Chapter nineteen

Hermione explained to Ron that she had contacted all their friends, explained what was going on and to keep an eye out for Ginny. But apart from the few places Ron already knew, Hermione could not come up with anywhere else Ginny might hide.

Ron stepped into the auror office, 'Where's Harry?'

'Decided to fly around with Charlie, said he'll be about an hour and you're in charge,' Seamus shrugged.

'Okay, unless we can come up with some idea of where she is, there isn't much we can do. Hermione contacted all our friends and explained what is going on; hopefully one of them will find her or at least see her.'

'Damn,' Cho said suddenly.

'What?' every auror asked.

'The tunnel, from Aberforth's pub to Hogwarts.'

'Okay, Cho, Jessie, Seamus and Ernie head there now, check with Aberforth. Terry, Michael, Parvati, we'll head to Hogwarts. I'll leave a note for Harry just in case he gets back before us,' Ron sighed but quickly wrote a note and stuck it to Harry's office door, 'Let's go.'

The group of aurors hurried from the office, separating down at the atrium's apparition point.

Harry was in his back garden, he stripped off, handing his clothes to Charlie then changed into his dragon, he crouched down to allow Charlie to climb onto his back. Harry dragon let a low growl erupt as he looked back at Charlie.

'I'm fine, got a good hold, let's go Harry.'

Harry's large head nodded then took off slowly and not to step until he ended up high in the sky. They couldn't fly too low or the muggles would see them yet they couldn't go too high or they wouldn't see Ginny, if they saw her.

They flew towards Ottery St Catchpole first, scanned the orchard and the land around the Burrow. They saw Arthur and Molly gazing up at them, Harry shot fire down but kept it away from his surrogate parents and the house. After flying over Muriel's home and the land around it they headed back to Godric's Hollow. Ginny knew Harry and Charlie lived in that town so it made sense she might be hiding somewhere until she could get to Charlie.

'Harry, look, I saw a flash of red near that house,' Charlie pointed, 'It could be her.'

Harry dragon circled around then landed behind a large group of bushes at the back of the cemetery. Charlie climbed down then Harry quickly changed back and dressed.

'That's my parent's house,' Harry panted.

'Why would she go there, if it's her?'

'I don't know, but she won't be able to get in, Dumbledore sealed it so only I could open it. I took a lot of their furniture and some pictures, then sealed it after. She was at Grimmauld place when I asked Dumbledore about the house.'

'She might have forgotten, but let's look.'

'What if she does something to you Charlie?'

'We're strong together and we'll sense it before she does anything. Trust our ability Harry, trust your instincts.'

Harry nodded, then took hold of Charlie's hand, they walked cautiously towards the house but Harry could tell it was still sealed.

'We'll go around the back, there large glass doors that will let us see in. I don't want to unseal it again, not if I don't have to.'

Harry and Charlie quietly made their way around the side of the house, both peered into the house but could not see a sign of Ginny.

'I never saw it Charlie, could it have been from something else?'

'Normally I would say I wasn't sure, but it was Weasley red, ginger hair, so it wasn't from a flower or anything. What's that down there, under those vines?'

Harry turned, 'I don't know, I never went down there.'

'Let's have a look,' Charlie kept hold of Harry's hand as they walked down through the overgrown garden, 'It's a shed, but look,' Charlie pointed.

'Some of the vines are broken, please stay behind me Charlie.'

'I will, but I'll still be holding your hand.'

Harry pulled his wand and removed some of the vines still around the door. Charlie pulled the door hard thinking he would need more strength but it came open easily. Harry lit his wand as Charlie did the same thing, then they joined hands again. Harry stepping in first, they both glanced around before moving further into the shed.

'What's that?' Harry pointed.

'It's red, is it old paint?'

'There was nothing in the house painted red,' Harry moved closer, 'Shit, it's Ginny,' Harry quickly checked her pulse, 'Nothing, I'll get her to St Mungo's quicker, bring her out,' Harry raced outside, stripped his clothes and changed, Charlie carried his sister's unconscious body and placed her inside Harry's open mouth.

'I'll go tell mum, go, hurry,' Charlie watched as Harry flew off, picked up his discarded clothes then he turned, apparating away from the Potter home in Godric's Hollow landing at the Burrow, 'Mum, dad.'

'Charlie, why are you alone?'

'We found Ginny, Harry flew her to St Mungo's.'

'Explain when we get there,' Arthur, Molly, Charlie and Percy instantly apparated away. The moment they arrived in the waiting area of St Mungo's, Arthur quickly sent his patronus while his dad spoke with the welcome witch who showed them through the doors to the ward where Ginny had been taken. Harry was pacing the corridor wearing healers robes, 'How is she?'

'I haven't heard, but I couldn't feel a pulse,' Harry looked up at Charlie.

'She sliced her wrists opened.'

'Oh Ginny,' Molly's eyes instantly watered as she wrapped her arms around her husband.

'Where was she?' Percy asked.

'At my parents place, down in a shed,' Harry put his head on Charlie's chest, 'I should let Ron and the others know.'

'Dad sent my patronus to Ron, they'll turn up soon,' Charlie held Harry tight as he stared at the door, 'Why would she do this?'

'She realised what her life was going to be like, living with Muriel and no magic or Azkaban. I think it finally sunk in how serious all this was,' Arthur said.

'Mum, dad,' Ron ran in with all the other aurors behind him along with Hermione, 'What's going on, Charlie just said get here.'

'Ginny tried to kill herself, Harry flew her here,' Arthur said sadly tightening his hold on his wife as she sobbed.

'We looked in the tunnel from the hogshead, so where did you find her?' Ron asked.

'Harry's parents place, there was a shed down the back of the garden.'

'Godric's Hollow, but why there?' Hermione asked.

'I don't know, she couldn't get in the house, Dumbledore sealed it so only someone with my blood could get in. He did that after he took my parents bodies from the house.'

'We were flying around, I saw a flash of red down near one of the houses,' Charlie explained, 'I didn't know it was the Potter house, not until Harry changed back.'

Everyone either stood watching the door or pacing the corridor. Arthur kept hold of Molly, Charlie kept his arms around Harry, Ron had hold of Hermione, George, Bill and Fleur arrived, the three of them stood with Percy all holding each other, waiting to hear what had happened to their sister.

Two healers and a medi-witch stepped out of the room, 'Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.'

'Yes,' Arthur said in a whisper.

'We're very sorry, she lost too much blood. We tried everything, but she was gone before she got here.'

Molly, Hermione, Cho, Parvati and Fleur broke into sobs, Arthur tightened his hold on his wife but he wiped tears from his own eyes. Harry buried his face in Charlie's chest as they held each other, Charlie heard Harry sob, but he couldn't hold back either.

'If you would like to go in, you can,' the medi-witch said kindly then opened the door when the Weasley's nodded.

'We'll wait here,' Seamus said sadly then watched as all the Weasley's, Harry and Hermione stepped into the room, closing the door behind them. None of the aurors spoke, but they all knew they would help the Weasley family through their grief any way they could.

It was about half an hour later when Harry stepped outside the room, 'Um, Michael, you're in charge for the next couple of days. Jessie, could you inform the minister what took place. Seamus, you and Parvati take my statement and Charlie's statement. I can't be involved since I found her and was personally involved, Ron can't either.'

'Do you want to do it here Harry or at your place?' Seamus asked.

'Um, I know it should be done at the office, but I'm taking Charlie to the Burrow. So come there after we've left. Terry, Ernie, Cho, you three head to my parents place, go around the left side of the house and down the back, you'll see the shed. From now on though, Michael will take charge of this. I'll be out in a few minutes.'

The aurors waited until Harry stepped back into the room, 'Okay, well, you heard the boss, Jessie, go see the minister, Cho, Ernie and Terry, make sure you take pictures and collect all evidence that might be relevant. I'll head down to speak with the healers before heading back to the office,' Michael said but looked a little uncomfortable giving everyone orders, especially to the ones that had been close to Harry, closer than he was.