Harry and Ginny sat in companionable silence side-by-side on the cliff top. The sky above them was a velvety blue with not a single cloud to mar its perfection. The gulls seemed to have settled on their nests and perches. In the peace they heard the drone of a bumblebee flying from one wildflower to another.
Tranquillity. Peace. Serenity.
Inwardly, however, both Ginny's and Harry's emotions were in turmoil.
Ginny felt relieved to know that Harry hadn't committed the horrendous crimes of which he had been accused. She'd already felt the truth but was so happy to hear it from Harry's own lips.
Ginny also felt a great compassion for Harry's plight and suffering since his abduction and amazement at his resilience –" he'd done all that and without magic!" Growing up in a wizarding family Ginny couldn't begin to imaging coping in the muggle world the way Harry had done.
While these thoughts were running through Ginny's mind Harry was mulling over everything Ginny and Sirius had told him.
Would he remember Mrs. Weasley's staunch protest to the Aurors that he was innocent?
When she awoke would Ginny remember anything that he had told her? Or, would it all seem as real as a dream – all too soon to be forgotten?
If she did remember, would anyone believe her?
Would she be able to prove any of it?
So many unanswerable questions. Just thinking them through made Harry's head hurt.
--- zzz ---
"Oi! Kid! Wotcher think you're doing?"
Harry awoke suddenly at the sound of the angry voice and a size 10 boot pushing against his back.
"You're not allowed in here! If you've done any damage …..!"
But Harry had already jumped up and grabbed his glasses, putting them back on quickly and made a break. Adrenaline was flowing and he suddenly found he was outside the Castle grounds with no memory of passing back through the wards. He was running and did not stop. He ran towards the old harbour, instinct making him run towards the only friend he had in these parts. Sam.
"SEEKER! Over here!"
Relief! Harry's heart was still beating fifteen to the dozen when he spotted Sam waving at him. Harry ran straight to him and without a word the two boarded The Griselda as though following a pre-arranged plan.
The engine was already running and at a word from her skipper the mooring was slipped and The Griselda made for the open sea once more.
The engine's rhythmic beat again calmed Harry so that he was able to thank Sam for his rescue. Sam had told the Police that the kid he'd given a lift to did look like the person featured on the news but he could swear that on the day the murders had occurred he'd been with Sam all day in Southampton making his boat ready for this trip to Tilbury. At that point the "Doctor" came forward and told the police that the young man who had just evaded the Police definitely did NOT have a scar on his forehead.
So the Police stopped their search and left.
"Why though?" queried Harry to Sam as they journeyed on towards Tilbury. Sam had made them a stack of hot buttered toast and mugs of strong tea and the two reflected on the previous day.
"Why what?" countered Sam.
"Why did the Doctor say I didn't have a scar when he knew exactly who I was? He even used my name! And when I looked in his bag I swear he had a wand. Unless ……!"
"…. he was trying to recapture you for you-know-who!"
"That must be it. I didn't recognise his face though but then again who knows how many Death Eaters Voldemort's got by now. I know recruitment was big on his list of 'to do's'"
He did not know why but Harry shared with Sam none of the information Ginny had given him in his 'dream' or whatever it was. He was just so glad that he recalled if all after the abrupt wake-up call from the Security Guard or whoever he was. As he sipped his tea he thought again of Ginny's words and got to wondering how much, if any, of their conversation she would be able to recall.
---ooo---"Ginny! Come on wake up! It's seven-thirty and I promised that we'd all be at the Lovegood's to help harvest the raspberries at nine. Goodness knows how they manage to grow such a superb crop each year but old Mrs. Lovegood's raspberry wine is just the best and you know she always gives half a dozen bottles for helping with the harvest. We're going to be short-handed this year as well as Fred and George aren't around to help."
Mrs. Weasley's voice became a distant drone as she continued her speech while making her way back downstairs. Wanting to stay in that warm and comfortable half-asleep half-awake state, Ginny pulled her covers farther over her head. Her thoughts returned to the long conversation her 'dream' contained.
When she closed her eyes once more Ginny could see the image of Harry in his dirty and worn clothes, his feet encased in two left shoes and his eyes with dark rings around them. His words, and the words of Sirius, returned to her and suddenly she was wide-awake.
"MUM!" Screamed Ginny at the top of her voice.
"Gin? What's wrong?" Molly Weasley came panting into her only daughter's bedroom closely followed by her youngest son, Ron.
"What's wrong?" demanded Molly.
"I…. It's Harry…. He…..!"
Ron had moved round to sit close by Ginny to reassure her just as he had done when they were small. He picked up her hand and looked in her eyes. "What about Harry, Gin, you had a bad dream or something?"
Feeling Ron's hand in hers had calmed her down as his presence always had. It was funny how Ron seemed to instinctively know what she was feeling. Now she turned to look him straight in the eyes as she said.
"Harry's innocent! He's really innocent! Before, I felt it was true but couldn't see how but now I know!"
"Ginny love" Molly said soothingly "please don't. We all know how much you … cared … for Harry and I know how much you hurt for the way things have turned out but all the evidence…. "
"Evidence! Mum how could you? How could Bill?"
Before she went on Ginny took her hand from Ron's and stood up at the side of her bed and looked down on her Mum and brother; she took a deep calming breath before she began her narrative. She told them everything that Harry had told her, she only omitted her own feeling of almost inexpressible joy at knowing Harry was innocent and free from immediate danger but her sadness that they couldn't be together for the foreseeable future.
"…. and Harry still has the omnioculars safe and he's going to try and get them to the Order at Grimmauld Place if he can. But he was still being pursued by the muggle police and the Death Eaters. D Oh Mum! What can we do to help him!"
Molly Weasley had been unusually quiet all through her daughters re-telling of her night's experiences. Finally she stood and looked her daughter in the eye and Ginny could see the unshed tears in her mother's eyes and felt sure they were a mirror of her own.
"Ginny, Ron! Get dressed and get over to the Lovegood's." At her two children's unspoken but all too obvious protest, Molly held up her hand as she said.
"As far as everyone is concerned Harry is a fugitive wanted for murder. We must seem as though nothing has changed from yesterday and that we believe the evidence we have so far been given. But I want Harry back home here where he belongs! With his family! And that can't happen until we can irrefutably prove his innocence. Ginny you may be able, with Harry's help, to be able to supply that evidence."
"But Mum, it was only a dream – wasn't it?" protested Ron.
"That, Ron, is what we'll have to prove one way or another. Now, you two get going and not another word about this until you get home."
At that dismissal, Ron and Ginny did just as their Mother had commanded.
---ooo---
Considering The Griselda was only 40 feet long, Harry was surprised just how much privacy he had. Harry had shared with Sam a little of what had happened after his pursuit through Hastings. He had told Sam that he had found a corner where he had curled up to get some sleep and that he had a weird dream – interrupted by a Security Guard. He had not, however, shared with Sam all that had transpired between Ginny and himself, nor had he mentioned Sirius.
Harry had kept a lot back but as he glanced at Sam standing stock-still holding the ship's wheel; he couldn't help but feel that Sam knew he was being, if not exactly evasive, then certainly selective. Harry didn't know why but although he trusted Sam he didn't want to …. burden him.
That was it.
Harry's problems were just that…. Harry's not anyone else's.
Ever since his confrontation with Dumbledore after the disastrous events in the Department of Mysteries, the realisation of his role in the downfall of Voldemort had weighed heavily on Harry's soul. It was his cross to bear and no one else could carry it for him.
There were those trusted few who would help him with his burden, Ron, Hermione, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Remus to name the few. He knew thee were a couple of others he could turn to for help, Neville, Tonks, Mad-Eye or Luna but he knew that ultimately it would be just him and Voldemort.
The events of the past few weeks had given him precious little time to think of Voldemort and how the future would unfurl. But one thing Harry knew for certain, that Ginny Weasley was, is and always had been, (although he hadn't realised it) vital to his success. It wasn't just her love that helped him it was as if she were the other half of a puzzle, or the ….. key! Harry was searching for understanding.
Harry was lying flat on his back, both hands lying loosely at his side in the narrow forward cabin's bottom bunk. His stomach was full once more, only this time it was from a big breakfast he had cooked for them in the small but well-equipped galley.
All of Harry's clothes had gone "overboard". Sam had demonstrated his rather unconventional method of doing his laundry. Everything Harry had worn, including the trainers, had been placed in a net drawstring bag attached to a long line. Sam had then thrown the bag overboard to be dragged through the sea while they continued on their way to Tilbury.
Harry drifted off to sleep once more but this time it was, unusually, dreamless.
What joy! What joy! Can't wait for July 16th! If you are wondering what I am gittering on about, JKR has announced that she has completed Book VI. What a wonderful gift for Christmas.
May I take this opportunity of thanking all my pastreviewersand to wish you all a very peaceful and joyous 2005.