The tension was almost palpable by the end of the first month at Hogwarts. In fact, to Ginny's mind, that the boys, namely Ron and Harry, had not snapped yet was a miracle. Of course, it helped that the two main antagonists, Malfoy and Snape, stayed largely out of public view and Harry and Ron, with their newly learnt self-control from over the summer months, managed—just barely—to tolerate their presence at mealtimes and certain classes. Not only that, Snape no longer taught Potions and Malfoy seemed to fade into the shadows at the back of each class they shared.
But the tension at Hogwarts continued to swirl.
It finally congealed into a monster on the first day of the second month, a Friday. Ginny would look back on this day as almost supernatural. No matter that it was a completely ordinary Friday. It wasn't the 13th, it wasn't full moon, and it wasn't any special day.
It was the day the Ministry owl brought a black-bordered envelope to each of the Weasley children.
She stared at the impatient owl offering her the evidence that someone in her family was dead, and she couldn't comprehend it.
"Ginny?" Harry put a hand on her arm, concerned, and vaguely she saw out of the corner of her eye, her brother Ron swallow reflexively and Hermione imitate Harry's uncertain motion.
"It's for me." Ginny thought, later on, that she must have been in shock, stating the obvious and staring at the owl like that. At the moment though, she could only comprehend the fact that there was a black envelope addressed to her, and that the owl was unusually large for its species.
She must have managed to open it somehow, because the next she remembered from her spotty memory, her eyes were being assaulted by the bold, ornate words "BILL WEASLEY" printed neatly, next to the blurring lines of "regret to…killed in a Death Eater attack…am truly sorry for your loss." Nearby, Ron gave an inarticulate cry of grief, and Ginny became aware of the thick, hot tears rushing down her cheeks and onto the funeral notice of her brother.
"Not Bill! Oh god, Bill…he's married, he just got married to Fleur, he's supposed to be happy…" she protested feebly. Ginny barely noticed as Harry and Luna gently led her away to the hospital wing, with Hermione and Neville tugging at a frozen Ron, the horrified eyes of the students and teachers at Hogwarts on the two youngest Weasleys.
It was Ron's voice that cut through her fog of disbelief. Shaking off Hermione's retraining arms, he turned around and looked at the teacher's table. No, at Snape. "You bastard! You evil, lying, murderer! This is all your fault, your fault that Dumbledore's dead, your fault this entire year is screwed up, your fault that my brother is dead!"
The DADA professor, a barely concealed Death Eater by the name of Carrow, began to point his wand at Ron and reflexively, Hermione and Harry jumped in front of their friend, their wands out as well. Luna and Neville continued to flank Ginny. Carrow's eyes narrowed. "Crucio!" Too late, Snape jerkily grabbed at Carrow's arm. Harry shoved Hermione out of the way, and the curse hit him full on.
Collectively, the entirety of Hogwarts, including the Slytherins, jumped up. They knew, intellectually, that Hogwarts, under the control of Voldemort, now sanctified the use of crucio and imperius, but these had not been used thus far. Now, as they watched a Harry writhe on the floor in pain, he wasn't just the boy would-be savior of the world—he was a fellow classmate being tortured by a dark curse.
"Stop!" The effect of the reverberating voice, along with Snape's summoning the wand, broke the curse. Carrow spun and glared at Snape. Snape was up now, in his element, his dark cloak emphasizing his height. He looked like every inch a Death Eater, and more than one student shrank back at the sight. But his fury was focused on Carrow. "Carrow, I gave explicit orders, and I gave them for a reason! As such, I expect them to be obeyed no matter what. You fool! Do you forget who is the higher in rank?"
The man paled. Hermione, breathless from being unceremoniously saved by her friend, crawled over to Harry. Luna and Neville exchanged significant glances. They knew that the "ranking" was not just that of headmaster and professor, but of the most favored to Voldemort.
Ginny somehow found herself clutching Ron's trembling arm as if it were a lifesaver. Ron continued to glare at Snape and Carrow with unmitigated hatred. But when Ginny looked up, her eyes met cool grey eyes that seemed to understand her plea for someone- anyone- to make it all go away. Those eyes were filled with regret, or something similar to it, and a comprehension of the horrendous way life had tilted on her and left her flat on the ground.
She was aware, on some level, that Snape was chastising Carrow, and that Carrow and the rest of Hogwarts had sat down shakily again. She also knew that somehow, Snape was avoiding Ron's accusing stance, and had summoned Madame Pomphrey to take care of Harry and Ron and herself. All of the reality slid away for an uncertain moment as she looked into those grey eyes, and knew that someone understood her soul.
Then she welcomed oblivion as she was led away to a bed in the hospital wing, darkness swallowing her pain whole.
---
Draco stared at his sweating palms, not hungry after that unsettling display. He hadn't thought Carrow would directly contradict Snape's orders not to use the Cruciatus on any student and especially not in public, or on Potter or his close friends. Too risky, he had said, and the Dark Lord had agreed despite sanctioning the use of the Unforgivables.
He was grateful that one of the three had finally snapped, though, and confronted Snape. It had been coming, what with all the tension building, no matter how much self-control the three had been learning over the summer. It had taken a Weasley's death. Bill Weasley.
He hadn't known until it was over that Bill had been the target of the latest attack. Snape hadn't known either, he had gathered from the stunned look on his face when the owls stopped at the Weasleys. Rationally, he could see why. A blood-traitor, and a newly-married one at that: the best target to strike as much damage as possible, with the marriage and joy still so new.
And the youngest Weasley's eyes…
He had looked at her in a moment's unguarded sympathy, and she had looked up and caught his uncensored gaze. Pure confusion and grief spilled out from her eyes, and he couldn't help but allow her to see his wordless empathy and comprehension for the emotions she had to be feeling at the moment. Her returning glance of gratitude had been unexpected, and hit straight at his heart, and now he wasn't hungry any more.
----
A/N: Folks, please review. I live on other people's suggestions and reactions!