Disclaimer: Everything you recognise is not mine, everything you do not recognise is mine.
Chapter 4: Just a Coincidence?
Harry turned as the office door creaked open, revealing Ginny Weasley.
"Hello Miss Weasley. Please come sit down," Dumbledore said quietly, his voice oddly strained. Ginny walked forward slowly, sitting in a chair beside Ron.
"This is all very hard," Dumbledore began, choosing his words carefully.
"What happened?" Ginny asked, dreading the answer.
"That's exactly what I was going to tell you. Your mother stays at home, does she not?" Ron and Ginny nodded. "Well," - he paused - "she was asleep, when someone showed up in your home last night. They tortured her for Harry's personal information, because - though you three don't know her secrets - she knows some of the information very well...
"According to the Dark Force Defence League, the intruders performed the Cruciatus Curse several times. When she would not offer information, they killed her," he concluded.
Harry and Ron stared blankly at the wise old wizard, unable to believe what they were hearing. This can't be happening...this can't be, Harry thought, not again.
"Are you sure, sir? They could've made a mistake...people make mistakes all the time," said Harry, trying to persuade the ancient wizard to think sensibly. "She hasn't gone has she?"
"Voldemort has his ways, Harry. You know that," he replied.
"Where's Dad?" Ron asked quietly, his voice barely audible.
"He's at the Ministry speaking with Fudge. He has to work out funeral arrangements. We are all quite lucky that your father was at work during the incident and not at home. I am quite sorry I had to tell you three so frankly.
"Just remember this: If you need anything, anything at all, just come to my office. You may go," he concluded.
"Professor?" Ron asked quietly.
"Yes, Mr. Weasley?"
"What about Fred and George?"
"They've been told."
* * *
Harry and Ron stood up, watching as Ginny ran out of the office.
"Where's Ginny going?" Harry asked.
"Dunno," mumbled Ron. He looked awful. His ears were white, instead of their normal pink colour. "I'm going to bed."
"R-Right," Harry said as the two of them walked out of the office and into the corridor. .
Harry went down to dinner alone, meeting up with Hermione in the Entrance Hall. "Where's Ron?" she asked slowly.
"He...er... he went to bed," Harry replied.
"Why? It's only six-"
"I know... He's really ... really sad right now."
"Is there a reason for that? Why should he be sad?" she asked as they sat down at the Gryffindor table.
"It's his mum, Mrs. Weasley ...er...she died," Harry said, feeling awkward.
"What do you mean she died?" Hermione asked, her voice becoming alert.
"She was killed by Death Eaters," he said slowly, before getting up from the table. "I have to go...I'll see you in the common room." Hermione looked concerned as she watched Harry walk out of the Hall. Harry ran up the staircase quickly. As he ran past Filch's office, he had to dodge a load of Dungbombs as Peeves threw them from the ceiling.
"PEEVES!" he heard Filch screaming. "I'll have you this time, Peeves! You just wait!" After a moment, he'd reached Gryffindor Tower, and was inside the warm Common Room. He ran up to his dormitory and grabbed Quidditch through the Ages off of his nightstand, which he had borrowed (for probably the 20th time) from Madame Pince. He walked down the spiral staircase quickly, and went to the fire, where he was planning on claiming the chair nearest the hearth. He was obviously too late, though, because he found Ginny there, crying silently into her hands. So, instead he settled for a couch and turned to a random page in the book. He needed to take his mind off things... He read to himself:
"Chapter Nine: the Development of the Racing Broom
"Until the early 19th century, Quidditch was played on brooms of varying quality..." he stopped. Why is it so quiet all of the sudden? He thought to himself. He looked to his right. Ginny was staring at him, her face streaked with tears.
Chapter 4: Just a Coincidence?
Harry turned as the office door creaked open, revealing Ginny Weasley.
"Hello Miss Weasley. Please come sit down," Dumbledore said quietly, his voice oddly strained. Ginny walked forward slowly, sitting in a chair beside Ron.
"This is all very hard," Dumbledore began, choosing his words carefully.
"What happened?" Ginny asked, dreading the answer.
"That's exactly what I was going to tell you. Your mother stays at home, does she not?" Ron and Ginny nodded. "Well," - he paused - "she was asleep, when someone showed up in your home last night. They tortured her for Harry's personal information, because - though you three don't know her secrets - she knows some of the information very well...
"According to the Dark Force Defence League, the intruders performed the Cruciatus Curse several times. When she would not offer information, they killed her," he concluded.
Harry and Ron stared blankly at the wise old wizard, unable to believe what they were hearing. This can't be happening...this can't be, Harry thought, not again.
"Are you sure, sir? They could've made a mistake...people make mistakes all the time," said Harry, trying to persuade the ancient wizard to think sensibly. "She hasn't gone has she?"
"Voldemort has his ways, Harry. You know that," he replied.
"Where's Dad?" Ron asked quietly, his voice barely audible.
"He's at the Ministry speaking with Fudge. He has to work out funeral arrangements. We are all quite lucky that your father was at work during the incident and not at home. I am quite sorry I had to tell you three so frankly.
"Just remember this: If you need anything, anything at all, just come to my office. You may go," he concluded.
"Professor?" Ron asked quietly.
"Yes, Mr. Weasley?"
"What about Fred and George?"
"They've been told."
* * *
Harry and Ron stood up, watching as Ginny ran out of the office.
"Where's Ginny going?" Harry asked.
"Dunno," mumbled Ron. He looked awful. His ears were white, instead of their normal pink colour. "I'm going to bed."
"R-Right," Harry said as the two of them walked out of the office and into the corridor. .
Harry went down to dinner alone, meeting up with Hermione in the Entrance Hall. "Where's Ron?" she asked slowly.
"He...er... he went to bed," Harry replied.
"Why? It's only six-"
"I know... He's really ... really sad right now."
"Is there a reason for that? Why should he be sad?" she asked as they sat down at the Gryffindor table.
"It's his mum, Mrs. Weasley ...er...she died," Harry said, feeling awkward.
"What do you mean she died?" Hermione asked, her voice becoming alert.
"She was killed by Death Eaters," he said slowly, before getting up from the table. "I have to go...I'll see you in the common room." Hermione looked concerned as she watched Harry walk out of the Hall. Harry ran up the staircase quickly. As he ran past Filch's office, he had to dodge a load of Dungbombs as Peeves threw them from the ceiling.
"PEEVES!" he heard Filch screaming. "I'll have you this time, Peeves! You just wait!" After a moment, he'd reached Gryffindor Tower, and was inside the warm Common Room. He ran up to his dormitory and grabbed Quidditch through the Ages off of his nightstand, which he had borrowed (for probably the 20th time) from Madame Pince. He walked down the spiral staircase quickly, and went to the fire, where he was planning on claiming the chair nearest the hearth. He was obviously too late, though, because he found Ginny there, crying silently into her hands. So, instead he settled for a couch and turned to a random page in the book. He needed to take his mind off things... He read to himself:
"Chapter Nine: the Development of the Racing Broom
"Until the early 19th century, Quidditch was played on brooms of varying quality..." he stopped. Why is it so quiet all of the sudden? He thought to himself. He looked to his right. Ginny was staring at him, her face streaked with tears.