A/N: got the chapter title from "Brand New Low" by Treble Charger. It's so awesome I had to put the lyrics. Heh. Just give it a look!
Over and over I keep wondering why
Then I give up and see that look in your eyes
Cause if I trip and fall,
I'll be to blame
And if I hit the wall,
I'll still be the same
Wasting your time with your so called friends
The ones you adore and the ones you pretend
And it's kind of sad and deranged
But it's not so bad that it can't be explained
Cause in my mind
It's all a waste of time
And there's no excuse at all
Then I realize, surprise
You were right all along
And I want to know
Have I gone too far
Have I sunk to a brand new low
And I want to know
If I've gone too far
Cause I've lost all my self control
Guilty as charged
I've been convicted and tried
Was it too much to ask for you to take my side
Cause there's nothing here left to defend
When it's always me
That you blame in the end
Cause in my mind it's the perfect crime
And there's no excuse at all when I realize
Surprise you were right all along
Nothing is what it seems,
To me you're sleeping without the dreams
Without you, nothing defines me
When I'm slipping away
It's only you that can find me
and I'm over my head again
I'm falling from end to end
Totally Sirius and Ginny, huh?
Chapter.3 Brand New Low
"Remus!" Sirius shouted joyously. He had finally gotten the courage to enter this old house again.
They stood there at him, with their wands out and looks of suspicion on their faces. Even Ginny was there. Was she taller than he remembered? And who was this? A little girl was peeping from the side of Bill's legs.
"Stop staring at me like that!" He moved inside of the foyer to the left. "Won't you welcome me back?" Sirius said this jokingly. Tonks creeped forward looking around for any threat.
"Hullooooo." He waved his hand in front of her face. Wait. One second. Why could he not see his own hand? His own limb hopefully still attached to his body? He pulled at his hair until it was in front of his face. He couldn't see it. He peered down as his legs, his torso. He was gone.
My brain. Is my brain even still here? Do I have a heartbeat? He put his hand over where he his heart should be. Thump, thump, thump He let go of a breath he didn't know he was holding.
Tonks slammed the door closed. They were all a little shaken, but Remus wanted to break the tension.
"We should get back to lunch." He strangled out trying to sound normal. All nodded their ascent and slowly made their way to the kitchen. Except Ginny.
She stared at him, coming closer trying to inspect him. Sirius couldn't move. He just watched as she came closer and closer, her clear brown eyes assessing something even he couldn't see. At the last moment, he bolted up the stairs on his way to his old room.
Sirius Black was spooked.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Jean was hungry again. After her first breakfast, she had gone to the second story to wake up Auntie dearest. And now that they were all seated, she was hungry again. And she insisted on having Ginny feed her.
"Bleh!" Jean made a disgusted face. "I hate that green stuff! Can't you give me more of those potcake things with the syrup on it?"
"Jean, you know you've had way too many pancakes already. And vegetables are good for you! Don't you want to grow up strong and healthy like Daddy?" Ginny was going to try everything she could to get this girl to eat one broccoli.
"Ok. How about a compromise Jeanie? I'll give you one pancake and you eat two broccoli pieces?"
"Three pancakes."
"One."
"Two pancakes!"
"No pancake."
"One pancake! One pancake!"
Jean smiled adoringly up at her. Fine, she could give into her Aunt now, but she would get her back. She widened her smile. Yessiree, she would get her.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Sirius had run the carpet into bare threads. Sometimes his pacing could do that to the furnishings.
What was he supposed to do? No one could see him or hear him. Was he just supposed to co-exist with no one besides him being the wiser? He was more alone than he had been before.
But at least he could see everyone. He would be able watch over them.
NO! There has to be another way. Just because I'm invisible doesn't mean communication will be that difficult right? I'll write a letter, and I'll put it in front of their faces...yeah...let it float "mysteriously" in midair. Then, they'll read it, and I'll give them more notes to prove it's me, and they'll know!! Voila!
Sirius stopped mid-pace and slumped to the ground. Who was he kidding? He was invisible for crying out loud!
I mean, I don't even know how long I've been gone! They'll end up thinking they're going crazy and let that be the end of that! His sigh came out despairingly. At least your out, Black. Would you rather be stuck in that place?
Sirius inhaled already knowing where the argument with himself was going. He was going to co-exist with no one besides him being the wiser.
Well maybe it's time I looked at that forsaken library. They might have something in there about...this.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Jean had finally gone down for a nap. Ginny loved her niece to tears, but she could just wear her out. And she had only been awake for two hours.
Remus, Tonks, Bill, and Ginny were all seated at the table with cups of coffee in front of them. No one really spoke, having other things occupying their mind.
The Order doors opened and closed quietly. Hermione poked her head into the kitchen and went to the coffeemaker to get herself a cup. Taking a long whiff, she joined everyone at the table.
They looked up at her expectantly.
She shook her head side to side. "Nothing. Not even a piece of magic we could trace."
They slumped in their chairs.
Ginny spoke. "But you'll keep looking right? I mean it's been a few months, but I'm sure you guys could find something!"
Hermione scratched at her head clearly frustrated. "Don't you think we've tried Ginny! Harry's been gone for nine months! That's almost a year! We're as close to him now as we were the day they disappeared."
"Maybe..." Remus started, "Maybe we should stop the searching. Maybe we should...put his memory to rest."
Ginny was furious! Abandon Harry? Never! We couldn't leave him there – wherever there was. She stood and slapped the wooden table.
"Remus how can you think that? Don't you have any faith? He's out there, alone, and maybe even still battling You-Know-Who! If you had any love - "
"Ginny, that's enough." Bill said while sipping his cup of coffee.
Ginny sat back down breathing heavily. She picked up her mug and downed it in one gulp. She slammed it back down, and stormed out of the room.
"Remus, you know she doesn't mean any of it. She's just as strained as the rest of us." Bill told him apologizing for his sister. Remus nodded slowly and got up from the table.
"I know Bill. I'm going out for a walk. I need some fresh air." Remus turned away moving to the door.
Hermione looked worriedly up at him. "Remus, we were all thinking it. You were just brave enough to say it." Remus paused, contemplating what she had said. Without a word, he left the house.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Ginny slammed the door the library. She looked around wildly around and grabbed a bookcase and threw it to the ground. She picked up old, dusty relics and flung them at the walls watching glass shatter into pieces. Ginny strolled over to the shards on the ground and sank down to the ground.
Ginny started to weep until her shoulders shook uncontrollably. She hadn't cried since she was 11. Seven years ago. She was now letting go of everything she had held back. All her pains of...everything. How different she had been then.
She put her hands to the ground and picked up the shards until they tore the flesh of her hands. She could hardly notice the blood.
All of this at the simple notion of giving up. She couldn't let go of it. She couldn't let go of the thought of Harry smiling sadly at her and then the next moment screaming in incredible torture as Voldemort finished his incantation. He paled from what everyone thought was pain. But he had only screamed for mere seconds. He was disappearing. But Harry began to walk slowly and surely up to the Dark Lord.
Harry was translucent, but his eyes still burned brightly. He was almost like a ghost; you could walk right through him. Once eye to eye with Voldemort, he shoved his hand inside of the Voldemort's chest where his heart was. A black heart, but still a heart through and through.
No one would forget the yanking sound of Harry pulling the foul beast's heart from its body. There was no gaping hole, no blood from the wound. But you could hear it in Voldemort's gasp, his cough, which soon came up with bile.
And by this time, Harry was practically gone. The only things remaining were his eyes, his scar, and the hand tightly grasping the black heart.
"Goodbye." He had whispered to everyone assembled there. Aurors, the Minister of Magic, the teachers and headmaster, and of course, all of Hogwarts.
But now, Voldemort was as clear and see through as Harry was.
Then they were gone. The-Boy-Who-Lived along with the Dark Lord.
And Ginny would never forget. Those words that echoed in her mind as Harry's eyes met hers.
This is not done, Ginny. I will need your help.
A/N: thanks to babystyles, SilverStar, Sunny Joe Bob, and soradoragon for reviewing! It makes me want to write! Wow...that's a long chapter...well compared to the other ones. So is this what you call a cliffie? Not quite, I think. But I already have ideas for the next chapter so watch out!