Chapter 11: Healing
When he awoke next, Harry was still extremely tired. All he wanted to do was sleep off the last day. Groaning he turned onto his side only to exhale quickly as he felt a burst of pain.
"You might want to stay off that side, hun. It still has a long while before it fully recovers from yesterday." Hearing Ginny's soft voice made Harry's head even heavier and after he received a quick kiss on the forehead and heard, "I'll tell Dumbledore", he was asleep.
As Ginny left the Room of Requirement she started to think of how her life had become the way it was. It amazed her that only a month ago she and Harry had started to get close. In just a few weeks of spending her days with him, she had grown closer to the Boy-Who-Lived than she was to half her brothers. In all reality, Ginny didn't know how it happened. I guess between training together, going on dates and walks every chance they had, having only each other to talk to for four weeks, and sharing a bed makes two people become pretty comfortable with one another. I'll have to talk to McGonagall about that.
For some reason, whenever Harry and she slept in the same bed, the couple never had nightmares. They both would receive them as a result from Voldemort's past actions (well in Harry's case link too), yet they reduced in strength and time when they were together. She wasn't too keen on the idea of giving up that comfort.
By the time Ginerva Weasely got to the Great Hall the mail was arriving. A large majority of students were seen getting the daily Prophet while a lone Neville Longottom could be named 'the boy to receive forgotten home possessions." Ginny spotted Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table and made her way towards food.
"Ginny!" Hermione shouted as soon as her friend took a seat at the table. After a quick hello hug Hermione turned her attention back to Ron. They were in the middle of a discussion, without raised voices, when Ginny felt eyes on her. Looking up, she saw the Headmaster was looking in her direction.
Well I wanted to talk to him anyway," she thought. Nodding her head for Dumbledore to see, Ginny than bid her brother and best friend good-bye. Having barely been to the Headmaster's Office, it took her loner than she expected to arrive; it was a big school after all. When she finally got to the statue, Ginny realized that she didn't know the password to get past the gargoyle. Luckily Severous Snape was on his way out. They passed each other on the stairs, Ginny trying to avoid looking and Snape sneering. Just as Ginny thought she was clear, Snape's mocking voice spoke.
"I see you can do something on your own. After not returning to your dorm last night we would be left to believe something is going on with you and Potter," Snape all but spat the last word.
By the red tint on Ginerva Weasely's face, anyone who saw her could tell that was the wrong thing to say. "For your information, Professor, what I choose to do is my own business. But yes, Harry and I are a couple and I was caring for his injuries last night in the Room of Requirement."
"Why, Potter seems to be rubbing off on you. Such a tone for an educator at school. I believe that will be twenty points from Gryffindor." Before a reply could be made, the potion master turned and swept down the staircase and out the entrance. When Ginny finally arrived at the door to Dumbledore's Office, her temper was down to a more manageable level.
"Come in, Ms. Weasely," the Headmaster called. When Ginny first entered she was surprised at how the Headmaster still looked so strong. Albus Dumbledore seemed to look like a rock of hope and power, an everlasting warrior of the light. Then Ginny closed the office door. The man that appeared so flawless suddenly looked like an old man. An old man with a crooked nose from being broken so many times and an old man with his arm in a sling. Many lines covered his aged face. Albus Brian Percival Dumbledorewent from flawless to fragile, all in two seconds time.
Recovering from her initial shock, Ginny started, "Umm, Professor, I have a few questions and requests."
Albus chuckled, "No need to be so nervous, my dear. As a matter of fact, I have a few questions of my own. However, why don't you start us out?"
"Well, I'm not sure you know, but during the summer Harry and I became a couple. I ended up staying at his house for the end of break. Anyway, there wasn't a lot of space in Harry's room and the Dursleys weren't very accommodating; we ended up sharing a bed. I promise we didn't do anything we shouldn't have, but for some reason being in contact with each other have kept bout our nightmares at ay. Oh yea, we're also becoming adapt at talking to each other through our minds."
Ginny said all that very fast and as she talked, a blush slowly made its way up her face. Both actions made Dumbledore chuckle. "Please calm down Miss Weasely. I do not plan on reprimanding you or your boyfriend. In fact, I believe you are going to be a great help for Harry. I trust you know the prophecy?" At Ginny's nod, the wizened Headmaster continued, "I am under the presumption that love is Harry's special ability. He has no recollection of being loved. With you help, he might be able to develop that power quicker and stronger than he would if he only had friends."
Ginny's expression was one of a startled person hearing that they just go the job of their dreams.
Seeing the look, the professor let out yet another laugh. "I imagine you'll enjoy the job and I will permit you and Harry to share a room. However, I must get you parent's permission and a wizard's oath that you will reform from any unsavory behavior."
"I'm sorry, Professor Dumbledore, I just can't give you a wizard's oath." Seeing Dumbledore's surprised face Ginny let a smile play across her features. "I can give you a witch's oath, however."
Dumbledore smiled right back. "I see Harry has chosen a very good
companion. You will find a room at the top of the Gryffindor Tower.
Normally it is reserved for the Head Boy, but he his not from your
house this year and won't be a problem. IT is a password protected
door, but will automatically open for Harry, the heir of Gryffindor.
Once you two decide on a password you just need to tell the door."
"Thank you very much, Professor," relief a strong emotion
flowing through her voice.
"You are quite welcome, although I'm afraid I have some bad news as well. This will be quite a shock to Harry and I believe you should tell him alone."
As she stared at the old wizard before her, Ginny couldn't help but wonder what so horrible had happened. "You see, Miss Weasely, that yesterday's battle was much more gruesome then you have heard. As a matter of fact, I suggest you look at the Evening Prophet tonight. Voldemort had someone capture wizarding pictures from the very beginning all the way to when Harry left. The Prophet was sent a copy and has put the pieces together in order to express in image what words cannot.
It actually will take several hours to watch in its entirety, yet it will take up several pages of the paper; each a half hour long. Back to the reason I stated to say this; Harry, myself, and the Order were very busy. During the middle of the battle, Voldemort himself visited Harry's relations. He killed them and proceeded to blow up many homes. Here is a photo taken by the muggle authorities while surveying the scene from above."
Dumbledore handed over a photo. Ginny let out a gasp as she looked at the picture. She could tell by the identical roofs that this was where Harry grew up. The sad thing was to see an uncountable number of houses were on fire. From the aerial shot she could tell the flames held a message: BOW TO DEATH HARRY.
"Unfortunately, Voldemort sent a picture of this to the papers as well. You have your work cut out for you, Ginny."
Ginerva Weasely could only not. She quietly stood from her chair and left the Headmaster's presence after a quick farewell. Earlier on she would have said teaching Harry to love wouldn't have been too hard for her. Now she knew that she really did have her work cut out for her.
Inside the Room of Requirement, a lone man lay. He was busy trying to sit up on the 'hospital bed' without groaning. He had no such luck.
"Ow! That hurt like a Horntail!" Harry wasn't sure what hurt anymore. He was complaining about his entire right side, it felt like a huge bruise. Sure Harry could move, but it stung with every single twitch. Then there was his back. Luckily Ginny got to it before any long-term injury could set in. If he looked in a mirror though, he would still see a ground like handprint all over his backside.
His last pain came from his head. He had a headache the size of Uncle Vernon. Anyone who knew his uncle knew that meant it was huge! Normally the head pain would be caused by his scar, yet at the moment Voldemort and Harry both seemed to be trying to keep their link shut. No, at the moment Harry felt a little disoriented and his head pounding. If only I had something to take away the pain.
To his pleasant surprise, a potion bottle appeared right in his lap. With a quick 'bottom's up!' to the room, the potion was gone. Happy to feel most of the pain residing, Harry bravely tried to get off his bed. "When you gotta go, you gotta go," he muttered. After a quick trip to the loo, which conveniently showed the right side of his face in purple bruises, Harry changed into a muggle outfit that the Room of Requirement provided. It was a plain red t-shirt and black jeans. So glad I don't have to bother with glasses anymore.
Just then the door opened. Harry had his hand on the sword of Gryffindor, which he just finished putting on through his belt hoop, and was facing the door in a defensive position.
"Whoa, honey. You're really jumpy, you know that?" Ginny was calmly standing in the doorway, not at all surprised by his welcoming look.
"Having a Dark Lord try and kill you for sixteen years doest that to a person." It was only a mutter, yet the redhead heard it all the same.
"Well, you've got more than that to worry about now." Receiving a quizzical look from her boyfriend, Ginny elaborated. "You forgot to mention the fact that a vampire named Darmien is out to destroy us and Voldemort."
Smiling slightly, Harry replied, "And you forgot Darmien is able too do magic and is excellent with a sword."
"By your tone, I take it you're doing better. It's amazing how fast you healed! Even with magic you shouldn't e up and about until Tuesday."
"You forget, Gin, that only Voldemort can kill me, at least while we're both among the living. I guess I need to be able to heal faster than magically normal if I'm not supposed to die. Harry gave a long sigh and sat down on his bed. He was tired of always being special. He knew he had a job to do, he was determined to do it, but it could just be so much some times.
"I know what you're thinking, Harry. You have a right to be tired of everything."
"I just want a vacation. You know, maybe go to the beach or Disney World. It would be nice to take a couple weeks off and just be lazy with my best friends and girlfriend."
Ginny knew Harry wasn't in the best mental condition right now. She also knew that her boyfriend would keep going on and on. Plus he would definitely want to know about his relatives soon as she had found out.
"Harry, hun, your relatives are dead."
That shut him up real fast. Just two seconds ago he looked tired and was talking just to keep himself busy. Now he looked lost. Ginny had seen many different expressions on Harry's face; from sadness to anger to determination to indifference, all else in between as well. This was a face that appeared to have an alien look on him; it wasn't her Harry that she saw.
"How do you know?" The question was so quiet and calmly voiced.
"Dumbledore told me. It happened during the Diagon Alley attack. He gave me a copy of the paper that had a report on the both attacks. They're pretty accurate for a change." She handed him the paper and sat waiting to see his reaction.
As Harry read he kept an impassionate look on his face. Deep down, he was very upset and extremely angry. He couldn't believe Voldemort would sink so low. Attacking so many helpless people, including his last blood family, was just wrong. BOW TO DEATH HARRY. That wouldn't happen. If anything, Harry was going to wreck mass havoc ion Voldemort than before. "Ginny, he did this to toy with me. He wants to make me do something foolish or at least lose my confidence."
"Are you going to do something rash? Are you losing confidence?" The concern and fear in Ginny's voice was evident, it made him smile.
"No, Gin, I'm not going to. But I am going to go have a chat with Dumbledore." Harry was just about to walk out the door when he felt a small hand on his back.
"Can't this wait 'till after dinner? You aren't fully healed and you should get time to relax too."
Harry wanted nothing more than to scream at her about how a war was going on in the world. Somehow he was able to control his rage long enough to get out a few sentences. "Ginny, this is war. I'm the weapon and there are now two separate enemies, not including the incompetent Ministry. I will get hurt, I will get knocked down, and I will get bloody. Hell, I probably will die. We don't have the luxury to wait for me to heal." With that said, Harry walked out of the room, leaving a teary eyed girlfriend behind.
Harry knew what he had to do. He needed to train harder, faster, and more lethally. He already had his mind set on what needed to be done. The Death Eaters needed to meet their match. It was about 11:30 by this time and he really wanted to talk to the Headmaster. Figuring this was where Ginny came from, Harry headed to the Headmaster's Office.
After taking several concealed corridors, the Boy-Who-Lived was standing outside Dumbledore's gargoyle. Harry didn't know the password so he took a chance, "By Godric Gryffindor's heir, I command you to move!" Realizing he didn't know the password, the gargoyle started to laugh. Harry was really getting angry now.
At the suppressed anger, the stone stature only laughed harder, "Prove it!" he said between chuckles.
Harry was done playing games! There's a war going on, darn it! Harry decided to dispense of the formalities and drew his sword. As soon as the statue saw the blade he leapt out of the way. "My sincere apologies heir of Gryffindor."
"Well that was weird," was the only response as Harry walked onto the rotating staircase. As he entered, Harry noticed all of the previously destroyed items repaired and a note on the desk.
Harry, if you have found your way up here than I am sorry to tell you I have been called away on business at the Ministry. No one knows I have left except the Unspeakables and now you. Please do not spread the word around and leave either a note or visit again tomorrow.
Finished reading, Harry sat in the Headmaster's chair to write a letter. It really is quite a comfy seat, was the ending to the letter.
