Ginny sat across from the stained glass gazing at the Queen's stoic impassive face. The Queen endured the flames holding her head in defiance. She stood on the pyre not knowing if the fire led to her salvation or damnation. Focusing on the strength this other woman Ginny's heart beat to a normal rhythm. She was ready. Ready to walk up the stairs to the third floor by the witch statue with the hump. This was almost done. No matter what happened this afternoon; expulsion, salvation, rejection or acceptance, the end was coming. No more wondering, mind invasions, or nights filled with terror. She was almost free.
Marching to Percy's hall Ginny saw Percy's red hair elevated next to the witches head. Ginny hurried the last few steps anxious to catch him before he left to go on rounds. Percy shifted how he stood and inadvertently turned his back to her. A small hand snaked around his back. The hand's olive skin crept upwards opposing the paleness of Percy's neck. Ginny heard moans and mutterings as a raven haired girl pushed Percy into the wall. He sighed with his eyes closed as the dark head with shiny black hair continued to swirl against his mouth. Ginny's stomach lurched. Percy was kissing someone. Percy. Her "everything must always be proper" stick in the mud brother was kissing a girl in the middle of an open hallway.
"Percy?" Ginny's voice squeaked.
Percy jumped back into the wall hitting his head. His glasses were askance and his shirt front hung loose. A previously unseen hand moved from under his shirt as he pushed the dark-haired girl away. The girl, startled by the sudden rejection, flew to the floor hitting her bum hard on the stone floor.
"Ow! What the.." The girl stopped talking cut off as Percy lurched livid towards Ginny.
"What on earth? Who set you up to this? Who sent you here? Was this Fred and George's idea? If you tell anyone what you saw." His anger radiated off his skin.
Ginny fell backward retreating back down the stairs. She sprinted away from the chaotic scene. For a moment she forgot everything, forgot her building confession and her shame. All she wanted was to get as far away from the anger stemming from Percy as fast she could. She couldn't stop the pressure and buzzing from surrounding her this time. All the fear and anger from Percy kept her normal defenses at bay. Sliding against the closest wall, everything faded to black.
Ginny woke several days later sitting in the common room. The buzzing and pressure dissipated bringing the dim common room into blinding focus. The early morning sun radiated off the golden embroidery on the chairs burning her eyes. The silence of the room filled with muffled sounds permeating through her bubble.
"If Hermione misses exams she will be livid," Ron whispered to Harry. "What was she doing with that Ravenclaw?"
"We need to find out who is opening the Chamber of Secrets and stop them before they close the school," replied Harry. His eyes darted around the room catching Ginny's eyes watching him.
"Come on, let's get breakfast and figure this out."
Both boys gathered their books and left the common room. Ginny turned her gaze towards the fire.
Was Hermione hurt? Ravenclaw? Close the school? Did she hurt two more people? Desperate to stop Ron and Harry from leaving, Ginny started to rise from her chair. Until a startling realization smashed into her. It was her fault. Watching Ron and Harry leave the portrait, her stomach dropped. She couldn't follow them and find out more. Everything that happened this year was her fault. Ginny got up from the safety and warmth chair and walked into her thankfully empty room.
She chose to steal the diary back and let Tom back into her life. She chose not to tell a professor or get outside help. Why? Why was she so arrogant she thought she could take down Tom by herself? Where was Tom? Panic seized Ginny paced scanning every surface until she noticed him sitting idly on her desk. Finding him intact she paced the room. She had to do something. She had to tell someone.
"You will never be rid of me Ginny," Tom's voice ricocheted throughout the empty room. Ginny lunged at the diary on her desk and threw him against the wall panting with frustration.
"You will NOT control ME anymore," she bellowed at the diary. Unshed tears threatened to escape her eyes as an anger rose within her. This wasn't fair. Why was she chosen? Why did she have to suffer? She picked up the diary from the floor ignoring the burning in her hands pushing it to the bottom of her trunk.
"Tsk tsk tsk, think you can get off that easy? You are the one who has been opening the Chamber of Secrets. You are the one who hurt your little muggle friends."
The more Tom talked the harder tears fell down her face. Ginny ripped the bedding off of her bed and tore down her curtains. Shoving them in her trunk she tried to stifle the sounds.
"Who else is connected to all those people except poor little Ginny? Next time you lose time, I should find a way to talk to Harry again. He seems to like to put two and two together."
In a last ditch effort, she kicked the trunk as hard as she could. The softness of her pillows and bedding cushioned her foot as it crashed into the trunk. The trunk inched forward scratching the wood floor.
Laughter surrounded her. Her head filled with blood creating a throbbing pain. Her brain swelled pushing against her skull as her left eye twisted against the socket. The severity of the pain rippled through her nervous system. Her stomach twisted into knots causing her to cripple over as nausea danced with the pain. She needed help. Taking several short gasping breaths Ginny stood. Madam Pomphrey. Pain in her head radiated with every footstep leaving her room. She heard Tom's laughter followed her as she walked towards the hospital wing.
Every nerve-wracking painful step sent Ginny deeper into a frenzied panic. Her hands trembled from fear rather than pain as she pushed the dense doors of the hospital wing open. Walking into the room she odors of scouring potion and clean sheets bombarded her. Visions of the White Room appeared and the pain intensified as Tom laughed in her head.
Pain potion. She needed a pain potion. The contortion of her brain against her skull intensified. She fell into a curtain sectioning off the entrance from prying eyes of curious students.
"Hello?" Ginny called out to the abyss of a room.
"Back here, coming. Are you hurt?" Madam Pomphrey called from deep behind the flowing curtains. Ginny took a few timid steps forward steadying herself on the white cloth divider. Ginny stuck her head through and met eyes with a familiar looking raven haired girl. The girl's vacant expression stared through Ginny's head towards the sterile white wall. Ginny fell backward. The shock of meeting eyes with Percy's helpless girlfriend jolted her heart. How did she go from kissing her brother to lying in a hospital wing? She knew to expect Justin, Colin, Hermione and Nearly Headless, but this girl. This girl was personal. She kissed her brother.
Gasping for air her throat began to close. She couldn't speak. Percy will hate her forever. She hurt his girlfriend. Visions of Percy yelling and disowning her flooded through her head. Why would he be forgiving of her transgressions? Why would he look past her mistakes and help her now?
"Oh child, you look so pale! Why are you breathing so fast did you just run over here?" Madam Pomphrey walked towards Ginny with her hand outstretched. Ginny backed away until her back hit the wall and crumpled to the floor. "Sweetie, what is wrong? You can tell me."
"Pain. Head."
"Your head hurts?" Waving her wand over Ginny's collapsed body Madam Pomphrey studied the results. "Oh dear, it does hurt. This looks like a migraine. Let me get you a quick potion."
Madam Pomphrey sat on the floor with Ginny and stroked her hair back. She accioed a potion from her cabinet. It flew into her hand as she leaned Ginny back pouring it down her throat. The bitter sticky liquid coated Ginny's tongue. The smell of elderberries turned her already sensitive stomach. She began gagged and willed her stomach to not throw up. The pain dissipated almost instantly. As the liquid made its way down her esophagus settling her stomach giving her blessed relief. The waves of nausea stopped overtaking her.
"There you go, dear. Much better. Do you want to lie down? I can make you a cot out here." She continued rubbing Ginny's side. Ginny felt her heart beat quicken and tried to steady herself. The pressure and buzzing intensified around her threatening to overcome her.
"Are you ready for me to start talking to Harry again?" Tom's voice ricocheted in her ears. Harry. She had to save Harry.
"I am feeling better now. I think I am going to go get some breakfast." Ginny started to get up as Madam Pomphrey stood beside her still rubbing her arm.
"Are you sure? I can make a quick calming draught for you. You will feel so much more at ease. At least you stopped shaking."
"He is such a wonderful listener, willing to go anywhere with me. Just like you!"
"Yes, I am fine." Ginny forced a smile forward and met Madam Pomphrey's concerned gaze. Gesturing to the curtain she said, "I will let you get back to more important matters."
Ginny left the hospital wing and walked into the Great Hall. Harry and Ron were still eating, bent together conspiring, at the Gryffindor table. She had to do this. She had to tell them. Fortifying herself, she walked over to sit next to them. It was almost over. Her hands shook so hard she twisted them in her lap to keep them still. She wished she had accepted the calming draught. Ron looked over at her as he spooned himself another helping of porridge.
"Ginny?" Ron looked confused at her pale trembling face. Ginny tried to calm the trembling in her jaw until she could spit the words out.
Ginny stood willing herself to talk. Guilt rising to her throat. She tried to open her mouth to say, "It's all my fault" but the words died on her lips. She kept looking around the table trying to find the words.
"Spit it out," said Ron with aggravation. Ginny looked back at Ron and Harry and rocked back and forth trying to stop her trembling. Just do it, Ginny. Just tell them. Maybe they can help. You have to warn Harry. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth.
"I've got to tell you something," Ginny mumbled so low both boys strained forward to hear her. The more they looked at her the harder it was to talk. She started tracing circles with her shoes and swinging her leg trying to force the rest of the words to come out.
"What is it?" Harry's voice washed over her like warm water in a bath. Why did he always have to be so nice? She was right to tell Colin to try and ask him all his muggle questions. Ginny looked into his forest green eyes desperately searching for a way to tell him. Tell him she was the reason so many people were hurt. It was her fault that he took the brunt as the Heir of Slytherin while she said nothing. That she opened the Chamber of Secrets. onvince him to protect himself from Tom.
Somehow convince him to protect himself from Tom.
"What?" said Ron. Ginny could feel his frustration mounting. Her mouth opened again as the words were lost in her throat. Just tell them. Tell them not to trust Tom she willed herself.
"Is it something about the Chamber of Secrets? Have you seen something? Someone acting oddly?" Harry spoke with such gentleness. Ginny's resolve was bolstered. She took a deep breath, opened her mouth, and jumped back startled as Percy sat down. Of all her brothers, Percy would understand the least.
"If you've finished eating, I'll take that seat, Ginny. I'm starving, I've only just come off patrol duty," said Percy.
That was it. Her chance was gone. It was no use saying anything in front of Percy. There is no way he would help her. He would report her, shame her, or berate her but never help her. Not after his secret girlfriend was hurt by her actions. Not her rule loving brother.
Ginny scampered away wordlessly without a sense of direction or an end destination. The end was near. The sensation radiated from her core. Her body flooded with acceptance instead of dread. Her only hope was she could find a way to bring an end to Tom with her inevitable demise. The blackness of death no longer scared her, but leaving Tom behind shook her core foundation. She failed to find a way to protect those she loved.
She meandered the halls until she found herself standing in front of the Queen. She lacked the calm composed spirit of the Queen but could walk into the fire. She could face her inquisitors with bravery and acceptance. She sat down gazing at the trifold. She was not going to run away like a scared little girl.
"You are a scared little girl. A little girl lost who will never be found."
She fell back against the wall staring at the flames and angry mob surrounding the feet of the Queen. Her arms trembled as she sank into a small ball piled on the floor. Her shoulders bend and her spine curved sinking into the nothingness surrounding her.
This was it. This was different. There was no buzzing, no pressure. Instead, nothingness wrapped around her like a warm blanket on a cold winter day. Peace and calm descended upon her. The worries about Harry, her family, the white room dissolved.
"That's it, my child. Welcome me home. Welcome me back."
What was the point? There was no knight riding to save her from the flames. There was nothing she could do to find help. She was completely alone in the world, exposed without protection.
Without hope.
Why fight? Why fight against the calm that was descending. She breathed deeply and felt herself accepting the numbness and blackness. The distant sound of students laughing disappeared as noise fell into a void. The unsent letters to her family could explain everything. She said her last words. Light, scent, and feeling left as she entered a sterile vacant space. Her breath and heart slowed until everything was black.
She was at peace.