A/N: Hey, we're back. We have been gone a long time, since we kind of lost heart. Also, real life happened. But we've got a new chapter now, and more on the way! We will finish this. Though it will probably happen faster if you review more. Also, for those who have questions, please log in or include your email address in the review, because apparently doesn't like us to post our answers here. Anyway,

Disclaimer: J.K.'s.

12. – The Not Totally Unexpected Turn of Events

In which there is a cliffie – a real one...

Harry and Ginny trudged on at a brisk pace, until they reached the edge of the cliff.

"The cave is supposed to be near a rock that's shaped like a badger," Harry said.

They lit their wands and started walking along the edge. Apart from the waves breaking far below, the only sound was that of their footsteps.

"It's too still," Ginny muttered. "It's unnatural."

"It's alright during the day."

"Do you think he's setting us up?"

"I don't know. He might be. I didn't really have a lot of choice though – it was the only thing I could do."

"Yes, I know. Are you okay now?"

"What? Oh, yeah, I guess."

"I'm so happy we found you," she said quietly.

"Yeah, so am I. I probably wouldn't have made it as far as the goblin cave without you."

He slung an arm around her shoulders and she took hold of his hand.

They strolled on, chatting about inconsequential things. Although a potentially dangerous task lay ahead of them, it now seemed like more of an adventure than the looming threat it had been before.

All good things must come to an end however, and eventually they reached the badger stone. Ginny looked around.

"Where did he say the cave was?"

"Right under our feet. The opening is in the cliff face, so we'll have to find a way to climb down."

Ginny peered over the edge.

"Is there a password to open it then?"

"Yes, the Malfoy told me – but I think we shouldn't say it until we've reached where the opening's supposed to be. Otherwise they might ambush us."

"You don't think they'll do that anyway? And how does the Malfoy know the password to the cave?"

"He said they'd had dealings."

"Did he," said Ginny, frowning. "Look, I still think this is a trap of some sort."

"You know, it probably is."

"We should have told Ron to free Hermione and then we could all go home."

"I don't think Hermione would leave without that potion. She has her heart set on it. You didn't see her after she was bitten. She's been a wreck ever since."

"Is that why you didn't tell us about it?"

Suddenly there was a dangerous edge to her voice.

"Well… yeah," said Harry gingerly, knowing he was treading on very thin ice. "She was unbelievably upset. I've never seen her like that before."

"So you just decided to go back in time more than three hundred years without even leaving a message?" she was speaking calmly and almost deliberately, but there was a strange tremor in her voice which Harry recognized as a prelude to one of those famous Weasley tantrums.

"She told me she'd left Ron a message…"

"A message he couldn't read!"

"What?"

"It was in code Harry!"

"Oh – oh, of course, she was supposed to have handed back the time-turner to the ministry and the owls are still being intercepted. I'm sorry about that."

"I have been out of my mind for over two weeks, thinking you were dead! And all you can say is you're sorry?"

"No… Ginny, I really am, I wanted to tell you but – how do you think I've been, cooped up in that dungeon for two weeks? I thought I'd never see you again!"

"I – oh no…" she stared at him for a second, her eyes wide, before collapsing against him, sobbing. He held her tightly, also feeling his eyes prick.

"She wouldn't have told me either," he explained after they had both calmed down. "I found out by mistake."

Ginny wiped her puffy red eyes.

"But why didn't you tell us?"

"She didn't want anyone to know, at least not until she was absolutely sure there was no cure. I couldn't betray her confidence."

"No," she sighed. "I suppose not. But going back in time just the two of you, didn't that strike you as a bit risky?"

"You did it, didn't you?" he said, amused.

"That's completely different!"

"Did you think you'd actually find us when you went?"

"Well, that doesn't matter. We did find you, didn't we? Besides, that's not the point. Don't change the subject."

"Well, what is the point then? Do you even know?"

"The point is, Harry James Potter, that you should have taken us with you from the start, and I don't care what your excuses are."

"We couldn't take you with us. You were in Romania."

"You should have sent us an owl, and we'd have come back at once. And I don't care if the ministry is intercepting owls," she cut in, as he was about to speak. "You could have just told us you were in trouble."

"I know," said Harry, because he did. "I realized that as soon as we came here, or rather as soon as the Death Eaters surrounded us, and I think Hermione did too."

"Yes, where would you be without us?" she said, smirking.

"Oh, stop it. Anyway, how do you suggest we climb down? Do we know any good sticking charms?"

"Yes, I stuck Collin to the common room ceiling once, and it took them hours to get him down."

"They don't need to be that good," he said hastily.

However, as it turned out, they had no need for any sticking charms since there were hand and foot holes cut into the rock. Harry laboriously lowered himself over the edge, feeling around with his feet until he found the holes, and slowly he made his way down. Ginny followed suit.

Pretty soon, he stopped abruptly, and almost slipped as Ginny trod on his head.

"What is it?" she asked.

"There aren't any more footholds. I think this is where the opening is. So, I hand over the money, and if anything seems to go wrong I give you a signal and you jump in and help me out."

"The element of surprise, eh?" said Ginny, grinning. "It has to work sometime of course."

"Well, if you have a better idea – "

"No, no, I think that sounds alright. Go ahead."

Harry cleared his throat.

"Whither go the shellfish," he said.

They heard a loud rumble coming from deep below, and a fissure appeared in the cliff's face right next to where he was situated. Breathing a sigh of relief, Harry clambered over and slipped inside the opening.

He found himself in a huge grotto. Stacks of wooden crates lined the walls and a few torches flickered feebly, barely giving him enough light to see by. There was no trace of any goblins.

"Hello?" he called out tentatively.

He thought he saw movement out of the corner of his eye, but when he turned around, pointing his wand in that direction, there was no one there. He heard the sound of shuffling footsteps some distance away, but couldn't determine where it came from. Growing more nervous every minute, he stood perfectly still, listening intently.

He had the feeling he was being watched. There were no goblins to be seen, but he wasn't alone.

"Hello?" he repeated, hoping his voice didn't sound as pathetic as he felt. "I – I'm here about Malfoy. I have the ransom."

For a moment longer, the eerie silence remained. Then, all of a sudden, there was a loud series of thumps as dozens of goblins dropped from the ceiling.

Harry was surprised, to say the least.

The goblins got to their feet, dusted themselves off and encircled him. One of them stepped forward and snapped its fingers. The torches instantly flared up, illuminating the cavern more thoroughly. The goblin then turned to Harry, fixing him with its beady gaze.

"What's that you said?" he asked.

"Er – I said, I'm here about Malfoy. I came to bring you this."

Harry handed over the bag of galleons. The goblin opened it and peeked inside, looking astonished. At what, Harry wasn't sure. They had been expecting the money, hadn't they? Perhaps the goblin was startled to receive it from him instead of the Malfoy… or perhaps there was something else in the bag?

"All right," it said. "I understand."

Then it shouted something in Gobbledegook, in a loud, harsh voice which caused Harry to jump - and all at once there seemed to be a lot of sharp, shiny things pointed his way.

"We had a hostage, you know," the goblin said, smiling. "But we got bored with him, so we tossed him into the sea."

"You - what?"

"We don't really need Malfoy's money anymore, do we? Annoying him is more fun anyway."

Harry didn't like where this was going.

"But he helped you before, didn't he?" he said, stalling. "He gave you money, and you took his nephew hostage when he stopped. Wasn't that what you wanted? More money?"

The goblins laughed.

Harry was annoyed with himself. Of course they wouldn't let him get out alive. He should have realized that. He should have listened to Ginny from the start… Ginny was still clinging to the cliff outside. He hoped she would stay there where she was safe, but somehow he doubted she would.

"Since I really don't have anything to do with this, can I just... leave?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

The goblin grinned, displaying an impressive set of razor-sharp teeth.

"No, you can't leave," it cackled. "See, you could give away our location. Besides, Malfoy still owes us. We might as well call in the debt from you."

"Reducto!"

The yell came from the mouth of the cave, and Harry would have whirled around, had he not been busy fending off the goblins which were now swarming around him. Anyhow, he didn't need to.

"Ginny! I said wait for the signal!"

"You weren't going to give it, you stupid prat!"

"I was about to –"

"You were about to get killed!"

They didn't have time to continue their argument. More and more goblins kept coming at them, springing up from trapdoors and hidden passageways. Before long they were both surrounded again, focusing only on staying alive from one moment to the next. This wasn't a new situation for either of them, although the circumstances were rather unique. They were back to back, firing curses in every direction, but the goblins, although not completely impervious to them, did seem to be able to deflect and dodge their spells very effectively, and they had a magic of their own.