirror. She cried out in agony and surprise as the coldness of the looking glass hit her like an icy breeze that stung when it rushed over her wounds.
~
Harry and Ron had just finished moving two chairs and a table out of the immediate vicinity of the mirror at Dumbledore's request when Miss Weasley came tumbling through the looking glass and landed none too gently upon the floor on the Divinations classroom.
"Ginny!" Ron yelled as she remained on the floor, not moving nor making a sound.
"Oh, dear!" said Madam Pomfrey, who had been standing with Minerva and Albus beside a comfortable chair in which Severus had collapsed, exhausted by the quick march from the dungeons to the tower. The mediwitch dashed to Ginny's side as Ron knelt and shook his sister by the shoulder.
"What's wrong with her? Is she all right?" questioned Ron as Poppy swished her wand over the prone girl.
"She seems to have past out." said Pomfrey.
She touched Ginny's robes to find them damp. Her fingertips were red with blood. Her eyes widened and she gasped aloud, but she wasted no time conjuring a magic stretcher and levitating Ginny on to it.
"What happened to her?" asked Ron to no one in particular.
"They must have been attacked." said Severus who was leaning forward in his seat with an uncharacteristically concerned look upon his face.
"Then Remus ...?" questioned Minerva, putting her hand to her mouth.
"Surely they defeated whatever attacked them or Miss Weasley would not have come through the mirror." said Dumbledore logically.
"I'm taking her to the hospital wing. If the others need medical attention ..." Poppy began to say.
"They will be brought to you straight away." nodded the headmaster. "Minerva, perhaps you should accompany your student and contact her parents."
"What about Miss Granger?" McGonagall questioned, obviously torn. She had a responsibility to both girls.
"I will take care of her, if necessary." said Severus. "As she did for me."
Minerva hesitated, looking her much younger colleague in the eye as he made the offer.
How rare it was to hear a Slytherin, the head of that house especially, offer to help a Gryffindor in any way! The animosity ... It had always been that way. It was uncanny for it to be otherwise. Before Severus held the position and before she held hers, Professor Krohn had been just the same. Minerva wondered how Albus had secured Reynard's help before becoming headmaster, what argument or promises he had made to gain the former potions' master's assistance in banishing Grindelwald. She made a mental note to ask him at some later date.
"Believe me, Minerva, I can conjure a stretcher as well as any wizard." said Severus, noticing her reluctance.
"Of course. Thank you, Severus." she finally agreed, turning and following Madam Pomfrey, Ron Weasley, and the stretcher bearing Ginny Weasley out of the tower.
"Come, Severus, you have a date with Miss Granger. And I believe that someone should be waiting for Remus as well." said Professor Dumbledore.
"What about me, sir?" asked Harry, who suddenly had this sinking feeling in his stomach.
"Go with Professor Snape, Harry. He may need some assistance."
~
Remus stepped out of the North Tower slowly, his eyes adjusting to the pale light of the magical torches that burned along the walls, and looked around warily. The tower staircase had been empty and eerily quiet. But not here. Even as he stepped into the corridor, he could hear them, hear their wings moving restlessly. They lined the corridor from one end to the other, like soldiers forming ranks, one long line of them upon his left and one upon his right. They were all looking his direction with their yellow eyes shining in the dim light. Dozens of them ... just standing there ... as though they were waiting for something ... or someone.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Another evil cliffhanger.
coolgirlchic16: Harry and Ginny? That is the the only 'ship that comes close to squicking me. Sorry, I know it's half canon, but I just cannot take it. Thank you for reviewing!
plastic: Yeah, that would have been funny. Thanks for reviewing!
Serenity Raye: I will try to post a link at WIKTT sometime soon. The last time I did so, I waited until the story was complete. Thank you very much reviewing!
Aras: I have never driven anyone loony before. Thanks for the review!
Rosmerta: Squishy? That about covers it, I guess. Thank you for reviewing!
awakening: You're welcome! Thanks for reviewing!
Yukito Forever: Awesomeness monkies? Really? Cool! Severus and Ron? That will be the day! Thanks for the review!
JoeBob1379: Good clarification. *nods in agreement* Thank you for reviewing!
LadyTiffany: Thank you very much!
islandgirl: It seemed like a logical place to stop. Thanks for the review!
lil pixie: Nothing should ever be too easy. I guess this chapter answered your question. As for the pairing up *sweats*, I'm having trouble handling the reactions. Thanks for reviewing!
Slythdor: Ron and Severus friends? *chortles* Not very likely. Thank you for the review!
PhoenixFeather7: I saw the movie/mini-series or whatever it was. Very creepy. I didn't think about it while writing this though. Thank you for reviewing!
Aine Deande: I'm glad you enjoyed the Severus/Hermione scene. It was one of those weird things that practically wrote itsself. Thanks for the review!
AnnabelleElizabeth: Thank you for reviewing!
SlytherinQueen87: As dense as Ron is (in my opinion), will he even have noticed yet? I don't know (which is weird, I know). I don't want to say when the story will end because that might spoil it. Thanks for the review!
BARBIE GIRL: Wow. Thank you for the heart-felt review!
Claire Bear Blondie: Thank you!