Once Dumbledore had left Ginny, Sirius, and Lucy all went different ways. Lucy took her newly repaired wand outside to practice with Tonks, Bill, Charlie and the twins. Ginny went upstairs to sit with Harry. Sirius went to the library. Hermione was worried about Ron. He hadn't said much to anyone since they'd found out about Harry. After the selection he'd gone off by himself. She found him throwing stones into the small pond behind the house.
"Ron," she said approaching slowly. He didn't answer her just threw another stone.
"Ron, please talk to me," Hermione begged.
"It's not fair, Hermione," Ron said. "I should have been chosen. I'm his best mate. We've been firends since before he knew about Sirius or Lucy. Long before he and Ginny got together. Why did they get chosen and not me"
"This isn't really about the selection is it Ronald." Ron winced. He hated it when Hermione called him Ronald, she sounded too much like his mother. He sat down on a rock and sighed.
"Ever since Harry..." Ron began. "It's like he doesn't need me anymore. Now that he's got Sirius, and Lucy and Ginny. I'm not jealous, Mione, honest I'm not. I'm glad Harry's got a family. I've seen how he lived at the Dursley's and I'm happy that he doesn't ever have to go back. I just"
"Miss him," Hermione said. "I know Ron, I miss him too"
"It should be us going to save him, Mione. We've been with him through so much more than either of them"
"You love Harry, don't you Ron?" Ron gave Hermione a look.
"Of course I do. What have I just been saying"
"But you don't love him the same way you love me"
"No," Ron said. "Harry's my best mate, but I'm not dating him"
"Right," Hermione said. "And you don't love him the same way you love Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George"
"I like Harry a lot more than Percy right now." Hermione nodded. Percy Weasley was a rather sore subject these days. He'd been so caught up working for Cornelius Fudge that he'd scarcely been seen.
"But no I don't love Harry like I love my brothers"
"You see Ron," Hermione said. "That's why we weren't chosen. We're Harry's best friends, but we don't love him like Ginny does, or Lucy, or Sirius. Lucy's his sister, Ginny's his girlfriend, and Sirius is the closest thing he has to a father. Harry doesn't love us any less than he loves them. Just in different ways"
"I guess you're probably right," Ron said. "I just hate being so helpless. Harry's helped us so much. I just wish there was something we could do to help him"
"We haven't given up on him," Hermione said. "That's the best thing we can do for him right now"
"Why do you always have to be so smart?" Ron said wrapping an arm around her.
Ginny gently stroked Harry's cheek. She loved that face. The unruly black hair that never stayed put. The dark lashes that fell over the deep green eyes. The scar. She knew Harry hated it and would do anything to make it go away but she loved it. To her it was a testimony of his bravery, of his strength, his uniqueness.
"Whereever you are," she said to him. "Just hang on. We're coming for you Harry." She had no idea why the powers that be had chosen her. She knew why Sirius and Lucy had been chosen. Sirius was a great wizard. When he'd been a student at Hogwarts he'd been second only to James Potter. He was very brave and very clever, he had to be to become an animagus under Dumbledore's nose. Lucy was powerful, and very wise. She was a survivor. But what could she, fourteen year old Ginny Weasley possibly contribute to this mission. She was a decent witch and she got average marks in her classes. Okay, so she could do a wicked bat bogey hex, and she was a damn fine Keeper, but how was that going to help Harry?
"Ginny?" a voice said behind her.
"I'm scared mama," she whispered. Molly came forward and wrapped Ginny in a warm hug.
"I know, sweetie," Molly said. "But there is a reason for everything darling. If the powers of be chose you they must have had a reason"
"Why?" Ginny said. "Why would they choose me? What do I possibly have to offer"
"Your love," Molly said.
"How is my love gonna save Harry"
"Don't ever estimate the power of love my dear. It's the strongest power there is. You remember before your father got the job at the ministry when we were so poor that we almost lost the house"
"Mm hmm," Ginny murmured. It had been such a horrible time. She'd only been five at the time but she remembered it like it was yesterday They'd barely had enough food, there'd hardly ever been enough heat, they were on the brink of being on the street. The day her father had been offered a job at the ministry her mother had sobbed with joy.
"We didn't have anything," her mother said. "Except each other. And that was enough. That house may have been rundown, and maybe it hardly ever had heat, but there's always been love under that roof. That's what made me believe that no matter how bad things were, we would always get through it. Look at you." Her mother held her at arms length.
"My god, where have the years gone. It seems like only yesterday you were a little girl playing with dolls and now you're a young lady. It happened so fast. I'll never stop seeing you as my baby girl I'm afraid, but I am so proud of the woman you are becoming. Do what you must and come back to us safely"
"I will Mama," Ginny whispered hugging her mother.
Oliver watched from the library window as Lucy practiced with her newly prepared wand. Tonks gave her instruction as the Weasley boys acted as targets. Oliver winced as she failed to reflect one of Charlie's jinxes. He hated this. When they'd chosen disks he'd been praying so hard that someone other than her. Anyone else. He didn't want anything to happen to Ginny or Sirius either, but Lucy was the one he truly feared for. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. He'd bought it in Italy almost a month ago. Silver set with three circular diamonds. He'd described Lucy to the jeweler and with a wave of the old man's wand it had appeared. The moment he saw it he knew that it was perfect. Elegant without being gaudy. The band was small and he knew it would be a perfect fit for Lucy's slender delicate finger. He'd planned to give it to her this trip, but he just hadn't found the right moment. Now all this was happening. He hated being so helpless when the woman he loved was going into who knew what kind of danger. When that bludger had destroyed his sight he thought that his life was over. He'd been in the deepest state of depression until he'd recieved Dumbledore's letter offering him a position teaching flying at Hogwarts. At first he'd wanted to refuse. It would be just too hard to watch his old team play the game he loved so much and would never play again. But his parents had insisted. To refuse Albus Dumbledore would be a terrible insult. So he'd grudgingly taken the post. His spirits had soared when Dumbledore had told him upon his arrival that Emily Dashall the well known potions expert would be teaching there also and that he had asked her to assist him with his sight. Oliver had never been so happy when he found out that there was a chance to play Quidditch again. He'd been shocked when he met her. He'd expected an elderly witch like Professor McGonagall and instead had looked on the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen in his entire life. His heart had shot straight to his stomach the instant he'd laid eyes on her. He'd shaken his initial feelings off as a simple infatuation at first. She was there to help him after all. She'd been quite clear when she told him that what they were attempting had never been done before and it would probably take them more than one attempt. But he'd seen the determination in her eyes. That was what had made him fall in love with her. No matter how many times they failed, she would not give up. He had been afraid to tell her how he felt. After all she was an accomplished self taught witch and he was nothing more than a half blind flying instructor. He'd been in the library one day and he'd found her sitting at a table reading a small brown book. She'd had tears in her eyes. He gone over to her to try and comfort her. He'd seen the passage she was reading. The woman whose diary it had belonged to spoke of being pregnant with Voldemort's child. When Lucy realized he was there she'd been so startled that she'd dropped the book. He'd picked it up and seen the name of Harry's mother written on the front cover. She'd been so frightened when he asked her about it. He'd been shocked when she'd confessed that she was the child that was concieved when Voldemort raped Lily Evans. The whole story of her life in the orphanage, discovery of her mother's name, being taught by Henry Dashall. She'd begged him not to tell anyone, assuring him that she meant no harm to Harry or anyone in the school. He'd assured her that her secret was safe with him. Then he had kissed her. He was certain that she was going to slap him but she had only stared at him in wonder. She couldn't believe that he could love her after what he had just found out about her past. He told her that he didn't care about her past, and it was as true today as it had been then. When she'd told him that she loved him as well he thought he would die from the happiness. He'd been reluctant to leave her to return to Quidditch, but she would hear nothing of his keeping his job at Hogwarts to be with her. Being away from her it became more and more clear that he wanted to marry her. Whenever he woke up at Grimmauld Place with her in his arms he knew that he wanted her there permanently. This last month away from her had clinched it for him. Lucy was the only girl he would ever love. If he lost her there would be nothing left for him in this world.
"It is a beautiful ring," a voice said behind him. Oliver jumped about twelve feet.
"Sirius," he said placing a hand over his heart to make sure it was still beating. "How long have you been standing there"
"Long enough," the man said coming over to the window. Together they looked out the window.
"Looks like she's got her old flare back again," Sirius said.
"If I only I could be sure it would do any good," Oliver said. "You don't know what you'll be facing"
"I will let no harm come to her if I can possibly prevent it, Oliver. I promise."
"I know you are a good man Sirius, but I know Lucy. If it comes down to saving herself and saving Harry I know which one she'll choose"
"Would you have her not go"
"I could no more ask that of her than she could ask me to stop playing Quidditch. This is who she is. Who I'm in love with"
"So certain of that are you?" Sirius asked. "You've been together for how many months"
"Nearly seven now"
"Less than seven months and you know that you want to spend the rest of your life with her"
"It is the only thing I am absolutely certain of. I know you think of Lucy as your daughter Sirius, but she is a grown woman. She's had a very difficult life and living here hasn't made it any easier for her"
"Why?" Sirius asked. "Why isn't she happy here? I know you know Oliver." Oliver sighed. He'd said too much. But Sirius had the right to know, especially considering what they were about to go into.
"She doesn't like it when you compare her to her mother. I know you mean it as a compliment but it makes her feel as though she has to compete with a ghost. A battle she's been losing because of Kreacher. She's not Lily, Sirius"
"I never expected her to be Lily," Sirius said. Remus was right. His constantly comparing Lucy to her mother had made Lucy feel bad. Why hadn't he seen it.
"She didn't just move in here because of Harry, Sirius. She cares for you as well. But she wants to be loved for who she is, not because of who her mother was"
"It seems I have lot to make up for," Sirius said. "I only hope I will have the chance when this is all over"
"I wish I had given this to her sooner," Oliver said. "Now who knows if I will ever have the chance"
"You still have time. We will not depart for another few hours"
"I can't give this to her now. She needs to concentrate on what has to be done"
"It's up to you Oliver. But if I were you I would give it to her right away. You never know how much time you have left"
"So I take it I have your blessing?" Oliver asked.
"Do you need my blessing"
"No," Oliver said. "But I should like to have it all the same"
"You have my blessing Oliver. I know that I have not treated you with the utmost kindness in the past. But I do believe Lucy would be a fool not to accept"
"So you think she'll say yes?" Oliver said.
"If I know one thing about Lucy it's that she's not a fool."