"Voldemort is back and he's coming for you. You and Neville."
Neither Severus nor Lucius knew that Ginny had been speaking the very words to Harry. She could predict what they'd say if they found out she was doing the very thing that would rock the hornet's nest, but this wasn't about the petty conflict between Severus and Harry—this was a life or death situation. If Harry was to be attacked by Voldemort, Ginny could give him the courtesy of a warning. Wasn't that what Severus did for Ginny by including her in his plan? She only had until tomorrow evening to give Harry a fair heads-up. She only hoped she wasn't too late.
Harry listened intently, his face motionless as Ginny revealed, sweaty palmed, all she had witnessed and learned. In the end he had only one thing to say.
"You can't be serious."
Ginny huffed. "Of course I am."
"Why didn't you come sooner?" Harry lashed out. "Could have been lynched by Voldemort any minute here-"
"It shouldn't matter. I'm here now aren't I? Besides, I thought you could hold your ground if he ever attacked." Ginny remembered Harry's very reassuring speech that he could take care of everyone now and how Ginny didn't have to worry about anything. Bullshit.
"In fact, why even bother coming at all," Harry said.
"Severus said-" Well that was the start of it. Harry's emotionless face grew quite dark and twisted.
"So this is what it's all about? Snape? What did I tell you about him? Stay away from him."
"Sure I remember that-"
"You promised."
"I promised not to do anything too 'Gryffindor'. You can't tell me who to spend my time with. In fact, I'd like to think my entire scheme had been quite Slytherin." It didn't take long for Ginny to spill her arrival into the hornet's nest, seeing Riddle himself, Severus' plan to help. There was no reason Harry shouldn't know about these things now. He and Lucius and Severus were all on the same team, and if Ginny had learned anything from leading Dumbledore's Army against the Carrows', it was that miscommunication about motives not only lost you potential allies, but also led to unnecessary conflicts. Harry needed to know that what she, Severus, and Lucius had planned was not only supporting Ministry activity, but also helping it in a clever way.
"So Harry, say something?" Ginny pressed.
"What's there to say?" Harry scowled. "You and Snape clearly make a better team than you and I. I don't know why you bother telling me what you're going to do and seek my approval, yet still do it anyway behind my back."
"I wanted you to be prepared. I believe the word you were looking for was 'thank you'," Ginny said. "Besides, it's not like you were going to let me side along with you and Will and your team of Aurors."
"Fine. Thank you. Thank you for not trusting me. Thank you for putting yourself in danger. Thank you for not using your common sense," Harry said.
"Just because I didn't have the training you had, it doesn't make my ideas or actions any less valid than yours," Ginny cried, her cheeks growing hot. "I was the one who stayed in Hogwarts when you and Hermione and Ron were hunting the Horcruxes. Did you forget that I could have been a big help to you, because I was possessed by Tom Riddle's diary? Yes, yes you did. Did you ever tell me you were going to leave, let me in on your plans? You don't know what happened at Hogwarts without you. The needless punishments, sneaking around after dark, hoping that the sun will come out tomorrow and you will no longer have to hide the truth about who you really are and what you believe in? Well I remember it. I remember all of it, and so does Severus and Neville and Luna….Clearly everyone except you, who got it in his head that just because you're the Chosen One, woe is your personal calling card."
"Shite Ginny, that's mean," Harry grumbled. "I never said I underestimated you or your pain. Just didn't want to bring it up because those memories are too painful for me. Those nights in the Forest of Dean, I didn't forget about you. I was sure you'd forgotten about me though, being gone for so long-"
"I'd never forget you Harry," Ginny said.
"I thought about you. Constantly. Ask Ron. I convinced myself it was better you weren't with us because we were under constant attack, sitting in the cold on our arses and wondering when the next run in with Death Eaters will be, always hungry, tired and alert. Sorry I didn't bring you to tag along on the hunt. Sorry for being courteous. But just so you know, I do know what it's like to suffer."
"I didn't say you didn't, only that you could have shared it with me, the one person who actually could have understood what you had gone through with Voldemort. Even to a smaller degree."
"Well it looks like you got what you wanted," Harry muttered. "Teaming up with Severus and Lucius: the two wizards who, coincidentally, do not have a reputation for being loyal to anyone or anything. Unless you're counting my mum."
"So that's what it's about? Severus was in love with your mum some twenty years ago?"
"It's disgusting, but besides the point-"
"I was in love with you growing up. Do you think that's also disgusting," Ginny retorted. "Or is it only disgusting because you hate Severus and you can't imagine that he could ever be committed to anyone without a hidden agenda?"
"Do you?"
"What?"
"Well you've become quite close to him in Cagailshire."
Ginny huffed, tossing her hands to the side. "I like him."
"You like him."
"He's been kind enough to not treat me like some frail casualty that couldn't be trusted in a mission to defeat the Dark Lord—the one who killed my brother, my friends and sucked me into his schemes when I was eleven. All this time, he'd been quite understanding and considerate of my wish to be helpful—not sit around and wait for someone to rescue me."
"You like him."
"Harry, just," Ginny said, exasperated. "Yes." And it was the truth. She liked Severus Snape, the wizard who had played many roles in her life: professor, unwilling Healer, cruel headmaster, member of the Order of the Phoenix, confident, and…and….
Harry considered. "I'll immediately dispatch a message to stop all ceremony operations from traveling to Cagailshire."
"You will?"
"Yes, and I'll even let the Minister know that Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy were acting as civilian aides in the operation, including you." Harry's expression grew weary. "But after that, I don't want to be your…anything."
"Why-"
"Because you're in love with Severus Snape, for Merlin's fucking sake," Harry cried. "Don't try to deny it. I might have the emotional depth of a teaspoon, but I can see the way you look at each other and never thought my best-friend would ever fall for the man I've hated all my life.
Hold up. "Severus has feelings for me?"
"Will told me all about Snape standing up for you that night. Said he looked murderous, like he was going to destroy every cell in his body if he so much as flicked dust in your general direction," Harry said.
"Alright, he has feelings for me, you don't."
"I do Ginny," Harry said. "That's the problem. I can't stand by and watch you commit yourself to somebody who isn't capable of love."
"But you can still be my friend? It doesn't change anything."
"No it doesn't." Harry sighed.
"Fine. Now can we get on with the plan? You are going to help me?"
"I'll help you. In fact, I'll probably be your best bet right now because Snape is gone."
"Where?" Ginny blanched.
"I sent Will to keep updates on him. I knew something was off when you stopped talking to me, and spending more time with Snape and I could just feel he had lured you into another one of his schemes," Harry said. "I promised your family I'd keep my eye out on you in Cagailshire and I intend to keep that promise. Snape is not at his home right now, so whatever partnership you two had is clearly not strong enough to keep him from betraying the one side he's always on—his own. Will last saw him Apparating outside of town."
Ginny spoke, but her mind raced in mad circles. Severus did have feelings for her, he considered her….a friend, an aide, right? They all had a role to play in Tom Riddle's downfall and Ginny didn't need excitement of reciprocal attachment to intrude her thought. Beside, Severus made it very clear he didn't want to hurt her if he didn't….if he-
"Merlin, I have to go! Round up your Aurors and meet me at the warehouse. Now!" Ginny cied, Apparating out of sight as soon as she stood on Harry's doorstep, not waiting for him to stop her. Where she needed to be right now, she needed to go with Lucius Malfoy.
-xxx-
Lucius had his wand to her chin before Ginny could even curl her fingers around her own weapon.
"Ginevra, such a late hour?" he said casually.
"We need to talk."
Lucius clearly knew exactly what Ginny was going to say because his wand remained pressed into her skin.
"He's there?"
Lucius feigned surprise. "Who and where?"
"Don't lie to me. Severus. He's gone to the warehouse to face Voldemort. Alone," Ginny cried.
In an instant, her body was bound by magical cords and she sank to the floor. She did the one thing she could, scream. Without a doubt, Lucius put a Silencing Charm around the room, so Ginny was certain none of her neighbors could hear her. "How could you let him do this without telling me? Was this his plan all along—to Summon you here while he takes the Dark Lord on himself, putting himself between that arsehole and the Chosen One? "
"Actually, it was a last minute decision," Lucius said. "Luckily Severus had brewed some Polyjuice under stasis ahead of my arrival."
Of course, Severus would Polyjuice himself into her to gain access to the warehouse. Probably had Marcia take him too. All this talk of altering her memories with his personal method, telling her she was being a big help to him, giving he access to his notes—all had been a distraction for what Severus was really after: setting the stage for his ultimate showdown with his previous master. Harry was right, and Ginny hated to admit it—Severus Snape was not done playing cloak and dagger.
Ginny's arms stung as she tried to pry herself free with the help of her wand. To her frustration, she realized that Lucius had already captured it and tucked it into his robe pockets. "I don't believe you have anything to worry about."
"You betrayed me, both of you, arseholes!" Ginny yelled.
"Severus appreciated every moment of your help," Lucius said calmly. With the wave of his wand, his day robes turned into the Death Eater regalia. "In fact, he asked me to thank you personally, on his behalf."
"That's no appreciation. He feels nothing for me."
"Quite the contrary. If Severus' feelings were any less strong towards you Ginevra, he would not have asked me to keep you away from the Dark Lord. Consider this his final act of misguided kindness," Lucius said, holding the silver mask in his hands. "He has an awful habit of pulling the rug from beneath the feet of his loved ones at the last second, but the last thing he wants is to see someone he cares for brutally murdered by the hand of the Dark Lord. Again."
Lucius slipped on the mask. "Now if you'll excuse me, Miss Weasley, unfinished business calls. If it's of any consolation, I had the pleasure of getting to know you."
"Fuck you," Ginny spat as his blond head of hair and cloaked figure disappeared, leaving her alone and unarmed in a room.
If Severus loved her, he had a terrible way of showing it. Sending himself and Lucius as wand-meat before Tom Riddle was one way to die. Ginny had been too trusting, and again of the wrong person. She also missed her shift tonight. She would have been okay missing it had she been actually of any use to the Kill Riddle Operation, but even there she was unneeded. Forgotten like yesterday's empty bottle. Ginny closed her eyes, hoping that her absence from the Crone would raise some suspicion as to her whereabouts.