Chapter Twelve

What Comes Next

Ginny sat staring at them all with wide, glistening eyes. Her hair, pulled from her ponytail some hours ago, now tangled about her fingers as she rocked back and forth on her chair; as though she had overtaken the mind certain of a house-elf in Harry's council.

'Seven,' she whispered under her breath, 'seven.'

'But we have already got two Ginny,' Harry said, with great assurance, he gripped her knee to offer support, 'and we have a lead on the third.'

She glanced up at him through her hair, her expression passive and stoic; yet her eyes told the story of her first year as the fear took a hold of her.

But you have to kill him, she said, her eyes boring into his. He nodded once in assertion and her breath caught in her throat.

'All right,' she said aloud, sweeping her hair back to reveal her face, 'how can I help.'

'Well, you were possessed by a Horcrux in your first year,' Hermione began, studying Ginny's face for danger signs, 'and I was hoping you might, well, that you will maybe have some insight.' Ginny opened her mouth to speak, but Hermione rushed on, determined to finish her prepared speech, 'I know it's a lot to ask, but can you try recounting your first year, in detail? I will make notes whilst you tell us.'

'You want me to enlighten you about my first year Hermione?' Ginny said numbly.

Hermione nodded and seated herself on the end of the bed; quill in hand. Ron however, strolled over to the window and folded his arms; Harry remained beside her as her strength.

'Here it is then.

I hardly remember anything. I probably spent half of it in utter darkness, and the other half was simply a vast urge to return to the Darkness. The diary became my friend and my addiction. I could barely go an hour without informing Tom, about my thoughts, dreams… affections.' She glanced at Harry and smiled ruefully, 'I shared everything with him about myself and everyone I knew; and the small things I didn't share, he probably found out during the Darkness.'

She lent forward slightly and stared down at the wooden floor.

'I can't tell you about my first year with detail Hermione, because there is no detail. Just blankness I can't escape from. I still have the urge to right in a diary that no longer exists, why do you think I have had several journals since? I can't shake the addiction, even if I am unable to get the same rush from writing in a book that can't sympathise and glorify my successes.'

She looked up from the floor and gazed at them all in turn, her gaze hovering upon Harry a fraction longer than the others, and she found that all their eyes betrayed their inner feeling of horror at her revelation.

'I am sorry I can't be much help to you about the workings of Voldemorts mind, but if I can, I want to help in other ways.'

They stared at her for an uncomfortable momement and she began to squirm under their gaze.

'Guys, I get that it's a rather sick addiction to want to speak to Tom Riddle's dead soul, but can we move on.' she requested, fidgeting with a loose bra strap.

'Ginny, why didn't you ever tell anyone this before?' Harry asked her quietly.

'Because it's nobody's damn business,' she hissed, 'I have been dealing with the issue alone quite well, for quite some time. Forgive me for not wanting to be locked up in the Permanent Spell Damage ward in St Mungo's; to receive help.'

'Ginny you know we would never have allowed that,' Ron said from the window.

'Sure,' she scoffed, rising from her seat and leaning against the wall.

'Gin, did you ever think that you are now susceptible to possession by Voldemort?' Harry said rubbing his face.

'No less than you Potter,' she snapped back, 'you're as susceptible as I am and from my count, we have both been possessed once. Just because my possession was longer does not make me weaker!'

'Ginny, nobody is suggesting that,' Hermione said stepping between them, 'what I think Harry meant to say was-'

What I am worried about Ginny is that, if we are both equally susceptible then what is stopping him taking both our minds at once? We are linked now; do you think it's possible?

Ginny felt her eyes widen and she bit her lower lip.

'Shit,' she breathed.

'Don't swear at me Ginny,' Hermione griped, annoyed that she had interrupted her lecture. 'I am only trying to help. Do you think it might work?'

'Will what work?' Ginny asked distractedly.

Hermione breathed sharply from her nose and her face reddened slightly.

'She said,' Ron said, heading off Hermione's anger, 'that perhaps this Darkness you were talking about is like a memory charm; and that maybe we could break through it in the same manner.'

'Huh,' she said, tilted her head to the side in thought.

Do you think it will work, Harry? She asked.

It's worth a go Gin, but only if you want to.

Ginny bit her lip and gazed out of the window thinking. As she gazed up at the dark clouds she couldn't help comparing them to the thoughts she had of her first year. A dark fog, blanketing her memories and stealing away a year of her life.

Will it help?

Harry's nod from behind Hermione's shoulder helped to confirm her decision.

'I'll do it.' She said to Hermione.

'Good. I should tell you, their may be risks Ginny.' Hermione said as she opened Ron's trunk at the base of his bed.

'What kind of risks?' Harry and Ron demanded protectively.

'Well, large risks.' Hermione replied rooting through the trunk, 'but not long lasting if they do occur.'

'What risks Hermione?' Harry demanded again, this time turning her round from the trunk rather roughly. 'Don't make me ask again.'

'Mate, calm down, she's not going to do anything to endanger Ginny.' Ron reassured, pulling Harry away from Hermione slightly. Hermione looked directly into Ginny's eyes and didn't sway her glance as she spoke.

'The spell requires a dreamless sleep potion to be taken. This way I am able to probe into the darkest places of Ginny's mind, without defences and memories getting in the way.'

'And what are the risks?' Harry asked, clenching his fist slightly.

'If everything goes right then she will wake up once the potion has run its course. If things go wrong, it could be hours or longer before she wakes up.'

'How much longer?' Ginny asked shrewdly.

'The longest recorded incident was a couple of years give or take a few months; and Joran Tym didn't have any issues with his mind afterward.'

Hermione saw the expressions of horror, anger and chagrin upon their faces and rushed to rectify them.

'But that is most unlikely Ginny; I promise I wouldn't allow that to happen to you.' Hermione swore. 'This isn't a normal memory charm either Ginny, so the effects may not be the same.'

'Exactly,' Harry interrupted, 'they may be worse.'

He turned to Ginny and gripped her shoulders tightly.

'You don't have to do this Ginny, really, we can do without. We have been doing fine without endangering your mental capacity.' His eyes burnt into hers.

Don't do this.

I have to Harry, I need to help in everyway I can. I love you.

'I'll do it.' Ginny declared.

'Are you sure about this Ginny? I don't want my baby sister frozen in a bed for a few years,' Ron joked, yet behind the joke was genuine concern which shone through his eyes. Ginny raised her chin slightly and nodded.

'Very well,' Hermione spoke from behind Harry, 'let's get it done.'

'Now?' Ginny squeaked slightly.

'Why not?' Hermione asked, 'if we dwell on it, we may find reasons not to do it.'

'More reasons?' Harry asked with raised brows.

'Yes,' Hermione said snapping the trunk shut.

'But I need the bathroom.' Ginny muttered blushing.

Hermione smiled, 'I'm not your teacher or your nurse Ginny, and you can go before we do it if you want.'

Ginny nodded and with her face flaming ran to the bathroom. The moment the door closed Harry rounded on Hermione angrily.

'If anything happens to her Hermione, I will never speak to you again. No matter that I consider you my sister. I won't forgive you.'

'Harry, do you truly believe that I am taking this lightly?' Hermione demanded, 'I know the risks better that anyone, I also know exactly how to avoid them.'

She placed her arms around him and pulled him into a strong hug.

'I love Ginny like a sister, I would never harm her.' Hermione murmured against his shoulder.

'I know. She's just so important Hermione.' He muttered into his hair.

'To what Harry?' Ron asked, 'the Order? Us or just you?'

Hermione pulled back to see his response clearly. Constructing his face into a passive mask he replied quickly, 'Everything.'

Hermione raised one eyebrow and threw a glance over her shoulder at Ron who opened his mouth. Before he could answer, Ginny burst back into the room; now dressed in green pyjamas with large fluffy socks on.

'Im ready,' she announced.

They all smiled at her.

'What? If I am going to sleep for a while, I at least want to be comfortable.' She said defensively.

'Completely understandable,' Ron smirked, 'do you want Mr. Snuffles too?'

'Who's Mr. Snuffles?' Harry inquired, as Hermione began to turn down Harry's bed and arrange his pillows.

'Ginny's favourite teddy bear till she was twelve.' Ron grinned, 'he went everywhere with her.'

'Shut up, Ron,' Ginny ordered striding across the room to sit on Harry's bed. 'Hermione give me that potion so I can escape my idiot brother for a while'.

Hermione smiled slightly as she handed her the small potion vial.

'How much of it do I drink, Hermione?' She asked, inspecting the vial.

'All of it,' Hermione advised.

'Well here goes nothing.' Ginny said, uncorking the vial. 'To my health,'

Her lips lingered for a moment over the vial as she took in all of their faces, and then with a quick tip of both vial and head; she drank the potion. The effects were instantaneous. Her eyelids drooped and she felt her limbs become heavy and lifeless, she began to fall backwards and felt someone strong catch her; before gently laying her on the bed. She smiled slightly at the tenderness in the touch. Tenderness. That was a funny word. Ten-der-nous.

'I love you,' she slurred to the world, 'lots and lots. Be, when, wake, up.'

She heard a small chuckle and someone swept the hair from her brow.

'What comes next?' a harsher voice asked.

'She falls fast asleep, only a few more seconds now,' a softer voice replied.

I love you. A voice said in her mind, and she fell into sweet oblivion with that single thought.

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