Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

Author's Note: Last chapter! There is a sequel coming so stay reading.

Chapter Thirty- Three

Albus Explains All

One by one, they arrived by floo or apparation, but the immediate reaction was the same self-imposed quiet. The usual bustling and lively living room of The Burrow now resembled a wake. People spoke in hushed tones. Furtive glances were stolen at Ginny, still sitting lifeless next to Harry on the big, comfy chair. Condolences were given to Molly and Arthur, who murmured thanks, but were still in denial. The Weasley parents communicated mainly with each other, more with glances and gestures, and were not really engaged with the others in attendance. Molly held tight to the baby, rocking and bouncing and cuddling it as she would have liked to do with Ginny. The baby, still unnamed, was a lamb in innocent slumber in her arms.

Speaking in low tones, Ron, Neville, Hermione and George were discussing whether they should do something, and if so, what. Ron had filled the girls in on the frightening informative night, with Neville adding his perspective and commentary. Now they were at a loss as to what to do, and whether it was up to them to make suggestions. And of course, they were all concerned about Harry as well. "I've always thought of Ginny as my nuisance of a little sister; I didn't think she was really evil," Ron disclosed. "What do we do with her now? Send her to Azkaban?"

"She's not evil, Ron. She's troubled." As Hermione defended Ginny, she wondered herself about the veracity of her own words. The tale the boys had shared was unbelievable, and Ginny's wrongdoings were outrageous. How could they have not seen?

"Hermione's right," Neville concurred. Truly, Ginny didn't deserve someone so big-hearted. "I couldn't believe the things coming out of her mouth. I knew she didn't love me, but I never thought she was so devious. Only someone really sick could do those things. I don't think she should stay here with your family, Ron. She needs professional care."

"What about right now? Do you think it's all right that she's just sitting there? Maybe we should move her to a bedroom?" George fretted. The truth was, she was more worried about Harry, but it would seem inappropriate and unfeeling to reveal that. What was he thinking right now? Was he all right? Did he have feelings for Ginny again, even out of pity? She'd been trying to catch his eye since she'd arrived, to no avail. Harry barely glanced up at his friends, so intent was he at soothing Ginny. George was wondering now how she'd gotten involved in all of this, and why Dumbledore had asked Ron to bring her back to the Weasley's. The sooner Ginny is gone from sight, the better I'll feel, she thought.

"If Dumbledore has left her there, I'm sure she's okay... or going to be okay," Ron advised.

As if on cue, Dumbledore came up behind the whispering quartet, wrapping his long arms around their perimeter as if encasing them in the warm cocoon of his luxurious robes. "Now, now. Don't worry, children. Ron's right. I wouldn't have left Ginny here unless she was well enough. I didn't want the Weasley's to come into their own home and find their only daughter in this state, lying in bed like an invalid. She'll come around... but it will take time and special care. As for Harry, he's fine. A little shaken, but fine.

"Now, Miss Granger, would you please do the Weasley's a favor, and help Ginny to her room. I'm sure Molly will want to supervise. When she's settled, come back down, and we can discuss what happened here tonight. Miss Sanders, would you do us all a great favor by putting on a kettle of tea, and finding one of Molly's wonderful teackes? Ron and Neville, you've been most helpful already, but I hope you can indulge my request yet again?"

"Yes, sir. Whatever you need," they responded together.

"Thank you. Please take Harry to the kitchen with Miss Sanders. See that he eats something light to start getting his strength back. We don't want him lingering in his weakened condition too long," he said, before moving on to the Weasley's. The young people took to the tasks immediately, glad for something to do and that Dumbledore would soon make everything clear.

"Molly. Arthur. I've asked Hermione to take Ginevra to her room, and get her settled in. I've given her a remedy before you arrived, and she'll start feeling better soon. I promise you. Then I believe we should all sit down and talk about the night's events, and what the future plans for Ginny and the baby might be," Dumbledore softly suggested to the new grandparents.

Molly started weeping quietly, but uncontrollably, again. "How could this happen? What actually happened, Albus? Will she ever be all right? Is poor Harry all right? Shall we call a healer? oh, my, my."

"I'll take her upstairs, Albus. No need to bother poor Hermione. Ginny is still my baby," Arthur said, as he started for Ginny, arms outstreched already, intent on carrying her up the myriad of floors to her bedroom.

"Arthur, Arthur, no, no. Let's let Hermione help her. Ginny needs to start moving; it will do her good. Why don't you and Molly go on up with them, and tuck them both in- Ginny and her baby?" Dumbledore gently suggested.

The Weasley's nodded in unison, and began working with Hermione to help Ginny navigate the stairs. The remaining of the group retreated to the kitchen, while Dumbledore took his first rest of the evening. "How are you doing, Harry?" Ron firmly took Harry's arm, as Neville grabbed the other.

"I'm all right, Ron; really I am. Don't have that worried look on your face, or I might start thinking you care," Harry said with a laugh in his voice and a smile on his face. They all let out relieved chuckles, as they hadn't seen any expression on Harry's face for what seemed like hours. George took in a big breath. He was back! He sounded like Harry, and would soon start acting like Harry. What a relief.

"Ron, can you and Neville scrounge up some food, while I put on the tea?" she asked lightly. Hers fears and concerns were further allayed when Harry made a beeline for her, rather than staying at the table as they'd all expected he would. He stood behind her as she filled the kettle from the tap, wrapping his arms around her. "Have I told you lately that I love you?" he whispered in her ear so no one else could hear this private declaration.

"No, I don't believe you have," she whispered back, teasingly. She turned slightly, and grazed his lips with hers before admonishing him to get back to his seat and eat something. Despite the awful reports from Neville and Ron, and the terrbile physical conditions of both Ginny and Harry, George couldn't help feeling light and somewhat giddy. After all he apparently had been through tonight, Harry took the time to reassure her about his feelings. How did she ever get so darn lucky?

The Weasley's and Hermione reappeared within the half hour, and everyone got settled around the table with tea and sustenance. It had been a long night. "I won't keep you all any longer than necessary. I want to thank you all for your assistance tonight in the hex proof, and in taking such good care of our beloved family and friends," Dumbledore began, looking straight at Harry.

"Hex proofs are sensitive. Each one is different in what transpires and in outcomes, but the process and players are the same formula. I needed Harry to participate, because only the one whom the potentially cursed person believes to be his or her true love can make that person speak the truth. No serum, no spell, no incantation alone will do. So, I am sorry, Neville, but all indications from Ginny's behavior were that she still considered Harry to be the one."

Neville nodded sadly. "I know Professor, I know. No need to apologize. I just wanted you to do whatever was going to get the proof, and help Ginny."

"Good boy, Neville, good boy. Your grandmother should be very proud of you." While Neville would've felt patronized had anyone else spoken these words, tonight he felt comforted and proud that Dumbledore had said them.

Dumbledore continued, "The process itself is quite simple. By repeating the instruction for her 'in true love, speak the truth', and then forcing a physical connection between the two, Ginny was compelled to relay her own actions and disclose whether they were voluntary. If Ginny had, in fact, been hexed, she would have done any number of things. This is where the outcomes of the proof can differ."

"What do you mean, Albus? How do you know she wasn't?" Arthur asked eagerly.

"Some have mooed like a cow, or neighed like a horse. Still others have spoken languages they could not possibly have known before. Yet others have used sign language, or began writing in hieroglyphics- anything to hinder communication. This tells us that the person in question does not actually know what they've done. They have no recollection. I daresay it's an indication quite like Ginny having no memory of the tasks Tom Riddle forced her to perform," Dumbledore added, unfortunately bringing up a bad memory for the Weasley's that was intended to reinforce the hex proof's findings- one that the Weasley's were reluctant to embrace.

Molly started weeping yet again, with Arthur rubbing her back lightly on one side of her, and Hermione doing the same on the other. "I'm sorry, Molly, Arthur. I'm sorry, Neville. I'm sorry for all of her dear friends and family that tonight's outcomes were what they were. As you may or may not have noticed, I had an auto-quill here in the parlor which recorded every word. Standard procedure in these cases," to which Arthur nodded knowingly. "I'd suggest you read it at a later date," Albus said looking directly at the Weasley's.

"Professor, why did we burn?" Harry asked. "And what did you give me to drink? It was wonderful. I think I would have died without it."

"Ah, Harry. The flames are a threshold between good and bad; of love and of hate. Did you notice that Ginny seemed empowered at first by the heat, while it started consuming you right away? It had different effects on each of you- the protangonist and the antagonist; the saint and the sinner. As Ginny relieved herself of the burden of her misdeeds, her flame was extinguished. If we had not done the proof tonight, I worry about whether she would have survived one at a later date. Her transgressions were getting too numerous and too grave.

"And yes, Harry, you're right. You would have died tonight without the potion to quench the toxic fire Ginny transferred to you." Harry's eyes grew wide as everyone else gasped in horror. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I know you would have participated anyway, but I did not want to exacerbate the experience for you by your having too much knowledge ahead of time. It might have made things worse had you been anticipating what could happen.

"Surely you've heard the expression 'fighting fire with fire'? What you drank was milk taken from a Norwegian Ridgeback, Harry. Only dragon's milk will do, and I thought it best to have the strongest available tonight. You can thank Hagrid for securing it when you see him next."

Everyone sat back in their chairs, exhausted- Dumbledore and crew from the night's events; the Weasley's from the uncertainty about what was transpiring, and the girls from their whole-hearted love and commitment to the Weasley's and Harry. The de-briefing added to their fatigue while making them feel lighter at the same time.

"What to do with Ginny?" Arthur said softly to himself, not really expecting anyone to answer- or have the right to. Nonetheless, Dumbledore jumped in again.

"As I said, tonight is not the night to read the recording of Ginny's proof, but you will have to soon. While unpleasant, it will help you make decisions and know how to help her. Suffice to say the Ginny needs professional help. The outburst you witnessed for yourselves before the proof was just a small indication of the rage and mental and emotional problems she's struggling with. I'd suggest you keep her here for a very short while to mend her body... and then send her to St. Mungo's for long term care. I will send a copy of the auto-quill report there as well."

Neville's face fell. St. Mungo's was where he thought that he and Ginny had first really connected. It was also where his poor parents were committed for long term care. The irony of Ginny joining them was almost too much to bear. Dumbledore nodded to Neville with a grim face.

Then Neville spoke. "Mr. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley. I would like you two to care for the baby- at least until I'm out of school. It will be too much for Grams, but I know we'd all like to be part of her life. When Ginny's better..." his voice trailed off, knowing she would be in St. Mungo's for the rest of her miserable life.

"Yes, yes, of course, Neville. But we really think you should name her, dear," Molly said, looking at Arthur for confirmation.

"Uh, I've been thinking about that. I have a lot to be grateful for tonight, and owe a lot to two people in particular. I'd like to name her 'Harriet Albifer Longbottom'."

There were smiles all around and spontaneous clapping as everyone agreed it was the most perfect name ever for the new little girl.