Chapter 6
Harry and Ginny were finally able to get Lizzy to stop jumping on her bed. They took her out of the room and into the main part of the house. When they got to them main sitting room, Ron and Hermione were there already. They looked up at Lizzy and Hermione asked, "So what do you think Lizzy?" Lizzy rushed to give her a hug, "Oh, I love it. Thank you so much." Hermione laughed and said, "I am glad you liked it." she then looked to the others and said, "Well are we about ready to get back to the Burrow.?" Harry and Ginny nodded. Lizzy wasn't quite ready to go yet, "Oh can't we stay here a little bit longer." The adults laughed and Ron said, "We could, but all your presents are at the Burrow." Lizzy jumped up, "Okay we can go now, but I don't think I am going to be able to walk very fast." Harry smiled and said, "We are not walking back."
Lizzy looked confused, "Well how are we going to get there then?" Hermione stood up and said, "Floo" Then walked to the fireplace. Harry asked, "Have you ever traveled by floo powder before?" Lizzy said, "No." Ron took his turn and said, "I will go first, to show you. All you do is get some floo powder, throw it into the fire, step in and clearly say where you want to go." Ron did as he had said, when he got into the fire he said, "The Burrow" and he was gone. Lizzy gasped, "Where did he go, didn't them flames burn him?" Ginny looked down to Lizzy and said, "He is at the Burrow now, with Nana. And the powder makes the flames cold, so you don't get burned. Do you want to go now, or would you rather Aunt Hermione go first." Lizzy stepped back and said, "Aunt Hermione can go first." After Hermione went, Lizzy still wasn't ready to go, so Harry went and told her he would be there when she came out at the Burrow.
After Harry went, it was Lizzy's turn she looked scared, "Ginny, I don't think I can do this. I am really scared of fire." and the girl began to cry. Ginny got down on her knees, took Lizzy in a hug, and said, "Oh, Lizzy. I am sorry, I didn't know. It's okay, we can walk back. How about that." Lizzy sniffed and said, "Okay" Ginny stood up and said, "Let me just pop my head in and let your dad know so he doesn't worry, okay." Lizzy wasn't to sure but nodded her head. Ginny did what she needed to and stuck her head into the flames. Lizzy could hear her talking, "Harry it's okay. Calm down, She is still here with me. Lizzy doesn't want to go by floo, she is afraid of fire. I don't know why she didn't tell you before you left. No Harry you stay here, Lizzy and I are going to walk back to the Burrow. Yes Harry I am sure. I spent a lot of time with her back at school and we became good friends, and since we have been home we haven't had much time alone. Harry I need this time with Lizzy as much as she needs it with me. Yes Harry I know what to do if there is trouble. It will be okay. Give us at least an hour before you come looking for us please. I love you too."
When Ginny pulled her head out of the fire Lizzy shrieked. Ginny calmed her down and said, "You ready to start walking?" Lizzy nodded and they left the house. When they started walking Ginny asked, "Lizzy, why didn't you tell Harry you were afraid of fire?" Lizzy was silent for a minute, then said, "I didn't want to make him mad." Ginny took the girls hand, as they continued walking and said, "What makes you think he would have gotten mad?" Lizzy stiffened, Ginny stopped and looked at Lizzy, "Lizzy what is it? What has you so scared?" Lizzy had tears, quietly rolling down her face and said, "Well back at the orphanage, when ever I didn't want to do something that I was told to do, the grown ups would get mad. But the stuff they wanted me to do was not right. They wanted me to steal things for them. One night the director wanted me to go with her to the store to steal food. I told her that I wouldn't do it. I said it was wrong. She got real angry with me and called me lots of horrible names. She had a fireplace in her office and pushed me into it, with a fire there already. I was so sacred I was going to die and so angry at her for doing it. The next thing I know, she is rolling on the floor in flames and somehow I was standing outside the fireplace. Even tho I was mad at her for being mean to me, I rolled her in the carpet on the floor to smother the flames. When she stopped screaming in pain, she managed to get up, and she beat me. She told all the staff that if I ever said, even just a word, they were to beat me. When I got to Hogwarts I was quite because I had learned not to talk. One day Professor McGonagall tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention, she saw me flinch. She took me to her office and asked me about it. I didn't want to tell her, but I was again afraid if I didn't do what was asked, I would get hurt again. So I told her about what happed and showed her all the bruises and the burns. She immediately rushed me to the hospital wing and told Madame Pomfrey. Professor McGonagall told me to tell Madame Pomfrey everything and that I would not get into trouble for telling her, she said she was going to help me. Over the next couple of days Madame Pomfrey helped to heal all of the physical scars that I had endured over my time at the orphanage. When I first meet you, I remember you telling the other students to stop bothering me. You tried to talk to me but I was still scared to talk without permission. I looked up to you for being so brave and standing up for me. And then Harry came to teach. He talked to me like he was worried about me, he told me about his parents and his family of muggles. He told me that I could be a part of his family. Then I hung out with you guys while he was there, and I wrote to him every day after he left, and spent a lot of time with you, I started to become myself again, but tonight with the fire and all, well it just brought back all the memories, I know that Harry loves me, but I didn't know how he would react when I didn't want to go in the fire. I was glad that he went before you, I know you, I know you wouldn't get mad." Ginny was crying now too. She took Lizzy in a hug and said, "I am so sorry Lizzy. You have to know that Harry, or myself or anybody in the family will never hurt you. Do you understand that." Lizzy nodded as she clung to Ginny. "Harry and I will protect you with our lives Lizzy. We would never let anything happen to you, but you have to be honest with us. You have to tell us things like this, so we can work them out together as a family." Ginny held tightly to the girl and looked up, Harry was running towards them.
Ginny whispered in Lizzy's ear, "Don't worry about your dad, okay. I will tell him everything later, so you don't have to relive it again." Lizzy nodded as Harry got to them. They had somehow stopped walking while Lizzy was talking and now they were on the ground in each others arms. "What happened," Harry said as he fell down beside them quickly studying for signs of injury. "You told me to wait an hour, I even waited an extra fifteen minutes. I looked for your warning to see if anything was wrong, what happened why didn't you signal. Why are you two on the ground, Ginny please tell me what happened." Harry was anxiously for an answer, Ginny leaned over, while still firmly holding Lizzy and gave him a kiss to calm him down some. "Harry relax, we are not hurt, there was no trouble, that is why there was no signal. Lizzy has bad memories, we were talking about them. That is why we stopped walking and that is why we are both crying. Please Harry understand that Lizzy just told me about all of this and doesn't want to do it again. I will tell you about it later." Ginny let go of Lizzy and continued, "But now I think you need to hold on to your daughter and remind her that she is safe." Lizzy lunged into Harry's arms and started crying all over again. Harry held onto her tightly, as he stood up and held out a hand for Ginny. "Lizzy, it is okay now. I will never let anything happen to you." and the family continued their walk to the Burrow in slience, expect for the occasional hiccup from Lizzy when she finished crying. When they got there, Harry said, "Are you ready to open your presents now?"