Chapter 8
As the glaring sun shone directly in his face, Arthur Weasley screwed up his eyes. He turned a bit to the side and cursed the heat that slowly became unbearable. The early afternoon was really not the ideal time to fight out a battle.
Nevertheless, he stood in Hogsmeade and waited tensely for their enemies to appear. If they would at least stand in the shadow, but far and wide, no shadowy place was in sight.
Sighing quietly, Arthur recalled the previous hours. After they had finished writing the list and the Order assembly had ended, he had set off to the Burrow with his family. They had packed the things they would need the most and shortly afterwards had stood anxiously in front of their house, not knowing when or if they would ever return. Back in Hogwarts they had just been busy to adjust to their new quarters as they had been disturbed by a black shining phoenix that had tapped its beak against the window.
As they had read Ginny's short letter, they had gone straight to Albus. Glad about the warning Albus had immediately alerted the Order. Though Severus succeeded in warning them most of the times, the spy, who had returned to the Dark Lord's headquarters after the assembly to deliver the demanded list, had had apparently no chance in doing so today.
Thanks to Ginny, however, they had been able to prepare for the today's fight. Despite the opinions of some Order members who had believed Ginny's letter to be a trap, Albus had prevailed. They had informed the villagers and had brought all those who hadn't wanted or couldn't fight to Hogwarts. That had been a half hour ago and still their enemies hadn't put in an appearance.
Nervously Arthur looked around. For a fleeting moment, his eyes met with James Potter's. Potter, who was standing shortly away from him, nodded briefly towards him and Arthur greeted him back. James and he had agreed that– if they survived – they would meet with James' friends, Alice Longbottom, whose husband was held captive in the Dark Lord's headquarter, Nymphadora Tonks and with the parents of the students who had been kidnapped or killed after the battle.
The thought caused Arthur to smile grimly. Yes, they would devise a plan. And then they would finally proceed to action and attack the Castle of Death.
Although Ginny's letters had given him certainty that his daughter was alive, nothing and no-one could ever persuade him that a follower of the Dark Side would treat his prisoners decently. How Ginny had managed to induce the young Lord's phoenix to deliver the letters to them, Arthur didn't know. But he knew his daughter. Ginny would have done everything to spare him and Molly pain. As much as he wanted to believe Ginny's words that she was fine, he just couldn't.
Loud shouts startled Arthur. He looked up and tensed. Their enemies had arrived.
While Arthur surveyed the newcomers, two figures in particular caught his eye. Of the Dark Lord, however, he hardly took any notice. It was the second wizard, standing next to him, who attracted his attention. He was young and tall, had raven hair and on his left shoulder a black phoenix was sitting.
The son of the Dark Lord!
The violent emotions and the helpless rage, which had been storming inside of him since Ginny's abduction caused him to throw all caution to the winds.
He neither heard the frightened scream of his wife, nor the warning shouts of his sons and some Order members. He was not even aware that he had begun to move and was running straight towards the young wizard who had made his daughter his mistress.
When he came nearer he noticed the cold emerald eyes that looked at him, expressionlessly.
"You! What did you do to my daughter? Where is she?" Arthur screamed beside himself with hate.
Seeing how the Dark Lord's heir held back a few Death Eaters with a gesture of his hand, he became even angrier. Without wasting any thought whether this was intelligent or not, Arthur stormed with raised wand towards the torturer of his daughter.
By now the rest of the fighters of the Order of the Phoenix had come closer, too. Within seconds both sides attacked each other. It didn't take long until the battle degenerate to a life-and-death struggle.
The Dark Lord cast the Dark Mark in the cloudless sky and leisurely went towards the leader of the Order of the Phoenix. As he laid eyes on the three white lilies and the glowing lightning bold that appeared next to his sign, a subtle smile flitted across his face. Certain of victory he waited for Albus Dumbledore's first curse.
In the meantime, Harry had easily overpowered Arthur Weasley. But before he could even think about a way to save Ginny's father, the red-haired wizard was seized by two Death Eaters. Harry, who had his hands full to fend off his ever increasing enemies, pressed his lips together as he realized that he could do nothing to prevent Ginny' father to be taken to the Castle of Death. Harry didn't even dare to look around anymore as he defended himself and simultaneously tried not to kill anyone. It seemed that every wizard and witch was out for him. It was surely not surprising, if you considered that the whole Order believed him to be Voldemort's son.
As a Killing Curse missed him by inches, however, it was over with his restraint. He fought for survival.
Soon it became quite obvious that the Dark Side would win the battle. Albus Dumbledore, who still was dueling with Voldemort, realized this as well. He had no other choice but to command the members of the Order to retreat. While his voice still was thundering over the place, the first already apparated. Instants later, only the Death Eaters, their prisoners and the dead remained. But they quickly disappeared as well.
As the wind wafted across the deserted village and the plain, only the two images in the sky reminded of the battle that had just taken place in Hogsmeade.
Looking at the three sleeping girls, who had all found a comfortable place in Harry's big four-poster bed, Ginny ran a hand over her forehand. After she had treated Anne's wounds, she had taken care of Katie und Cho, who had both insisted upon a bath and had needed her help.
To see what had been done to them had hit her hard. Perhaps from there her exhaustion stemmed. Torn between sympathy and anger, she felt guilty.
Ginny knew that it was unreasonable, knew that a few hours would not have made a difference and yet she couldn't stop thinking of how she and Harry had walked through the park. As if they had had all the time in the world, she thought bitterly and shook her head. For Anne, Katie and Cho it would have made a difference.
With a deep sigh she walked out and quietly closed the door behind her. While stepping to the window, she suddenly remembered where Harry had gone to. She could not fathom that she had completely forgotten the fight in Hogsmeade. She opened the window and leaned out. Now she could see the castle's entrance better.
The minutes passed unbearably slow. Imaging all kinds of terrifying visions, she worried about Harry and her family and prayed that nothing would happen to them. And then she finally spotted the returning Death Eaters. The Dark Lord and Harry walked ahead. As soon as Ginny caught sight of Harry indescribable relief surged through her. She didn't notice that she smiled.
In the next moment she froze. There, in the middle of the figures, dressed in black, she saw her father, who was dragged forwards by two Death Eaters. Frantically, her eyes flew over the crowd, but she didn't see more red-heads, so that she quickly looked at her father again.
Why? Why did it have to be her Dad of all people?
Fear overwhelmed her, made her dizzy. Ginny had to lean against the wall. She closed her eyes and tried to take a deep breath. As her dizziness gradually lessened and she glanced out of the window, her father and the Death Eaters had disappeared.
Shortly afterwards she heard the door open and she spun around.
"Harry! They have taken my father prisoner!"
"Yes, but not only your father. Others as well. There will be an assembly held in a quarter of an hour. Very probably to torture and kill the prisoners."
"No! We have to do something! We have to rescue them!"
"We can't do anything."
"Harry…we can't just allow…We must do something! Please, we must rescue my father!" Ginny shouted out, wringing her hands in despair.
"We can't do anything, or what do you imagine? That we march straight into the Great Hall and rescue every prisoner while Voldemort and about two hundred of his closest followers watch us without batting an eye? That would be really an excellent plan and so promising."
Ginny recoiled so violently as if Harry had hit her. But Harry didn't pay any further attention to her. Instead he went to one of the bookshelves. He fetched a little black book with some strange silvery signs on its cover and began to read it, after turning some pages.
Unbelievingly, Ginny stared at him. She couldn't understand how he had the audacity to read a book while she was trying frantically to find a possibility how to save her father. There had to be a way! Ginny refused to believe that there was nothing that they could do. They had to do something!
"Harry, we…"
"Be quiet," he ordered, without turning his eyes away from his book.
With difficulty Ginny swallowed the words she had wanted to say. All of a sudden she realized that – although she and Harry had come close and had slept with each other – she didn't know him at all. What did she know about him?
Harry wanted to kill the Dark Lord. He wanted to take revenge. How should she know if the prisoners' lives meant anything to him? Perhaps he didn't care what happened to the prisoners. After all, he was the young Lord. He had been raised in the deepest darkness.
The thought caused her to pause. But why then had he freed her classmates from the dungeons? Why had he seen to Anne's, Katie's and Cho's injuries? Ginny just wanted to dare make another attempt to speak with Harry as Harry closed the book fiercely and put it back into the bookshelf.
"I'll come back in a few minutes," he said, looked at her briefly and strode to the door.
Then he was gone. Ginny went slowly to an armchair and sat down. Deeply disappointed with Harry, she felt completely left alone. What should she only do? She had to help her father! But her thoughts went around in circles. Ginny drew her knees to herself, wrapped her arms around them and fought against the rising tears. There was nothing she could do. She had not even a wand, after all.
Abruptly Ginny jumped up and ran to the door. Harry had said that the assembly would take place in a quarter of an hour! Desperately, she rattled at the door handle. Yet it was in vain. The door was locked. What, if Harry would not return? When he wouldn't take her along to the assembly?
The thought to be confined to Harry's rooms, while her father ran the risk of getting tortured and killed in the Great Hall, was terrible. Harry couldn't do that to her! She had to be present. She had to…
But Harry didn't come. Ginny leaned against the door and pressed her cheek against the wood. Where had Harry gone to?
After an eternity she heard someone approaching. She stepped back just in time as the door opened.
"Harry!"
But Harry didn't even look at her. He walked so fast that she almost had to run to keep up with him. Halfway, Ginny stopped dead in her tracks. The fear suffocated her. How should she calmly stand by when her father was tortured and killed? How should she bear that?
"Harry! Is there really nothing…nothing we can do to rescue my Dad?"
Harry turned around and came to her. Ginny was startled by the icy cold expression in his emerald eyes.
"We'll see," he said quietly, grasped her arm and dragged her along. Awkwardly, Ginny stumbled behind him.
As they stepped into the hall shortly afterwards every conversation died away. The Dark Lord stood up and looked at them.
"You are late, Henry."
"Forgive me, Father. It will not happen again," Harry said coldly and slightly inclined his head.
The Dark Lord impatiently waved it aside.
"Will you finally sit down? We have waited long enough for you."
Ginny positioned herself next to Harry's throne and let her eyes wander around the hall. But she couldn't see her Dad anywhere.
In the meantime, the Dark Lord continued to speak,
"Today we were as successful as we have not been for a long time. As I have predicted we were invincible! With the help of my son we will destroy the Order of the Phoenix and will raze Hogwarts to the ground. And then nothing and no-one will hold us back anymore! Soon we will conquer the whole world and rule it. Today's victory was only the beginning! But now let us celebrate our victory! Bring the prisoners!"
While a few Death Eaters left the hall, the Dark Lord turned to Harry. Ginny saw how a smile appeared on his face, but this let him look only more revolting.
"I am proud of you, Henry. You have held your own extremely well and contributed much to our victory."
"Thank you. But I only did my duty."
"Although it was strange that the Order was already awaiting us, don't you think, Henry? I wonder how Dumbledore knew it."
Involuntarily Ginny gasped for breath, but Harry's face was expressionless as he met Voldemort's piercing gaze.
"That was indeed strange. Perhaps there is a spy among your followers, Father," Harry replied calmly
"Among my followers?" the Dark Lord repeated with a drawl.
"Yes."
Silently they looked at each other. Only when the Death Eaters returned with the prisoners, Harry and Voldemort ended their soundless fight.
To her great dismay Ginny discovered Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks among the prisoners. Lupin as well as Tonks had been her teachers once, and she liked both of them very much. But when she spotted her father every thought of Lupin and Tonks faded. Suddenly, her Dad raised his head.
"Ginny!" he shouted and began to fight against his bonds.
After that, one of the Death Eaters hit him brutally in the face and Arthur Weasley fell to his knees. If Harry's hand hadn't closed around her arm, Ginny would have run to her father. She opened her mouth to call for him. But she couldn't utter a sound.
"Arthur Weasley is the father of your mistress, Henry? How interesting," the Dark Lord remarked and looked from the red-haired prisoner to the girl who was standing next to his son.
"Why don't you show Mr. Weasley how we deal with our prisoners and torture him, Henry? I am sure that Miss Weasley will admire your skills very much."
Horrified, Ginny stared at Harry. Surely, he would not…
With rigid face Harry raised one hand. Ginny's father fell to the ground and began to scream.
"No! Harry, stop it, please, stop it!" Ginny whispered and tried to wrench her arm free from Harry's grip.
But Harry held her only tighter and forced her down on her knees. He was hurting her. Sobbing, Ginny averted her eyes. She couldn't watch her Dad being tortured by Harry. Even if she hated herself for such a weakness, she just couldn't.
His agonizing screams cut her to the bone. The feeling of helplessness, which had seized her in the dungeons a few days ago, returned with all its might. The coldness surrounding her caused her to tremble like a leaf. And while tears were incessantly running down her cheeks, Harry's betrayal hurt her like a deadly wound. How could she ever have trusted Harry? How could she ever have believed he would help her? How could she have been so blind?
And she had told him everything that she knew about the Order. That she would never forgive herself.
With each scream of her Dad, her hatred of Harry increased. Ginny didn't see what Harry did to her father. Only when the screams broke off and the Dark Lord began to speak again did she look up.
"Your little performance was extremely enjoyable to watch, Henry. Why don't you kill him now?"
As the Order of the Phoenix came together in Hogwarts, a quiet rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance. But none of the wizards and witches paid any attention to the approaching storm. A few made half-hearted attempts to comfort and to encourage each other that everything wasn't lost yet, though it seemed the hope had left every one of those present. They all were deeply grief-stricken over the loss of so many of their members.
"We have to take finally action! I won't let Remus just die!" James Potter shouted, glaring furiously at the assembled people.
"James, calm down. We can't do anything for the time being. Let us wait for Severus' return. He will surely have news," Albus Dumbledore said resignedly.
"News? What news will he have, do you reckon? That Voldemort has suddenly decided to set all prisoners free?"
James stood up and vehemently shook his head.
"No! It's enough! We have waited long enough! We have finally to do something and to put an end to the war. We can attack this wretched castle! It is not impossible! We only have to risk it. I tell you: we can make it! We only have to try it! And I will do it. I'm not afraid. And if I should be killed, then so be it, but I will rescue my wife and Remus.
Have you courage enough to come with me? Or are you all too cowardly to challenge Voldemort?
"I will come with you," Sirius Black said.
"I will, as well," Bill and Charlie Weasley announced at the same time.
"No, that is much too dangerous! I couldn't bear it if I lost you too!" Molly cried and desperately looked at her oldest sons.
"Mum, our sister and our father are held captive there! We have to rescue them," Bill said with calm determination.
"Yes, we will go, too." Fred and George said.
"And I also will go," Alice Longbottom said.
"We will as well," the Changs and the Bells nodded who were beside themselves with worry for their abducted daughters.
More and more people declared their willingness to come along and James Potter could hardly hide his glee. Finally, they were listening to him! Finally, he had the majority of the Order members on his side!
James took a step forwards and shouted,
"Then it's decided! We'll attack Voldemort's headquarters!"
"James, that is sheer madness! You would kill everyone!" Albus Dumbledore protested.
It was futile, however. James and the remaining Order ignored him. James Potter had seized control of the Order and voluntarily he would not give it up again. He would attack Voldemort's castle and no-one would prevent him from doing so.
"What we now need is a good plan!" James continued.
"Any suggestions?"
Ginny's lips moved, but she remained silent. No scream escaped her mouth. She was literally frozen. That Harry raised his hand, she didn't notice. She only saw the glaring green light that was so typical of the Killing Curse. Spellbound she followed the ray of light. Seconds later it hit her father who was lying on the ground.
The Dark Lord smiled and leaned back.
"You all have seen my son. I expect nothing less from you. Enjoy yourselves!" the Dark Lord commanded.
His followers bowed. The prisoners were grabbed and the Death Eaters began to torture or to rape their victims.
"Father, please excuse me. I will return to my chambers now," Harry said.
"Yes… of course, if you wish, Henry. I'm sure your girl will entertain you enough, won't she?"
Harry laughed softly.
"She will indeed."
Harry's words seemed to come out of a thick fog. Though Ginny understood them, they had no meaning to her at all as she stared at her Dad's lifeless body. She hardly felt it as Harry yanked her up and dragged her out of the hall.
Her legs seemed to walk by themselves as they silently went through the corridors. Only as they had nearly reached Harry's chambers did she wrench her arm out of Harry's loosened grasp and look at him. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"You killed him! And I trusted you! I hate you! I hate you!" she screamed, raising her arms.
She wanted to hit him, wanted to hurt him. But she didn't succeed since Harry grabbed her wrists and pressed her close to him.
"Ginny! Listen to me! He isn't dead!" he whispered.
"How could you do that? I trusted you and you just killed him!"
"Gin! Do listen to me! He isn't dead."
Ginny struggled against Harry with all the strength she was capable of and kept screaming at him. She had understood not one of Harry's words. She could only think of the awful green light that had killed her father.
"Be quiet!"
Harry shook her by her shoulders, but Ginny merely struggled fiercer. Suddenly, Harry let go of her and slapped her hard across the face. Staggering, Ginny fell to her knees and gasped for air. Her cheek burned like fire. Blinded with tears, she stared on the ground and when Harry knelt beside her and took her by the shoulders, she didn't struggle anymore. Nothing mattered to her any longer.
"Ginny, your father isn't dead. Please, listen to me," he whispered forcefully and gently lifted her chin up. Blinkingly, she stared into his emerald eyes that had lost any coldness.
"Wh... What?"
"I didn't kill him. It was only a deception."
Ginny shook her head.
"You're lying. I saw the green light," she said flatly.
"Yes, the light was there. But it was not the Killing Curse. I altered the spell. It's Dark Magic and highly complicated. You have to alter the spell during the casting of it. I won't explain every detail to you, now, but it is possible. Believe me, Ginny. Please, trust me. Trust me."
"No one can do such a thing."
"I can. Please, Gin. Believe me."
"I want to see him. Bring my Dad to me," she whispered.
Harry nodded, stood up and helped her up.
"Come. First I'll bring you back to my rooms."
Shortly afterwards Harry urged her to sit in one of the comfortable armchairs and ordered a house-elf to bring a cup of tea. As soon as the little creature had brought the tea, Harry walked out of the room again to return to the hall.
Left alone, Ginny stared at the opposite wall and clutched the teacup with both hands as if she had to hold on to the cup, but she didn't drink.
Could it be true? Had Harry spoken the truth? But how should that be possible? No one was capable of such magic. And yet she clung to Harry's words like someone drowning to a piece of flotsam.
As the door finally opened, Ginny leaped up so abruptly that the cup dropped to the floor. Harry closed the door behind him and after making a sweeping movement with his hand, a figure floating in mid-air became visible. One moment later, Harry laid Arthur Weasley on the settee.
Ginny fell to her knees beside her father. And he was breathing! He looked like he was sleeping. She ran a trembling hand over his forehead. He was warm, not cold.
"Wake him up," she whispered in a voice that didn't seem to belong to her.
Harry shook his head.
"No, Ginny. He needs his sleep. It wouldn't do him any good, if he would get upset now. Don't worry about him. I cast a healing charm on him. Tomorrow he will be feeling better. He hasn't suffered any permanent harm from the torture."
Ginny stood slowly up and Harry added,
"I think we should set off to Hogwarts now. No one will miss us as long as Voldemort and his followers are busy celebrating their victory."
Stunned, Ginny stared at Harry. Then she suddenly burst into tears. With one step, Harry was by her and pulled her into his arms.
"I am so sorry, Ginny. It must have been terrible for you to see him getting tortured and to believe that I've killed him. I'm sorry."
But Ginny couldn't stop crying. In the last hours just too much had happened. All the feelings that had bottled up in her since her abduction, the boundless fear for her father, the pain and the hate as she had believed that Harry had murdered him, swept her along like a wave.
Harry held her very close and whispered over and over again,
"I'm so sorry. I didn't know what else to do."
It took a long time until Ginny's weeping ceased and she calmed down. Exhausted, she leaned against Harry and mumbled,
"Why didn't you tell me that you could do such magic?"
As Harry didn't answer, she raised her head. She was astonished to see that his eyes were filled with pain and there was yet something else: a vulnerability that touched her deeply.
"How could I have told you? Though I knew that such magic existed and I have altered some minor spells in the past, I never before tried to alter the Killing Curse. As I said earlier, it is Dark Magic and extremely dangerous."
Harry was silent for a moment. At last, he said,
"Your father attacked me. I couldn't prevent him from being captured. So I had to come up with something to help him despite it. That you would never forgive me if your father was killed, I knew very well. I knew that Voldemort would torture the prisoners and that then would be the highest chance to save him. That's why I read the book, Ginny. I wanted to assure myself that I wouldn't do anything wrong. But I needed some practice before and so I went to the dungeons. The first time it went terribly wrong. That was a further reason why I didn't tell you anything. I wasn't sure whether it would function or not."
Ginny stared at him.
"You kill people only to try out a spell?"
"It was necessary. Otherwise I would have killed your father earlier. Perhaps there was a better possibility, I don't know. Remember that I didn't have exactly plentiful time to invent a brilliant concept. Anything could have happened, anyway. What if Voldemort had wanted to kill your father himself? Or if he hadn't given the order to me but to one of his followers?
Would this have happened, I would not have been able to help your father. Moreover, I had to practise the spell on someone. Do not waste your pity on the Death Eaters. They deserved it."
"Did they? Do you know that it terrifies me when you act so icy cold, Harry?"
"I was raised as Voldemort's heir, Ginny. Don't forget that. Don't think that I never killed before or tortured anyone. I have…"
Ginny sadly shook her head and interrupted him swiftly.
"No, Harry. Don't say anything more. I don't want to know what you did. It's not important anymore. You've saved my father's life. That I'll never forget, and you saved me, Harry. Forgive me that I doubted you. I should have trusted you."
As Harry laid a hand on her cheek, she flinched. Then she felt the tingling sensation of magic.
"I'm sorry that I hit you. But I didn't know another way to make you listen to me. You were so…"
Harry broke up and they stared at each other.
"Gin, what are you doing to me?" he whispered, and while Ginny was sinking in Harry's emerald green eyes, she couldn't believe it that just a short while ago she had hated him with all her heart. Now, however, everything was forgotten; everything else had become unimportant. But it was impossible for her to love the son of the Dark Lord, wasn't it?
All of a sudden, Harry let go of her and stood up. The magic of the moment was destroyed and Ginny was jolted back to reality.
"Come, let's go to Hogwarts. Or it will be too late."
Ginny nodded.
"Yes, of course. I'll write Katie and Cho a note."
While writing, she asked Harry after the two children of the Muggle family, and she also mentioned both of her teachers.
"Diamond is searching for the children. We'll know soon where they are held captive. As far as your teachers are concerned… I'm sorry, but we really can't do anything for them. It was already difficult to get your father out of the hall. Not all the Death Eaters were busy with the prisoners."
Ginny sighed quietly.
"But when V…Voldemort notices that my Dad has…disappeared? Won't he become suspicious then?"
"He'll have little interest in a dead person, Ginny. Besides, after the party there probably will be several dead people. Nobody will notice if anyone is missing. But now, come. Have you ever flown with a phoenix, by the way?"
