The end of term couldn't come soon enough for Harry, and he was thrilled when Hermione, Draco, Daphne and the others arrived home for Christmas. Even though he'd only been home alone for just over a week, it had been a long week. Both Rosmerta and Beth had fussed over him as though he was an invalid, and even Severus and Voldemort had checked up on him more than he would have liked. He was just hoping the holidays would get things back to some semblance of normality.
Fortunately for Harry, Christmas break soon took on a familiar quality with everyone preparing for the festive season. However, things weren't quite as laid back as normal as Voldemort and Severus were busy having meetings with Lucius and Bernard Nott as they decided how best to proceeded with the Weasleys. Since his kidnapping, Bill and Charlie had been in the Ministry's custody, albeit with Bill first spending a few days in St Mungo's in a critical condition following the curse Severus had thrown at him.
"I thought the whole point of arresting them was to throw them in Azkaban," Hermione remarked when the subject of the Weasleys was raised over dinner a few days before Christmas.
"It was," Voldemort replied. "Well that and to ensure no-one got any ideas about us being the bad guys. But the question is, do we just let them rot in Azkaban or give them the Dementors kiss? Do we also want to go through a trial, where Harry will have to relive his ordeal?"
"I'm more than happy to talk about what happened to me," Harry said.
"I don't see that a trial is necessary," Severus said with a frown. "They were caught red-handed, and the Aurors then got confessions out of them. I say let's deal with them as quickly as possible so we can move on."
"I'm with Severus on this one," Beth said. "Just sentence them to life imprisonment, and let us all move on. Come the New Year, we'll have a new member of the family, and I don't want to be caught up with trials as I'm giving birth."
"Just imprisonment or the kiss as well?" Voldemort asked.
"The kiss is too lenient," Hermione said.
"I've never heard it described as that before," Severus said with a chuckle. "It's supposed to be the worst pain imaginable."
"While it's happening, but then the suffering is over and whoever has had the kiss are nothing but empty shells," Hermione said. "But life imprisonment is a long term punishment. Bill and Charlie aren't that old, and they're going to have to spend the rest of their lives, locked up, thinking about what could have been and how they've let their family down. Especially when word reaches them about Ginny."
"Ginny?" Harry frowned. "You didn't mention your payback had already happened."
"It hasn't," Hermione answered with a shrug. "And it won't happen for a while yet. But the plan is in motion, and I can guarantee that it will tear Bill and Charlie up knowing what happens to her is all because of them and the fact they involved her in their plot to kidnap you."
"Just what are you planning on doing to the girl?" Beth asked her daughter.
"Let's just say she's going to meet my boyfriend on a bad day," Hermione replied with a smirk.
"You're going to let Draco at her in his wolf form?" Harry questioned, noticing the way Rosmerta gasped quietly and eyed Hermione warily. Despite being a part of the family, it was clear his stepmother was still squeamish when it came to seeing how truly dark her new family was.
"Is that safe?" Voldemort asked with a scowl. "Not that I don't trust Draco, but we all know he could end up hurting you if something went wrong."
"I trust Draco with my life," Hermione said. "Besides, we're not rushing into anything. He spoke to Greyback at the last full moon and he thinks Draco will be able to handle being around people starting from next full moon. It might take a few weeks, but before we move with Ginny, Draco will be completely comfortable around me in his wolf form. I'll be safe, I know I will."
"Let's hope you're right," Severus said, knowing it was pointless to argue with his sister, despite the fact her plan was dangerous for her.
"I am right," Hermione replied seriously. "But please keep your negativity to yourself when Draco is around. He's worried he's not ready for this, and I don't want anyone encouraging such thinking."
"But if he's worried that he's not ready, maybe you shouldn't push him," Beth said warily. She didn't want to upset her daughter, but at the same time she didn't want to see her in any danger.
"If I don't push him, he might never be ready," Hermione said. "Recent events with Harry and the biting have changed things for him, and he's not as confident about being a wolf. I need to give him that confidence back and I need to prove to him that I trust him. You lot need to do the same as well. He needs to know you trust him."
"We'll make sure he knows we trust him," Voldemort reassured his daughter, even though he wasn't sure how they were going to reassure Draco without making it sound like that hadn't trusted him before.
"All of you have to do it," Hermione said, her gaze focusing on Harry. Even though Harry had apologised for the trouble he'd caused, she knew Draco still thought Harry didn't trust him with Hermione around the full moon.
"I know I messed up, and I can fix it," Harry promised. "Draco won't doubt the trust I have in him again."
"Make sure he doesn't," Hermione said. "Although it might help you to know that Narcissa is mixing me a potion to use on the full moons. Because you got yourself kidnapped, it wasn't ready to go this month, but by next month I should have a batch."
"What sort of potion is it?" Beth asked.
"It prevents me from becoming exposed to Draco's wolf genes when he bites me," Hermione answered. "Of course it won't work if he's in his wolf form, but that isn't an issue as he would never bite me in his wolf form. But it does mean he doesn't have to worry about biting me at other times."
"Is this potion safe?" Severus asked, quietly deciding that he would speak to Narcissa about the potion she was making for his sister.
"Of course it's safe," Hermione said with an annoyed tut. "Do you really think Narcissa would give me something that wasn't safe? Although you could always help her since she has to alter it slightly before it's ready for me."
"Why does she have to alter it?" Rosmerta asked with a frown. Now the topic was away from revenge and darkness, she was happy to contribute and show her concern for her family.
"So it doesn't affect my kidney potion," Hermione answered. "I can't take another potion without first being sure it won't affect the one I'm already taking for my kidney. I don't want to take the second potion and have them cancelling each other out."
"I'll speak to Narcissa and see if she wants any assistance," Severus said with a nod.
"Okay, just don't be rude," Hermione warned. "I asked her to help me, and she's doing so because she cares about me."
"No-one was suggesting anything else, Hermione," Beth said gently. She had no doubt that her best friend had Hermione's best interests at heart, and she knew Narcissa would never do anything that could lead to Hermione getting hurt.
"It's very good of Narcissa to help you," Voldemort added.
Hermione nodded, satisfied that her family wasn't going to cause trouble with Draco and his parents. Not that she ever thought it was a possibility given how close the two families were, but it was still reassuring that her parents understood why she'd gone to Narcissa for help. She was also pleased that no-one seemed to have any real objections to her plans for Ginny. She would just have to prove that Draco could be trusted in his wolf form around her, but she was already confident of that. She knew her boyfriend, and she knew that even as a wolf that he loved her enough to stop himself from hurting her. Even if Draco didn't have total faith in himself, Hermione had more than enough faith for them both and she couldn't wait until the next full moon when she got to really meet the inner wolf of her boyfriend.
C.O.T.D.
Ginny sat curled up on the sofa, her eyes fixed on the Christmas tree in the corner of the room. Its very presence seemed to be mocking her, with its Christmas lights twinkling merrily. Ginny was completely lacking he Christmas spirit, and it as a feeling that was shared among her family. In fact the tree only went up a few days ago as the twins tried to find a way to distract themselves from what was happening. Sadly, Ginny couldn't be distracted and all she could think about was her two oldest brothers.
From the second she'd heard Harry had been found, she'd known her brothers had been in trouble, but nothing had prepared her for what she'd faced upon her arrival home. Charlie had been in custody at the Ministry, with none of his family allowed to even visit him, while Bill had been in critical condition in St Mungo's. For a few days it was touch and go whether Bill would survive, but almost as soon as it was clear that he would live, the Ministry stepped in and turned his hospital room into a holding cell and as with Charlie, they barred all visits. Once Bill had been well enough to be moved, he'd been transferred to the Ministry and he'd been there ever since.
Arthur had been trying to get the Ministry to allow him to see his sons, but the Ministry wouldn't allow it until charges had been made against the pair. Arthur had managed to secure the pair a lawyer, but the news hadn't been good. Apparently since they'd been caught in the act, and subsequently confessed, there was no defence he could mount that would ensure their release. The best he could do was fight against them receiving anything like the Dementors kiss.
Ginny was currently at home with the twins as they waited for Percy and their parents to return from the Ministry. It was the day they would find out what fate awaited the eldest two Weasley siblings, and although Ginny had wanted to be there, Molly and Arthur had insisted she stayed at home. Ginny suspected they wanted her to stay at home as to avoid the press, as over the last few days the papers had been pretty brutal towards Bill, Charlie and the entire Weasley family in general. They were now the most hated family in the wizarding world, and the injustice of it all made Ginny want to scream and rail against the world. How was it fair that her family were the bad guys, when Voldemort was the dark wizard and it was his dark family that had created all the problems in the first place?
"Ginny," Fred's quiet voice drew her from her thoughts, and turning around to where Fred was standing in the kitchen doorway, Ginny heard the back door opening.
Jumping to her feet she ran into the kitchen in time to see her parents and brother entering. Molly was in flood of tears and she collapsed onto a kitchen chair. Arthur was looking almost as pale as his wife as he sat down beside her, shaking his head sadly.
"What happened?" George asked, directing the question to Percy as he seemed to be the one coping with things.
"They got life in Azkaban," Percy answered.
"What about their trial?" Ginny demanded. "They deserve a trial to prove their innocence."
"But they're not innocent, Ginny," Percy said gently. "They were caught and they confessed."
"More like a confession was beaten out of them," Ginny snorted. "Just look at Bill, he almost died because of what they did to him. How can they get away with it?"
"The Aurors are claiming they used due force and that Bill and Charlie resisted arrest," Percy replied. "But you know all this Ginny. You knew this was coming, and given the circumstances this is a good result."
"A good result?" Molly howled, lifting her head up and glaring at her son. "My boys won't see the light of day again and you call that a good result."
"You know what he meant, Mum," Fred said. "Bill and Charlie were in trouble the second they were stupid enough to kidnap Harry. Spending the rest of their lives in Azkaban isn't as bad as it could have been. They could have been killed or given the kiss. At least this way they're alive."
"Alive to spend the rest of their lives suffering," Molly sobbed. "My poor boys. I can't stand to think of them stuck in that awful prison."
"Can we appeal?" Ginny asked.
"No," Arthur answered quietly. "We've got no grounds for an appeal. Like it or not Ginny, your brothers are guilty. I wish things were different, and I wish there was something we could do, but our hands are tied. All we would do was land the rest of us in trouble."
"I can't just sit back and do nothing," Ginny screamed, stamping her foot like a petulant child.
"There's nothing you can do, Ginny," Percy said with a sigh. "Just look at Bill and Charlie. I bet right now they're wishing they'd left things well enough alone. If they had, they would have been here now."
"I will not roll over and let the dark win," Ginny seethed. "Not after the sacrifices Ron, Bill and Charlie have made. They wouldn't want us to give up, they would want us to fight."
"Haven't you learnt by now Ginny? Fighting isn't the answer," Percy snapped, growing annoyed with his little sister. "Just think about where all this fighting has gotten us. Who's been hurt in all of this? No-one on the dark side, just us. Fight and we will suffer more losses."
"Sometimes you need to lose a few battles before you can win the war," Ginny whispered as she turned on her heel and fled the kitchen.
Running up to her room, Ginny threw herself on her bed and spent the next hour crying over her brothers and the fact they were now prisoners of Azkaban. However, she wasn't going to be beaten and despite the fact that nothing had gone their way, she wasn't going to give up. She would not let her brothers sacrifices be in vain. She would gain revenge for Ron, Bill and Charlie, even if she had to die doing it.