Chapter Forty-Nine: Châtelaine in danger
Ginny loses control. There are repercussions.
(i) The characters and world of Harry Potter are the property of J.K. Rowling. I make no money from this.
(ii) Thank you to all the readers who have stayed with me through the writing of this tale. Your patience has been amazing and your continuing reviews are so appreciated.
Hermione felt pleased at the way she'd handled the confrontation. Nothing said, just a bit of Malfoy snootiness and she was passed the youngest Weasley. She always felt so awkward when walking through the Common Room. Even though so many months had passed, the younger years still treated her like some celebrity, worthy of horrified fascination, while the sixth and seventh years, who were influenced by Ginny and Romilda twittered behind her back. But Gryffindor Tower had been her home for longer than it had been Ginny's. She was not going to let the red-head drive her away.
But it was hard. Sometimes, she really wished she wasn't so bloody-minded. She could so easily move out into a supposed private chamber, closer to the teachers. And yet, she didn't want to. Hermione always felt like shaking the young woman. Didn't she realise that her thinking was just as ignorant and as prejudiced as that of the purebloods who had followed Voldemort?
She allowed the two fifth-year girls to precede her before lifting up her skirts to climb out of the portrait hole. She never heard the hex, but suddenly a burning sensation began low in her back and all she could feel was fire, fire in her nerves, fire in her flesh as she lost control of her body and fell into unconsciousness.
Severus had just finished some correspondence, the last thing on his plate before making his way to the Great Hall, when he felt the portrait network come to attention with a roar of agitation. He immediately knew something was up.
"What is it?" he demanded, coming to his feet and pushing his chair back in one smooth move.
"Miss Granger," said Headmaster Black's portrait urgently. "She's been hexed. Hurry."
Severus didn't need to be told twice. Before the former Headmaster could say more, Severus was rushing out of the Headmaster's Office.
He dashed, not minding that he was causing passing students to gawk, as fast as he could to Gryffindor Tower. The portraits kept up their information flow, letting him know that Minerva had been contacted as well.
He didn't care that he was panting as he ran. He could feel his soul bound wife's pain through their connection. She was in darkness, and the pain was a flame that ate at her.
He felt the pulse of their magic flare when he finally had her in his arms. He knew the students were watching him, some open-mouthed, as he carried her to the Infirmary. But he was not going to give in to their speculative glances and use a spell. The comfort of having her in his arms, his skin, touching her skin, even as the hex ravaged her and made their connection send arrows of white hot flame through his bones was enough to keep him going. He reached the Infirmary to find the doors wide open and Amadeus Wandsworth leaning against the wall.
At the sight of the Headmaster and the heroine of the Golden Trio Wandsworth immediately straightened. "Madam Pomfrey wasn't here, sir," he said, flush bright in his cheeks. "But the doors opened magically and I think the portrait of the bald wizard has gone to get her."
Severus just nodded and proceeded into the Infirmary. He was just laying his precious burden down onto the empty bed nearest to Madam Pomfrey's desk when he heard the Floo activate.
Poppy had not had any students in the Infirmary for once. She'd therefore made her way to the Great Hall early. She had just started reminiscing about the Valentine's customs of her day with Pomona and Kingsley when the call for her had been sent. Blinky, the house-elf assigned to the Infirmary popped in discreetly to tell her she was needed immediately. The matron arrived by Floo, Pomona and Kingsley who had heard the house-elf's message, immediately behind.
Poppy had her wand out and was casting diagnostic spells even as she approached the bed. Her eyes scanned the readings that hovered over the prone form of Hermione, even as she frowned and continued to cast more spells.
"What in heaven's name happened, Severus?" she demanded once her spell-work was done. "These readings are of Dark Magic. Soul splitting magic."
Severus looked as aghast as Poppy. "I only know that Ginevra Weasley was the caster. Apparently she lost control and hexed Hermione in the back as she was stepping out of the portrait hole in Gryffindor Tower."
"Ginny!" growled Kingsley in dismay. "And I thought Nott was actually getting through to her."
Severus ignored the dark wizard. He was too busy doing his own diagnostic spell-work. Finally he sighed in frustration. "These are charms I've never performed." He scowled fiercely while his mind worked on what to do.
"Tansy, Twilly, Winky," he called out seconds later.
The three elves popped in almost immediately. It was obvious they had been awaiting their master's call.
"Tansy, bring Lucius and Narcissa here. Twilly, please go fetch Healer Lestrange. Winky, I want you to bring Bill Weasley."
The elves popped out directly. Their worry apparent in their large, expressive eyes. Tansy especially looked like she'd been weeping. Her eyes red and puffy.
Kingsley nodded as if he understood the path Severus' mind had taken. Lucius was well known as being an expert in Dark Charms, he would hopefully know what the young woman had used.
Ginny refused to turn around, even as she heard someone enter the dorm-room. She continued to stare out of the window onto the torch-lit Quidditch pitch.
"Miss Weasley, Ginny," said the Deputy Headmistress, forcing herself to be gentle, "what did you do?"
Ginny shrugged. She didn't want to turn around and face the hatchet-faced meddler.
Minerva found the young woman's attitude infuriating. But she tried her best to be calm. Getting worked up would not help matters. "Come, now, child, you need to tell me what hex you used on Hermione."
Ginny shook her head. She didn't want to think about the cow.
"Is it fatal? Will she die?" The Head of Gryffindor could feel her own anger and Darkness rising. She bit it back furiously. "Do you want her to die? Do you want to go to Azkaban?"
That got Ginny's notice. Furiously, she turned to look at her professor. "It shouldn't kill, her. I don't think."
"What did you use?" Minerva asked again. She knew if she didn't get answers soon that Severus would have Kingsley question her. If the Aurors, the Ministry got involved, things were only going to get worse. Not that there really was a way to avoid that now, but still – the sooner Hermione could be healed, hopefully the less severe the sentence would be.
Ginny looked down at her feet. She was dressed in a short strappy dress the colour of rubies with high black heels on her feet. She sighed. "Just a hex I learnt in first year. I think, no," she sighed, "Tom taught me that."
Minerva gasped. "Then how do you know it isn't fatal?"
Ginny looked at her. Her eyes were swimming in a myriad of emotions. "The Malfoy bitch should pay for what her father did. He's the one who gave me that diary. He's responsible for what I used."
Minerva's gaze sharpened further. "I agree. But Lucius is paying and has paid for his sins. That doesn't excuse what you've done, young lady. Now what was the hex?"
Ginny could feel the Darkness beckoning her to raise her wand and cast the hex once more on the interfering do-gooder that was the old biddy before her.
Perhaps something of that leaked out because before she could do anything further.
Minerva raised her own wand. "Petrificus Totalus."
Ginny starred at her Head of House in shock, even as her body slowly tottered rigidly before starting to fall onto the floor.
Minerva halted the fall and encased the young woman in magical ropes. Once Ginny was secured, she levitated her and began to make her way out of the dorm-room and then, Gryffindor Tower. She knew that most of the students of her house had idealised Ginevra Weasley because of who her ex-boy-friend and brother were. The younger students congregated in the Common Room looked on in alarm at seeing their icon, in many ways, being removed in this shocking manner. But their Head of House had no time to smooth over worried feelings. She had to get the young woman to the Infirmary and to the questioning that awaited her immediately.
By the time Minerva had reached the Infirmary, the entire castle was buzzing with the news of the Châtelaine's situation.
Lucius, Narcissa and Draco had already arrived at the castle when the news started circulating around the gathering. From portrait to portrait, from student to student the gossip was spreading like wild-fire. They were just discussing, with Astoria and Luna, if they should make their way to the Infirmary when Tansy arrived to fetch them.
The house-elf's distress was apparent. Narcissa didn't wait for Tansy to speak. Her arrival was self-explanatory. "Are we needed?" the blonde asked. "Are we all needed?"
Tansy shook her head. "Master asked for Madam and Sir."
Narcissa nodded and extended her hand. Lucius followed, placing his hand on top of his wife's.
Draco, Luna and Astoria were left to watch the elders vanish by elf-apparation.
"I don't like this," said Luna. She sounded distressed. But then, she could hear the castle, weeping, needing its Châtelaine to be healed.
Luna's silver grey eyes were wide with unshed tears as she turned to grasp the hands of Draco and Astoria. "We need to go. She needs us."
A/N: Love it or hate it, please let me know what you think.