Chapter 9: Aftermath
Ginny woke up in a warm, soft bed. She opened her eyes to a tall vaulting ceiling. Where was she? Sunlight was streaming into the room. Then she remembered. The Chamber. Harry with the sword. The basilisk, dead. The diary. Tom.
Ginny squeezed her eyes shut as memories flooded her mind. She needed control. Tom told her to picture a small fire… but could she trust it? Could she trust anything Tom ever told her? She felt tears bubbling up inside her. She would use Bill's trick instead. She took a deep breath but got caught midway through and narrowly avoided sobbing.
Bill had told her to first find something she knew. Her name was Ginny Weasley. Breathe in; breathe out. She was at Hogwarts. Breathe in; breathe out. She was in bed in the hospital wing. Breathe in; breathe out. It's close to the end of term. Breathe in; breathe out. She opened the Chamber of Secrets. Breathe in; breathe out. There was a Basilisk inside. Breathe in; breathe out. She used it to attack other students. Breathe in; breathe out. Harry killed the basilisk and saved her. Breathe in; breathe out. Tom, her friend, was using her. Breathe in; breathe out. Tom tried to kill her. Breathe in; breathe out. Tom was Lord Voldemort.
Ginny opened her eyes again and looked around the hospital wing. Her parents were sitting in a pair of chairs next to her bed, both fast asleep. She turned her head and saw that all the other beds were unoccupied. She breathed a sigh of relief. The mandrakes worked. Her victims would be okay. Even Harry and Ron were not there. Ginny supposed they weren't hurt severely when rescuing her. That was good.
She lay her head back down on the pillow and closed her eyes again, remembering the events of the last night. Most of it was still a blur. She remembered Tom seizing control. He had given up on trying to conceal his actions by then. He was going to kill her anyways. She remembered writing the final message on the wall in her own blood. She looked down at her arm and saw the cut was completely healed. Not even a scar. Of course, the real scars wouldn't be healed with a charm, potion, and bed rest.
She remembered Tom opening the Chamber and bringing her down. By the time she reached the atrium she was so tired. Tom receded from her mind, and she was in control again. However, she was exhausted, and the diary fell from her hand. She tried to walk away, but she collapsed on the second step. Then the pages of the diary fluttered, and Tom climbed out into the real world. His smile, so certain, so confident, so cruel. The mask he always wore when talking with her, finally falling away. He looked down at her and said, "Goodbye Ginerva." Her vision blurred and the world faded to black. She knew the last thing she would see was Tom's eyes.
Then, somehow, Harry was there, and Tom was gone. The basilisk lay with claw marks on covering its yellow eyes and a large cut piercing its head. Her diary – Tom's diary – lay in inky water with a basilisk fang resting in the middle. Then there was a phoenix, the Sorting Hat, Ron, and suddenly she was with her parents while Harry told Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall what happened in the Chamber. Then, Professor McGonagall was guiding her with her parents to the hospital wing. Ginny didn't remember what she said, but Professor McGonagall assured her she wouldn't be expelled. Then she was lying in bed with her parents clutching her hands tightly while Madam Pomfrey gave her some potion to drink. Then, darkness.
She looked over at her parents, still asleep in their chairs. What would they think? How would they react? What about her brothers? What about the rest of Gryffindor? Hogwarts? How much did they know? What would Bill say? What did Harry think of her? Bloody hell: this was a mess.
Well, waiting would make nothing better. May as well bite the bullet. Shit, that was one of Tom's phrases. This is going to be so much harder than she thought.
Ginny sat up in bed, and her mother's eyes snapped open. "Ginny! Arthur, Ginny is awake. How are you feeling dear?"
"I'm alright," Ginny lied. "How are Ron and Harry? What about Colin, Mrs. Norris," – Ginny tried to remember the names of her other victims. Percy's girlfriend. – "Penelope and Hermione?"
"They made a full recovery. They've already been released from the hospital."
Ginny gave a sigh of relief. "What is going to happen to me?"
"Nothing. No one blames you for what happened. Although we are going to need to have a conversation about magical artifacts, young lady."
"Molly," Ginny's father cut in. "Now is not the time."
"Right. We just want to give everything you need to recover. Is there anything I can get you?"
"Not really."
"Do you want to talk sweety?"
"No. How long will I have to stay here?"
"Madam Pomfrey said you can leave when you feel better. Although we need to discuss if you want to return home instead of staying."
"I'm staying."
"Ginny, we should discuss this."
"I want to stay. I don't want my entire year to be controlled by him. I want some time to just be a first year. Is that alright?"
Ginny's parents looked at each other. Her mother looked conflicted, but her father answered, "Yes. I think that's a good idea."
They fell silent for a few minutes. Her mother tried to start up a conversation, but her father gave a small cough and she fell silent, which Ginny greatly appreciated. Madam Pomfrey then arrived and discussed her condition with her parents. She walked into her office and returned with a series of small vials.
"How are you feeling, Ms. Weasley."
"I'm okay, I guess."
Madam Pomfrey nodded. "You'll be alright. It just takes time. If you need someone to talk to, I am at your service."
"Thank you."
"Your parents tell me that you would like to return to your dorm to finish up the term."
"Yeah."
"Alright. I expect you may have some trouble sleeping over the next few days. Here are a few vials of dreamless sleep potion. If you need, take one per night. Do not take more than one. Am I clear?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Dreamless sleep potion can be addictive, so I am only giving you enough for the week. If you are still having trouble sleeping, please come to see me, and we can reassess then."
"Thank you," Ginny replied. Her parents and Madam Pomfrey walked into her office to talk, and she changed into her school robes. They said goodbye to Madam Pomfrey and left the hospital wing.
In the hallway outside, Ginny turned to her parents and said, "I know that you are planning on walking me back to the common room, but I'll be alright. I just need some time on my own. I have a lot to process."
Her mum was going to object, but her dad placed a hand on her arm. Instead, she said, "Alright dear."
Ginny walked forward and gave both her parents tight hugs. "I love you Mum. I love you Dad. I'll be fine. I'll see you in a couple weeks."
"If you need anything, send an owl, and we'll be right here."
"I know. Thank you," Ginny said with a sad smile. She then waved goodbye and turned to walk away. Before rounding the corner, she looked back to her parents, still standing by the doors to the hospital wing. She gave them another smile and wave before vanishing from view.
Ginny did not go back to the common room. She was not ready to face everyone. However, she also could not run into her parents again before they left, or they would insist on escorting her back to the care of her brothers. Instead, she climbed to the only place she could be certain she would not be disturbed: the top of the astronomy tower. She walked over to the parapet ringing the tower, climbed on top of it, and closed her eyes. The sunlight shone on her face. The warm wind whipped past her, lifting her hair in the air. It was almost like flying. She was floating up away from the dungeons. Away from the castle. So high that nothing could catch her. No one could touch her. Not her well-meaning parents. Not her brothers. Not Tom.
Of course, she was not really flying. She was sitting on the edge of the tower which, despite having an impressive view, was firmly on the ground. In that moment, she wished she was home. She wanted to bundle up in her room and never leave again. Never be hurt. Never hurt others. Never be betrayed. Just hide under the covers on her bed until the monsters went away. Until her brothers came to chase them away. But monsters were real, and she was one of them, and there was no one who could change that. She could not hide forever. It was time to face everyone.
When she reached the common room, she was almost disappointed to find it almost empty, but it was not completely vacant. Sitting in the chair by the fire curled up with a heavy tome was one of the people she most needed to apologize to. She walked over and said in a nervous voice, "Hi Hermione."
"Oh. Ginny! How are you doing," Hermione asked with a voice full of concern.
"What do you mean 'how am I doing'? How are you doing? I am so so so sorry."
"There is no need to apologize. I'm alright."
"Of course I need to apologize. I stole a month from you."
"Ginny. Please sit down. You're making me nervous," Hermione said with a soft smile, gesturing to the empty chair across from her. Ginny sat hesitantly, still tense in case she needed to leave quickly. "I know about the diary and Riddle. Harry and Ron told me everything. You're more of a victim than I am."
"Oh no. They told you! Who else knows?" Ginny said, bolting up from the chair.
"Ginny. Sit." Hermione ordered. She reached over and gave Ginny's hand a comforting squeeze before continuing. "The school doesn't know. From what I understand, only you, Harry, Ron, and I know everything that happened. Harry told the abridged version to Dumbledore, McGonagall, and your parents. I think Ron told Fred, George, and Percy, but that's it. No one else knows. Professor Dumbledore made an announcement at the feast that you were safe. The school knows that the monster was killed, and they were told you were just the final victim. I'm sure no one will be spreading the story. No one else needs to know unless you want to tell them."
"I don't know. I need to tell them. It was my fault…"
"It was not your fault."
"Yes, it was. If I had been less trusting of the diary. If I had been brave enough to tell someone once I started to suspect things. If I was smart enough to actually dispose of it properly. If I had gone right to Professor McGonagall instead of trying to tell Ron and Harry. If I had just been a bit stronger…"
"Ginny. Stop. You can't blame yourself. You did everything you could. Maybe you should be blaming me instead?"
"How in Merlin's name does that make sense?"
"If I had put the pieces together sooner, I could have stopped it. If I had figured out it was a basilisk sooner, we may have prevented Hagrid getting arrested, Penelope from being attacked, and Riddle from trying to kill you."
"But there is no way you could have known or changed anything."
"Exactly. I've read a bit about survivors of trauma. The thing almost everyone does is blame themselves and wonder how they could have fixed things. Ginny. It was not your fault. If there is anyone to blame, it is Riddle and his diary. I don't blame you. The only one who blames you is you. We're all just happy you are alright."
Ginny nodded. There was nothing else she could say. Rationally, she knew Hermione was probably right. Ginny just didn't feel that way. "So where is everyone else?"
"Harry and Ron are with the rest of the Quidditch team playing a scrimmage match down by the pitch. I'm not sure where your year-mates or Percy are."
"I think I know where Percy is," Ginny replied. He was probably with his recently unpetrified girlfriend. "Why are you sitting here?"
"I've been unconscious for the last few weeks. I have a lot of reading to catch up on, and my mind needs some exercise."
Ginny rose to leave, but Hermione asked, "Are you going to tell everyone?"
"I'm not sure yet."
Ginny decided not to share what happened with everyone. She was not sure if it was because deep down, she was a coward or because Hermione's points had made sense, but she chose to let the decision stand. Penelope, Nearly Headless Nick, and Justin Finch-Fletchley did not seem to know her beyond being a member of the Weasley family, so Ginny felt safe not sharing. She would leave the past in the past. (Shit. Another of Tom's stupid phrases.) Mrs. Norris seemed to recognize her and bolted whenever their paths crossed. However, she was just a cat, after all, and Filch would probably murder her if she told him she was responsible.
The real problem was Colin. While all of her year mates generally avoided her – after all, she had behaved fairly unusually for most of the year with her head always in her diary, compounded with her subsequent 'kidnapping' – but Colin seemed afraid of her. Whenever she entered the room, he would try to quietly slip out as soon as possible. Even worse, Ginny was not sure what to tell him. He obviously remembered something, but she could not remember anything about the night he had been attacked. Then again, her memory from the past year was full of holes so that was to be expected.
The solution turned out to be a bit of brute force. Colin liked to take pictures of Quidditch matches, so Ginny just camped out on the most direct route to the common room and waited. Soon enough, Colin appeared with his camera, and Ginny grabbed him, shoving him in the nearest classroom and casting a locking charm on the door.
Colin's face went pale and he begged, "Please let me go. I won't say anything."
"Look. I'm sorry for grabbing you, but I have been trying to talk to you, and you've been avoiding me."
"I'm sorry about the photo. If you still want me to go to Professor McGonagall to confess, I will."
This was not how she expected this conversation to go. Ginny asked, "What in Merlin's name are you talking about?"
"The photo of Loony… Luna that I had in the common room, the night I was attacked. You left to go to the Ravenclaw common room, and I was attacked while trying to get to the hospital wing to visit Harry Potter. You had some grapes you thought he would like."
"What photo?"
"It was one of Luna looking like a fool. It was stupid, and I have been trying to work up the courage to apologize to her since I woke up. I don't have it anymore. You took it. Don't you remember?"
"Not really. Honestly, my memory of the year is a bit spotty at the moment."
"Oh. So you're not going to hex me?"
"No," Ginny said. She canceled the locking charm on the door. Colin did not know she attacked him – well, Riddle attacked him using her – so it would be better not to bring it up. She was going to take Hermione's advice and just try to move forward.
Colin started to leave but asked, "If you didn't want to talk about the photo, why did you want to talk to me?"
"Oh. It's nothing. I'll see you around Colin."
Ginny returned to her dorm room, dropped her wand on the nightstand, and fell onto the bed. What happened that night? She wracked her brain but came up blank. Based on what Colin said, it seemed like she was mad at Colin for bullying Luna, and Tom stopped it by having Colin petrified. Why would Tom care?
Ginny slammed her hand against the bed in frustration. The thud made her wand slip from its precarious position on the nightstand and roll under her bed. Ginny swore and fished around under the bed for her wand. She pulled out a couple of socks and a crumpled piece of paper before finding her wand. It wasn't a piece of paper. It was a photo. She smoothed it out and watched as Luna petted something invisible before falling into the mud. This must be the photo Colin was talking about. No wonder she was angry. They were bullying Luna, but why would Tom care? Actually, now that she thought about it, she had only seen Luna once since the train ride, and then, Luna had been running away from her.
There was only one explanation. She needed to find Luna. She found Fred and George sitting in the corner of the common room, and they broke away from their conversation with Lee as she approached. "I need to know how to get to the Ravenclaw common room."
"Do you want us to take you," Fred asked.
Ginny shook her head. "I just could use some directions."
"Ravenclaw Tower, fifth floor. There should be an eagle knocker on the door. Sadly, we don't know the password. You'll need to try to get someone to let you in."
Ginny thanked the twins and made her way to the Ravenclaw common room. It took her a few minutes to find the knocker, and she banged on the door a couple of times until it swung open to reveal a girl with dark brown hair. Ginny thought she was one of the first years. Something Palmer. Anne maybe?
"Is Luna here? I need to talk to her."
"Why," the girl replied.
"There's something I need to clear up. I'm a friend of hers. Can you please get her?"
The girl looked at her puzzled. "I know who you are Ginny Weasley. I also know that Luna won't want to speak with you after everything you've done."
"What? Just ask her. She'll talk to me," Ginny replied. As soon as the words left her mouth, doubts started to creep in. Luna ran away from her after Charms.
The girl left and returned a couple minutes later. "She doesn't want to speak to you."
"Come on. I need to hear that from her."
The girl shook her head. "Luna made herself clear. If you told me why you wanted to see her, I may be able to convince her."
"Fine. You want to know why," Ginny replied, holding up the photo. "I just found this Apparently it came from your house, and I want to see if she is alright. Loony Lovegood. What is wrong with you people. She is in your house! How could you bully her like this!"
"I'm not, and you're a few months late to change anything."
"She is my friend."
"I used to think so, but do you have any explanation for everything you put her through this year?"
Ginny paused a bit at a loss for words. She didn't do anything to Luna. She had not even seen her for more than a few minutes all year.
"I thought not," the girl continued with a sigh. "I don't think you should come by here again. It's best if you just leave her alone." The door slammed shut in Ginny's face. She pounded on the door, but it refused to open.
What the bloody hell did Tom do?
The rest of term felt a bit surreal. Unable to make contact with Luna in school, Ginny resolved to stop by her house after term when her stupid guardian was not present. Her year mates still behaved weirdly around her, so Ginny eventually gave up. It was something to work on when everyone returned after summer holiday. This meant she was spending excessive amounts of time alone, with her brothers, and with her brothers' friends. They were a bit hesitant to leave her alone, but she was alright with that. Ginny did not want to spend too much time thinking. It was cowardly but the better option.
Fred and George pulled a few small pranks like charming her hair to stand on end every time she touched a doorknob and turning her bed hanging a bright purple – although she had no idea how they got into her dorm room in the first place. The pranks were funny, familiar, and plainly comforting. While she still had to chase them around the common room when she discovered the pranks, casting a few particularly nasty hexes she picked up (ironically that they themselves taught her), at least it got her feeling something. Joy. Anger. Excitement. And when she needed to be alone, they gave her space, and when she felt lonely, they were always nearby for a game of Exploding Snap.
The person she wanted most was Ron, but he was the most oblivious. It seemed as though he did not know how to deal with her. While he was fine when others were present, the few times she was able to get him alone, he looked uncomfortable and practically fled when she let him go. Ginny honestly did not expect anything different, but it still hurt.
Percy, meanwhile, had the opposite problem. He was somehow always there offering help when she didn't need it. It was almost like he thought she was made of glass, about to shatter at the slightest disturbance. When she pushed him on it, he admitted that he felt it was his job to keep an eye on her. He was a prefect after all and the only responsible Weasley currently in Hogwarts. Whenever she tried to convince him that what happened to her was not his fault, he would agree, but stay there, keeping an eye on her. Eventually, she got tired enough to stick Hermione on him.
The first week was as good as could be expected. While she felt a bit empty inside, she put on a smile and everyone seemed to accept it. She could almost convince herself it wasn't all an act. At least, until the Dreamless Sleep Potions ran out.
She was standing in her room in the Gryffindor Tower. All around her were the usual beds, made up and unoccupied. She walked down the stairs until she reached the common room. There was a fire in the fireplace, but otherwise the room was empty. Except for one armchair, its back turned toward her. She crossed the room with her wand in her hand. There he was, leaning back in the chair, his fingers tented.
"Hello Ginerva."
Ginny bolted up in bed covered in sweat. No. He couldn't be there. Tom was dead. Harry had destroyed the diary. She caught her breath. A quick glance at the clock informed her that it was two in the morning. She had gotten less than three hours of sleep.
The dream was the same as before. She had been writing in the diary for a couple weeks when they started. Tom said it was because of how close they had become. Part of the charms on his diary. The gullible fool she was, she had just accepted it. Of course sharing dreams made sense. It had been so nice to meet Tom face to face: to be able to talk to him like a real person, not just a book. He had even been able to help her with her class and spell work. It didn't happen every night as it generally made her a bit more tired than usual, but she really appreciated all the effort he made. Tom was her friend, but it was all a lie.
Ginny was unable to fall asleep again that night, and she was waiting outside the hospital wing when Madam Pomfrey opened the doors at seven. "How long have you been here?"
"Just a couple minutes," Ginny replied. In reality, she had been sitting there for just over two hours.
"How are you feeling Ms. Weasley?"
"I'm alright. I just ran out of dreamless sleep potion last night, and…"
"You had a nightmare?"
"Yes."
"Were you able to get any sleep?"
"A couple hours."
"Bed," Madam Pomfrey ordered. Ginny sat down as Madam Pomfrey cast a series of diagnostic spells. "While it may be of little comfort, physically, you are in good health. Now, I take it you would like additional Dreamless Sleep Potions?"
"I think so."
"The standard dosage of Dreamless Sleep Potions is about ten days uninterrupted. Longer time spans runs the risk of addiction. Taking a break, as you did last night, mitigates the risk. With continuous monitoring, it can be used for up to twenty days continuously. That will take you until the end of term. However, I will not continue to prescribe it when you return home. You are going to have to face your nightmares eventually, Ms. Weasley. I am willing to provide you with enough to reach the end of term, provided you come in for checkups every other day."
Ginny thought for a minute, but she quickly concluded it would be better to deal with nightmares at home than have her dorm mates start wondering about her. "I'll take it."
