Chapter 4: Caught
Luna's disappearance troubled Ginny all the time during the Christmas holidays. It did not help that a large explosion was heard from the direction of the Lovegood house a few days after Christmas. After Ginny's father went to investigate he said that Xenophilius Lovegood was being carted off by Death Eaters, and that their house was in ruins, but that there was no sign of Luna. Ginny had not expected there to be any, since Ginny had not heard anything from Luna since her disappearance from the Hogwarts Express.
The silence from Luna was unnerving. Ginny didn't know whether Luna was alive or dead by now. And Ginny couldn't stop the feeling that Luna's disappearance was somehow her fault. Every time she tried to think back to what had happened, all she could come up with were very confused images, but nothing that could help Ginny determine what had happened. The last thing she remembered clearly about Luna was the argument they had before she was taken. She could not even remember clearly if Luna was in front of her, or behind her when walking back to the compartment.
Soon rumours flew around that both Harry and Hermione had been spotted in the Lovegood house just after the explosion. This confused Ginny, what was Harry doing there? And where was Ron? When she asked her parents about this they said they didn't know, just that it meant that their ruse was still working, and that Ron was still 'ill with spattergroit'. But Ginny remembered that Snape also didn't have any news on Ron, and she wondered not for the first time if he was even with the trio, or – Ginny shuddered at the thought – alive.
Sooner than Ginny would have liked it was time to return to Hogwarts. For the first time since her first year she truly considered not going back. But she knew she had no choice in the matter, since attendance was 'mandatory'. And not going now also meant betraying TEA, something she did not want to do. Her resolve to go back almost broke when her mother was fussing more then ever before the train left King's Cross.
The train ride back to Hogwarts was a solemn one. Neville hadn't heard anything from Luna either. Surprisingly, he did not blame Ginny for Luna's disappearance, but he seemed very down.
"I wish I could do something," Neville said softly on the train ride.
"We can't. All we can do is continue our efforts for the DA and TEA, for both Harry and Luna," Ginny said, just as softly.
Neville nodded and got a determined look in his eyes.
Once they where back at Hogwarts, it became apparent that the Carrows had reached new levels of cruelty. This became obvious after Neville's first detention. When he did not return after one hour from the detention Ginny and the rest of the DA searched the castle low and high for him, till they found him chained in one of the dungeons. Ginny didn't ask what had happened in detention, but a long gash had scarred Neville's face ever since.
The Carrows also took to practicing the Unforgivables, and taught them to the students. They were supposed to practice on those who had detention, but everyone from the DA refused. Some who were in TEA did practice, but that was more out of fear, Ginny concluded. This refusal led to even more detentions for most DA members, but somehow Ginny seemed to avoid the 'dungeon treatment,' as most students started to call it when students were chained in the dungeons.
All this did nothing to stop Ginny from running both the DA and TEA, and to Ginny's pleasure, all students trained with extra vigour, even the 'Death Eater children' as Ginny came to dub them. And so the weeks went by. The DA took to freeing any students in the dungeons and disrupting as many detentions as they could. Post-Cruciatus Potions where brewed at all hours, but also any healing potions that where in Snape's old potion book were brewed around the clock.
~O~
"All right, people, today we are going to learn the counter curse to a truly dark curse," Ginny began the last TEA meeting before the Easter holidays. Snape had not been able to make it to this meeting, but Ginny was not worried about that. Snape hadn't made it to many meetings after the Christmas holidays.
"I'm going to teach you the counter to Sectumsempra. Sectumsempra is a deadly curse, it causes sword gashes to appear on your victim. The only counter curse that will leave no scars is Vulnera Sanentur which has to be repeated multiple times," Ginny explained while pacing in front of the students.
"However, even the counter can't replace any appendages that have been cursed off," Ginny continued, thinking about George's ear.
"After the counter curse is applied it is likely that the victim still needs medical attention in the form of blood replenishing potions, and maybe even some dittany," Ginny said.
"Now, I don't..." Ginny began, but never finished, because at that moment Dobby appeared in front of her. He looked highly agitated about something.
"What is wrong Dobby?" Neville asked, concerned.
"They are coming, Masters Carrow are coming!" Dobby wailed while banging his head on the floor.
This announcement was met with astonished silence.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, RUN!" Ginny shouted, finally getting out of her shock. The effect was immediate. Everyone darted from the room, except for Neville who stayed back.
"Go ahead Neville, I'll be fine!" Ginny nearly shouted, but nodding towards Dobby. Neville looked like he wanted to stay behind, but Ginny gave him a glare that would have driven braver men to run. Neville nodded reluctantly and left.
Ginny looked down at Dobby and gently set him down.
"Dobby, thanks for the warning. Whatever happens next, it is not you're fault. You are not to punish yourself, understood?" Ginny asked gently. Dobby nodded and disappeared. Without a second thought Ginny ran for it.
Just as Ginny rounded the corner so she could hide in a nearby bathroom she tripped.
"Trip Jinx, Weasley!" the voice of Pansy Parkinson sneered at Ginny.
Before Ginny could get up the Carrows appeared. Ginny knew she couldn't get away any more, and that she was in deep trouble.
"Good job, Parkinson," Amycus said sweetly.
"You come with us now," Alecto said, grabbing Ginny hard by her hair. Ginny bit back a scream of pain.
Ginny was dragged to the dungeons and chained to the wall. Ginny did not know what was coming, but for the first time she was truly afraid. First Parkinson approached her and punched her in the face, hard. Ginny felt her nose break.
"That was for what you did on the train!" Parkinson said menacingly. Ginny was confused, what had she done on the train? If she had gotten Parkinson with some good curse it was well worth it, she thought dimly.
"Now, you were telling lies to all those students weren't you?" Alecto asked menacingly while approaching Ginny.
Ginny however stayed silent. She was not going to answer anything.
"We'll make you talk yet!" Amycus said just as menacingly, his face so close to Ginny's that she could smell his breath. But still Ginny did not say anything.
"Very well, if you want it like that. Crucio!" Alecto crowed, pointing her wand at Ginny.
At once Ginny's body erupted in pain and she screamed. She had been under it before, but it was never this bad. Her arms ached from being chained to the wall, only adding to the considerable pain. She could feel the chains digging in her flesh when she tried and failed to curl up in a ball to block out the pain.
Finally, after what seemed hours, Ginny finally lost consciousness, and she lost herself to blissful oblivion.
~O~
When Ginny awoke she was no longer chained to a wall, instead she was slumped in a chair in the Headmaster's office. Snape was sitting behind his desk, studying Ginny intently. Ginny tried to move or speak, but found she couldn't even blink without pain shooting trough her body.
"Drink this, it will help," Snape said, handing Ginny a potion she recognized as Post-Cruciatus Potion.
Ginny tried to lift her arm, but quickly dropped it again when she found that action hurt a lot.
Snape nodded in understanding and tipped the potion down Ginny's willing mouth. The effect was immediate. The pain when she moved lessened considerably, but it didn't go away completely.
"You were under the effects of the curse for a long time, I'm surprised the damage isn't any worse than it is," Snape said softly.
Ginny merely nodded. She was too exhausted to talk.
"It was Yaxley, Selwyn and Rowle who betrayed your little group. They gave one of their necklaces to one of the Carrows," Snape said, staring at Ginny intently.
Ginny wanted to speak up, but couldn't.
"What I heard however is that the Carrows had to torture it out of them," Snape said shaking his head sadly.
Ginny again merely nodded.
"We need to get you out of the castle before the Carrows find out that I helped you," Snape said seriously.
Ginny wanted to protest, but found she couldn't summon the energy to do so.
"Dobby packed your trunk and sent it ahead to this office. You will Floo within the next thirty minutes back to the Burrow," Snape continued, pointing towards a trunk and a pot of Floo powder.
"I have the only fireplace in this castle that is not monitored, fortunately," Snape said.
Ginny again nodded and made to stand up, but she found that her legs wouldn't support her full weight. She would have crashed back to the ground if she had not grabbed the chair she had sat in.
Snape nodded and quickly moved around the desk and helped Ginny to the fireplace, then sent her trunk ahead, before pushing Ginny into the fireplace.
"Tell your family to go into hiding," Snape said, picking up the Floo powder. He threw the Floo powder into the fire place and said "The Burrow", and the next thing Ginny knew she was flying through the Floo network to her home.
~O~
"GINNY!" a voice shouted, and the next thing Ginny knew she was hugged by a very distraught Mrs. Weasley. Ginny flinched at the pain that the contact brought.
Mrs. Weasley released Ginny and studied her intently.
"What happened, dear?" she asked worried.
"We... need... to... get... into... hiding..." Ginny rasped hoarsely before she lost consciousness again.
~O~
The next time Ginny woke she was in a bed, and she saw that her mother was sitting next to it with a worried expression on her face.
"Ah, you are awake," Mrs. Weasley said, relief clear in her voice.
Ginny wanted to speak, but all that escaped her was a cough.
"Here, drink this," Mrs. Weasley said, holding out a potion.
Ginny drank it and found that her throat was not as dry as before.
"Where am I?" Ginny asked, finally looking around the room and seeing that she wasn't in her room at the Burrow, nor chained to a wall.
"We are at Great Aunt Muriel's," Mrs. Weasley said.
Great, from one hell to another, Ginny thought grimly.
"How are you feeling, young lady?" Mrs. Weasley asked sternly.
"I've been worse," Ginny said, assessing everything. She seemed to be able to move everything without much trouble. In fact she felt more alive then she had felt in months.
"What happened?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"All I remember is that I had detention and that I was chained to a wall," Ginny said, now more confused then ever. Mrs. Weasley merely nodded, as though that only confirmed her suspicions.
"You are not returning to that school till this war is over, understood?' Mrs. Weasley asked sternly. Ginny could only nod.
"I brought you some breakfast," Mrs. Weasley said while summoning a platter with sandwiches.
Ginny ate them with gusto. She hadn't realised how hungry she was.
"Where is everyone?' Ginny asked between bites.
"Fred, George and your father are here. Harry, Ron and Hermione showed up at Shell Cottage while you where out," Mrs. Weasley said seriously.
Immediately Ginny sat up straight and was out of bed at once.
"I have to see them!" she said, looking around for clothes.
"You will do no such thing young lady!" Mrs. Weasley said giving Ginny a patented 'Molly Weasley glare'.
"But mum..." Ginny whined.
"No, you are not leaving this house till the war is over, and that is final!" Mrs. Weasley said dangerously. Ginny knew better then to argue and slumped back on the bed.
~O~
The following weeks were the most boring weeks of Ginny's life. The only entertainment to be had was the twins driving Aunt Muriel crazy. The only consolation was that she now knew that Harry, Ron and Hermione were all safe and well.
Things became a little interesting when Mr. Olivander arrived shortly after Remus Lupin left after announcing that he was the proud father of a blue haired baby. He had come by to announce that Ginny was to be the godmother of young Teddy, as the baby was named after Tonks father, who was killed earlier in the year. Bill also told Ginny that Luna and Dean had arrived with Harry, Ron and Hermione. This brought great relief to Ginny. At least now she knew that Luna was still alive.
But after that little excitement it became even more boring then before. It was on the first of May that Luna and Dean came over. Ginny rushed over to Luna and gave her a big hug.
"What are you doing here?" Ginny asked, nonplussed.
"Harry, Ron and Hermione left this morning and I think Bill and Fleur wanted some privacy," Luna said matter of factly.
"They left?" Ginny asked incredulously. They left without letting her know again? Did Harry even care about her?
All through this Dean stood awkwardly to the side.
"I'll just drop of this luggage," Dean said pointing to two rucksacks.
Ginny just nodded and dragged Luna of to the room she used at Auntie Muriel's.
"Snape was watching the TEA lessons wasn't he?" Luna asked the moment Ginny closed the door.
Ginny spun to look at Luna incredulously.
"Yes, he was," Ginny said defiantly, daring Luna to comment on it.
"Figured as much, he really did love her then," Luna said softly.
Ginny took a while to figure out what that meant.
"You knew all along, didn't you?' Ginny asked incredulously.
"I suspected, you just confirmed it," Luna said shrugging.
"Look, Luna, I'm sorry..." Ginny began.
"Don't Ginny, you are not at fault, you were protecting a confidence," Luna said seriously.
"I was talking about your capture," Ginny said.
"That was not your fault either, you fought quite valiantly, caught Parkinson with your bat bogeys,"
Ginny sighed in relief, at least she had tried to help.
The rest of the day passed quickly. Ginny had not realised how much she missed the company of a girl her own age this last month to just talk with.
It was just as Ginny was getting ready for bed that her DA coin heated up. Ginny gasped at the message she read on it.
Harry has come to Hogwarts. We fight!