All characters are property of JK Rowling and I do not make a profit from this story.
Beta: Roman's Sundial
Chapter Eleven: The Big Hill
Ron Weasley – Present Day
November 10, 1999
Ron approached Amelia's room cautiously. He saw Jessica sitting in one of the chairs next to the bed, holding the little girl's hand. She had her head down and Ron wondered if she was asleep. He then let his eyes fall onto the little girl. She was so small, lying there motionless. He had anticipated bandages or something to be visible but all he saw was a sleeping child. He looked back over to Jessica to discover that she was watching him.
"Er, hello," Ron said awkwardly. "I didn't know if you wanted me to be in here."
Jessica shrugged. "That Doctor that's looking after her said that the blast hit her chest and he won't be able to do much until she wakes up." Ron nodded as he ignored the voice in his head that was saying if she wakes up. He forced himself to think of something else, but all that came to mind was the conversation he had with his Mother and Harry.
"Er, can you tell me about Amelia's Father?" He asked her.
"Why?" She asked him.
"Sometimes knowing information about both parents can help," he lied, "magic works in many ways."
Jessica didn't question him. "I don't know much about him, I don't even know his last name!" She chuckled. "It was June of 1997, and I went to this empty forest that I read about to meditate."
"Meditate?" He asked her.
"Yeah, find myself. Be one with nature, I guess. Anyway, I set up a tent and started to build a fire, I was getting ready to start my journey I guess you could call it, when I heard someone running towards me. He looked hurt, I saw blood running down his face. I called out to him and asked if he was okay and I guess I startled him because he passed out the minute he heard me. I immediately went to him with my first aid kit and he opened his eyes as I was putting peroxide on one of his cuts. He blacked out after that for about three hours." She sat quietly for a while with a smile on her face, probably reminiscing. "Basically, we spent a month in that tent together," she finally said.
"A month?" Repeated Ron.
"Yeah, I guess we got carried away," she laughed again. "And then one morning I woke up incredibly sick. My gut told me I was pregnant, I don't know how I knew, but I just did. Nigel, that was his name – Nigel, he wasn't there when I got up but that was normal, he usually woke up early to go find food." Jessica paused for a very long time before she spoke again, this time barely audible. "I waited three days, but he never came back."
Ron sat silently before he reached over and grabbed her hand. "I'm not going anywhere," he told her.
"Why?" He understood why Jessica would seem skeptical. The truth was, Ron didn't know why he wouldn't leave. He wasn't Amelia's father and he wasn't Jessica's boyfriend. He cared for her, but not like he cared for Essa or even Hermione. He felt incredibly guilty about what happened to Amelia, but that still wasn't what was holding Ron to her.
"I don't know," he finally answered her. "I just know I won't go."
"This isn't going to be easy, Ron," Jessica told him. No, nothing ever is, he thought to himself. He could see that she was exhausted.
"You rest here for a while, I'll come back in a bit." He exited the room and walked up to Harry and his Mum who were waiting for him.
"Anything, Dear?" His Mum asked him.
He shook his head. "She didn't even know his last name. Said he upped and left one day and never came back."
"Perhaps he was pureblood and afraid of what might have happened if he was with a muggle during the war," Molly speculated.
"He could have been a muggle, Mrs. Weasley," Harry chimed in. "Amelia could be a muggle born."
"I suppose," she replied, however she looked doubtful.
"Well, whoever he is, it is my responsibility now," Ron said.
"Whatever do you mean, Ronald? Surely you don't hold yourself responsible? It was an accident."
"I know that, but someone needs to take care of them, I'm not just going to abandon them." Molly frowned and walked away, mumbling something about getting a cup of tea.
"Did I miss something?" Ron asked Harry, puzzled.
Harry hesitated. "You don't have the best track record mate. Hermione and Essa..."
"Hermione cheated on me with Malfoy!" Ron bellowed.
"Ron, that's not what happened..."
"Oh yeah, defend her. And advocate for your new best friend, Essa, too!"
"Ron, calm down!" Harry said, trying to get his best friend to lower his voice in the middle of the hospital.
"Bugger off, Harry," Ron said angrily. "You're not wanted here."
Ginny Weasley – Present Day
November 17, 1999
Ginny apparated to Shell Cottage after deciding that she would speak to her eldest brother Bill about what she overheard between Charlie and Ron, and demand to know where George was. As she approached the front door however, she heard voices coming from an open window. Not believing her luck again, she crouched below the window sill and listened to what was being said.
"Now, Essa, you cannot be conspicuous at all!" Came Fleur's voice.
"She's right," said Bill. "Thicknesse is already on edge, so he will be looking for any sign of The Order."
"Got it," came what must have been Essa's voice.
"Any sign of trouble, you apparate right back here, and we will deal with any repercussions," said Bill. So, Essa was going undercover, Ginny thought to herself. Since when was she in The Order?
"Right, so for sure he's going to be near the bakery that Tante Renee owns?" Essa asked Fleur.
"Oui, he apparates zere each time."
"Okay, and then?"
"And then we don't know," Bill said sadly. "We lose him after that. He knows none of us should be in France, so he takes off up a hill that is literally in the middle of nowhere. We have no reason to be there and so he is able to just take off and we can't follow him anymore. But you, Essa, you have every reason for being in France, and therefore, maybe you can find out where he is going."
"Got it," Essa replied.
"Essa, be careful!" Came Fleur's voice. Ginny took the opportunity to quickly throw Harry's invisibility cloak over herself and silently followed Essa, Fleur, and Bill to the safe place outside of Shell Cottage that allowed for apparition.
"Don't apparate there in one shot, you can splinch yourself," Bill warned.
"I'll go to Brighton, then Cherbourg, before apparating to Paris."
"Just zee borders will do," Fleur told her. Relief came over Ginny. She could just apparate herself to the borders as well and not have to risk Essa knowing that she was followed. Getting to the specific place in Paris however was going to be difficult. She distanced herself quite a bit from the three of them and found a safe place to apparate where they would not hear her. She arrived at the border of Brighton and waited for Essa to show up. Every city's borders were constantly busy with witches and wizards apparating in and out as it was the safest way to ensure that one didn't splinch themselves. Too many wizards would try and go across countries in one shot but would usually leave an arm or a leg behind. Recently, the wizarding world was informed that there would be designated apparating areas at every city's border to allow for witches and wizards to apparate from city to city until they reached their destination without being splinched. She saw Essa arrive a few feet away from her. Safe from being seen whilst under the invisibility cloak, and surrounded by many apparater's to mask the sound of her apparating as well, Ginny apparated to Cherbourg and waited for Essa once again. It was only a few moments before Essa arrived. Now this was the difficult part; Ginny needed to apparate with Essa to ensure she arrived at the right place. She quickened her pace to reach Essa and gently grabbed her wrist just as Essa disapparated and arrived in Paris. Ginny stood very still and waited to see what Essa would do. Although hidden under the cloak, she knew that Essa felt her grab her wrist and therefore Essa knew someone had tagged along with her. Deciding that there was probably a security risk, Essa disapparated again, probably going back to Shell Cottage to tell Bill and Fleur what she had felt. This worked out better for Ginny. She looked around her and saw a small bakery to her left. Les Bonbons de Renee. That must have been the Delacour's aunt's bakery. To her right was an open field with a large green hill at the centre. So large in fact, that what lay on the other side of the hill remained unseen. She heard an apparating sound behind her and turned to see none other than Pius Thicknesse. She watched him look around before he set off towards the hill. Taking a deep breath, Ginny followed behind him, still under the cloak, and ready to finally get some answers.
Neville Longbottom – Present Day
November 17, 1999
"And remember, so long as you annunciate correctly and focus, you should be able to transfigure any liquid item in to a perfect solid." Neville noted everything that McGonagall was saying; He was only at level six in Transfiguration and knew if he didn't move on soon, his Gran would not let him hear the end of it.
"Dismissed." Everyone rose and headed towards the exit, Neville included, until he heard McGonagall call him.
"Mr. Longbottom, a word, if you please." Nervously, Neville approached the Professor's desk. Professor McGonagall made a great deal of looking for a piece of parchment in one of her desk drawers. The entire room was empty except for the pair of them before she acknowledged him. "My apologies, Mr. Longbottom, I needed the classroom to be empty. I would prefer not to discuss Order items here at Hogwarts, but sometimes we haven't a choice." Neville nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. Talking about the Order was something he could handle quite well, being scolded for his grades, on the other hand, was rather difficult and happened quite too frequently since he entered Hogwarts at eleven years old. "As you are aware, the Ball is approaching. Now I try and make it a habit of not getting involved with my student's personal lives but I take it that you do not have a girlfriend?"
"Uh, no, Professor," Neville answered awkwardly.
"Well perhaps it is for the best then, as the Order requires as many members as possible to be present."
"Uhm, why, Professor?"
"I do not always question Potter's or Kingsley's requests, I trust that they know what they are doing, as should you."
Neville nodded. "Yes. Professor."
"Very good. Now then, a student from Durmstrang or Beauxbatons may only attend if accompanied by a Hogwarts student. In that case, I would like for you to take Ms. Essa Delacour."
Neville frowned. "Won't Ron get mad?"
"It is an Order matter, I'm sure Mr. Weasley is mature enough to understand that."
"Okay." Neville turned to leave. As he reached the door, McGonagall called him again.
"Mr. Longbottom, do try and work a little harder, you should be nearly done Hogwarts, not still in my level six class."
"Yes, Professor." Neville walked out of the room and pulled out his galleon. How was he supposed to ask Essa to go to the Ball with him? Surely the Order would have told her too? Realizing he didn't even have Essa's galleon serial number, he decided to apparate to Grimmauld Place after classes, hoping that someone there could help him out.
Harry Potter – The Past
May 3, 1998
Harry lay wide awake on his four-poster bed in Gryffindor Tower. A large portion of Hogwarts Castle was destroyed thanks to the previous night, yet he still felt comfort in being there. Most students had left to go visit with their families, or mourn the ones that they lost, but this was Harry's home and so this was where he had decided to stay. Not surprising considering what had occurred the night before, Harry couldn't sleep. He put on his robe and headed out of the empty dormitory to the Gryffindor common room. He found Hermione sound asleep on the couch. She had been the only other Gryffindor to stay behind, having no family at the moment either. Harry sighed as he watched her brow furrow in her sleep. It was his job to take care of her now, as she had no family thanks to him. He sighed again as he covered her with a blanket, thinking of all the people that had lost family members thanks to him. He allowed his feet to take him wherever they wanted to go, and he ended up standing outside of the Great Hall. For the first time since he had ever been at Hogwarts, the doors of the Great Hall were locked. Knowing what was behind the locked doors, Harry withdrew his wand and pointed at them. "Alohomora," he said quietly. He heard the doors unlock with a click and he pushed his way in. It was a horrible sight. Rows upon rows of bodies laid on the ground, all waiting for their families to prepare proper burials for them. He walked slowly among the rows, filling him with more and more despair as he walked on. All these people were dead because of him. They all fought while he roamed the castle searching for the final horcrux that would take Voldemort down for good. He had to do it, he knew he had no choice, but all these dead people were the consequence of what he had to do. He inhaled deeply as he looked to his right and saw Lavender Brown, almost unrecognizable. It was as if he had raised his wand himself and casted Avada Kedavra on her. Perhaps it would have been better, he thought, looking at how badly Fenrir Greyback had mauled her. He moved on stopping every so often to look at someone specific. It was difficult to look at everyone, but it was so much worse when he was looking at a student. So young and innocent, and now gone, all because of him.. He reached an empty spot where he knew Fred had been the previous night. The Weasley's had already taken him to his Auntie Muriel's house, where he would lay until his funeral the next day. He looked at the person next to him and saw two very familiar faces that caused quite a dull ache in his heart. He knelt down beside Remus Lupin and his wife Tonks, and he fought back the tears. They had just had a baby, Teddy, and had made Harry Godfather. Tonks shouldn't have been here, he thought, she should have stayed home with Teddy. At least then Teddy would have his mother. Harry silently made a promise to Remus and Tonks that Teddy would never grow up without love. He would always know how brave his parents were. Harry swore that Teddy would not grow up like he, Harry, had. He stared at Remus for awhile. "Well, the Marauder's are finally together again," he whispered to him, thinking of his father, James, and his Godfather, Sirius, and hoping that they would forgive him for sending them their friend at such a young age. He got up and continued walking. He could not believe how many students there were; A variety of red, yellow, and blue, and even one green was lain among the dead. He stopped abruptly at one small boy with red robes. At this point, Harry lost control. The tears rolled down his face and he started to sob uncontrollably. What had this poor little boy done to deserve such an untimely death? Harry thought back to his second year at Hogwarts, when he had first met his number one fan. He felt sick to his stomach thinking about people idolizing him. He wasn't a hero, he was a murderer! All these deaths had happened because of him, and now this poor, innocent boy... Harry sobbed uncontrollably. "I'm sorry!" he shouted. "I am so, so sorry!" he cried, as he hugged tightly to the body of little Colin Creevey.
Author's Notes: You will start to see other character's perspectives slowly pop up, such as Neville. There are plenty of characters that I will focus on eventually; Remember that I go all the way to the year 2017 and I'm currently only at 1999!