Disclaimer: Me nothing, J.K. Rowling everthing.
Harry Potter and the Lost Library
Chapter 3: Miracles
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Dumbledore rushed downstairs after Professor Lupin. They arrived just in time to see Professor Snape coming out of the Great Hall levitating a woman with flaming red hair in front of him. Behind him, Harry caught a glance of the staff trying to regain control of the pandemonium that had broken out among the students.
Ron nearly tackled Snape as he rushed examine the woman. He captured one of her limp white hands with one of his own. Then he gently turned her face towards him. He let out a choked sob. "It's her! It's Ginny!" he cried.
Hermione would have fallen had Harry not be quicker. She sobbed hysterically into Harry's shoulder as she released ten years worth of guilt, grief, and hesitant hope.
Snape, who seemed to find the whole experience distasteful, said dryly, "She need's to go to the hospital wing."
Ron refused to let go of his sister's hand and stumbled along side her sagging form. He only took his eyes off her face for the brief moments it took him to wipe his leaking eyes and nose. Harry practically carried a sobbing Hermione after them. Behind him, Harry heard Dumbledore trying to explain the situation to a confused Lupin.
"Is that really Ginny Weasley?" Lupin asked.
"Her brother seems to thinks so," Dumbledore answered. His voice was vague as if his mind was on other matters.
"How can this be?" Lupin question. "She died in the Battle of Hogwarts."
"Some things are not always what they seem," Dumbledore replied.
Once they reached the hospital wing, Madame Pomfrey took charge. Harry and Hermione were obliged to wait in the corridor with the Professors, but Ron was allowed to stay with his sister because no one had the heart or strength to separate them. Professors Snape and Lupin waited around for a bit, but they were drawn away when it was time to start the afternoon lessons. The minutes continued to tick by endlessly until Madame Pomfrey allowed them into the room.
Dumbledore pulled the school nurse aside as Harry and Hermione joined Ron at Ginny's beside. He was still holding tight onto her hand and staring with wide eyes at her face. Hermione sat down beside him. She hesitated briefly before gently laying a hand on Ginny's knee. Harry drifted over to the other side of the bed. Soon, he laid a hand on Ginny's shoulder. It was as if all three of them need tangible proof that she was actually there. As their fingers touched real flesh and bone, they feared to move them in case she might dissolve into smoke.
Harry had never believed in miracles, but now the evidence of one was right before his eyes. Ginny Weasley was alive. She had fallen through the enchanted ceiling of Great Hall and crashed into the Ravenclaw table. Hermione's impossible charm had worked.
There was only a small trace of the girl Harry had known in the woman before him. Although she was lying down, he thought she was taller and thinner. Her waist length, slightly unkempt, hair was several shades darker than Harry recalled. Her face had lost the soft roundness of youth, and now the gracefulness of her fine bone structure showed through. Her complexion was marked by an unhealthy paleness, as if she hadn't seen the sun in years. "She's quite pretty," Harry was surprised to find himself thinking.
"She broke her arm in the fall," Harry could overhear Madame Pomfrey telling Dumbledore, "and sustained minor bruising around her ribs."
"When do you expect her to regain consciousness?" Dumbledore asked.
"I expect that she'll come around soon," Madame Pomfrey explained, "but I think it might be wise to move her to St. Mungo's."
The mention of the wizarding hospital had captured Ron's attention. "St. Mungo's?" he asked.
Madame Pomfrey, whose back was to them, seemed to jump slightly at Ron's question. As she turned towards them, an emotion akin to worry was etched on her face. Harry had seen the Hogwarts' nurse regrow bones, treat petrified persons, and reverse grotesque curses without even batting an eye. Her uneasiness about Ginny's condition instantly concerned Harry. "I think that St. Mungo's is better equipped to deal with possible spell damage," Madame Pomfrey said diplomatically, "especially when such powerful spells are involved."
"She's...she's waking up," Ron cried. Madame Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore drew nearer. Five pairs of eyes focused on the woman in the bed.
A soft groan escaped Ginny's lips. The muscles in her face contracted in an uncomfortable grimace, and she tried to pull her hand from Ron's grip. Her eyelashes fluttered gently against her cheeks before slowly opening. She turned her face towards Ron.
"Ginny it's me, Ron, your brother," he whispered as fresh tears escaped his eyes. Ginny starred unblinkingly at him until he squirmed slightly, then she slowly turned her head away and looked directly at Harry.
There was no softness in Ginny's eyes. They were sullen and haunted. Gazing into them was like staring down a darkened corridor of immeasurable length filled with unknown creatures. Harry felt her stare penetrate and probe the deepest and most secret parts of him. His relief was almost physical as she turned towards Dumbledore then Madame Pomfrey and Hermione.
"You're not real," she whispered finally before closing her eyes tight against them.
"Ginny, we're here. Hermione and Dumbledore did a spell to bring you back," Ron explained gently. To reinforce his claim on reality, he touched his free hand to her face.
"NO," Ginny yelled hoarsely. With amazing strength and speed, she threw off their hands and leapt from the bed. She nearly ran over Harry in her desperation to escape.
"Miss Weasley," Madame Pomfrey called after her, "You need to lay down. You've had a nasty fall."
Dumbledore moved with lightening speed and blocked the exit. Limping slightly, Ginny retreated in the opposite direction. She was soon cornered against the wall. "Get back," she yelled feebly at them, "I don't know what kind of demons you are, but stay back."
"Ginny," Hermione said softly. "We're not demons. We're your friends. I know that you're confused and frightened, but we want to help you."
While Ginny's attention was focused on Hermione, Harry crept closer to her. He was hoping to grab hold of her and restrain her from hurting herself. Just as Harry was about spring, Ginny whipped towards him. She shouted out something in an unknown tongue, and a barely visible distortion in the air radiated out from her like ripples on the surface of a pond. As the wave of energy hit him, Harry only felt a brief puff of air. The others seemed just as unaffected, but the power of the spell knocked over furniture and blew out the windows and doors of the infirmary. The whole castle seemed to shutter briefly before plunging into silence.
The force of the spell seemed to drain Ginny. Harry saw her eyes roll back, and he caught her seconds before she collapsed on the floor. She barely weighed anything as he swept her up in his arms. He couldn't help but notice that she smelled rather sweet.
"Put her back on the bed," Professor Dumbledore ordered. He seemed to be the least affected by the experience.
All the beds were chaotically arranged at strange angles, but Harry gently laid Ginny down on the nearest one. Still shaking slightly, Madame Pomfrey disappeared into one of the anterooms and immerged seconds later with a small bottle. She pulled the cork from the vial and placed it under Ginny's nose.
"Is that to revive her?" Ron asked.
"No," Madame Pomfrey said flatly, "This is to ensure that she doesn't wake up until she reaches St. Mungo's."
"I'll arrange the transfer immediately," Dumbledore said calmly. "I also suspect there will need to be some damage control from Miss Weasley's little spell." After Dumbledore left, Madame Pomfrey retreated to one of the side rooms.
"What was that?" Ron asked before plopping down beside his sister.
"I don't know," Hermione murmured. "It was pretty powerful though."
"Are you all right?" Ron demanded suddenly. He rose and yielded his seat to his wife.
"I'm fine," Hermione assured. "I only felt a breath of air when it hit me."
"Me too," Harry said. He turned to look at the rest of the room. "But the hospital wing looks like a typhoon hit it."
As the three lapsed into silence, Harry's mind began to wander back to Ginny. Harry was surprised to realize that she was wearing and extremely worn and frequently mended Gryffindor robe. As he looked closer, he realized that Ginny was wearing the same clothing that she had disappeared in. Something about that fact made Harry uneasy, and he was about to voice it to Hermione and Ron when Madame Pomfrey swept back into the room.
The nurse seemed to have regained her confidence. Though as she passed Harry, he smelled the slight scent of whiskey. "I need to re-examine Miss Weasley and prepare her for her trip to St. Mungo's," she said stiffly. Harry and Hermione retreated to the corridor, and this time Ron came with them.
Hermione and Ron huddled together on a bench along the wall whispering. Harry remained standing, and soon found himself absently pacing.
"Harry," Hermione said, causing him to pause, "Ron and I are going to travel with Ginny to St. Mungo's. We were wondering if you could contact the rest of the family and have them meet us there."
"Not a problem," Harry murmured before returning to his walk up and down the hallway.
After a few minutes, Madame Pomfrey popped out to tell them Ginny was prepared. They came back into the infirmary to find Ginny dressed in a nightgown and firmly strapped to a stretcher. "Only for her safety during the journey," Madame Pomfrey assured them.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron waited patiently by Ginny's side until Dumbledore returned. He used the Portis charm to make Ginny's stretcher into a port key, and soon Harry was left alone with the school nurse.
"Madame Pomfrey," Harry asked, "Do you have a pen and parchment that I could borrow?"
"Of course," the nurse replied kindly. "You can use my office while I try clean up the mess in here."
Sitting alone in Madame Pomfrey's office, Harry was a bit of a loss. What was he supposed to say? This wasn't the sort of news one put in a letter, but the alternative was going in person. The very thought of trying to explain the events of this afternoon face to face with Ron's parents petrified Harry. He decided to let the Weasley's discover the truth on their own. He wrote:
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley:
You need to go to St. Mungo's Hospital immediately. Everyone is okay, but it is an emergency. I will explain as soon as you get there.
Love, Harry
Harry made two more copies of the letter. He addressed one to Bill and Fleur and one to Charlie. Harry decided that he would stop by Fred and George's in person. Quickly sealing up the letters in envelopes, he took them to the Owlery and then set off for Hogsmeade.