Disclaimer: I wish it were mine, I really do. I would roll in my millions of dollars on my floor and throw it in the air and laugh maniacally. Oh yes, that's what I would do. I wonder if JKR does that sometimes…
A/N: There will be a slightly more mature rating for the end of this chapter. I will warn you, there is some strong language (British swears) in this chapter.
'be' Whispers In The Moonlight
The four arrived at the Great Hall just as dinner was being served. It was the first night the Weasleys were coming out of their rooms, fresh from their grieving, to try and celebrate the victory of the Light. It was also the first real time Harry had left the privacy of the Gryffindor Tower and ventured into the public eye since the night of Voldemort's defeat.
As Harry and his friends walked into the Hall, many people hushed and stared at the teenage hero. His first thoughts were to turn and run, but his friends sensed this and blocked him, leaving the only way for him to go into the Hall. Harry's face burned red as he and his friends walked towards the Gryffindor table which housed the rest of the Weasleys. But before they made it five feet, applause rang through the Hall. People had risen to stand on the benches to get a better look at Harry Potter, others had stood to gather around him, and others yet were pointing and shouting to their friends that they knew Harry Potter.
Harry paused, which made Ron run into him, and Hermione run into Ginny, who was at his side. Ron realized that Harry was attempting to back out again, and he placed his hands on Harry's back and pushed him forward towards the table. Ginny grabbed Harry's hand while she and Hermione whispered soothing words to Harry. They finally reached the table and sat down, but the applause still rang through the room. Minerva McGonagall stood up at her place at the head table and placed the Sonorous charm on herself.
"Would everyone please quiet down?" She waited for a moment. "Thank you. I would like to make an announcement. Tomorrow is the day when the press will be allowed onto the grounds to question the Interim Minister. Several others, who we have spoken to already, will also speak to the press. Mr. Potter has agreed to speak about his adventure tomorrow, and to answer the press' questions. He asks that people please treat him as a normal human being, and do not question him about what he has been up to this last year. All questions will be answered tomorrow." Professor McGonagall looked around the room and caught Harry's eyes and he nodded to her gratefully. She smiled slightly and gave a discreet nod back to him. She turned her attention back to the crowd in front of her.
"The day after tomorrow there will be a War Memorial Ceremony. It will be a day of remembrance, but also a day of celebration. We will not be mourning our lost loved ones, but celebrating their lives.
"If there is anyone who wishes to be at these events, they will both begin at 10am sharp. After the memorial, there will be a luncheon served on the grounds for all who attend, lasting into the evening. Thank you, please enjoy the dinner the house elves have made for us all." She sat to more applause. Dinner went well, considering people kept interrupting Harry and his friends to ask him questions or congratulate him. Several twittering females kept shooting him glances and batting their eyelashes at him, but Ginny squashed those looks fast.
"I didn't realize how many people were still in the castle," Harry muttered after the twelfth person came up to him to say "Thank you." Ron was trying his best, and failing, at not laughing at Harry's predicament. Hermione was smiling at Harry pitifully, and Ginny was squeezing his hand.
"I just wish they'd leave me alone," he grumbled. "Yes, your welcome. No, really, I'm fine. Thank you. Good bye. Oh my God, if one more person comes up and thanks me like I did it for them, I'm going to go berserk," sighed Harry after the visitor left them.
"You know Harry, I've been thinking. Mum made me revise the whole time we were in hiding. If I were to take my end of term exams this summer, next year, we could all finish school at the same time. If you three were to come back, that is," Ginny said trying to take his mind off the admirers. He looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking.
"I don't know, Gin. Hogwarts without Dumbledore doesn't seem like Hogwarts." He sighed and stabbed his kidney pie with his fork with a vengeance as if it had personally offended him. She rubbed his back some more.
"But Harry think about it, you'd have a whole year to be a normal teenager!" Ginny replied enthusiastically.
"Yeah, mate, a whole year without having to worry about some mad lunatic trying to kill you at the end of the year!" Ron laughed.
"Ron!" Hermione slapped her boyfriend on the arm playfully. "Harry, they do have a point. Besides, you need your NEWT scores to be able to get into the Auror program."
"Hermione! He just defeated the darkest wizard in the last century. He doesn't need good NEWT scores to get in, he's Harry bloody Potter. They'll probably beg him to join!" Ron exclaimed, aghast. Hermione opened her mouth to retort but Harry interrupted.
"I don't want to get into the Auror program based on fame, I want to earn it like everyone else. I'm just not sure I feel up to coming back here for a whole year. No, wait, let me finish. I'm not sure yet, but I will think about it. Okay?" The others nodded and Harry felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and looked down. Behind him was a tiny little boy with bright blond hair. He looked up at Harry with rapture. Harry looked at him and then around the room for a parent.
"Er, yes, are you lost?" He asked the small child. The boy shook his head no, but didn't make a sound. "Well, can I help with you something?" Harry was getting frustrated with all the adoring fans, but he was too nice to say that in front of the tyke.
"You're…really Harry Potter? Wow!" Ron was having a hard time keeping a straight face, as were Hermione and Ginny. "Er, um, could I…um, could I have your autograph, Mr. Potter, please? 'Cause…'cause, you're my hero!" Ron lost it and snorted into his baked potato, Hermione and Ginny on the other hand had misty eyes as they looked at the tiny child. Harry was dumbfounded, his jaw dropped to the floor, and his eyes widened to the size of saucers.
"My what?" he squeaked. The boy giggled.
"Your autograph, please Mr. Potter? You're my biggest hero, and you saved my cousin's life!" The boy was bouncing on the balls of his feet with his hands clasped in front of him, almost like he was about to drop to his knees and beg. Ron was failing miserably to keep from laughing, and Hermione and Ginny were both chuckling.
"Who's your cousin?" Harry asked him curiously.
"Hannah Abbott. She was in the D.A. with you, she told me all about it, how you taught her how to cast a Pat-Pa, um, the Pat—"
"Patronus?" Harry helped.
"Yeah, that. And she told me how you had to fight You-Know-Who a bunch of times and how you won each time! And she told me about how you had to fight that huge snake thing, and the dragon, and swim with the huge squid in the lake in the middle of winter, and then she told me about what happened at the Ministry of Magic, and how you fought him again! Is all that true, Mr. Potter, is it? 'Cause if it is, that means you are the bravest man in the whole world! I think it's true, 'cause why would Hannah make all that up? I know she wouldn't, 'cause she knows you personally, and she wouldn't make up stuff like that about someone she knows personally. My name's Greg, I'm eight, I'll get to come to Hogwarts in three years and learn magic so I can be brave like you and fight dragons and Chimeras and fly really fast on a broom playing Quidditch and grow up to be a great Auror and fight bad guys all the time! Is that what you're going to do, Mr. Potter, are you going to be an Auror? And fight more bad guys and make the world safe?" Harry couldn't help but think that Greg was like a younger, more hyper version of Colin and Dennis Creevey. Harry smiled and nodded as Greg continued. As the kid took a breath, Harry took his chance to speak.
"Um, Greg, you're asking a lot of questions, but not really giving me time to answer them. Please, call me Harry, I'm not quite old enough to merit a "Mr." before my name. To answer your questions, I believe you asked if all those things were true, yes, they were, but you should know that I had a lot of help most of the time. I don't know if I'm the bravest man in the world, I just did what I had to do. I've never fought a Chimera, but the Blast-Ended Skrewts were pretty nasty creatures. Er, as of right now, I'm not sure if I want to be an Auror this minute, but maybe after I finish my education and take my NEWTs then I will. I think that answers all your questions, right?" Harry was smiling and chuckling. Poor Greg looked about ready to faint when Harry handed a scrap of parchment with the words "Stay Safe! Harry J. Potter" scribbled across it. Greg looked up at Harry and squeaked.
"Thank you, Mr. Po-, I mean, Harry! Thank you! I will stay safe, I promise!" He turned to run off yelling, "Hannah, Hannah!"
Ron, Ginny, Hermione and several other Weasley's around them all burst out laughing at Harry's Weasley-red face. He turned and scowled at all of them. Bill turned to Harry chuckling as he asked, "What did you write on that parchment?" Harry frowned.
"Stay safe. Harry J. Potter." He muttered to the mirth of the people surrounding him. As they laughed, he realized how funny the situation really was. He also noticed that Mrs. Weasley was howling with laughter. The first time he'd seen her laugh since Fred's death. He joined in their laughter with some chuckles of his own.
Harry hated fame, but when he saw little Greg's face light up at the small piece of parchment, he figured the embarrassment was worth it to make the kid smile like that. Several more people came up to him through dessert, but the joy at making Greg so happy didn't diminish until later that night.
Harry and Ginny figured they needed some time away from the common room later that night. They decided to take an evening stroll by the lake. It was still considered dangerous outside since a dozen or so Death Eaters were still at large, but they both had their wands and both needed some air.
The two were walking slowly around the lake talking quietly about nothing of importance. When Ginny turned to him and threw her arms around him and kissed him square on the lips. He wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss, rubbing his hands up and down her back. They stayed this way for several minutes until they broke apart gasping for air.
"Wow! That was…intense," Ginny whispered.
"Yeah, I just…wow. You have no idea how much I have wanted to do that for the last ten months," he replied huskily.
"Oh, I have some idea, it was probably just as much as I wanted too." Ginny pulled Harry close and kissed him again. A few minutes later they pulled apart for a breather and Harry pulled Ginny's hand and they walked towards the edge of the lake. Harry conjured a blanket and they sat down under a tall oak tree. Snuggled together they sat and talked for over an hour about Harry's journey and Ginny's confinement and how much they missed each other.
"We were basically surrounded, Goblins and Death Eaters on one side and a dragon on the other. We had to choose, so guess which side we chose?" Harry was regaling her of the Gringotts break in.
"I'd guess…the dragon?" she giggled.
"You'd be guessing right. I ran over and sliced off the chains holding the dragon down and called Hermione and your brother over. We climbed on just as the dragon realized it was free. Goblins and Death Eaters were scattering when they realized that we had the dragon on our side! Well, anyways, the dragon started breathing fire and trying to break through the wall, so we helped it with some major Bludgeoning spells and it squeezed through the hole and we were free! At least until we realized that it didn't know we were there. It seemed to fly for hours! Finally, it got thirsty and flew near a lake and we were able to jump in. But if it hadn't needed that drink of water, who knows where we'd be right now." Harry was having a terrific time making Ginny gasp with fear and excitement at his stories. They didn't notice the blond witch with the long pink finger nails in the trees listening to every word a mere ten feet away. Nor did they hear her acid green quill scratching away more lies. Harry stopped talking abruptly as Ginny snuggled closer.
"Harry, have you thought about if you are going to come back to school at all? I know we all asked you at dinner, but there were a lot of people around and I figured you wouldn't answer something like that with everyone around." She was very close to him.
"Actually, Gin," Harry began, "I have thought about it a lot the last few months. I don't know if I can. Not just because of what I feel about Dumbledore, but…Remus and Tonks made me their son's godfather. Since they…since they're gone now, Teddy is my responsibility. How can I go to school and take care of a baby at the same time? I don't regret saying this at all, but Teddy comes first to me, not my education. I'll drop out so that I can take care of him, and at night, when he's asleep, I can study for my NEWTs if I'm not too tired." Harry sighed. Ginny looked out towards the lake and was silent for a few minutes.
"Harry," she began suddenly, "What about Andromeda? She's lost her whole family, don't you think that maybe she would want to take care of Teddy, raise him for Tonks and Remus? She's all alone now." Ginny whispered sadly. Harry sat up, surprised.
"I hadn't even thought of Andromeda. Oh, God, has anyone even told her about them?" he asked sadly. Ginny nodded.
"When all the dead were accounted for, a roster of all the names was made and everyone who had family who had died were notified the day after. Harry, you can't take her grandson away from her. Besides, this gives you the opportunity to finish school, get a house, go to Auror training, get married…" she giggled while she nudged his side. He smiled. "All before having to take on the responsibilities of being a parent. You can be a cool uncle-like godfather, like Sirius, be there for him when he needs you, or wants to get away from his grandma for the weekend." Ginny had, unknowingly, cheered Harry up a great deal.
"I'm not going to get my hopes up yet. As much as I would love to take care of Teddy, I'm just not ready for kids yet. I would raise him myself in a heartbeat if Andromeda decides not to. But for now, I'm just not ready for that kind of responsibility," Harry said to Ginny quietly. They sat silently for several minutes and watched the moonlight dance across the surface of the lake, giving it an ethereal glitter. Awhile went by before Harry heard Ginny sniff. No words were really needed as he pulled her closer and hugged her tightly. With this gesture, a dam broke and Ginny began to sob on his shoulder. She cried for many minutes, her heartache extracted a few tears from Harry in his own grief. As she quieted down and her sniffles were getting farther apart, she looked up into Harry's bright green eyes.
"Thank you Harry. If I had cried like that in front of anyone else, they would have said things like 'It'll be alright,' and 'He wouldn't have wanted you to cry for him.' But I don't want to hear those things, I just want to be held while I cry. You of all people know what it's like to lose someone you love. It's like, deep down, you know things will be alright, eventually, and they wouldn't have wanted you to grieve for them for so long. But at that moment, you just…"
"Don't care what anyone else thinks, they don't know what you're feeling, your emotions, because they didn't know Fred the way you did. I would never be able to say I know how you feel, because I wasn't his only sister. Just like I wouldn't be able to say it to your brothers because—"
"Don't you dare, Harry! You were as much his brother as any of them. He considered you his brother to the very end, and you can't deny him that! So you might as well get over this oh woe is me phase, because none of us will let you get a word in edgewise ever again if that's the kind of thing you'll be saying, got it?" Ginny had pulled away slightly to look him in the face while see awaited his answer. He chuckled.
"I guess I have no choice. I…I love you, Gin," he whispered. She hugged him tightly.
"I love you, too, Harry." They sat quietly for a while before Ginny sat up and looked at him. "Harry, is there anything you want to talk about? Or anyone, perhaps? I used your shoulder to cry on tonight, I want you to know, I can repay the favor." He looked thoughtful for a few minutes.
"Gin, you know I'm not the kind of guy who shows his emotions very much. I was taught at a young age that boys don't cry. That is was shameful for a boy to cry."
"I know Harry, but it's not true. Lots of guys cry. It's not good to bottle your emotions up like this. Just know that I am here for you if you ever need a shoulder to cry on." She hugged him again tightly before looking back out to the lake. The sliver of moon had risen a bit more over the trees and was lighting the whole sky.
"The moon…" Harry whispered. "Remus…" Harry choked on his words and squeezed his eyes shut. His loud sniff alerted Ginny to his true emotions. She rubbed his back and looked at his face to see a single tear trail its way down to his chin.
"It's okay, Harry. Let it out. You'll feel a bit better afterwards and it's only me here. I love you and Remus loved you." At her last words, Harry's dam broke and it was Ginny's turn to hold his as he sobbed onto her shoulder.
All the people who loved Harry and sacrificed themselves to keep him alive, all those who had died needlessly, and so many more flashed through Harry mind and he poured his heart and his tears onto his girlfriend's shoulder. Remus, who was the last link to his parents. Tonks, who had just had her first child, and who finally gave Remus what he'd always wanted: love. Dobby, who risked his life and fought his fears by going into the place of his former employers to save Harry and his friends' lives. Hedwig, who had served Harry faithfully since the day Harry had discovered this world, and been his first real friend. Mad-Eye, who had given his life to make sure Harry was safe. Colin, who had done what he was taught in the DA and still didn't make it out alive. Ted Tonks, who never got to meet his grandson and namesake. Severus Snape, who fought valiantly for the side of the light even though no one would believe him if he tried to help, who fought longer than anyone in this damn war. And finally, Fred, who loved life to the fullest, pranked the best pranks, and laughed the last laugh every time. Fred was one of the first Weasley's to extend an offer of friendship to The-Boy-Who-Lived before he even knew who he was. He'd always been just Harry to the twins, never some puffed up hero complex the press conjured up. Fred and George were the ones who would tease Harry about his fame while others side stepped or completely avoided the whole dilemma. They made Harry laughed during the Heir of Slytherin era, the Umbridge tirade, and on PotterWatch while he was running from the law. Harry was the man who gave them money to start the WWW, and Fred was the one who after only one attempt to deny the offer, thanked Harry graciously. Fred's death was going to be one of the hardest for him to get over.
As Harry's crying subsided, Ginny's hold slackened a little. He pulled back and sat upright. He looked out to the lake.
"At least now Remus won't have to go through the pain of transforming once a month. He…he was the one who taught me the Patronus charm, you know. He taught me so much that I didn't even realize until this year, until this moment really.
"The last time I really saw him and talked to him was the day Teddy was born. He burst into Shell Cottage and shouted to the moon that he was a daddy. Then he asked me if I'd be godfather to his son. I was so stunned that he even thought of me as godfather material after the way I treated him at Grimmauld Place. He had come to offer his assistance on our mission. I called him out and said he was leaving his wife and child behind because he wanted to go on an adventure. I can't believe how angry he'd gotten, but if I had to go back and do it again, I would. He left us, went back to Tonks, and they had their baby.
"I didn't see him again till right before the battle when Percy showed up and Remus shouted that he had a picture of Teddy. After that we all went our separate ways. I didn't even get to say I was sorry for the way I treated him. I called him a coward." Harry choked on a sob, and tried to calm his breathing before continuing. "I never got the chance to tell him that…I loved him, like a father figure. None of them. Sirius, Dumbledore, Remus. I loved them all and they were all ripped away from me before I could tell them how much they meant to me. Now I can't," he finished with a whisper. He was crying again, silently this time, letting the tears run down his face and off his chin. There was such emotion in his voice that Ginny couldn't help but cry for his pain. While she had lost her brother, someone she cared deeply for, Harry had lost so much more in this damn war. His parents, his godfather, his surrogate godfather, his mentor, his friends. Ginny was damn sure he wasn't going to be loosing anymore.
"I grew up without love, there's no way in hell I'm letting my godson grow up that way. I'll be there for him every step of the way. He is going to grow up knowing what love is and that I love him like my own son. No more adventures for me that could get me killed or maimed. If that means that I don't become an Auror, so be it. I really could care less about fighting any more Dark wizards for the rest of my life. I've had enough fighting to last me several lifetimes," Harry stated vehemently, then he sighed. Several minutes went by before he turned to Ginny and said, "We should be getting inside. Your mum will be sending a search party out any minute now." He stood up and reached down for her hand and pulled her to her feet. When Ginny was at her full height she stood on her tippy toes and kissed Harry full on the lips.
"What was that for?" Harry asked after they broke apart.
"For sharing your emotions with me, you big, handsome man," Ginny giggled. They turned to walk back to the castle. Suddenly, a twig snapped behind them and Harry spun around with his wand pointed towards the trees.
"Stupefy!" Harry shouted. The red light shot into the trees and hit its mark dead center. The two of them ran into the trees to find out who had snuck up on them. As they neared the unconscious person, Ginny gasped and Harry swore loudly. Lying on the ground before them was none other than Rita Skeeter.
"Harry! How much do you think she heard?" Ginny was frantic. Harry stepped forward, checked Rita's bag, and found used parchment containing many lies that were based around much of what Harry and Ginny had talked about in the last hour. An acid green quill and an Extendable Ear were laying across the bottom. He reached into the bag and pulled out the parchment and quill. He pocketed the Ear and leaned over Rita's body to cast the spell to bind her in ropes and the spell to keep her from transforming into her beetle form before Enervating her. She woke up drowsily and quickly realized her predicament and tried to transform but found herself unable to.
"Very good, Harry. Not many people can get the best of Rita Skeeter. Now, if you could be a doll and untie me..." Rita said this in her sickly sweet voice.
"I don't think I will, Rita. See, my girlfriend and I were having a nice little chat before and from what I see on this parchment I found in this here bag of yours, you've been listening for quite awhile. You have some pretty whopping big secrets of mine, and you were going to lie about them, too. I can't really let you get away with the knowledge of the Horcruxes see, that is privileged information, and you weren't supposed to hear any of it. So, I'm just going to destroy this parchment and since you've been so lovely to me and my friends in the past, I'm going to destroy your quill of lies also." Harry was shaking with suppressed anger and Ginny could feel a definite rise in temperature around them.
"NO! Please don't, Harry! Don't destroy my quill! You can destroy the parchment, but please, not the quill!" Rita was near tears and practically screaming. Harry silenced her with a wave of his wand.
"I really don't care about your damn quill, Rita. There are so many things I want to do to you; you've destroyed lives, Rita! You told lies about everyone I know and so many more! Not to mention that damn book about Dumbledore! I wanted to hunt you down like I did Voldemort when I read that damn book! And you're an unregistered Animagus! I should bring you to the authorities for eavesdropping on me. You knew you weren't allowed on the grounds here at Hogwarts, yet you came here anyways. You deserve punishment." He levitated her and said, "Ginny, come on. We're going to see McGonagall." Ginny followed Harry, who was taking care to make sure Rita bounced against as many trees as possible on their way to the castle.
They neared the head office soon after and said the password to pass by the gargoyle. As Harry and Ginny spiraled upwards, Rita bumped the stairs a few times, unnoticed by either of the teens. When Harry knocked they heard the usual "Enter" from the headmistress. Harry opened the door and stepped inside and grinned. Inside the room was every member of the Order. Just what he needed.
Kingsley stepped forward and said, "Yes, Harry? Can we help you with something?"
"Yes," Harry replied. "I brought you a little present, Kingsley. I found this, lurking around the edge of the forest," he thrust Rita's bound body forward into the view of the entire room. Many of the people gasped.
"Rita Skeeter? Well done lad! How'd you get her still long enough to bind and silence her?" asked Kingsley.
"Well, if she hadn't have broken a twig under her foot, I wouldn't have Stunned her through the trees. I also found this stuff in her bag." He dumped the parchment and quill onto the desk. "Ginny and I had been sitting and talking for well over an hour, about a lot of different things. Mainly the things that had happened to us over the last ten months. We also had a few discussions about the ones we've lost. She's recorded everything we said, and made side notes about how to twist them into innuendo and lies. I already threatened to destroy them; there are things in there that aren't supposed to get out to the public. But I would also like the permission to destroy her Quick-Quotes-Quill as well. It's caused me much annoyance over the years." Harry looked at Kingsley. "And if I get the express permission of the Minister…" Harry waited patiently, whereas Rita was violently thrashing trying to get loose. She looked as if she were screaming her head off but no sound she uttered graced their ears. Ginny was waiting anxiously, holding her breath.
"I see no reason you shouldn't destroy it. They are horrible things. Actually, if Ginny would like to help you, I believe it takes a lot of power to destroy them, if you catch my drift." Kingsley winked as Ginny let out her breath with a smile on her face. Rita stopped squirming to watch, helplessly.
Harry and Ginny raised their wands and simultaneously shouted "Incendio!" The small crowd in the room cheered, while the ever silent Rita looked on horrified. The two then turned on the parchment and repeated the fire spell. Harry watched the parchment burn with intense satisfaction. After it was nothing but a pile of ashes he turned to Rita and lifted the silencing spell.
"WHY YOU LITTLE BRATS! YOU'VE JUST RUINED MY CAREER! I HATE YOU! YOU'RE A BLOODY LITTLE ARSEHOLE. AND YOU, YOU'RE A LITTLE BITCH! I'LL GET YOU BOTH IN YOUR SLEEP, I WILL!" Rita was silenced by someone else in the room. Harry was more than a little grateful.
"Rita, you just made a big mistake: you insulted the girl I love, and you will pay. Kingsley, this pathetic excuse for a woman just threatened me and my girlfriend so I have no qualms about telling you this: she is an unregistered Animagus. She takes the form of a beetle. It's how she gets all her information without anyone seeing her." To say that everyone was stunned by this revelation would have been a horrible understatement. Rita look about ready to pass out she was so angry.
"Is that so, Mr. Potter? Professor McGonagall, is Ms. Skeeter on the registry? I don't recall seeing her there." Kingsley asked.
"No, I believe she isn't registered. No where on the list have I seen her name," McGonagall replied with a huge smile on her face. For a respectable professor, she seemed to take great pleasure in dooming this particular woman.
"Well, if I am correct then that means that, Rita Skeeter, you are under arrest for becoming an illegal Animagus, not registering, using said ability to illegally obtain information, and spread lies about people, and-- what else?-- oh, ignoring the rules that state you can not be on Hogwarts grounds. You have the right to remain silent," Kingsley sniggered a bit at this. "And you have the right to a barrister and if you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand?" Rita nodded angrily. "Good. Now sit quietly for a while and be a good little bug." Harry laughed loudly.
"Kingsley, should we wipe her memory of what she overheard? Some of it was pretty confidential. You never know, the Daily Prophet might ask her to do an expose on life inside Azkaban," Ginny asked over Harry's laughter. Harry quieted down to hear the answer.
"Normally, I would do that, but I have a whole country watching my every move right now. If the public were to find out that I allowed a prisoners memory to be wiped before questioning her, it could make them very mad. I'll make sure the Auror's questioning her know the story, just in case she let's something slip. Is that okay?" Harry and Ginny nodded. They turned to leave, but Ginny turned around and walked over to Rita.
"Bitch, am I?" She punched the older witch across the jaw which caused the blonde's head to connect with the wall behind her. "That should teach you to mess with a Weasley, you horrible old cow." As everyone in the room, except Kingsley who had a smile on his face, but was looking at something on his fingernails, looked shocked at the younger girl's language, Harry and Ginny left the room.
"I can't believe you said that in front of the whole Order! Gin that was brilliant!" Harry was practically prancing he was so happy. Ginny smiled, but suddenly the smile disappeared from her face.
"Harry, you don't think Kingsley is mad at me? I harassed a prisoner and she could cry mistreatment. What if she gets away on a technicality because of me?" Ginny was near panic before Harry calmed her down.
"Gin, it's alright! Kingsley wasn't watching. He won't let her get off, I promise. Now, lets go up and get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be hell." They climbed the stairs and entered the empty common room. It took them several minutes to say "Good night" before they parted ways for the night.
A/n: Ok so newly edited by my great beta, eclipsed heart. Check her out!
Coming up: Harry takes incriminating photos of his best friends and a PRESS CONFERENCE!