Chapter Eighteen
Separation and Anxiety

Ginny and Ebony had rushed to Madame Malkins's Robe Shop as Dumbledore had instructed. Once inside, Ebony was instructed to take care of the children the Death Eaters had cornered. Ginny explained how she had lost her wand, and Dumbledore told her to use the Shadow Orb.

'I need my wand! I really, really need my wand!' Ginny thought, and as she reached into her pocket again, she felt her wand, safe, and in her control. Dumbledore took his own wand in his hand, and procured a long baton-like piece of metal. He took it in his hand, and snapped it with a touch of his wand. From the point where the baton snapped flowed a silvery mist that he caught in a silver goblet.

"Drink this. It will heal you of any tiredness or injuries. Hurry!" Dumbledore instructed as he handed the goblet to Ginny. She drank it happily and a warm sensation swept over her. She felt as if she was just waking up in the morning after a good night's sleep. She looked at Dumbledore who was hastily putting his wand away. Dumbledore looked down at Ginny's rosy face as he was vanishing the goblet she had just drunk. She looked so sober, and calm as if she knew she was going to be victorious in helping Harry. Her confidence and calm seemed to relax him. Dumbledore smiled peacefully at this little girl before him, and for the first time ever, Ginny had given Dumbledore a hug.

"Ivy, look for any pictures with You-Know-Who in them. I'll read these journals," Harry instructed as he grabbed a few books and chose one to read.

Harry read and read and read until his eyes were sore. Ivy had separated the pictures into 'useful' and 'not useful' piles. As she scanned the photos for any trace of Tom Marvolo Riddle, Harry learned a few things that might help him defeat Voldemort…

Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling again, Ginny noticed, as she separated herself from him after hugging him. It seemed like he hadn't been hugged by many people in his life. She smiled and then waited fro his next directions. Dumbledore conjured two chairs for them both to sit on, and as they sat down, Lupin ran into the shop, out of breath.

"Moody's-been-injured-badly-by-Nott-and-he's-being-patched-up-now-but-we-don't know-if-he's gonna-make it," Lupin informed in between breaths. Dumbledore and Ginny stood up to follow Lupin, but Dumbledore gave Ginny a stern look that told her she was not to follow.

As they rushed out the door, Ginny kicked over a stool in her anger. She wanted to see if she could do anything, but they wouldn't let her come, just like when she was younger and they wouldn't let her do things her brothers and Harry and Hermione did.

'I'll just go anyway. They can't stop me from apparating there…' Ginny thought with a mischievous grin on her face. She went outside the door to the shop, and was about to apparate when she heard Ebony scream…

"Someone help me! GINNYYYYYYYYY… AAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Ginny ran as fast as she could to where Ebony was fixing up Moody a few seconds ago. They were both lying on the ground with their eyes closed. Ebony's head was bleeding badly, and Moody's left arm was a bloody stub. Dumbledore, Lupin, Tonks, Fred, George, Hagrid, Shacklebolt, and the whole D.A. were fighting the Death Eaters. But they were still outnumbered. Ginny levitated Moody and Ebony's bodies and ran back to the robes shop. She performed an unbreakable lock charm on the door, and conjured two cots for Ebony and Moody to lie on. She slowly floated their bodies onto the cots and let them rest gently. She grabbed two particularly ugly robes and used her wand to strip them to pieces she could use to wrap up Mood's arm and Ebony's head.

A few minutes passed, then a half hour, and then an hour, and Ginny, Moody, and Ebony were still alone in the robes shop. Both of them were still breathing, and Ginny was constantly checking their pulses. Finally, someone was tapping softly on the window to the shop. Ginny pulled back the curtain and saw Hedwig with a letter for her. She pulled open the window, and Hedwig flew in gracefully. She circled the room a few times before dropping the letter on Ginny's lap. Ginny stoked her beautiful snowy-white feathers as she was looking at Moody and Ebony. She wished they would just wake up and then she wouldn't be as worried about them.

But they still lie there motionlessly, so Ginny tore open her letter as she sat on a footstool.

Ginny,
Dumbledore told me what happened. Stay where you are! I need to talk to you on the 25th, so just stay out of trouble. Keep Moody and Ebony with you until the battle is over and someone comes to take them to St. Mungo's. I know you probably think I'm being selfish by not helping out in any of these battles, but I need to keep up my work on figuring out how to defeat Voldemort. Thanks for thinking of me, and know that I'm thinking about you too.
Harry

The letter, instead of making her feel more secure, made her feel even more anxious than ever. Ginny let Hedwig back out of the window and then moved the footstool in between the two beds as she held her head in her hands. She suddenly realized that these may be the last few days of her life, and how much she wished she had never been born. She selfishly wished that she could die and be rid of all this emotion, because she was sure that death would feel much better than how she felt now. And she was going to lose her faithful partner of about eight hours, though it had felt like a few days. Ginny just kept thinking that by August 1, it would all have to be over, whether anyone won or not.

"Ebony, please, keep breathing. They'll be coming soon, but you have to keep fighting!" Ginny urged as she held Ebony's surprisingly warm hand. Moody was waking up now, and he sat up on his cot, holding the bloody rag on his left arm.

"Thank you, Weasley. I don't know if I would have made it without you. I'm not too sure about her, though. We'll go to St. Mungo's; I can take her there and I'll get Molly to come with us. But you need to keep your mind on your work. We'll be okay, but you need to leave NOW! I'll tell Dumbledore about everything," Moody growled, as he reached in his pocket with his uninjured arm for his wand. He levitated Ebony's body, and performed the counter-charm on the unbreakable lock on the door.

"Molly! Molly, I need your help. We need to go to St. Mungo's immediately," Moody shouted to Mrs. Weasley who was sitting on the curb across the street, crying. Moody paused and turned to Ginny. "Remember…Ginny…CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

After wiping her eyes and kissing Ginny on the forehead, Mrs. Weasley took over levitating Ebony in the air, as Moody stuck out his wand, signaling the Knight Bus. In a flash of purple, they were gone, and Ginny was left sitting on the curb all alone.