The buzzing and pressure stopped as bright lights flooded into Ginny's face. Her surroundings came into focus as she walked towards the Great Hall. The twins frog armed Harry as they hoisted him so his feet dragged above the ground. Their own feet moved in a synchronized exaggerated wide arch.

"Make way for the heir of Slytherin!" Fred's voice boomed down the hall bouncing between the stone arches as they entered the Great Hall. Ginny stopped walking as the gravity of the situation hit her with full force. Her breath caught in her throat causing it to constrict until Harry's laugh brought her to the present. They don't know. It was a joke. A sick twisted Fred and George joke. A joke that typically would be hysterical in the due to it's inappropriate nature. A joke that wasn't funny when she knew the truth. When she knew how tainted she was.

"So who needs to watch their back next? Have George or I made your list?" Fred asked as he plopped Harry at the table between himself and George. Harry smirked without a response and switched seats to be next to Ron.

"Yeah first you got rid of Norris. Then twerp with the camera – no offense Gin-Gin. Then you tossed that tosser who kept picking fights and a ghost to boot!" Fred held his spoon under Harry's mouth like a microphone. Harry brushed the spoon out of his face while loading his plate with rosemary pork and mashed potatoes. Ginny did the same as she tried to process what Fred said. Who else did she petrified? Who did she hurt this time? Which ghost? What tosser picking fights? Justin?

"Who are you attacking next?" Fred continued. This was going on far too long. Ginny felt a twinge of annoyance.

"Don't you see. They don't care"

"Oh, don't," Ginny wailed. She had enough. Did they not realize how serious this all was? Anger and frustration bubbled up from Ginny's stomach as her right hand clenched her wand. How could they mock any of this? Did they not care how hard containing all this is?

"They never cared."

George picked a clove of garlic off the table and started to chase Harry around. Everyone else may find this funny but no one else had Tom in their heads. No one else was losing time. No one else was trapped.

A few early evening Owls trickle in through the sunlit Great Hall window. Ginny recognized poor Errol's desperate flapping. He flew in through the giant window seconds before Filch finished closing it. He glided down on a wind vortex created by the pressure of the window closing and the opening of the massive doors. He landed on their table and collapsed hooting in a fit in the middle of the buttered mashed potatoes. Ginny saw her name tied to a roll of parchment on his left leg. Gently removing the letter she pet Errol's exhausted head. Tutting at him to sooth his obvious distress from the long flight. She gave the old owl bits of pork loin as she unrolled the letter scanning to the signature. Seeing it was from her Mum she started to read.

Dear Ginny,

I received Percy's letter informing me your intentions to stay at school with your brothers. I won't lie, your father and I will miss you (as well as Bill). But I understand why you want to stay behind with your friends and brothers.

Percy sent me a glowing report on how hard you have been studying in the library. Please don't over do it. You have years ahead for studies. Try to get out with your friends and don't put too much pressure on yourself. Don't worry about making mistakes, they are how we learn. You don't need to be perfect and ask for help when overwhelmed. Don't forget to BREATHE! just like I taught you when you were a little girl. Four breaths in, two to hold, and eight to release.

I love and am so proud of the young lady you are becoming. I will miss you over the holiday. Please try to have fun and don't live in the library. Percy and Bill did not receive perfect scores throughout school and they turned out fine.

Love,

Mum

Ginny picked up her things and rose from the table. The letter confirmed that her Mum suspected something was wrong. Malfoy glowered at them from the Slytherin table. Ginny stuck up her nose and glowered right back. What is he looking at? Why does he care if they are picking fun?

Unless he knows? Coldness washed over her like a bucket of icy water dumped on her head. His family, obsessed with dark artifacts, did he sense the darkness emanating off her? Her scowl fell as the blood drain from her face and her cheeks turned ice cold. Her hands were shaking. No. He couldn't know. Then why else would he be starring? He knows. Everyone knows. They must be able to feel the darkness

"You are right. They do know. Your mum, your classmates, your teachers. Everyone. And they will lock you away in the white room."

She found herself walking back to the stain glass window and looked up at her Queen. Ginny shook her head and breathed in pushing out her stomach. She counted to four, held her breath, and then pushed the air out sucking her stomach back towards her spine as she counted to eight. Her Mum taught her this trick when she threw fits as a little girl when overwhelmed by her emotion. Tom's voice faded with every repetition of the breathing exercise. As the calmness with her breath washed over her she felt Tom pushed further and further away.

"No. This isn't me. Tom isn't me. I don't have to be like this anymore. I am not evil. I am not dark. I am still good," Ginny pushed positive thoughts to the front of her mind. Her anger and shame started to dissipate as she focused telling herself, "I can be strong like the Queen."

She re-examined the first pane. The expression on the Queen's face was by no means serene, but it was also calm and in control. Surrounded by chaos and turmoil her eyes were searching into the distance. She looked past the armies, fighting, and fire. The Queen wasn't focused on the terror surrounding her but on her salvation coming in the distance.

She had to stay in control. The angrier she felt, the more she gave into the shame, the louder Tom's voice boomed within her head. Broomsticks, the burrow, walking to Otter St. Catchery with her Dad, throwing a quaffle. She focused on everything good in her life. The anxiety stayed like an old friend in the pit of her stomach. Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron. Her mind slowed enough so she could catch her breath. Blustered by her calmer thoughts, Ginny walked back to her dorm.

Mira and Beryl sat on the floor wrapped in an embrace crying. Adelaide and Xenia sat to the side looking forlorn and somber. When Ginny walked in the room Beryl huffed in her direction and turned her back to face away from the intrusion. She sobbed heavier into Mira's shoulder as Mira looked helplessly at her roommates.

"Mira's parents are pulling her from school," Adelaide stated without emotion. "She is going to Beauxbatons Academy in the spring."

"Why?" Ginny asked. The scathing looks told her she had said exactly the wrong thing. Beryl sobbed harder as Mira patted her shoulder.

"Have you not noticed the students and our house ghost turned into statues? Or are you too good for the entire school?" Beryl's turned and spit her venom-laced words towards Ginny. "I don't know why you are bothering telling her. It isn't like she cares about any of us."

Ginny slinked out of the dorm back into the empty common room.

"No one cares about you. No one will ever care about you."

Pressure mounted. Ginny fought to regain her breath. Broomsticks, the burrow, baking pies. She put her hand on her stomach and breathed counting to four as her hand pushed outward. One. Two. She released her breath through her mouth feeling her hand pull into her navel. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. She tried to keep her breath even and calm. But her panic rose and soon everything went black.

The pressure and buzzing subsided. She awoke to the twins dancing around the common room with Percy wedged between them. Everyone, including Ginny, wore new jumpers from Mum. Harry estacally sat in a brilliant emerald green jumper that matched his eyes. A disgruntled looking Ron in his typical maroon monstrosity slumped in a chair next to him. Harry looked ten years younger. He sat tall in the chair instead of his typical hunched posture. His entire face was lit with laughter. He threw his head back observing Percy trying to extricate himself from the twins. Hermione sat next to Ginny with a serious look on her face as she held a hand of exploding snap cards. Ginny looked down and noticed she was in the midst of a game of cards.

"Who did you hurt this time child?"

A cold wind that only Ginny could feel blew through the room.

"It wasn't me," thought Ginny arguing with Tom internally. "I am not the one hurting people. I am good."

"Think what you want my dear, I know the truth."

Ginny counted the cards in her hands. Counting helped. She stopped worrying about Tom in her head and focused on her breath. One, two, three, four. She breathed in. One, two. She held her breath. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. She exhaled through her mouth. Feeling recentered she examined the cards in her hands. She was about to win the game.

"So, er, Hermione, any more excitement?" Ginny tried to sound nonchalant.

"Hm? What?"

"Well, er, what I mean is, any more events with students or cats or ghosts ending up petrified?"

"No, not since Justin and Nearly Headless. Why? Did you hear something?"

"No, just worried. I am a little stressed."

Hermione gave her an understanding smile. She played her Ace and the cards in the center of the table exploded singeing the tips of Hermione's hair. Hermione laughed heartily.

"Well played Ginny!" she exclaimed her voice full of mirth and merriment. "What a wonderful Christmas day. We should all get down to the feast. Ron, Harry are you both ready to go?"

Ginny looked out the window. It was dark. She had missed the start of the holiday break. George and Fred stopped wrapping an irate Percy in garland. They sprinted to the portrait door towards the Great Hall. Harry and Ron chased after the twins while Hermione and Ginny helped untie Percy.

Ginny, Hermione, and Percy walked to the sparsely populated Great Hall. The attacks caused most students to head home for the holiday break. Mira would probably not be the only student to stay home or transfer for the spring holiday. Hermione and Percy discussed a Daily Prophet article on the rights and classification of Merepeople. Ginny tuned them out while she tried to focus on staying calm and happy. This became less difficult once they entered the Great Hall.

A giant tree filled with fairy lights stood tall in the center of the room. Warm snowflakes gently fell from the darkened cloudy ceiling. Hagrid looked at their table smiling as he emptied a goblet the size of her head in one fell gulp. Professor Flitwick and McGongall sat with their hats and glasses askew. They laughed at something Professor Sprout said. The merriment of the hall and staff was contagious. Ginny found an empty seat wedging herself between Ron and Percy. Percy and Hermione were still deep in conversation as Ginny rested her head on Percy's shoulder.

Percy looked down at her head and smiled. It had been a long time since Ginny had shown her typical physical affection towards any of her brothers. Percy stopped talking with Hermione and wrapped his arm around Ginny's shoulder. Pulling her closer he placed a kiss on her head and whispered Merry Christmas into her hair. Ginny let her head fall on her older brother's chest as she breathed in the familiar Weasley scent of his new jumper. A tear escaped the corner of her tightly closed eyes. She desperately tried to hold onto the feelings of Christmas, family, and home.

The rest of dinner proceeded uneventfully. Everyone was too busy stuffing their faces full of food and cracking jokes. No one to noticed Ron, Hermione, and Harry sneaking off halfway through dinner. Percy, George, Fred and Ginny walked back to the dorm early so Percy could start his evening rounds. Fatigue washed over the four siblings. George pulled Ginny onto his back to carry her upside down laughing to the steps of her empty dorm.

For once, sleep came easily to Ginny. She did not wake throughout night screaming or covered in sweat. Morning greeted her with the silent peace. Gentle light flickered in through gaps in her bed curtains. Dressing quickly, she hurried down to the common room hoping to catch her brothers. Yesterday reminded her how isolated she allowed herself to become. How lonely she felt without her family. Tom's voice was absent and her heart swelled with joy anticipating a day with her brothers.

Ron and Harry huddled close together whispering. Ginny crept up behind them ready to spring with her cat-like reflexes and scare them.

"She will be in the hospital almost a month," Ron said with tightness in his voice. "How will we get through potion?"

Ginny stopped in her tracks and crouched down behind the chair to eavesdrop.

"Hermione is going to flip once she realizes she will miss the first few weeks of term." Harry replied with an even nonchalant tone. "We should bring her homework to the hospital so she doesn't go berserk."

"Good idea mate. Come on, I want some bangers and mash"

Ginny felt her heart tighten in her chest. How did Hermione get hurt? She didn't think she lost time. She thought she finally found control over Tom with her breathing exercises. She failed. Shame crashed into her as she felt her mood spiraled down. The tightness extended from her heart into her lungs. Breathing became harder as she sat gasping for breath.

"You hurt everyone around you. What's the point of fighting?"

No! She had to keep fighting. Tom was not stronger than her. She vaulted to her feet and ran back to her dorm tearing into her trunk. She threw broken quills, extra jumpers, and socks to the floor until she found what she was looking for. Sitting in her old torn robe, still smelling slightly of dragon dung, was Tom. She grabbed him and marched down towards Myrtle's bathroom. She sensed she had to go back to where the whole horrid nightmare began. One way or another, by the end of today, she was going to be free.