Dedicated to Tropic of Scorpio
Chapter 6: Thank You
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And I
Want to thank you
For giving me the best days
Of my life
Oh, just to be with you
Is having the best days
Of my life
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Thank you – Dido
Harry and Ginny arrived at the ministry at 8:30 the next morning. As they took the empty elevator down to the courtrooms Harry explained about Zabini.
"He hasn't got a hope in hell of getting out of this one. He was caught red-handed. No amount of gold is going to get him out of a life sentence in Azkaban. This trial is just a formality."
"Hmm." Ginny nodded as they stepped out of the lift.
When they arrived in the courtroom they found most of the jury already assembled. Several waved to Harry and nodded to Ginny. Cornelius Fudge sat next to Dumbledore. Dumbledore looked calm, and stood to greet Ginny and Harry.
"I hope I find you well, Ginny?"
"Yes, sir."
"Call me, Albus. I am not your teacher any longer." Ginny flushed and nodded. She and Harry sat next to Dumbledore. Within five minutes, Blaise Zabini was marched in by two Aurors and chained to the chair in the centre of the room. Silence descended upon the room. Albus stood.
"Blaise Zabini, you have been summoned here under the charges of assisting Lord Voldemort, the torture of muggles, and of attacking ministry. How do you plead?"
"Innocent."
"Idiot. What's he playing at?" Harry muttered.
Blaise stared defiantly at Dumbledore.
"I was under the imperious curse when I was caught. I am innocent."
"You were found to bear the Dark Mark." Fudge pointed out. Blaise turned his gaze to him.
"I was under the imperious curse. I had no control of the situation." Dumbledore sat down and said,
"The ministry will now put forward evidence. First speaker, Harry James Potter."
Harry stood, walked around to stand next to the chair and Dumbledore faced him.
"Please tell us what happened yesterday."
"Yesterday, at approximately midday, Ronald Weasley and I apparated to Yorkshire, after discovering news of a Deatheater attack. We discovered Zabini in a Muggle house, using the Cruciatus Curse on a Muggle. We cast an anti-apparition spell, and then performed full body-bind."
"Did he seem out of character?"
"He seemed fully aware of what he was doing." Harry confirmed. Blaise said,
"Lies. I was under a curse. If you check my record you will find no sign that I have ever associated with Deatheaters. Unless there is someone in this room who can prove me wrong."
He said that last sentence with a smug look on his face. He had not seen Ginny, but she felt anxious anyway. She could send this Deatheater to Azkaban, but it would mean revealing to Harry that she had associated with Draco Malfoy.
Or would it? She didn't have to tell them everything. Just the stuff about Zabini. Dumbledore said,
"Are there any comments?"
Ginny bit her lip, then stood up. Zabini's eyes snapped to her, and his face paled slightly. Ginny went red as many of eyes settled on her as she walked slowly to stand beside the chair. Dumbledore had a concerned look on his face and, Harry looked horror-struck.
"Name?"
"Virginia Weasley."
"You have information about this case?"
"I think so. It could be nothing. I'm not to judge that."
"Tell us what you know."
"I… I know that Blaise Zabini has associated with families of sentenced Deatheaters."
"Can you name any?"
"Theodore Nott. Pansy Parkinson. Matthew Resanten." Ginny struggled to remember the people she had seen, the ones she recognised from Hogwarts.
"Is that all?"
"…Draco Malfoy." Ginny forced herself to say. Mutters broke but Dumbledore hushed them.
"Did you see all of these people together?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"Zabini's Restaurant. In Lincolnshire."
"When?"
"About three weeks ago."
"Maybe we should ask why Miss Weasley was there in the first place." Said a wizard in the second row, on the right hand side. Ginny paled. Dumbledore shook his head,
"I can safely tell you that Miss Weasley is innocent."
"Then why was she with this company?"
Agreement followed this statement.
"I was… dining at the restaurant."
"You went all the way to Lincolnshire for dinner?" the wizard asked sceptically.
"I'd heard it was a good restaurant." Ginny said. This was not a lie. Zabini's restaurant was well known for its cuisine.
"This is no evidence. Surely I can have a meal with some old school friends?" Zabini argued. Moody stood up now.
"I think a little Veritaserum would solve this case, Dumbledore."
"Agreed. Administer three drops."
Ten minutes later Dumbledore stood up again.
"Zabini Blaise, is that your name?"
"Yes."
"Age?"
"24."
"Are you a Deatheater?" Zabini swallowed but said,
"Yes."
"Have you been forced, by the imperious curse to do any of things you are being charged for?"
"No. I did everything of my own free will."
"Is Virginia Weasley speaking the truth?"
"Yes."
Dumbledore turned to Fudge and Moody.
"Evidence enough, I believe. Unless you have further questions?"
"I do. Why were Deatheaters sent to Hogsmeade recently?" Moody demanded
"To retrieve Ginny Weasley."
"Why?"
"I do not know. We do not question our Lord's motives."
Zabini was pale and sweating. Dumbledore nodded to the Aurors.
"We have enough evidence. Blaise Zabini, I hereby sentence you to a lifetime sentence in Azkaban Prison. Are there any objections?" There were none. Dumbledore continued, "You may take him." He told the Aurors. As Blaise stood up, he glanced at Ginny. It was a look that clearly said, 'You're going to pay for this'. Ginny clutched Harry's hand, and he squeezed her fingers gently.
Once Blaise had gone, Harry turned to Ginny,
"That was brave of you."
"Harry, I had to say what I knew. He tortured muggles."
"Ginny, could I speak with you and Harry for a moment?" Albus said. He waited for the others to leave the room before saying,
"What Zabini said is concerning. If Voldemort is after you, we must make sure you are safe."
"I will be safe. I'm at the Headquarters a lot, and the rest of the time I'm in the shop." Ginny pointed out.
"Albus, what about Malfoy, and the others? I know they were found innocent… but I don't trust them."
"To use a phrase that helped you survive Hogwarts, 'Innocent until proven Guilty', Harry." Dumbledore pointed out. Harry shrugged, still not convinced. Ginny clutched his hand. Albus said,
"Harry, I want you to look after Ginny."
"Yes sir."
"I'm not a baby! I don't need a minder!"
"But you do need protection. Surely you will not complain about having to spend more time with Harry."
Ginny blushed.
"N-no… of course not. I just…"
"We just want to make sure you stay safe." Harry told her. Ginny gave him a small smile. Dumbledore clapped his hands together.
"All settled then! Now, if you will excuse me, I must return to Hogwarts. Minerva needs my assistance. Peeves has managed to get several priceless artefacts into a charmed broom cupboard. The handle is biting anyone who tries to open it and if you do manage to it starts screaming. Goodbye." He swept away.
When they arrived at Ginny's shop she said,
"Do you want to spend the night? I can make up the spare room."
"That'd be great." Harry said. She unlocked the door and Kara flew at her. She was clutching a letter. While Harry apparated to the Headquarters for some spare clothes she read it.
Dear Ginny,
Have things been sorted with Potter? Remember to keep me updated. I need some more robes. Damn house-elf set fire to them by accident. I'll call tomorrow for some more.
Draco
"When the hell did we move onto first names?" Ginny muttered. She jumped as, with a loud pop, Harry apparated back into the room. He grinned, and then glanced at the letter.
"Whose it from?"
"Just a client. Thank you note." She said, throwing it into the fire.
"So you decided to burn it?"
"Hey, I don't like the client!" She said, laughing. They sorted out Harry's things, and then Harry suggested they go for lunch.
In Diagon Alley, they ate lunch in a small restaurant. The food was simple, but tasted good. Harry found himself just watching Ginny, the way she flicked her hair back over her should, the way her nose screwed up when she was laughing…
He suddenly realised she had asked him a question.
"Uh… sorry?"
"I asked if you were OK. You've been staring off into space for the past ten minutes."
"Oh, yeah. I'm great. Shall we head off to St. Mungo's?"
Remus and Tonks were playing exploding snap when they arrived. Tonks grinned at them.
"Wotcher! How you doing?"
"Never mind us, how are you?"
"I'd be better if I could get out of here." Tonks grumbled. Remus laughed and shook his head, grey hair glinting in the sunlight.
"Tonks you need to be here."
"No, I don't Remus. So stop being such a smartass-know-it-all. I'm perfectly fine."
"Then why are you bleeding again?"
Tonks looked down and saw a few drops of blood appear on the white nightdress she was wearing. Remus called the nurse and she bustled over.
"You'll have to step outside while I change the bandages." She told them. Remus smiled at the pair of them.
"How did the trial go?"
"Guilty of all charges. Lifetime in Azkaban."
"Excellent. Well, not for him. But it's rather good for us, don't you think?"
"I do think." Harry laughed. Remus laughed too.
Tonks was looking sulky when they went back in. Remus smiled at her.
"Tonks, the Healers said you'll probably out in a week ort so. Stop complaining."
"Pah, what do they know?"
"A sight more than you do." Remus said.
Several hours later, Harry and Ginny emerged from the hospital, laughing. Tonks was extremely entertaining.
"Got anything else planned for today?" Ginny asked.
"Not really. Anything you want to do?"
"We could visit Bill and Fleur. They said to visit sometime."
"Fair enough."
They apparated to a small house in Kent. Knocking on the door, Ginny heard a voice, tinged with a French accent call,
"Coming, I'm coming!" Fleur Delacour opened the door.
"Ginny! And Harry! What a wonderful surprise! BILL!" She screamed into the house.
"What?"
"Ginny and Harry are here! Stop working. He has been working since early this morning." She explained, letting them into the comfortable house. Sitting in the living room, Ginny stared at Fleur's stomach.
"You're huge! In a good way, obviously…" Fleur laughed, silvery hair shining.
"What other way would you say it in? Only one month before she's due."
"I believe that's one month before he's due." Said Bill, coming in and hugging Ginny.
"Still arguing about it?" Ginny asked. Fleur shook her head firmly.
"My mothers' intuition tells me it is a girl."
"And my fathers' intuition tells me it is a boy." Bill said smugly, sitting down beside his wife. Fleur made an impatient noise.
They had some tea at Bill's house, discussing baby names, work, family and just about everything else. At 6, Ginny stood up.
"We should be going. I have some paperwork to sort out."
"Thanks for coming. You must come back soon." Fleur insisted, kissing Ginny, and then Harry.
"We will."
"And write soon!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Ginny cooked them dinner. Harry watched as she sliced vegetables and stirred things. He wasn't very good at cooking, his skills just about reaching bacon and eggs. When Ginny poured stew into their bowls he smiled.
"I really should learn how to cook."
"You can do other things."
"Like what?"
"Fight Dark Wizards. Produce a patronus. Stuff like that."
"That's not stuff you can just decide to learn. You have to. It's a matter of life or death. And frankly I prefer life."
"It's always better than the alternative I guess." Ginny pondered, sipping the stew. Kara flew onto the table and Ginny stroked her head, then stood to open a window for her.
"So what was Auror Academy like?"
"It was tough. But we got through. I'm telling you, that was the best day of my life, when Ron and I passed the examination."
"It must be great, to fulfil your dreams like that."
"You don't want to design robes?"
"Oh, I love doing that! Of course I do. But it was never intended as a permanent thing. It was just a hobby. Then I left Hogwarts. Mum wouldn't let me do field work for the Order, and Dumbledore agreed. So Fred and George funded the shop. And I've been there ever since. Not that I'm complaining, of course. I love doing it. It just seems a little unfulfilling compared to what everyone else is doing."
"So what would you do, if you could?"
Ginny eyed him thoughtfully, as if trying to decide whether or not to let him in on this private fact.
"I wanted to… be a Healer. Not one in St Mungo's. One out there. In the field, healing people properly, not just curses gone wrong. I want to be doing something that'll help fight against him."
Harry gazed at her. She felt slightly uncomfortable. Eventually Harry said,
"I never would have guessed that. So why don't you?"
"Mum won't let me. She said that she doesn't want to have to worry about me as well as everyone else in the family. And I don't have the appropriate training."
"Well, isn't it kinda your choice?"
"Well… I suppose so."
"If that's you dream, you should follow it. You control your own destiny." Harry said, "And I expect Madam Pomfrey would train you, if you asked her."
Ginny considered it.
"I'll definitely think about it. Thanks, Harry. No one's ever supported me like this before."
"I'm here to help." Harry said.
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As they went to their separate rooms Ginny hugged Harry.
"Thanks again. I've had a great day."
"Me too. You always make me happy." He kissed her forehead, and then went to his own room. Ginny fell onto her own bed, feeling extremely happy. Then she remembered that Draco Malfoy was coming to the shop tomorrow. That would be an interesting experience. Especially with Harry there.
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Sorry it's taken me so long! I've been on holiday. Mixed weather. Sunshine on Monday and Tuesday. Torrential floods on Wednesday and Thursday!
Lotsa luv 'n' Huggles
Katie
