Ginny Weasley Creevy missed home terribly, and wrote everyday to be sent back. Arthur and Molly didn't want to take their daughter out of school, but she was a widow, and the war was coming closer to Hogwarts everyday. They wanted her educated, and they wanted her safe. But, as with most parents, the wish for safety overruled any kind of wish to have a educated child. So, they sent Ginny money for a ticket and Ginny smiled for the first time in a month.
Hermione had cried, saying that she couldn't stand letting her only sister/friend to leave her. Ginny had rolled her eyes at Hermione's weakness and promised to return eventually. Hermione also didn't want to be alone at Hogwarts. So many students were leaving on a daily basis. The few boys who hadn't joined up to fight the Death Eaters and Voldemort were needed at home, and they had already gone. There were less than twenty students at Hogwarts now, and Ginny leaving would make twenty. The professors were nervous, constantly with their students, and all sleeping in the same dorm.
Ginny packed happily, leaving the veil under her bed and making space for her prettier hats and cloths. The day she left was cold, but she was happy, so she hardly noticed it. The few students left gave her warm farewells, telling her to return quickly. Ginny smiled tragically, as a widow should, and promised them all letters. There were only four Gryfindors left, Hermione, a first year named Belle, Lavender, and a third year that kept to herself. Not a single Slytherin was left, and no one minded. Dumbledore tried to keep up morale, but mostly tried to keep food for the few left.
Ginny rode the train with joy. She was going home to the Burrow! The Burrow, with it's eight small bedrooms, all lovingly furnished, and it's basement with a large wine cellar, and the pigs that were well fed, the chickens that gave them fresh eggs, and the three cows that provided milk. Oh, how she missed home, and craved her mother's touch, and her father's voice. Nothing would be as satisfying.
Stepping off the train, Ginny saw Charlie waiting for her with a patched coat on. She smiled warmly and ran into his arms, happy to see her brother.
"Oh Charlie!" she said sighing against his shoulder. His height and strength was reassuring.
"Gin." he said in a hoarse voice, smiling as well. Ginny pulled back and searched her brother's face.
"Charlie?" she asked carefully. His sadness and melancholy was scaring her.
"Gin, something's happened." he said sadly. Ginny shook with fear. No more death. She prayed silently, she couldn't handle anymore death.
"Charlie, it's not - " she began, hoping against hope that it wasn't Harry.
"It's George." he said, choking up.
"Oh my God." she said, weak in the knees.
"How?" she choked out, falling against Charlie.
"He was on the front lines. It was Luicus Malfoy. Shot him down with the a curse, and then killed him." Charlie said, beginning to cry softly.
"No." Ginny said hoarsely. It wasn't possible, her brother, one of the twins, gone.
"I'm so sorry Gin. No one could write you about it, and Mum can hardly stand to get out of bed." Charlie said, beginning to walk towards the small bathroom which they had always aperated home from.
Ginny said nothing and let her brother carry her slowly. She cried, and sobs shook her slowly. It wasn't suppose to happen. George, her brother, the second half of the bouncy and joyful twins she had loved so dearly. She thought of Fred, and cried harder. What must he be feeling, his twin, his bay far favorite brother, dead.
The Burrow was quiet, as expected, but Ginny had never seen it so depressed. Her father sat staring out of the back window, not caring about anything, and drinking his whisky almost constantly. He was still her father, but the veil of sadness that draped him was unmistakable.
Mrs. Weasley stayed in bed and refused to see anyone. Ginny cried, sobbing against Charlie, the only other Weasley child in the home. Days past, and finally, George's death was healing, but painfully slowly. Molly came out from her room, and the whole family wept with happiness. It was a sign things would get better.
But Ginny's grief could not be consoled. She was a widow, and now the sister of a dead brother. Now, only four brothers were on the front lines, battling evil and slowly becoming more lifeless. The war wasn't suppose to last this long, not by a long shot. Everyday, more and more news of deaths came, from both sides. Ginny's heart was with Harry constantly, relishing his letters to the family, the ones that never addressed her only. He and Ron were still together, but no one knew exactly where Percy was; he had not written for months. The family was scared, and yet happy to at least have the two children they had with them. Charlie had announced he was to go back to war, he had been given leave to get the news to George's death to his parents only for a few weeks. Mrs. Weasley sobbed and Ginny refused to answer him when he spoke to her. How could he even think of something so stupid? They needed him now.
But he left, and the few Weasley's left cried.
Hermione wrote often, begging Ginny to come back to Hogwarts. Ginny never replied, and her mother begged her to not even consider going back to Hogwarts. Ginny however, was actually considering going back. As much as she loved home, it was quiet boring with only her parents for company. She stayed for two months, but the silence in the home became too much, and she packed to go back to the castle.
***
The train was desolate, except for a few soldiers returning to Hogwarts. She couldn't imagine why they wouldn't go home, but she soon found out. A twenty something Raveclaw she had known, by Bill's relations with the boy, when she was younger had laughed with her when she asked him why he wasn't going home.
"I'm going to get this leg fixed!" he said joyfully. Ginny cocked and eyebrow.
"Why on earth would you go to Hogwarts for that?" she asked.
"Haven't you heard?" he asked incredulously.
"Heard what?" Ginny asked, still clueless as to what her was talking about.
"Why, the Burrow must be farther from civilization than I remembered from my trips with Bill! Hogwarts is a hospital now, the best wizarding one in the country. See, everything fell in London, even muggle places, and now Hogwarts has the best medi - witches and nurses around! Yeah, the whole Great Hall is an infirmary, well, one of the infirmaries. There are twelve in the whole castle now." He said matter of factly. Ginny's mouth hung open. Hogwarts, a hospital? It seemed silly and dream - like.
Upon arriving in Hogsmead, Ginny noticed the amount of wounded soldiers inhabiting the town. It seemed as if they were every where. What shocked her the most was that she knew most of them. They were boys she had known since childhood, and the fact made her want to scream with fear. Harry could be one of these boys! Or Ron! Or Fred! She did not let her tears escape, but felt fear encase her carefully.
Hermione, upon seeing Ginny, began to laugh and smile happily. She hugged Ginny tightly and cried with happiness.
"Oh Ginny!" she cried, looking at Ginny's slightly sunken face.
"Everyone had missed you so much! All of the boys at Hogwarts ask for you!" she said, linking her arm with Ginny's and leading her towards the path that lead to Hogwarts.
"Yes, they must." said Ginny softly, still in shock over the state of the town. "Hermione, what has happened here?" she asked softly.
"Well, since the battle of Dublin the whole castle was turned into a hospital. There were hundreds of wounded men Ginny! Thank God we only lost George." Hermione added sadly. "Anyway, I'm nursing now. It's a comfort, with Harry gone. The soldiers come in on the trains everyday." she was speaking quickly, the old busy gleam in her eyes.
"My lord." said Ginny. "I can hardly believe the war has lasted even this long Hermione." she said quietly.
"I know! Harry was expecting to be home by Christmas, but I think he'll only come back on leave, not for real." Hermione said sadly.
Ginny tried not to leap for joy at the thought of seeing Harry in a few weeks at Christmas.
Hogwarts had indeed been turned into a Hospital. Hundreds of boys, from the age of fifteen to thirty occupied the various infirmaries that had been transformed from the castle rooms. Ginny nursed them all, doing rounds everyday with Hermione. Most of them were completely happy to see her, commenting on her good looks and flirting with her. Ginny flirted back, and told herself it was for the Light Magic Cause, as it was called now.
Hermione shared parts of Harry's letters with Ginny, but only parts. Ginny longed to write Harry herself, but knew it would only cause trouble. Instead, she dreamed of him often. Hermione did her nursing happily, seeming to not notice the grotesque state of some of the soldiers, while Ginny had to vomit silently into the toilet after every encounter with an infirmary. The men themselves didn't seem to mind blood drenched wounds or missing limbs, but Ginny certainly did. Hermione however seemed to ignore them.
Christmas came, and Harry arrived. Hermione cried happily upon seeing him step down from the train in tattered robes, and Ginny tried to look pleased for Hermione's happiness. The three chatted, and Hermione hung on Harry's arm as Ginny silently glowered. She wished she could have a private word with Harry, but saw that it was impossible.
They spent Christmas dinner with Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick, eating a small roasted chicken that had some how gotten and chatting about old times. No one mentioned the fact that this Christmas was so dreadful with the war going on. Harry spoke of Ron and told stories of the front lines that always ended in a laugh, but Ginny noticed his frantic eyes avoiding the subject of how the war was actually going. Dumbledore said very little through the dinner, but watched Ginny intently, making her wonder what exactly he knew of her thoughts.
Hermione had cried, saying that she couldn't stand letting her only sister/friend to leave her. Ginny had rolled her eyes at Hermione's weakness and promised to return eventually. Hermione also didn't want to be alone at Hogwarts. So many students were leaving on a daily basis. The few boys who hadn't joined up to fight the Death Eaters and Voldemort were needed at home, and they had already gone. There were less than twenty students at Hogwarts now, and Ginny leaving would make twenty. The professors were nervous, constantly with their students, and all sleeping in the same dorm.
Ginny packed happily, leaving the veil under her bed and making space for her prettier hats and cloths. The day she left was cold, but she was happy, so she hardly noticed it. The few students left gave her warm farewells, telling her to return quickly. Ginny smiled tragically, as a widow should, and promised them all letters. There were only four Gryfindors left, Hermione, a first year named Belle, Lavender, and a third year that kept to herself. Not a single Slytherin was left, and no one minded. Dumbledore tried to keep up morale, but mostly tried to keep food for the few left.
Ginny rode the train with joy. She was going home to the Burrow! The Burrow, with it's eight small bedrooms, all lovingly furnished, and it's basement with a large wine cellar, and the pigs that were well fed, the chickens that gave them fresh eggs, and the three cows that provided milk. Oh, how she missed home, and craved her mother's touch, and her father's voice. Nothing would be as satisfying.
Stepping off the train, Ginny saw Charlie waiting for her with a patched coat on. She smiled warmly and ran into his arms, happy to see her brother.
"Oh Charlie!" she said sighing against his shoulder. His height and strength was reassuring.
"Gin." he said in a hoarse voice, smiling as well. Ginny pulled back and searched her brother's face.
"Charlie?" she asked carefully. His sadness and melancholy was scaring her.
"Gin, something's happened." he said sadly. Ginny shook with fear. No more death. She prayed silently, she couldn't handle anymore death.
"Charlie, it's not - " she began, hoping against hope that it wasn't Harry.
"It's George." he said, choking up.
"Oh my God." she said, weak in the knees.
"How?" she choked out, falling against Charlie.
"He was on the front lines. It was Luicus Malfoy. Shot him down with the a curse, and then killed him." Charlie said, beginning to cry softly.
"No." Ginny said hoarsely. It wasn't possible, her brother, one of the twins, gone.
"I'm so sorry Gin. No one could write you about it, and Mum can hardly stand to get out of bed." Charlie said, beginning to walk towards the small bathroom which they had always aperated home from.
Ginny said nothing and let her brother carry her slowly. She cried, and sobs shook her slowly. It wasn't suppose to happen. George, her brother, the second half of the bouncy and joyful twins she had loved so dearly. She thought of Fred, and cried harder. What must he be feeling, his twin, his bay far favorite brother, dead.
The Burrow was quiet, as expected, but Ginny had never seen it so depressed. Her father sat staring out of the back window, not caring about anything, and drinking his whisky almost constantly. He was still her father, but the veil of sadness that draped him was unmistakable.
Mrs. Weasley stayed in bed and refused to see anyone. Ginny cried, sobbing against Charlie, the only other Weasley child in the home. Days past, and finally, George's death was healing, but painfully slowly. Molly came out from her room, and the whole family wept with happiness. It was a sign things would get better.
But Ginny's grief could not be consoled. She was a widow, and now the sister of a dead brother. Now, only four brothers were on the front lines, battling evil and slowly becoming more lifeless. The war wasn't suppose to last this long, not by a long shot. Everyday, more and more news of deaths came, from both sides. Ginny's heart was with Harry constantly, relishing his letters to the family, the ones that never addressed her only. He and Ron were still together, but no one knew exactly where Percy was; he had not written for months. The family was scared, and yet happy to at least have the two children they had with them. Charlie had announced he was to go back to war, he had been given leave to get the news to George's death to his parents only for a few weeks. Mrs. Weasley sobbed and Ginny refused to answer him when he spoke to her. How could he even think of something so stupid? They needed him now.
But he left, and the few Weasley's left cried.
Hermione wrote often, begging Ginny to come back to Hogwarts. Ginny never replied, and her mother begged her to not even consider going back to Hogwarts. Ginny however, was actually considering going back. As much as she loved home, it was quiet boring with only her parents for company. She stayed for two months, but the silence in the home became too much, and she packed to go back to the castle.
***
The train was desolate, except for a few soldiers returning to Hogwarts. She couldn't imagine why they wouldn't go home, but she soon found out. A twenty something Raveclaw she had known, by Bill's relations with the boy, when she was younger had laughed with her when she asked him why he wasn't going home.
"I'm going to get this leg fixed!" he said joyfully. Ginny cocked and eyebrow.
"Why on earth would you go to Hogwarts for that?" she asked.
"Haven't you heard?" he asked incredulously.
"Heard what?" Ginny asked, still clueless as to what her was talking about.
"Why, the Burrow must be farther from civilization than I remembered from my trips with Bill! Hogwarts is a hospital now, the best wizarding one in the country. See, everything fell in London, even muggle places, and now Hogwarts has the best medi - witches and nurses around! Yeah, the whole Great Hall is an infirmary, well, one of the infirmaries. There are twelve in the whole castle now." He said matter of factly. Ginny's mouth hung open. Hogwarts, a hospital? It seemed silly and dream - like.
Upon arriving in Hogsmead, Ginny noticed the amount of wounded soldiers inhabiting the town. It seemed as if they were every where. What shocked her the most was that she knew most of them. They were boys she had known since childhood, and the fact made her want to scream with fear. Harry could be one of these boys! Or Ron! Or Fred! She did not let her tears escape, but felt fear encase her carefully.
Hermione, upon seeing Ginny, began to laugh and smile happily. She hugged Ginny tightly and cried with happiness.
"Oh Ginny!" she cried, looking at Ginny's slightly sunken face.
"Everyone had missed you so much! All of the boys at Hogwarts ask for you!" she said, linking her arm with Ginny's and leading her towards the path that lead to Hogwarts.
"Yes, they must." said Ginny softly, still in shock over the state of the town. "Hermione, what has happened here?" she asked softly.
"Well, since the battle of Dublin the whole castle was turned into a hospital. There were hundreds of wounded men Ginny! Thank God we only lost George." Hermione added sadly. "Anyway, I'm nursing now. It's a comfort, with Harry gone. The soldiers come in on the trains everyday." she was speaking quickly, the old busy gleam in her eyes.
"My lord." said Ginny. "I can hardly believe the war has lasted even this long Hermione." she said quietly.
"I know! Harry was expecting to be home by Christmas, but I think he'll only come back on leave, not for real." Hermione said sadly.
Ginny tried not to leap for joy at the thought of seeing Harry in a few weeks at Christmas.
Hogwarts had indeed been turned into a Hospital. Hundreds of boys, from the age of fifteen to thirty occupied the various infirmaries that had been transformed from the castle rooms. Ginny nursed them all, doing rounds everyday with Hermione. Most of them were completely happy to see her, commenting on her good looks and flirting with her. Ginny flirted back, and told herself it was for the Light Magic Cause, as it was called now.
Hermione shared parts of Harry's letters with Ginny, but only parts. Ginny longed to write Harry herself, but knew it would only cause trouble. Instead, she dreamed of him often. Hermione did her nursing happily, seeming to not notice the grotesque state of some of the soldiers, while Ginny had to vomit silently into the toilet after every encounter with an infirmary. The men themselves didn't seem to mind blood drenched wounds or missing limbs, but Ginny certainly did. Hermione however seemed to ignore them.
Christmas came, and Harry arrived. Hermione cried happily upon seeing him step down from the train in tattered robes, and Ginny tried to look pleased for Hermione's happiness. The three chatted, and Hermione hung on Harry's arm as Ginny silently glowered. She wished she could have a private word with Harry, but saw that it was impossible.
They spent Christmas dinner with Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick, eating a small roasted chicken that had some how gotten and chatting about old times. No one mentioned the fact that this Christmas was so dreadful with the war going on. Harry spoke of Ron and told stories of the front lines that always ended in a laugh, but Ginny noticed his frantic eyes avoiding the subject of how the war was actually going. Dumbledore said very little through the dinner, but watched Ginny intently, making her wonder what exactly he knew of her thoughts.