All characters are property of JK Rowling and I do not make a profit from this story.
Beta: Roman's Sundial
Chapter Twelve: Choices
Ginny Weasley – The Present
November 17, 1999
Ginny followed Pius Thicknesse for what felt like miles. She had wondered why he did not apparate closer to his destination, but when she reached the bottom of the big hill, she felt the wave of magic hit her. Clearly non-apparating wards had been set up. This must be where Grindelwald is hiding, she thought, there was no way there would be this much security otherwise. She continued to follow him quietly, still under the protection of the invisibility cloak. It was incredibly windy; Ginny kept holding the cloak down, praying that the wind would not expose her feet. She followed Thicknesse until he arrived beside a small little house, very similar to that of the Shrieking Shack. This was Grindelwald's hideout, she knew it in her gut. Slightly nervous, but full of excitement, she headed towards the front door, hoping to slip in with Pius before he closed it. Suddenly, she felt her pocket grow hot. She would have ignored it, but the galleons do not stop producing heat until a message was read, so she grabbed her galleon and glanced quickly before returning it to her pocket, but the message she received from Ron made her stop dead in her tracks.
Come to St. Mungo's. Now.
What had happened? She briefly looked up at the house; She was so close, how could she just leave? She had to think of her family first, however, and at least now she knew where the hideout was and therefore could return later. She turned and ran back towards the big hill, climbed over it back to the bakery, and began apparating back until she arrived at St. Mungo's. She had put the cloak back into her bag at some point between apparition spots at the borders, and met with her brother just outside of the muggle ward.
"Ron, what is it, what's going on?"
"Okay, so it's a long story but I'm sure your perfect little boyfriend will fill you in," Ron said angrily. "Basically, I have a muggle girlfriend, I broke up with Essa, my new girlfriend has a daughter who is a witch, but they don't know that. Well, her daughter got a hold of my wand and caused an explosion and now she's unconscious and the Healer's don't know what to do."
Ginny stood there stunned; That was plenty of information to take in at one time. "What can I do to help?" she finally said.
"Mum was here and has been talking to her for the last week or so, so I think she has the situation under control."
"Wait, a week? You haven't bothered to tell me any of this for a week?"
Ron ignored his sister. "So Mum said I have to go to the stupid Ball coming up, uh, Order stuff, can't tell you why, but she's convinced Jessica, that's my girlfriend, that she should come with me and it would be good for her to get out for awhile. Mum promised to stay with Amelia and would owl us if anything changed." Ron finished.
"And what exactly do you need me for?" Ginny asked, annoyed.
"You need to take her home and help her get ready. She doesn't have anything and you are about the same size."
"Seriously?"
"Mum said so, Ginny, so just do it!"
Ginny was infuriated. So this is what her family thought of her. She wasn't important enough to know about her own brother, there wasn't a point in informing her about Ron's situation, and now she has to play dress up with some muggle? She turned angrily on her heel and headed towards the girl Ron had pointed to.
"Hey, Ginny, one more thing," Ron called to her.
"What?"
"She doesn't know Amelia is a witch, so keep it that way, will you?"
Ginny smiled and walked toward Jessica. Her family, just like Harry, were not going to appreciate the new Ginny Weasley.
Harry Potter – The Present
November 19, 1999
"The Ball is tomorrow and she has no idea why her boyfriend isn't going to be there with her. We have to tell her." Harry nodded in agreement to what Charlie was saying. The two men sat in the kitchen of the Burrow awaiting Mrs. Weasley's arrival. The Weasley matriarch had been going back and forth between Grimmauld Place and St. Mungo's to check on George and Amelia, that she was rarely home these days. Charlie, however, had owled her to meet him and Harry at the Burrow today to discuss something important.
"Hello Charlie, Dear!" came Mrs. Weasley's voice as she entered her kitchen and kissed her son. "And Harry, Dear, how are you?" she asked as she went over to kiss him as well.
"Fine, Mrs. Weasley, how is Amelia?"
"She's the same, I am afraid, as is Georgie."
"It will work, Mum," Charlie assured her.
Molly beamed at him. "Now boys, what is it that you need? We have an Order meeting shortly, and I dare say, Harry, that you have a Ball to prepare for tomorrow?"
"It is about the Ball, Mum," Charlie started. "Did you know that George has a girlfriend?"
"Well, no, I didn't. Why aren't my sons telling me these things?"
"I can't speak for Ron, but George was quiet about it because it's Angelina."
"Angelina?" Molly repeated. "Fred's ex-girlfriend?"
Harry nodded. "Mrs. Weasley, she's been messaging his galleon for a very long time, Charlie has it and has been reading all of the messages. She's concerned."
"And very distraught, I would say. She needs to know, Mum."
Mrs. Weasley sat silently for a long time. "Can we trust her?" she asked, turning to Harry.
"Definitely. Hermione has told me how to charm our conversation so that she cannot repeat it. Only I can speak about it to others without the hex affecting me, but I think you should be here. She's going to need support."
"Alright, let us meet with her then."
Charlie took George's galleon and messaged Angelina.
Please meet me at my parent's house.
It wasn't long before they heard someone apparate nearby, followed by hurried footsteps. "George!" came Angelina's voice, followed by herself rushing into the kitchen. "Oh, hello," she panted. "I was looking for George."
"We know, Dear," said Mrs. Weasley. "Have a seat, there is something we need to tell you."
"Is everything okay?" she asked, concerned.
Both Molly and Charlie stared at Harry, and Angelina followed their gaze. He took a deep breath and began. "George is a member of the Order of the Phoenix and was working on a project for us," he started, choosing his words carefully. Molly and Charlie nodded in encouragement behind Angelina. "George is asleep," he finally said. He watched Angelina's facial expressions change from concern to confusion. "It's not like being petrified or anything," he rambled, trying to figure out the best way to explain this. "It's a new spell, and I'm sorry, but that's all I can say. We are going to wake him, we are working everyday on the counter curse but for right now..."
"He's asleep," she finished for him. Harry nodded, she was completely understanding of the odd situation. "Can I see him?" she asked, looking around the room.
"He isn't here, he's at headquarters," Harry told her.
"Can I join?" she asked. When nobody responded, she stood up. "I understand that although Voldemort was a large threat, he isn't the only one. Harry, I stood and fought next to you and the Order proudly, and I would love the chance to do it again. And George... He's sacrificing his well-being for this cause, let me be beside him. Let me help him fight!" she looked at Molly. "Let me see him," she added quietly. Molly Weasley embraced Angelina with tears in her eyes. Behind them, Harry and Charlie nodded in agreement.
"Come with me, Angelina," Harry said to her. "It's time to induct you into the Order of the Phoenix."
Ron Weasley – Present Day
November 19, 1999
This week's Order meeting was coming to an end. Today they had inducted a new member (Angelina Johnson) and then began the meeting by listing all of the magical locations they had checked and failed to find the location of George's soul or whatever it was that was gone. He heard Essa then start saying something about being followed when she went on her mission. The members around him seemed to have been worried, but truthfully, Ron didn't care. None of this Grindelwald situation mattered to him at all. George and Amelia were all that he cared about at the moment. He hadn't realized that the meeting had ended until he looked up and saw everyone leaving. He made to leave himself until he felt a hand lightly grab his shoulder.
"I am very surprised with you, Mr. Weasley, and that is saying something with the amount of students that I deal with on a daily basis."
Ron looked at Professor McGonagall with a quizzical look. "What did I do?" he asked her with a little more attitude than she was used to.
"Mr. Weasley, I am quite aware that you do not like to pay attention in my classes and am familiar with your habits when you are choosing to disengage, but I am surprised that you would select such behavior at these meetings, particularly with the situation that your brother is in."
"I don't care about these meetings!" Ron almost shouted, not caring how rude he sounded at that moment. "My brother's body is laying in a bed upstairs with all of his insides missing! And I'm supposed to care that Essa thought someone grabbed her wrist?"
"Yes, Mr. Weasley, you should absolutely care! I understand how you must feel right now with that little girl at St. Mungo's, oh yes, I know all about it," she said when Ron gave her a questioning look. "It is a difficult time for you with having to deal with her and your brother and school and the Order, but it is a responsibility you must take upon yourself and do what is needed of you."
"I didn't ask for any of this!" he shouted.
"No, one usually does not ask for a full plate. I, for one, did not ask to be Headmistress, Professor of Transfiguration, and an active member of the Order of the Phoenix, but here I am doing what is necessary."
"You don't have to do all of those things, you choose to," Ron grumbled.
"As deputy Headmistress, should anything happen to the Headmaster, it was my responsibility to step up. Should I have abandoned all the students that needed my help? When the Carrows were torturing innocent students, should I have chosen to let them? Many times, Mr. Weasley, choices are already made for us, even if it seems that we do have the ability to decide. I decided to walk the path of light and not darkness and therefore had everything chosen for me from that point on. What path do you walk, Mr. Weasley?" When Ron didn't answer her, she continued. "I should hope it is light. Now stand up tall and take Ms. Johnson upstairs to see your brother. I shall see you tomorrow at the Ball, Monday in class, and at every Order meeting listening intently. And I shall forget the ignorance you portrayed today."
Ron watched her walk away, disgruntled. It was easy for her to say, all she had to do was teach a bunch of students, she didn't lose people close to her. He walked up to Angelina and grabbed her arm. "Come on," he mumbled, "George is this way."
Hermione Granger – The Past
September 17, 1999
Hermione sat at The Three Broomsticks drinking her butterbeer and reading Hogwarts: A History for what must have been the hundredth time. It was very different reading the book post-war, knowing that many of the beautiful features described in the book no longer existed, thanks to the battle. Still, it was a nice memory for her and a great distraction from her current situation.
"I vould haff thought you had that memorized by now. At Durmstrang, we haff to haff it memorized by our first year."
Hermione smiled at the familiar man in front of her. "Actually, it's not a requirement to read at Hogwarts, I just love it. I've read it at least seventy times."
The man chuckled. "It is vonderful to see you, Hermione."
"And you too, Viktor," she said, as she stood up and hugged the famous international quidditch player, Viktor Krum. "What brings you to Hogsmeade?" she asked him.
"I vas told a very pretty vitch vould be here today, vaiting to haff a drink vith me," he said to her.
Hermione laughed, "Is that so? Well had I known the Bulgarian Seeker would have been here, I would have brought a second book. I hear he likes to sit in libraries and read."
He smiled at her. "If I am to be honest, I only sat in that library for hours to see you, I vould prefer a broom over a book any day."
She laughed again. "Well you definitely had me fooled!"
"Good! So how are things wiff you? It has been vay too long."
"They… Well actually, they could be better, but I'm okay, trying to finish up school and move on to other things, you know? Trying to do some work at the Ministry as well as St. Mungo's."
"Are you seeing anyone?" he asked her.
"Wow, abrupt, aren't you?" she said, with a hint of a smile in her eyes.
"The last time I saw you at Fleur's vedding, you vere vith Veasley."
"Uh, no, definitely not with Ron! I was, but that didn't last very long."
"Sorry to say but I am happy to hear that," he said as he slowly moved his hands across the table towards her. "The truth is, I haff not stopped thinking about you, Hermione. I vould haff told you all this sooner but I thought I vas too late." Hermione caught on to what he was trying to do with his hands and she slowly retracted hers. That however did not seem to stop Viktor. "Vould it be too forward if I asked you to haff dinner with me?"
"Viktor," Hermione started. "That's really sweet but I actually just got out of a relationship."
"I am not asking you to marry me, not right now at least," he said with a wink. "But our time spent together during the tournament vas not enough time for us to get to know each other and I vould really like to get to know you much better." He took Hermione's silence as a way to go ahead with some plans. "How about two days from now? I vill meet you here, yes?"
"Two days from now is..."
"Your birthday, I did not forget."
Hermione smiled. It really was sweet of Viktor to try and do something special for her birthday, and she could really use a distraction from her broken heart. "Alright," she gave in. "Two days from today."
Author's Notes: I don't know about any other writer who works with Krum, but writing in his accent is hard. I catch myself missing W's all the time! On another note, I've been asked why we do not see much interaction between Ron and Hermione. To answer that, Ron, first off, does not forgive Hermione for kissing Malfoy, and we all know how well Ron can hold a grudge! Secondly, Ron isn't focused on much right now except for George and Amelia. Give it time, there will be plenty of interaction between them eventually.