Melody
By Trinity Tzen

A/N: Sorry no D/G action yet. Next chapter, I promise!

Chapter One
Ginny screamed, and shot out from her bed. There was a loud shuffling and swearing outside her door and she screamed again as it was flung open.

"Merlin, Ginny!" A tousled redhead fell through the door. Ron looked over at where the younger girl sat on the floor. He gave her a lop-sided grin. "Fell off your bed?" Ginny looked up, she was indeed on the floor, her blanket wrapped around her tightly- even though she was sweating bullets.

"A nightmare, I think," she murmured, furrowing her brows as she tried to remember. There was a boy in this one, and he was badly hurt. For once it wasn't Riddle.

"Again?" Ron frowned, coming to sit by her. Slowly he turned Ginny toward him. "What is going on, Gin? Are you all right?"

Ginny ignored her brother's concern. "I'm fine. It's just-" Another scream reverberated through the house. Ron turned sharply.

"What the hell is going on?" Giving Ginny one last suspicious glance, Ron ran out of the room. Ginny could hear him stumbling back into his own room and shouting loudly. The screaming continued, and Ginny shuddered, wrapping her arm around her knees.

The nightmare was still fresh in her mind. Though she couldn't recognize the faces, all the blurred figures seemed familiar. The boy that was strapped to the crucifix; the man, who watched with intense interest; and the monster- Ginny shuddered- the monster, torturing the boy- enjoying it- reveling in it.

She heard another pair of footsteps enter her room. Looking up, she saw Hermione standing at the doorway, her face stricken with worry. "Ginny we have to go. Something- something's wrong with Harry!" The brunette grabbed at Ginny's arm, when she realized that the younger girl wasn't going to move. Pulling her toward Ron's room, Ginny realized the screaming had stopped.

Ron stepped out of the room with Harry draped over his shoulder, struggling under the weight. "We need to get him to St. Mungo's. Just look at him!" Ginny peered over Hermione's head and saw the vacant expression on Harry's face. Ginny shuddered violently. It was the same one on the boy's face from her nightmare. Right after the monster had forced him to- to do what? She closed her eyes tightly, trying to bring the horrible image back.

"Ginny! Come on!" Hermione shouted from the bottom of the stairs. Ginny ran down, just in time to see green flames flare brightly around Ron and Harry, before they disappeared. Pushing Ginny forward into the fireplace, Hermione shoved a handful of Floo powder into her hand. "Go. Quickly," Hermione whispered harshly.

Ginny didn't even remember uttering the words to St. Mungo's, as she flew in a dizzying speed through darkness.

***

The moment they arrived, healers flocked around Harry and took him away. Ron fought to follow them, but the nurses held him back. Hermione ended up taking Ron to the far side of the room, trying desperately to keep him calm, even though she was fighting to chase after Harry as well. Ginny fell against one of the burgundy chairs in the waiting room, and closed her eyes.

They were on the fifth floor of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, where the visitors usually waited for their loved ones. When they arrived, Ginny noticed that the room was empty, other than the lone woman that sat close to the entrance. Her light blond hair seemed a mess, and hung loosely around her face, shielding her eyes. She sat with her back straight as a board, and jumped when one of the healers had come by and gave her a steaming cup of tea. But other than that, the woman just sat- waiting for any news of her loved one.

"Did you see?" Ron exclaimed, before Hermione hushed him. "His scar," he continued, tapping his forehead as to indicate where the infamous scar was. "It was burning- I almost burned my damned fingers off." Ginny peeked out of the corner of her eye- indeed, Ron's fingers were bright red, and pieces of dry skin were beginning to peel off.

Hermione frowned as she tenderly took Ron's hands into her own. "We need to go to the burn ward, this looks serious." Ron shook his head fervently.

"We are not leaving Harry," he replied matter-of-factly.

"Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger, and Ms. Weasley," a voice counted, "Where's Mr. Potter?" Ron, Hermione, and Ginny jumped out of their seats- only to find Dumbledore standing over them, with a worried smile on his face. Flanking him were Ron's and Ginny's father and mother, Arthur and Molly Weasley.

Molly Weasley, red hair flaring around her head, shouted at the top of her lungs. "Ronald Weasley! What have you done?" Ron cringed and sank lower into his seat. Even Hermione flinched for being in the direct path of Mrs. Weasley's wrath. Arthur Weasley calmly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What happened here Ron?" Arthur asked patiently. Before Ron could answer, Dumbledore interrupted.

"That is neither here or there, for now- you should have those burns treated, Mr. Weasley." Ron nodded, turning his attention to his mother, who now seemed a bit surprised that her son was hurt. In an instant, her wrath was replaced with concern.

"Oh Ron, what have you done to yourself?" Molly asked as she grabbed his arm and dragged out of the room, presumably toward the burn ward. Hermione soon took off after them, leaving Ginny standing silently among her Headmaster and her father.

"Dumbledore!" A stout wizard dressed in lime green scrubs, much like the rest of the healers buzzing around- the only difference was that on his chest, there was a golden emblem in a shape of a cross. His face was flushed with exhaustion, and his blue-green eyes bulged, reminding Ginny of a fish out of water; especially when his small mouth gaped open and shut, catching short breaths. "Sorry I'm late, Headmaster. We've been busy- damned busy."

"It's quite all right, Mr. Scelus. We got your OWL," Dumbledore said pulling out a slip of rolled up parchment from his robe. "Something's wrong with Mr. Potter?"

Mr. Scelus nodded his head vigorously, causing the brown mop of hair on his head to bob around. "He arrived only a few minutes ago, I OWL'ed you immediately. His symptoms are quite- odd." He finished flatly. Dumbledore only nodded.

"If you want to see him-" Mr. Scelus said as he walked down through the swinging doors, Dumbledore and Arthur Weasley following close behind, leaving Ginny alone in the waiting room with the blond lady. Glancing over, she noticed the woman staring with interest at the scene that had just gone on- then averting her eyes quickly, when she noticed Ginny staring back.

Ginny shrugged the thought off, and plopped down again on one of the chairs, making sure she was close enough to the reception desk, in case they mentioned Harry. Giving a defeated sigh, she closed her eyes once again.

***

Ginny wasn't sure how long she was sleeping, but the sudden activity in the waiting room woke her instantly. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she could see Mr. Scelus rush through the swinging doors. His face contorted with anticipation as he ran over to the group of men; all which were huddled tightly around one another. She only caught snippets of the conversation. One in which demanded that the injured party to have a private room, the others shook their heads in agreement. Mr. Scelus agreed, and looked at the injured man hungrily- causing Ginny to shudder. In a moment Mr. Scelus ushered one of the men and the injured party- who was draped in a black cloak- behind the swinging doors.

In the corner of her eye, Ginny noticed the blond woman smile, before taking her leave.

Ginny glanced curiously to the remaining men standing by the reception desk. They all seemed oddly out of place, with their dark cloaks and pale skin. Most of them had a look of determination on their faces, staring fixedly at where Mr. Scelus had gone. She didn't recognize any of them, but the longer she stared- she wouldn't have wished that she did. They seemed- evil.

Ginny was shaken out of her reverie when Ron, Hermione, and her mother returned. Ron was talking loudly, causing one of the witches at the reception desk to glare at him quite soundly. He either ignored her, or didn't notice since he continued talking in the same annoying loud manner. "We are not leaving mum!" He shouted, waving his bandaged hands around in the air. Ginny rolled her eyes. Even though she loved her brother dearly, the boy was a drama queen. He could blow any situation out of proportion.

Molly Weasley clicked her tongue in response. "Ron, dear, I know you are worried about Harry. The healers will take care of him, I'm sure of it. There is no need to worry. I mean, even Dumbledore is here!" She responded, patiently waiting for the words to sink in. "There is no need to fret, so take Hermione and your sister home." At this point they had reached Ginny, and she shot out of her chair to protest as well.

"Mum! We need to be here for Harry!" Ginny shouted, matching her brother's earlier tone. Molly only shook her head and looked at each of them- her eyes fell on Hermione, and she gave the young brunette girl a pleading look.

"Hermione, you're a bright young girl- talk some sense in them, okay?" At that, Molly turned- asking the witch at the reception desk where her husband and Dumbledore were- then vanished behind the swinging doors. Ron only gaped openly, turning his attention to Hermione- who seemed a bit shocked at the new sense of authority.

"Your mother is right," Hermione started slowly, and then looked up at Ron. "We should go back to The Burrow." Before Ron could protest, she continued. "There is nothing we can do here- they won't let us back there to see Harry." Ron grumbled, and it sounded something like 'that has never stopped us before.' Hermione glared at the boy, making pointed glances at Ginny. He seemed to have gotten the hint- because he clamped his mouth shut instantly.

Ginny fought the urge to roll her eyes. She knew of all their little adventures, and how they have broken every written- and perhaps unwritten- rule at Hogwarts. Hell, she even broke some of her own. She smiled at the thought of her boyfriend, Daniel Winters, and the nights they spent sneaking out and meeting each other secretly by the Astronomy tower. They had never gotten caught, she knew every secret route in Hogwarts- thanks for being related to the notorious Weasley twins. They had taught her a thing or two before that decided to ditch the school system all together and open their joke shop.

"So, let's go back. Your mother would be furious with me if I didn't get you two home," Hermione stated as she pushed Ron toward the exit. Ginny followed silently but the low muttering of the dark cloaked men stopped her.

"After this, the war will surely be upon us."

"Yes. Lord Voldemort will reign supreme."

"Are you sure we should still call him that?" A man followed with a dry snicker. "From this day forth, his name will be Lord Mal-"

"Are you insane?" A man with long brown hair, and a pointed nose whispered. His cold green eyes fell on Ginny. Before Ginny could react, she felt an arm snake around her waist-

"Ginny," Ron said, giving the men a baleful glare. "Let's go."