The Carrows' Calling
Disclaimer: None of this is mine, my name is not J.K. Rowling. If it were, I would be a lot more famous and wouldn't spend my days staring at a computer screen.
Chapter Fifteen
She walked along the many halls of the train, copies of The Quibbler in hand, Luna by her side. She came to the next compartment and placed four copies inside. She did the same for the next seven compartments, until she ran out of newspapers and had to go back to her own, with Luna chatting about nothing in particular beside her. Neville was doing the same, except alone ("hey, it's my turn to do something dangerous!"). Ginny ran back to her own compartment which she shared with Luna and Neville, and grabbed another stack of papers. They had snuck onto the train early and had placed the articles in the different car compartments. So everyone would get them.
Luna had placed the papers in the next seventeen compartments and had once again ran out. She got back to her train car only to find Neville there too.
"Are there any left?"
"No, I don't think so," replied Luna. Neville frowned.
"Did you get all of the compartments?" Luna nodded.
"Yes, did you?" Neville nodded.
"Well, then I guess we handed all of them out. At least most of the people would've gotten them," said Luna, sitting down in her seat. Neville sat down beside her, to the left.
"Are you sure you won't get in trouble, Luna?" Ginny asked for the sake of her friend.
"Yes, Daddy sent them to me, so I could send them out. He asked me to do it," Luna replied, her eyes wide, as if she thought that Ginny didn't believe her.
"OK. I wasn't sure." Ginny didn't even know why she had asked. She stared out of the windows, not sure what to say. She snuck a quick glance at her friends out of the corner of her eye, and they looked worried. Worried about her. About Ginny. Maybe because of the cuts and gashes from the day before. The three lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, all of them staring out of the windows.
DING! The train bell rang, and a rush of students came running in, obviously excited to go home. Ginny peered out of her compartment and found that some of the students had picked up the articles and began to read.
"They're reading it!" Ginny whispered excitedly, with a glowing smile on her face.
"Really?" asked Neville, looking out to see for himself. Luna did the same, and Ginny joined her.
"Yes!" Neville said, clearly glad that people were reading 'The Quibbler'.
"Nice job, Luna!" Ginny gave her a high-five. The trio chatted aimlessly for the next few hours or so, until the train bell rang again, signaling the arrival at Platform 9¾.
"Owl me, OK? And keep up with the news. We'll have the D.A. back up again once we come back," Ginny said, while collecting her trunk and her things. Her Pygmy Puff, Arnold fluttered in his cage.
"Yep. I'll ask Gran if I can use her owl," Neville replied. Luna nodded.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now, isn't it?" Luna stated. Then, the Luna and Neville pulled Ginny in for a hug.
"I'll miss you. Promise to owl me. Promise." Luna and Neville nodded solemnly. Ginny turned around and left the compartment, heading for the exit of the train, waving goodbye to her friends. She glanced back and saw Luna and Neville beginning to grab their things. You will see them again Ginny. This isn't goodbye. Not forever. Not yet. Ginny exited the train, whisking past the guard at the door.
The scent of train exhaust met Ginny's nose, with the scent of familiar city air. She looked through the fog, looking for a redheaded figure. The fog blurred the details of the people and the faces. Ginny searched for what seemed like forever, until she found a red haired female, clearly looking for someone from the way she was searching to and fro. Ginny ran up to the figure and hugged her from behind.
"Mum!" The figure turned around and faced her. Her mother's shining face shone down at her, her brilliant hazel brown eyes sparkling with tears.
"Ginny! Oh, sweetie." Her mother pulled her in for an even tighter hug, her hair brushing against her face.
"Mummy," Ginny whispered; she hadn't called her mother that in a long time. Her mother pulled back from the hug, and pointed her wand at Ginny.
"Where was the last place I saw Ginevra Weasley before she came to Hogwarts?" Ginny backed up from her mother's wand, pondering the question.
"At home, in the Burrow. You were helping me pack," Ginny replied calmly. Her mother lowered her wand and pulled her in for another hug.
"I'm so sorry Ginny. I just had to check," her mother said into her hair.
"It's OK Mum, I should've checked too." Her mother once again pulled back and began to pick up Ginny's things.
"How are your classes?"
"They're fine," Ginny said, not really wanting to give her mother an answer. "Have you heard about Harry?" Her mother shook her head and beckoned Ginny to follow her. Her mother lead her out of the crowd, into a deserted area.
"OK. Ginny we are going to Apparate home, and we will land right in front of the barrier. I want you to step directly into it, OK?" Ginny nodded. She grabbed her mother's hand and braced herself for the lurching movement. Ginny nearly fell over, but felt herself plummet into nothingness. Then she landed in a meadow, one very familiar to the one outside of her home. Ginny realised that it was.
A large, blue forcefield stood a few meters away from her. It was the one her was mother was speaking of. Relieved, Ginny started off towards it.
Suddenly, a cry of pain came out from behind her. Ginny whipped her head around to the high pitched scream, only to see a masked Death Eater grabbing at her mother. He had a wand pointed at her throat and her head was stretched up; the Death Eater was pulling at her hair roughly. Ginny could see her mother's strands of red and gray hair fall through the Death Eater's massive hands, only to be only pulled up again.
"MUM!" The shout escaped her mouth involuntarily.
"Ginny! Get to the boundary!" Her mother's voice was strained; the Death Eater's wand was now poking into her throat. Ginny, without thinking, ran towards the Death Eater, wand in hand. "Ginny! No! Get to the boundary!" Her mother shouted, panicked. Ginny ignored her mother and shouted a spell at the Death Eater.
"Stupefy!" The jet of red light was aimed for the man, but he easily slided to the left, her mother still in his grasp. The Death Eater spoke haughtily.
"Do you really think you can defeat me?" Ginny snarled at him. She shot another spell. Once again, she missed.
"You try one more spell, your dear mother is—" He took his wand hand and made a motion of slitting his throat. Ginny glared at him, hating how he could make her stop so easily, but too scared now to try anything.
"Now, you missy, come with me in exchange for your mother. She'll be safe if you just come with me," the Death Eater said, in what he must've thought was a sweet, convincing tone. Ginny once again glared at him, not believing anything he said.
She raised her wand, deciding to take the risk, but the Death Eater was faster.
"Dolorin Speciemisit!" He shot the unknown curse at Ginny, making her double over and hit the ground in pain; it felt like a knife had been stabbed through her abdomen. She groaned and clutched her stomach; it was like it had been cut in half, her hands were the only bandage she had to hold herself together.
But before Ginny could do anything, a second spell was shot above her head straight at the Death Eater. The caster's voice sounded vaguely familiar to Ginny, like she had heard it somewhere before, but she was too in pain to think about it.
As Ginny turned around to the voice, she backed away from the woman, closer to her mother and the Death Eater.
A woman in pitch-black robes stood in front of her, her wand drawn and a determined expression written over her face. Her hair was a dark brown that looked more like black as it framed her pale, thin face. Her eyes were too, a brown, but lighter and much warmer than her hair.
She looked so much like her sister; Ginny almost shot a spell at her.
Andromeda Tonks looked like a splitting image as Bellatrix Lestrange. But when Ginny got a better look at her, she could see the clear differences from the woman in front of her, and the one who killed Sirius Black.
Bellatrix's hair, from what she could remember, was completely untamed, flying in all directions, while Andromeda's was softer and straighter. Her sister's eyes were an unforgiving black; seemed to lead into a void. Andromeda's were light and soft like Ginny's mother's, caring and kind.
As Ginny watched the woman in front of her, she realised she had missed the battle around her.
Andromeda watched the spell hit Ginny's stomach, making her double over and hit the ground. She watched as Molly cried out, as the Death Eater slowly approached the girl—it was then that of which she saw her chance. Andromeda quickly and silently shot a stunning spell at the back of the Death Eater's head, after making sure it would be high enough that she wouldn't hit Molly.
The Death Eater was caught by surprise and toppled over in an instant, falling on a startled Mrs. Weasley. Andromeda raised her wand once more, tying the Death Eater up in very strong ropes, bound as tight as she could. Next, she ran over to the woman once captured by the Death Eater and helped her up carefully.
Molly squinted at her robes, then at her face. She rubbed her eyes, looking extremely confused. "A-Andromeda?" Molly mumbled, rubbing at her throat. She nodded.
"Yes, it's me. Nice to see you again!" Andromeda smiled, but it soon faded into a worried expression. "What happened? I could hear the screams and spells being cast from inside the house!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up.
"I think You-Know-Who knew that I would be picking up Ginny, and set up an ambush here. I'm not sure why he would target her specifically, though—me, I get, but her…?" Molly trailed off, though she still seemed to be lingering on the question.
Andromeda nodded; she could relate. She wanted her daughter to be safe, as did Molly, but now, with her husband on the run, she wasn't sure she could.
A pained groan came from behind her. Molly gasped, and rushed over to Ginny even before Andromeda could.
"Ginny! Are you alright?" Molly cried out as she ran over to her daughter, kneeling down to where she was slowly trying to sit up. Andromeda followed her slowly, with more than a bit of hesitation. She hoped the girl would be able to take her appearance; she knew that she looked very much like her sister, Bellatrix.
Ginny got up immediately as she saw Andromeda walk up to her, her wand drawn and lips tight. Andromeda sighed, still not quite used to it.
Why? Why did you do such things, Bella? Those terrible things that made people fear you?
Andromeda loved her sister, she always had, and always will. She didn't support her sister's decisions, obviously not, but she was her sister, after all. She was family.
Not now, Andy. Bella isn't your family anymore, remember? She and Mother kicked you out, a voice in the back of her head nagged.
"I'm not Bellatrix. Sorry if you're disappointed," Andromeda reassured, a hint of laughter leaking into her voice.
The girl relaxed almost immediately—she looked like she already knew this, but just wanted a confirmation—and, almost flustered, withdrew her wand.
"I am disappointed—your sister is real fun!" The girl replied with a smirk, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Andromeda's lips quirked up into a small, respectful smile. She placed an arm around Ginny, and was very grateful to find she didn't flinch or draw back in the slightest.
"Let's go inside now, OK?" Andromeda asked softly.
Ginny nodded fervently, and Molly agreed too. The three walked through the light-blue forefield with ease, only feeling a slight ripple on their skin.
Ginny knocked on the door of the Burrow, knowing that she really didn't need to, but since Tonk's mom was there with her…it was probably best to play it safe.
The little flap her dad had installed in the door, while claiming that muggles used, opened, and two bright blue eyes stared out of them.
"Who's there?"
Andromeda spoke before Ginny could. "Your mother, Andromeda Tonks, wife of Ted Tonks; Ginevra Weasley; and Molly Weasley, mother to two of the little brats inside the house who are giving chaos a new meaning." Ginny couldn't help but stifle a giggle.
A quick pattering of feet; two new voices piped up through the flap at the door. "Oh, we aren't that bad, are we, Andy?"
"Giving chaos a new meaning? Who are you talking about?"
Ginny's mom rolled her eyes, although she was smiling. "Fred and George, go and clean your room," Molly said, even before they were in the house. The twins didn't respond, but Ginny heard reluctant footsteps pacing up the wobbly staircase of the Burrow.
"OK, hi Mum," the voice behind the door said, and the door swung open, revealing a pregnant Tonks. Her hair was a bright, striking pink and she was wearing a light grey sweatshirt paired with sweatpants.
"Ginny!" Tonks held her arms out for a hug. Ginny awkwardly hugged her around her stomach, trying as hard as she could not to injure Tonks.
"Hey, Tonks," Ginny said, a smile lighting up her face. Ginny's mother then interrupted the hug.
"Girls, ladies, you can regroup in the living room. I have dinner to make!" Molly shuffled past them, pushing them further into the house jokingly. Ginny released Tonks from the hug and walked into her home. Andromeda followed Molly into the kitchen, saying that she was going to help with dinner.
"So, Gin, how's Hogwarts?" Tonks asked awkwardly, trying to make conversation, sitting down on the worn-out couch in the living room. She placed a hand on her stomach, rubbing circles with a lovingly look on her face. Ginny scratched her head, not really sure how to answer the question.
"Fine, I guess," she decided on, not wanting to make her worry. "How's the baby?" she asked, changing the topic. Hogwarts was a subject she didn't really want to talk about, in these times.
"Good, you could say. Still don't know the gender though; don't think Remus wants to know." Tonks ended with a mumble; she looked rather downcast. Ginny sat down in the armchair across from Tonks, and placed a comforting hand on her knee.
"Do you want to know gender?" Ginny asked.
Tonks looked up at her, a small smile appearing on her face. "I do, it would make things so much easier, but Remus… he still thinks that it was a mistake to have married me," Tonks said, her voice getting quieter by each word, until it was barely above a whisper. Ginny lifted her hand off Tonks' knee, not sure what to do at the moment.
"He still loves you, Tonks. There's no other reason why he would've married you. Lupin—I mean Remus, truly does love you, OK? He's just afraid that the child will turn out to be a werewolf. But you will love your child either way, because he, or she, is still your child. And you love Remus, no matter if he is a werewolf. He just needs to see that, too." Ginny finished her speech, and looked at Tonks. Her eyes were pointed towards the ground, lips twisted in thought, still not meeting Ginny's gaze.
"Tonks. Believe me. Remus wouldn't leave you. Not for anything." It was then, that Tonks finally met Ginny's eyes, startling black ones meeting brown. Tonks' eyes held tears, tears threatening to roll down her cheeks, tears that were the beginning of a waterfall.
"A-Are you sure?" Tonks mumbled uncertainly. Her voice sounded small and weak, something very unusual for the normally bright, happy person she was. Ginny's lips lifted up into a small smile.
"Of course I am. Otherwise, I wouldn't be Ginny Weasley!" She spoke with a shrug, trying to life Tonks' spirit. The sentence ended in a short, hopeful, laugh, and Ginny was relieved to find that Tonks had slowly joined in too. Tonks wiped her eyes with her sleeve, still sniffling a bit.
"Thank you, Ginny. No, it really helped," Tonks added when she saw the beginning of a protest in Ginny. She smiled at her, wondering how such wise words could come out of such a young girl.
Ginny's mother's voice rang through the house. "Ginny! Nymphadora! It's dinner time, Ginny dear, could you please get your brothers?"
"Which ones?" Ginny called back jokingly, knowing that Fred and George were the only ones home.
"The annoying ones!" Molly shouted, cutting off with a laugh.
Suddenly, a stampede of footsteps ran down the wooden staircase of the Burrow.
"Do you mean us, Mum?" A shocked voice gasped. Another voice, the seemingly same one, chimed in, joining the other.
"Annoying? You must be talking about someone else!"
Ginny sighed, she could almost hear the eye roll from her mother.
"Well, Ginny, it seems that you don't have to get your brothers now, as they are already here!" Ginny laughed briefly. She then got up, and helped Tonks off the couch.
"When's the baby due?" Ginny said, still holding Tonks' hand for support.
"Around late March to early April," Tonks said, her hand resting on her stomach, a small smile appearing on her face. Ginny smiled too.
"That's great! You will send me pictures, or else Nymphadora, I will hex you into next tomorrow!" Tonks backed away from Ginny, hand on chest in mock horror, though she was laughing.
"Merlin, Ginny. You're threatening me already!" Ginny laughed along with Tonks.
She smiled, and stood up. "You're going to be a great mother. I'm sure of it."
They slowly made their way to the dining table, and Ginny helped Tonks sit down. Fred and George were setting the table, and Ginny decided she ought to help. She grabbed the forks and placed them beside the plates the twins had set. She paused as she realised something—they had set the table for eight people, not seven.
"Fred, who else is coming?" Ginny asked, placing the last and eighth fork on the table. Fred grinned at her.
"Ah, I see that Hogwarts has taught you something, Gin," Fred joked, not answering Ginny's question. She glared at him.
"Answer my question, Fred."
"Ohhh, Freddie, it looks like little Gin here has learned something from Hogwarts. Did you learn it from Minnie?" taunted George, noticing the glare his twin had received and deciding to pipe in. Ginny looked at her brother with a confused expression. Fred and George often shot out strange quips no one really got.
"Say what now?" George looked over to Fred and grinned at him, as if they were sharing an inside joke.
"Your dear Professor of Transfiguration? Minnie McG?" he said, raising both eyebrows in a ridiculous attempt to look mysterious.
Then it dawned on her. Minerva, Minnie. Her glare.
"Ohhh. Professor McGonagall. No, I don't think. Her glares aren't usually directed at me, unlike somebody," Ginny retorted, giving the twins a pointed look. Fred snickered.
"Ginny, Ginny, Ginny. Minnie's glares aren't directed at us."
"They were made for us!" George exclaimed, finishing the other's sentence. Ginny's mum walked over, carrying a large, steaming tray of carrots.
"Right you are there, boys," Molly said with a chuckle, placing the tray on the table onto some potholders. Fred gasped and drew back, in a fake insulted look.
"On that note, how is Minnie? Tell her we said hi," George said off-handedly, sitting down at the table. Ginny froze, and before she could stop, the words came out of her mouth.
"She's f-fine, b-better than ever, really! And why don't you owl her yourself?" Ginny exclaimed, before she could regret it. George shared a glance with Fred.
"Good idea actually, Gin. Freddie, we should owl all the professors there at Hogy, Hogy, Hogwarts, Whatta say?" George said, nudging his twin.
"Sure, why not?"
Tap. Tap. Two knocks on the door came through into the room. Everyone fell silent.
"It's just your father, no need to worry," Molly said lightly, pointing to the clock behind her and walking over to the door, flipping open the small mail flap. Ginny glanced at the family clock with the spoons representing each person in the family. And sure to her mother's word, the spoon that held her father's face was pointed at home. Then, Ginny saw, with a pang to her heart, Percy's spoon. It was farther than it ever was before. Not now, Ginny. She shook herself out of her thoughts and watched her mother.
A pair of bright, joyful blue eyes stared back, through the small opening. Ginny's mother whispered something and the person on the other side replied, in the same hushed tone. Molly opened the door and let the man in.
He was quite tall, around the height of Fred and George. He wore some rather fancy, Ministry approved robes. They were a dark blue, and the Ministry logo was embellished on the left robe pocket. His eyes, were the brightest of blues, almost like Dumbledore's, and Ginny sometimes wished that she had gotten her father's eyes, instead her mother's. Although that thought was irrational, and she always cleared it away.
"Hey Dad!" Fred hollered, not bothering to conceal his glee. He grinned. Ginny's father walked over to the boys and ruffled their hair.
"Andromeda, Nymphadora, nice to see you," Arthur said. And then his eyes landed on Ginny. At that moment, it seemed like the entire world had disappeared, and the two of them was all that mattered. She hadn't seen her father in what, three, four, months of torture (both metaphorically and literally)? Ginny felt herself get up from her seat and run to her father.
"Daddy!" She heard herself squeal. His arms wrapped around her, strong and warm, just like she remembered, and she felt him lay a kiss on her forehead.
"Hey pumpkin, nice to see you again," she heard him murmur. They pulled away from the hug and Ginny felt her father brush a stray lock of hair away from her eyes. "Let's eat now, shall we?"
"Sure."
And they sat down at the table, eating dinner together and talking with content, with Ginny hoping that the rest of the holiday would be just as peaceful.
Author's Note:
Thank you for reading, please review!
-Zigostia