A/N - Happy Easter everyone! I hope the Easter Bunny left y'all some good stuff. ;) Anyway, this is a pretty fast update, for me, but it's also rather short. I'm currently in the middle of writing chapter 5, and it's hopefully going to be a pretty long one. I say hopefully because honestly, this story writes itself. ;) Oh yeah, and a warning to those of you who need it, this chapter includes an example of language that could possibly be rated R, depending on what country you live in. Cussing!Ron is at it again, it seems. ::eyeroll::

Chapter 4.  A Thousand Ways to Fall

I'm walking a wire

feels like a thousand ways I could fall

To want is to buy but to live is to die and you can't take it all

When everything is said and done I won't have one thing left

What happened to everything I've ever known?

***

I knocked on the door to Dumbledore's office, my hand shaking as I did. A moment later I heard the sound of a chair against hard wood floor, and slow footsteps came toward me. He opened the door to usher us in, and from the sight in front of me I knew that my fears had been confirmed. There sat Charlie and Bill, in the comfy plush armchairs, their faces worn and drawn. They would only come if- immediately I pushed that thought out of my head. There was no use making up worse case scenarios, I thought. Charlie flashed me a familiar, if strained, trademark Weasley grin, and Bill stood and opened his arms to hug me. I ran to him childishly and threw my arms around his body. For all my fifteen years, Bill treated me like I was still three and teething. Usually this annoyed me, but for some reason, in this odd stream of events, it was comforting. I sat down in a red arm chair opposite Charlie, and Ron sat down beside me. I looked at his face and knew that he was having the same thoughts as I was. I took a deep breath and mentally prepared myself for the worst.

Dumbledore looked at the four of us and, seemingly convinced that we were all settled, said to Bill and Charlie "I think I will leave the four of you to talk now. I will be in my bedchambers, if you need me." Then he walked out of the office through an oak door behind his desk. This was when I realized that McGonagall must have left as well, unless she was hiding under a desk, which I found highly unlikely. I thought I might throw up.

Charlie and Bill sat back in their chairs, looking as if they were trying to find the words to say what they needed to tell us. Finally, Ron broke the unbearable silence in his usually obnoxious fashion.

"Well? I didn't get out of bed at three in the fucking morning to sit here and look at you!" If there was anything to be said about Ron at this particular point in time, it's that when he's worried, he gets pissed.

Bill looked as if he were about to admonish Ron for his choice of words, but then he seemed to reconsider, because he closed his mouth. Finally, Charlie started to talk.

"Ron. Ginny. I don't know how to say this, and I hate being the one who has to tell you." He faltered, and Bill picked up.

"Dad's been arrested." That seemed to be about all he could say, because he quickly shut his mouth and started staring intently at his shoes.

I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. Ron, who had been ready with a scathing remark in case the news wasn't grave enough, was gaping, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. "W-what?" He finally sputtered, looking from Charlie to Bill and to Charlie again. "But... How? Why?"

Charlie looked old. "The house was raided last night." He ran a hand through his already tousled hair. "Apparently there was a ton of dark arts stuff under the living room floorboards. They carted Dad off to Azkaban. Filthy traitors won't even give him a trial."

"This cannot be happening." Ron moaned. I felt incapable of speech.

"That's not the worst of it", Charlie continued.  "Last night, before the raid, Cornelius Fudge called the house. Said he couldn't find Percy anywhere, and he wondered if he'd gone to the burrow. Funny thing about it, he didn't say a thing about the raid. It was like he didn't know it was happening."

Somehow, I mustered up the will to speak. "What are we going to do?" I asked, feeling stupid as soon as I said it. Of course we couldn't do anything.

"Well, obviously we can't do a lot." Charlie said, matter of factly. "We're going to try to figure out who framed Dad, I guess, but it won't be easy. From the looks of things, that stuff had been down there for years."

"How's mum?" Ron asked suddenly.  "Is she ok?"

"Well, she's a wreck, of course. He husband was just taken to Azkaban and her third son's been reported missing. We're going to stay at the house with her for awhile."

My voice felt small in my mouth. "What about Percy, though? Do they know... anything?"

Bill sighed. "Nope, nothing. He's not at his apartment or the burrow, and he didn't report for a ministry dinner last night. Very unlike him."

A bitter look crossed Ron's face. "Yeah, and he hasn't been returning Mum's mail, either. But wait, he never does."

Bill shot him a look.

"What? Can I help the fact that he treats us like shit?"

Charlie leaned his head in his hand, looking very tired. "Ron, even though he's been a pain in the ass, he's still our brother. If something happened to him..."

Ron looked ready to retort, but Bill shot him another look and he went quiet.

"Look guys", Charlie said. "We're going to work this out, ok? We just wanted to tell you now, so that you didn't have to hear it from someone else in the morning. And-" he faltered. "Don't let anybody give you crap about Dad, ok?"

Ron laughed, a hollow, dead sound. "Do we look like the kind of people who let anyone give us crap?"

Bill rolled his eyes. "Right, how could I forget. Oh and Ginny..." he gave me a reprimanding look. "Mum told me about your little tricks. I know it's Snape and all, but I expected better of you, honestly."

Ron glowered at the thought. "They gave her detention with Malfoy, for God's sake..." he muttered.

Charlie's ear perked up. "Malfoy, you say? Son of Lucius?"

"Yeah", I grumbled, staring down at my feet.

Bill looked concerned. "He's not hurting you or anything, is he?"

Charlie rolled his eyes impatiently. "She's in school, Bill, can it." He turned to me. "Listen, how long are you in detention for?"

"A few more days, if I'm lucky"

Charlie looked more awake. "Gin, we think Lucius may be behind the Dark Arts set-up. It's just a hunch, but... Just listen to Malfoy, ok? If his Dad did it, he's probably known for awhile. Anything suspicious that he says..."

"I'll owl you and Bill." I said obediently.

"Good girl." I glared at him briefly, and he chuckled, sounding a tad more alive than he had when I first walked in, though the bags were still heavy under his eyes.

Ron yawned, and looked at the clock. "It's almost four."

Bill stood up. "We'll let you guys go back to sleep. Try not to let this get in the way of your studies, ok?" He looked worried.

I stood up as well, stretching. "Jeez Bill, you sound just like Perce..." I trailed off.

"Hey, it's going to be alright, Gin." He hugged me tight, and smoothed down my bed head hair. "Now get some sleep, you'll need it. Charlie and I are staying here tonight, but we should be gone by noon."

I leaned over and hugged Charlie, and then I waited by the door for Ron. He looked... lost, almost. I felt lost.

It wasn't until I got back in my bed that I remembered my dream. Sighing and rolling over, I tried to decipher the events of this strange night. It wasn't long, however, until my eyelids closed, and my mind dropped off into the heavy world of sleep.

***

All they gave me was this ticket to heaven

But that ticket to heaven said to lie in the bed that you make

Now I'm restless and I'm running from everything

I'm running from everything

I'm afraid it's a little too late

A/N -  Wow, first an angst ridden Tom Riddle dream, then this? I honestly feel bad for Ginny. (And you would too... if you knew the kind of things I've cooked up in my sick and twisted mind...) ;)

Anyway, thank you everyone for the wonderful reviews! I'm working really hard to keep away from the traditional D/G clichés, and I'm glad that it's appreciated. Remember to review and tell me what you think of this!

Song is "Ticket to Heaven" – 3 Doors Down. Yeah, I know, again. What can I say? They fit perfectly, I think. (Title is from the second line of the song, for the less observant among you.) ;)

xoxo,

Pickle