Disclaimer: I purposely stole a quote from Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. Let's see if anyone can spot it! (Cygnus Crux, I'm talking to you, in particular!)
Chapter Nine: Horrific Discoveries
Later that night, Ginny lay in bed, anxiously listening for any distant noises. She had to be sure that everyone was asleep; otherwise, she couldn't set one foot in the master bedroom.
The only noise she could hear at the moment were the muffled sobs of Hermione, who was lying facedown in her camp bed. In spite of the fact that it had been You-Know-Who --- not Harry --- who had said all those hurtful things to her, it had still affected her badly. The same went for Ron; after he had left the master bedroom, he'd shut himself up in his room for the rest of the day.
Ginny clenched her fists angrily. You-Know-Who was ruining Harry's life. Apparently, it wasn't enough that he killed his parents and was responsible for the deaths of Cedric and Sirius… now he had taken control of Harry, used him to kill Kreacher, and hurt the people Harry cared about most…
Maybe it would be better if he did die after You-Know-Who left his body.
How can you even think that? Ginny berated herself. Harry won't die…and I'm going to make sure of it!
It was well past midnight. She knew that Dumbledore and the Order members were all camping out downstairs, so You-Know-Who would be locked in the bedroom. If she wanted to try contacting Harry, now was the perfect time to do it.
Quietly, she got out of bed, tiptoed to her school trunk, and dug out her wand. Hopefully, she wouldn't have a reason to use it… but You-Know-Who had tried to kill her. She'd have to defend herself, even at the risk of harming Harry. She also took a hairpin out of her dresser. Fred and George had taught her how to pick locks, which would certainly be useful to unlock the bedroom.
She crept out of her room and went to the master bedroom. She stuck the hairpin into the lock. After fiddling with it for a few minutes, the door opened .
Ginny took a deep breath. I'm ready, she thought, almost as if she were trying to convince herself. Carefully, she opened the door and walked in.
You-Know-Who was still awake. His red eyes glowed in the dark, surveying her. Nervous as she was, she tried to keep her face as calm as possible.
A smirk spread across Harry's face. "You fear me, child?" You-Know-Who asked.
"I'm not a child," she retorted. "And I'm not afraid of you."
"You're lying," he hissed softly. "Don't waste your time lying to me, girl. I always know when someone is lying to me. You can't even say my name aloud…"
"Yes, I can… Tom," Ginny said boldly.
You-Know-Who laughed. "You assume that I still go by my common, Muggle father's name? I am Lord Voldemort, you silly girl." His smile widened. "But of course, you know me as Tom… wouldn't you, Ginny?"
"So you remember me?" she asked, unfazed.
"In a manner of speaking," You-Know-Who replied casually. "The boy's memory has informed me of your little incident with my diary. But I knew about you long before I possessed him… Lucius told me all about it shortly after I returned to power." He gazed at Ginny. "So I suppose you and Potter are in the same situation now. I made you attack all of your friends… if it hadn't been for him, you probably would really killed someone… you may have even died…
"So tell me… how does it feel to have the tables turned. Now Potter is the one who is possessed. But unlike you, he has killed someone and he will die. And you didn't do a thing to help the hero who saved your life years ago. How does that make you feel?"
Ginny knew at once what You-Know-Who was trying to make her do. He was using Harry's memories against her, just as he had done to Ron, Hermione, and Snape. He was trying to weaken her…
"I did try to help Harry," she said icily. "I didn't know that you were going to take him over, but I tried to help him cope with Sirius's death. And I don't think for one second that Harry is a murderer. If I did, then I'd be one too, for Petrifying all those Muggle-borns in my first year. You were the one who killed Kreacher --- you just used Harry to do it."
You-Know-Who looked surprised yet amused. "You must think you're brave," he said quietly. "Coming in here all by yourself, with no grown-ups to protect you…"
Ginny pulled out her wand and pointed it at him. "I faced Death Eaters a few months ago. I think I can handle myself."
"You can't use magic outside of Hogwarts," You-Know-Who sneered.
"Not unless there's an emergency," Ginny replied confidently. "And I'd say having the Dark Lord invade your house counts as one."
"You'd really kill Potter?" You-Know-Who asked, as though daring her.
"No," she said slowly, realizing a possibility that everyone else had neglected to think of. "For one thing, I don't know how. For another, it wouldn't really affect you, would it? If someone used a Killing Curse on you, you could just leave and go back to your own body before it even hit Harry."
You-Know-Who looked stunned. Then he forced Harry's face into another evil smile. "You're a clever one. Full marks. But what makes you so willing to face me if you can't kill me?"
"Because I've learned some defensive spells that can keep you in check," Ginny replied smoothly. "Besides, one scream for help and Dumbledore would be up here in a moment to take care of you."
"You poor, naïve girl… you think Dumbledore is the mightiest wizard in the whole world?"
"If he isn't, then why are you afraid of him?" Ginny replied rather arrogantly.
You-Know-Who's eyes flashed threateningly. Ginny knew that hadn't been the cleverest thing to say to him, but she kept her wand quite steady.
"Dumbledore is only a man, you little fool," he snarled. "If he's so powerful, why couldn't he stop me from taking Potter? Or rising again, for that matter?"
"I don't know," Ginny said quietly, "but I'm not here to talk with you. Let me talk to Harry."
You-Know-Who laughed. "You just expect me to release him?" he asked incredulously.
"No. I only want to talk to him."
"Oh?" You-Know-Who mocked. "And what will you do if I don't? You're not nearly as brave as those fools downstairs who think they can stop me."
"I'm just as brave as them," Ginny replied angrily.
A sinister smile twisted his face. "Then prove it," he hissed. "At least they can address me properly. You, your family, and that stupid little Mudblood can't even say my proper name."
Ginny was silent, unsure of what do to.
"Go on, say it," he challenged. "It's just a name… isn't that what Dumbledore says? If you can't even say my name, then you admit you're a coward, just like your family. And to think that you and your brothers are all in Gryffindor…"
Ginny was furious. "I am not a coward, Voldemort!" she spat. "Let me talk to Harry!"
You-Know-Who --- Voldemort --- stared at her for a long time. Then he smirked. "You're in love with him."
Ginny's heart stopped beating momentarily, but she shook it off. "No, I'm not!" she retorted. "I'm just his friend."
Voldemort made a dismissive noise. "Why do you keep lying to me? Lord Voldemort always knows…"
"No, you don't!" Ginny snapped. "Your mind tricks might work on Ron, Hermione, and even Snape, but they won't work on me!"
Voldemort laughed sadistically. "Oh, I see," he said softly, his eyes gleaming. "You're only deluding yourself into thinking you're over him, that you're just his friend. I can see right through you, girl. Your silly little affection for him is crystal clear…"
"Let me talk to Harry, or I'll hex you so badly, you'll have to leave his body!" Ginny yelled, pointing her wand at him.
Voldemort paused for a moment. "Very well," he said silkily. "I'll let you speak to Potter. But remember this," he threatened, "I leave his body and he dies. Understood?"
Ginny nodded curtly.
Voldemort shut his eyes briefly, then opened them again. The red light had vanished from his eyes, as well as the cat-like pupils. Instead, Ginny found herself looking at familiar green eyes.
"Harry…" she whispered, shaking. She lowered her wand.
Harry uttered a sharp gasp as though waking from a nightmare. Sweat was pouring down his face and he was trembling. He tried to sit up, but noticed that his hands and feet were tied to the bed.
"Ginny," he said hoarsely, "what's going on? Where's Voldemort? Has he hurt your family?"
"No, no," she said soothingly. "Everyone's okay… so far." She then proceeded to inform him of what had happened in The Burrow since Voldemort had been in control of him.
Harry looked as though he were going to be sick. "It's all my fault," he whispered. "How could I have been so stupid? Voldemort is going to find out about the Order and everyone will die…"
"Don't even start with that!" Ginny said warningly. Perhaps she sounded insensitive when she said this, but she didn't know how long it would be until Voldemort regained control of Harry. "We don't have time for you to start blaming yourself! It wasn't your fault!"
"How can you say that?" he asked incredulously. "I murdered Kreacher!"
"It wasn't you, it was Voldemort!" she said vehemently. "Voldemort can trick anyone! Listen --- you have to fight him! You can't let him stay in your body!"
Harry shook his head. "I can't," he said weakly. "He drained all my emotions so I couldn't force him out. I can't feel anything anymore… only fear and rage."
"You can do this, I know you can!" Ginny cried. Her throat was tightening and tears started to fill her eyes.
Just then, the door opened. Dumbledore quietly stepped inside. He stared at Harry, intently with his light blue gaze. Ginny wouldn't have believed what happened next if she hadn't witnessed it herself.
"You!" Harry rasped, struggling against his bonds. "This is all your fault, you bastard!"
"Harry!" Ginny exclaimed, horrified. "Get a hold of yourself! It's Dumbledore… he's here to help you!"
"He's done enough to help me already!" Harry said harshly. "You… why didn't you tell me when I asked in my first year? Why did you save the truth until when you were too scared to even look at me!" His voice broke.
Dumbledore only stood there silently.
"What are you talking about?" Ginny demanded, looking from Harry to Dumbledore. "What's been going on between the two of you?"
"Ask him!" Harry snarled. "Why didn't you tell me… oh God!" His voice faltered and he started shaking. "He's coming back…"
"You can't let yourself die to this, not now!" Ginny begged. "Fight, Harry, fight!"
"I can't…"
"You can!" Ginny shouted tearfully. "Please Harry… we all need you to fight!"
His eyes suddenly turned red. "Please Harry… we all need you so much!" Voldemort's high, cold voice emerged from Harry's mouth, mimicking Ginny.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Ginny screamed. "He doesn't deserve this, you monster! Let him talk for another minute!"
"Time's up, Virginia," Voldemort said coldly. "He can't fight me --- no one can." He glanced at Dumbledore. "Albus… well, this is quite a pleasant surprise. I'll bet the boy had some interesting words for you…"
"What do you mean?" Ginny demanded. "You know something about this, don't you."
Voldemort's eyes gleamed. "Ah, so they don't know, Dumbledore?"
"You know…?" Dumbledore started to ask.
"About the prophecy? Please. The boy's memories have told me everything that I need to know?"
"What prophecy?" Ginny asked suspiciously.
"Ginny, go back to bed," Dumbledore ordered suddenly.
"No!" Ginny said angrily. "I want to know what's going on!"
"Yes, do let her stay, Dumbledore," Voldemort hissed. "Tell her… tell her about the prophecy… it is, after all, how this all started in the first place…"
"What are you talking about?"
"You know the prophecy you, Potter, your brother, and that Mudblood found in the Department of Mysteries? The one with my name and Potter's on it? It foretold the coming of a boy, born at the end of July, who had the power to defeat me."
"Harry…" Ginny breathed in shock.
Voldemort smirked. "Yes, but that's not all… one of us has to kill the other, for neither can live while the other survives… and I plan on living for a very long time…
Ginny stared at Voldemort, horrified at what she heard. Was this why Harry was furious at Dumbledore? Because he had waited to tell him about this after Sirius had died? Because he'd found out that he had been placed the burden of stopping Voldemort once and for all? Because he'd discovered he might not even live to be eighteen?
She turned to Dumbledore. "It's not true," she pleaded, tears pouring out of her eyes. "It's not true! Tell me it isn't true!"
Dumbledore bowed his head. "I'm afraid it is true, Ginny," he said softly
Voldemort laughed wickedly. "See, Virginia? What did I tell you? Dumbledore is no mighty wizard --- he's only a pathetic old man foolish enough to try and stop me."
"You shut up!" Ginny snarled vehemently.
"Say what you want, but you can't deny the truth. The boy will die, the prophecy will be fulfilled… and then there will be no one to stop me!"
Dumbledore led a stunned Ginny out of the room and locked the door behind him. "So that's why Harry was so upset this summer," she said quietly. "It wasn't just Sirius's death; I knew he was hiding something from all of us… only I never thought it would be something like this…"
Dumbledore turned to face her, and suddenly Ginny didn't see him as the same Dumbledore she knew --- the benign headmaster of Hogwarts, the one who always came up with last-minute plans that worked, the only one Voldemort ever feared --- she simply saw an old, tired, battle-scarred man.
"Please do not tell anyone about what you just heard," he said wearily. "I don't think Harry can cope with everyone knowing right now… he has the right to tell them, if he ever does."
Ginny stood there, unable to speak. Harry was right, she thought ruefully. He was right all along; I wouldn't understand what he's going through. If I was told that I would have to kill or die… I wouldn't know what I'd do…
"Professor…" she said hoarsely. "Is there any hope for Harry? That we can force Voldemort out of his body without killing him?"
Dumbledore smiled sadly. "There never was any real hope," he replied. "Just a fool's hope." And he went back downstairs.
If we can't trust Dumbledore, we can't trust anyone is what Hermione always said. She was wrong. Ginny knew now that Dumbledore was only human; he was allowed to make mistakes…
Still if Dumbledore was unable to save Harry, then it was possible that no one could.
To be continued….