"Neville's dead."

Bill nodded. He didn't seem surprised. "Do you believe me now? Leave, or it'll be you next."

Hermione looked up at him. She still looked pale - she'd spent the night in the bunk over Neville's, which had made climbing down that morning a fairly horrifying experience - but her voice was strong. "Bill, please, I know you know more about this than you're letting on. It wasn't a normal monster. It was too personal for that. He saw a toy monkey he'd been scared of when he was little. What is this place?"

"I tried to tell you." Bill sighed. "Look, sit down, all of you. Robby, go and keep an eye on Ginny." The house-elf disappeared into the kitchen, and Bill looked around at his unwelcome guests. "I told you about the monsters," he said softly. "There's some kind of magic here that I don't understand. There's a cave in the woods to the east of here, and if you go inside, you hear things. Voices, I mean. They talk about when they lived here, like ghosts or something."

"Well, ghosts aren't-" Harry began.

"These aren't Hogwarts ghosts," Bill cut him off. "They never wanted us here. I think they still think of this place as their home, and we're coming in and taking it away from them."

Hermione frowned. "So, what, the ghosts send out the monsters to attack people?"

"I asked them about the monsters, once. It was just after Fred and George went - by that time, there weren't many of us left." Bill sat back in his chair, folding his hands carefully in his lap. "I went down to the cave and asked them if they were the ones attacking us, thinking that if they were, I'd ask them to let the rest of us be. After all, it's not as if we could leave. But they said it wasn't them. They created the monsters, but they said they didn't control them after that. They said the monsters came to us because we drew them."

"Drew them?" Malfoy echoed. "That's mad. Anyway, if everyone draws them, how come they've left you and Ginny alone? I don't suppose the ghosts ever cleared that up for you?"

Bill sighed deeply. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to tell this part of the story," he said quietly. "But there's a test. Something you have to do, in the cave. They say it proves whether or not you're strong enough to control the monsters."

"Control them?" Hermione leaned forward, her face eager. "You passed the test? You can control them now?"

"Don't get too excited," Harry said, drawing his wand and looking straight into Bill's eyes. "If you control them, then you're the one who sent them after Neville. Bill, I'm placing you under arrest for murder. We're leaving. Now."

"No!" Bill gripped the arms of his chair. "Harry, listen to me, it's not like that. I don't control them, I'm just strong enough to resist them. I passed the test, but only just. If you're determined to stay here, I can't protect you. It takes all I have just to keep Ginny and me safe, and I've been fighting like mad for three years to get stronger, to keep them even further away, because I knew there'd be people coming back here someday and I didn't want it all to start again. I have gotten better. I'm ten times as strong as I was the first time I took the test. But if you're going to stay here, the only hope you've got is for one of you to pass it."

The three of them looked at each other, then back at Bill. By silent agreement, Harry asked the question. "What sort of a test is it?"

Bill shrugged. "Mental strength, I suppose. It might be courage. You have to face the ghosts, in whatever form they come to you. It's like having a vision. At first, you feel as if you've gone mad. You have to stay long enough to understand it, to see what the vision means. If you understand it, then you can find the way to end it, and you've passed the test. If you can't-" He looked away. "Percy tried it, a week after I did. We found him the next morning. It was... bloodier than usual. I think it makes you weaker, and they can smell it. If you fail the test, it brings the monsters faster."

"I see." Harry exchanged glances with what was left of his crew again. "Do you think any of us could pass it? I don't want to take an unnecessary risk going into that cave."

"You're taking an unnecessary risk just by being here," Bill said harshly. "The three of you hanging around, tramping all over their ground - you're practically begging to be next, all of you. You're upset about Neville. That's only sensible. But the only way to keep yourselves from being next is to leave."

"We should wait." It was Malfoy who had spoken, authoritative, making it sound like the decision was made once and for all. "I think our first priority needs to be getting Miss Weasley out of here. If you-" he nodded at Bill- "want to stay here, it's your business, but I can't stand by in good conscience and allow you to make the decision for her. If she stays here, she's evidently in great danger."

"I'm afraid he's right," Harry put in, leaning forward. "We should take Ginny back to headquarters as soon as possible. Could she come in here, please?"

Bill sighed and leaned back in his chair, craning his head around toward the kitchen door. "Gin!" he called. "Come in here, would you? The situation's changed."

She appeared in the doorway almost immediately, wiping her hands nervously on the front of her trousers. "Is something wrong?" she asked, glancing around the room, then froze. "Where's Neville? What happened? Bill, you swore..."

"You swore?" Harry asked quickly, looking back up at him. "What did you swear, Bill?"

"Nothing." He cast an annoyed glance at his sister. "I told her I'd do what I could to keep you lot safe. Obviously, I couldn't do enough. If you leave, though..."

Harry sighed. "We're not leaving yet, Bill. Malfoy's right. Let us take Ginny out of here, and then we'll negotiate with you to figure out what happens next. Whatever it is, I don't want her here for it."

"I'm not a kid, Harry." Ginny glowered at him. "I can take care of myself. I don't need you baby-sitting me."

"Ginny, it's not that we're trying to be condescending," Hermione said gently, standing up and walking over to the younger woman. "We just don't want you to get hurt. There's already been too much trouble here. We don't want to lose another friend."

Ginny looked up to meet her eyes, unflinching. "I don't want to leave without Harry."

"What?" Hermione looked over at the two men sitting on the couch, now pointedly not looking at one another. "Really, do the two of you have to fight over everything?"

"We never fought over her," Malfoy said stiffly, still staring intently at the wall.

Harry nodded. "That's true, for once. There wasn't any fight. She looked at the choices she had and made a sensible decision."

"I'm sorry," Bill interrupted, "but do you think perhaps we can postpone the gentlemanly arguing to sometime when your lives aren't in immediate danger? Ginny - look, you know I don't want you to go, Gin. But I won't be responsible for putting you in danger, and I won't let you put yourself in danger, either. If this mess with Harry and Malfoy is as complicated as it seems, then the emotions it's creating will attract the monsters. If you go back, you'll be under Dumbledore's personal protection. You'll be safe. Will you at least think about it?"

She sighed and looked around, meeting all of their eyes in turn. Malfoy looked away from her gaze; Harry held it. "Look," she said, her voice gentle but definite, "I don't want to leave without Harry. As long as you're here, I'm staying. I'll be fine. I've been safe here for ten years, haven't I? Just because the monsters are back doesn't mean they're going to change their minds about not coming after me or Bill. I'll be fine."

Harry stood and crossed the room to stand at her side. "Think about it," he murmured, leaning in for a gentle kiss. "Stay here tonight, and stay indoors, and think about it. It's your decision, but at least consider my point of view. We'll figure everything out in the morning."