Harry
was wandering the halls of Hogwarts reliving the happy days of his time spent
here. There was where Lupin's office used to be. Ah there was the one eyed
witch. It all seemed so long ago. So dreadfully long ago that he had run these
halls with Ron and Hermione. So carefree.
Dear god he stopped in his tracks. It was this very spot thirteen years ago
that dwarf had tackled him. A bell rang from somewhere in the castle though no
one had ever figured out where. Thousands of footsteps echoed through the hall.
A swarm of bodies surrounded him bringing him out of his dazed memories.
Some said hello to him he nodded back and kept
walking without a destination. The halls cleared out almost as soon as they had
crowded. He sat on the bottom stair of a swirling staircase and remembered the
mad dashes between classes. He and Ron would be making fun of Snape and
Hermione would yell at them for dawdling. He sighed once again beleaguered with
memories. He traveled within his own galaxy for so long he didn't hear the
footsteps approach.
He
did hear the breathing over him and he started. He looked around quickly and
saw Dobby the House elf three stairs above him. He stood and climbed the stairs
to bridge the gap.
"Hello Dobby." He
whispered. The houself threw his arms around Harry's waist crying,
"Harry
Potter Sir! Dobby had missed you!" Harry reached down and pried the elves
hands of his robes.
"I
don't see why Dobby. I don't see why anyone should miss me." Dobby looked
up at him with big watery eyes.
"Master
Harry don't talk like that everyone missed you it
wasn't the same without you!"
"Humph
I'm sure." Harry spoke dryly. "I assume you were sent here
Dobby?"
"Er
yessir! Master Sirius is wanting to see you! Dobby is
to take you their sir!"
"Well
then lets go shall we?" Dobby ran off and Harry
followed him. Dobby stopped at the Gargoyle that had not changed in so
long except for a few more scuff marks where people had kicked it.
"Drobbles
gum!" Dobby shrieked and it leapt aside.
"Thank
you Dobby. I'm-I'm sorry I snapped at you. How's Winky?"
"Winky
is good sir. She has been sober for a year now sir. Twelf steps you know.'
"Twelf steps?"
"For house elves sir. Dobby must go now. Dobby must
help with the clean up from Halloween feast! Good bye Harry Potter!"
Halloween that was three days ago. Did it take that long to clean up from the
feast? Harry waved at the house elf as he ran off and turned to the
staircase. Slowly he ascended gazing at the portraits that lined the
walls. All to soon he reached the huge
door.
He
knocked and a cool voice answered,
"Come
in Harry."
"How'd
you know it was me Sirius?" He asked this not expecting an answer Harry opened the door to reveal an office that looked
very different than it had when he was a boy. The room had obviously been
turned into a strategizing room at one time due to the huge model of Hogsmeade
on the floor. It seemed that this had been a long time ago and no one had
bothered to do anything about it.
He
stepped in more and closed the door. Sirius sat on an armchair gazing into the
red-orange flames. Harry sat next to him in a matching arm chair. No sooner had
he sat down than a weight came on to his knee.
"Fawkes?"
Harry said marveling. The phoenix looked at him and he saw that it was indeed
Fawkes. "Hello Fawkes." He stroked the smooth feathers.
"He
wanted you to have Fawkes." Harry felt himself choke up.
"How
long ago was it?"
"four years ago when he was destroyed it… it took Dumbledore
too." Harry wiped the tears from his eyes wondering when he had last seen
his mentor. He thought for a moment.
It had been about two hours before he let.
He had peeked into the room.
"you wished to see me Professor?"
"Yes
Harry I did." Dumbledore had turned from his desk he looked so very old
and defeated. "Are you sure you want to do this boy?" Harry flinched.
"Please
Head- er Professor don't call me that. And yes I am
sure."
"Sorry
Harry. Well then please come back as soon as you get the word it's over."
"Yes
sir I will." He had said this with all sincerity at the time. Dumbledore
had dismissed him. As the door clicked behind him he heard his mentor whisper,
"If
it is ever over."
"Is
that what you called me here for Sirius?"
"No
Harry that is not all. I feel I have to tell you this rather than you find it
out on your own. It's about her. She hasn't been seen for years. Three years I
think it has been. People have searched for her, tried to find her but even the
Missing Persons department of the ministry couldn't find her 'course they
couldn't find you either." Harry nodded calmly but internally he was
sobbing. This couldn't be first he disappeared but now he was back and she was
gone. Why did it have to be this way?
"No
one has seen her for three years?" Sirius shook her head.
"Well
someone tried to convince her to leave a little while ago but it didn't
work."
"Who
was it?" Once again the older man shook his head.
"Doesn't matter the fact is he said she might come back. So you never
know."
"True
you don't but she wouldn't want me anyway." He sighed. It was a long low
sound that seemed to come straight out of his heart. Sirius put an arm on his
shoulder. He was only twenty-five years old after all.
"You
don't know that Harry."
"Yes
I do."
_______________________________________________________________
A rightly aimed frying pan caused Ginny to duck
faster than a bullet train.
"Mum
stop this please and let me explain!" she yelled over the din of
clambering metal. There was no reply except for a dish aimed in her general
direction. Ginny gave Bill a pleading look and he stood from where he was
sitting at the table.
"Mom
cut it out. Ginny came here to apologize and to explain which she can't do if
she's unconscious." The items stopped flying and Molly Weasley turned to
her children. Oldest and youngest they were close and it didn't surprise her
that Ginny had gone to him first. It didn't surprise her but it hurt her.
"Fine
explain." She spoke so icily that Ginny's heart
broke.
"Mom…"
Ginny sighed and sat down. After a moment Bill too sat.
"I
had to leave mom it was too painful here. There were all those memories that
were eating me up. I wanted to get away from it all, I wanted to escape. I'm
sorry I hurt you mom but I had to go." She heard her voice crack and felt
the tears on her face but she felt as if she were watching herself out of body.
"Virginia that is no excuse"
there was a pause. "Go now, Don't come
back." Ginny looked at her mother hard,
"Mom
no!"
"Mom
that's not fair.'
"She wanted to get away from s than she can get away William."
"Oh Mom." Ginny cried racked with sobs. Bill led
her out. When they were outside her sobs seemed to multiply and Bill held her
closer. Finally she calmed down enough to speak.
"Did
I ruin my entire life?"
"Oh Ginny." He sighed then he lifted her chin up
so he could look in her eyes.
"Listen
to me Gin we both know you shouldn't have left. But I understand your reasons
and I still love you. Mom'll come around she doesn't hate the twins anymore.
Well not much anyway." This caused a small giggle to come from Ginny but
it was a forced laugh.
"C'mon
let's go get CJ and hope Fleur hasn't gone nuts."
"She
has further to go?"
"Just
cause- Never mind." As they reached the village a
figure rushed past but turned when he saw them.
"Hello
Bill." Then on closer inspection, "Ginny?"
She gave the balding man a wary smile.
"Um…
Hi Dad?" to her relief he burst into a wide grin.
"Ginny!
My girl you're back your mum'll be…"
"Mad
beyond belief." Bill supplied.
"Oh dear." He gave Ginny a quick kiss and
whispered, "I'll see what I can do with her." they continued walking on they got to Bill's house. When he
unlooked the door and CJ hurdled toward them. A slower figure came after him
but it wasn't Fleur.
"Bill."
He nodded. Ginny blinked and then her eyes widened.
"Hello
Ron." She muttered. "Please don't gloat." He came up next to her
and took her arm.
"Wasn't going to." He smiled.
"I'm
so sure." She grinned in spite of herself. She sat on the couch still
holding CJ.
"Mommy." He whispered.
"Yeah Ceej?"
"Do
I gotta go to school? Fleur said so." Did she now?
"Eventually
you will."
"I
can't mom." He whispered. "Kid's don't like me cause
I can't read."
"I
know. Shush now Uncle Ron needs to talk." She looked up at her brother.
"Don't you?" he sighed and sat back in his chair. He gave a
meaningful look at Bill who took CJ from Ginny and set off to find Fleur.
"Is
he still having trouble." She looked after her
young son.
"Yeah. He's getting better though."
"That's
good. Now Ginny I came her to ask you something."
"Okay."
"This
is strictly hypothetical. If I were to tell you say he was back
what would you say?"
"I'd
say you were off your rocker. Once he." She took
a deep breath to steady her voice. "Once he decides on something his mind
is set." Ron nodded.
"Well
then I'm off my rocker." Ginny's eyes widened. She stood and started
pacing.
"You're-you're
kidding! There's no way! Does he know I'm back?" I hope not oh God he's
back this can't be." They she sat again. "Ironic is it not?" Ron
nodded.
"Irony
isn't the word. I believe Kismet is."
"Kismet!
Right! More like the devil's work"
"Gin!"
"I
mean it Ron he left us and he comes back now?"
"Well
let the pot call the kettle black."
"Er
you have a point…"
"Do
I?"
"Since when are you so
kniving?"
"You
live with Hermione for awhile."
"How
is Hermi?"
"Pregnant. Need I say more?"
"No.
How far along?"
"Um eight months."
"Congrats on making it this far, not that I'd know or
anything."
"Is
that why he has trouble in school?"
"Yeah. So anyway…"
"Yeah
he doesn't know you're here but you've got to see him sometime."
"I
don't see why."
"Great Friday at Hogwarts it is then.
"What?'!
I didn't say that." Ron had already stood and was heading for the door.
"Ron
don't! Come Back! NO I'm NOT GONNA-"
"See
you Friday!" the door closed and she stood in the hall overcome by shock.
