Chapter 23
February 3, 1978
The note fluttered onto my desk landing on my note-filled parchment and stealing my attention away from the lecture that Professor McGonagall was in the midst of giving at the front of the classroom. Lily caught my eye and raised an eyebrow in question, I only shrugged before brushing it to the side to be read later. I turned my attention back toward our head of house standing at the front of the room, only for the parchment to nudge my hand. I brushed it away again and picked up my quill to continue taking notes until it began to nudge me incessantly in the arm. Dorcas flashed me a questioning look as I pushed the paper away again. Instead of lying down on the table, it continued to tap up my arm, now nudging my bicep every 3 seconds on repeat. Whipping around I turned my glare on a grinning Sirius. He was sandwiched between Remus and James both of whom were trying to stifle a laugh into their elbows.
"Is something funny Mr. Lupin?" Professor McGonagall drawled from the front of the classroom. Remus looked up at her with red-tinted cheeks.
"Umm, no Professor, nothing at all," Remus replied sheepishly, his lips curling against a grin that he struggled to hide.
"And you Mr. Potter?"
"Just excited about the lesson, Professor," James shrugged cheekily.
"Mr. Black?"
"Oh, Professor McGonagall," Sirius grinned up at the older woman charmingly, "I would never dare to laugh in your classroom. I'd use a lot of words to describe you; wise, stunningly beautiful, knows her way around a wand, but a comedian? I would never."
Professor McGonagall's frown deepened at Sirius' blatant flirting. "Pay attention in my class, Mr. Black or it'll be another detention for you."
"Professor, if you wanted to spend all of your evenings with me you need only ask." Our head of house pulled her wand out and flicked it into the air, silently summoning the note that was now nudging my cheek every few seconds into her hand.
"Passing notes in my class, Mr. Black?"
Sirius gasped dramatically, "Me? Never."
"So you don't mind if I read this note aloud then - seeing as you're not the one who wrote it?" Sirius's eyes widened and he looked toward Remus who only bit down in his fist to stifle his laughter.
"I think it's best if you-" but she was already unfolding the paper, and cut him off with a clearing of her throat to read.
"You're my Red, and violets are blue,
I'd be lying if I said I didn't want you."
"Oh bloody hell," Lily murmured as my cheeks started to turn red.
"You're beautiful and kind, an artist with a broom,
If I didn't know better I'd say you spell my doom."
"Not exactly a wordsmith is he?" Dorcas whispered.
"Ginevra Cole you've stolen my heart,
I can't sing, but you make me want to start."
"This isn't fucking happening right now," I breathed as I tried to sink lowly into my desk to the sound of giggles and snickers around me. Somehow my cheeks got redder, and somehow it got fucking worse. Professor McGonagall began to sing.
"Oh Ginny Cole, you beautiful creature,
If she ran away, I'd fight and claw to reach her.
On Saturday next, won't you spend your time,
At Hogsmeade village, being my Valentine."
When she finished the last note, a soaring high one that I never would have thought might escape the old witch's mouth, she turned her glare toward Sirius, James, and Remus, who were all howling with laughter in the back of the room. The classroom surrounding us was in just as wild of hysterics, and I seemed to be the only one who couldn't find the humor in the situation. Even Lily and Dorcas were swallowing their giggles on either side of me.
It was mortifying. It was ridiculous. It was….well it was really bloody funny if I'm being fair and I would pay hundreds of galleons to be able to watch this exact moment from someone else's point of view in a Pensieve one day if it were happening to someone else. I sunk low in my chair to hide away from the stares of my classmates.
"And what do you have to say for yourself, Mr. Black?" The old woman glared at him.
"I think that poem spoke for itself don't you?"
"Mr. Black."
"Professor McGonagall," he replied making the words sound wicked on his tongue. "You know, jealousy isn't a good look for you."
"Did it look like jealousy? Do forgive me, I was going for utter disdain," she replied, though I couldn't miss the twinkle of mischief in her eyes as she sparred with the dark-haired boy in the back of the room. "Shall we go back to class?"
"I don't know professor, I don't think any of us will be able to focus without an answer from the subject of Sirius's affections," Remus called out and I whipped my head around to glare daggers at the boy I'd thought was sweet and kind but as it turns out was just as wicked as his stupid little friends.
"Yes, I suppose that's true. Ms. Cole?" I turned my gaze toward her and found her smirking slightly with my poem clutched tightly in her grasp. She held it up as if to remind me what the question was - like I needed it, I'd never forget this particular moment no matter how many times I'd like to obliviate myself. "Will you kindly give an answer so I can get back to teaching?"
"This is the worst day of my life," I groaned and turned around to glare daggers at Remus, James, and finally Sirius. The latter of which grinned wolfishly at me. I had half a mind to say no - to embarrass him just like he'd embarrassed me - but I knew that would only make it worse. He'd just send more poems, more singing, possibly in front of more people. I'd fallen in love with the older, hotter, non-Weasley version of my twin brothers…and I knew very well the lengths they would go to, for a prank. I turned to glare back at Sirius. He smiled back unperturbed. "You're dead, Black."
"To die at your hands would be the greatest pleasure of my life," Sirius winked.
"Fucking disgusting," the seething voice of Severus Snape spat to my left. Sirius turned his glare on him.
"Who asked you, Snivellus?"
"Sirius," I warned, and he looked back at me sheepishly.
"Sorry, Red," He grinned.
"Fine," I muttered before turning back toward Professor McGonagall. "You were saying, Professor."
"That'll be detention, gentlemen, Thursday evening in my office," She turned her attention toward the three boys in the back. "All three of you."
"You're a right git." I stormed toward Sirius as he leaned casually against the stone wall outside of the Transfiguration classroom flanked on either side by James and Remus. Lily and Dorcas followed calmly behind me, ready to intervene should my anger with Sirius turn violent.
"Did you like it, Red?" He grinned down at me. His fingers reached toward the bag slung over my shoulder but I kept it firmly in place.
"No."
"Liar," he smirked. I swung my arm out to punch him squarely in the stomach but he caught it with ease and pulled me toward his chest. Instantly I was engulfed with his scent, broom polish, and smoke invaded my senses and I almost melted.
"I'm angry with you."
"You look stunning when you're angry with me," Sirius murmured. I sighed in defeat, my irritation melting when he turned those churning blue eyes toward me.
"You realize that you've declared war, right?"
"A war for your affections?" He winked. "There are far worse things to die for." He leaned his head down to capture my lips in a soft kiss that sent my insides burning hot. Beside me, Dorcas let out an irritated scoff that caught our attention. Breaking the kiss Sirius turned. "Jealous, Meadowes?"
"Something like that," She replied and turned her glare on Remus who avoided her gaze.
"I thought the lesson was rather interesting today, don't you think? I mean the effects of transfiguration on vertebrates are-" Remus began with pink cheeks.
"Are you joking?" Dorcas asked him, sounding eerily calm.
"No, I was genuinely fascinated by-"
"You're an arsehole," She cut him off again.
"Anyone hungry for lunch?" James tried to intervene.
"Starved!" Remus attempted to make a move toward the great hall but Dorcas blocked his way. Their height difference was almost funny at this angle. Remus towered over her by over a foot, but he looked wildly intimidated by the 5'3" witch who stood with her hands on her hips.
"I thought, maybe he's just nervous, he's never dated anyone before, give him some time. And then I thought, well maybe he just doesn't want to make the first move, so I did. Now it's been nearly a month of snogging me in private corridors-"
"When did they start snogging?" Sirius asked quietly.
"Since the new year, keep up," Lily replied in irritation, watching the scene unfold with rapt attention.
"A week since you last spoke directly to me in public."
"That's not true, I said Good Morning just the other day," Remus protested.
"You said good morning to everyone." Dorcas's cheeks turned pink as she glared at him. The students filing out of the transfiguration classroom were milling about to watch the dressing down of Remus Lupin with wide eyes and murmured commentary. If I didn't agree with Dorcas' frustration I might have felt bad for the boy on the receiving end of it - but alas, she had a point. "Now, you're going to giggle and charm notes for someone else?"
"Did you want me to embarrass you in front of the entire class?"
"No you bloody wanker!" She shoved him in the chest, only succeeding in making him take a slight step back toward the wall.
"I'm lost, what's going on?" Sirius asked Lily.
"Dorcas likes Remus, Remus likes Dorcas, they've been snogging in the astronomy tower a few times a week since the new year, he hasn't asked her out beyond that," Lily replied very quickly.
"Remus likes Dorcas?" Sirius turned his attention toward James. "Since when?"
"Fourth year," James shrugged.
"Bloody hell, Moony," Sirius sighed and tightened his arms around my waist. "I've got 2 galleons on Meadowes."
"I'll take that, 2 for Moony," James replied and they shook hands briefly.
"I am not just some girl you can snog in dark corridors," Dorcas pushed him again.
"I know that. I just-" Remus turned his attention toward the whispering crowd. "Can we do this in private?"
"No. We're doing this now." He brought his hands up to run them through his hair in exasperation and embarrassment, his eyes flashing toward the left of the corridor where Snape and his gang of miscreants stood grinning.
"Fine, you're right. I'm a git."
"Glad we can agree."
"You can do better."
"I can."
"So why are we having this conversation? Do better."
"Because I like you, you insufferable prat."
"Why?"
"Fucking hell Lupin, the 'I don't deserve nice things' act was cute when we were fifteen, but now it's just old. We've snogged. You've seen my tits."
"Go Moony," James whistled but was cut off by Lily's elbow to the gut. "Ow!"
"I just," Remus sighed and ran his hand through his hair again, looking more ashamed and stressed as the conversation progressed. "I just don't think this is a good idea."
"You didn't seem to think it wasn't a good idea when your hand was up my skirt."
"And that's enough," Lily said before turning toward the small crowd. "TO LUNCH ALL OF YOU!" She shouted and shooed the audience away.
"Did she suck you off too, Lupin?" Avery called as Lily made her way over to their crowd.
"Shut up, Avery," Remus turned his golden-eyed glare toward the gaggle of laughing Slytherins in the corner. Despite his embarrassment, and insistence that Dorcas should not be with him, he made a move toward the group of boys to defend her honor but Dorcas shoved him back toward the wall.
"5 points from Slytherin," Lily said.
"Piss off, mudblood," Mulciber glared toward her. Sirius' arms left my waist as he started to make a move toward the group of boys but I was faster. I pushed him back and was quick enough to grab the back of James' jumper before he could rush to defend Lily's honor.
"One of these days, you'll have to find a new insult Mulciber," She rolled her eyes. A dark look flashed across Snape's face as she made her way toward their group. "Something to add, Snape?" The dark look was replaced by something close to hurt when she said his name. For a second he looked like he might reach toward her but it was gone quickly and replaced with a sneer.
"Let's go," He said to the group as he turned to leave the corridor. "If I wanted to watch a halfbreed mating ritual I would have taken Care of Magical Creatures."
James and Sirius both made a move to go after the group, but I caught them again before any blows could be exchanged. Thank merlin for hormonal boys who forget they're wizards. With the corridor successfully cleared we all turned our attention back toward Dorcas and Remus. Remus was glaring after the Slytherins retreating backs as Dorcas pushed against his chest, willing him with all of her strength not to go after them.
"Just stop, Remus," she grunted. He finally relaxed, reaching unconsciously toward her and wrapping a long-fingered hand around her waist. Her arms left his chest and she looked up at him with wide, sad eyes. "If you don't want to date me, that's fine, but don't say lovely things to me if that's the case."
"Dorcas," He sighed.
"What?"
"Going out with me will just open you up to all manner of insults, and trouble, and I can't do that to you." She shook her head. "I won't do that to you."
"I don't care what anyone else thinks." She reached up toward him and placed her hand gently on his jaw. "Go to Hogsmeade with me." He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch slightly.
"Please, love," he whispered.
"Remus, this is stupid. You're being stupid."
"I'm protecting you," he countered but reached for her waist anyway, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into his chest.
"I'm not a damsel in distress, I'm the dragon." He opened his eyes and smiled sadly down at her.
"Does that make me the princess?"
"Oh no, you're the big bad wolf," She replied cheekily. Remus looked down at her with wide eyes but Dorcas went up on her toes to kiss him softly. "And together, we'll take them all down."
"Dorcas-"
"You're still you, Remus, and I fancy quite a bit." He brought his fingers to her jaw, gently caressing her cheek and brushing a stray hair behind her ear.
"How long have you known?"
"Fourth year," she shrugged.
"Then you know-"
"That you're the same boy who shares his sweets with me in the library, and gives me his jumpers on Quidditch match days that are too cold. You're the same boy who helped me pass Potions, and didn't laugh once when Crouch hexed my nose three times bigger."
"That's just being decent."
"No, it's not."
"You're stubborn."
"You like it." He chuckled quietly and I felt Sirius wrap his arms back around my waist, pulling me into his chest and settling his chin, on the top of my head, to watch the two of them closer.
"Did you have to do it with an audience?"
"I've got a flare for the dramatic," She shrugged.
"Go to Hogsmeade with me?" He murmured.
"I thought you'd never ask." As they kissed, Sirius grinned over at James and held his hand out expectantly.
"That'll be two galleons please."
February 11, 1978
Sirius waited for me in the common room, talking to James with a lopsided grin on his lips. He looked like sin in his leather jacket, distressed and shining, and a tight navy jumper underneath. He'd tucked a grey knit cap over his hair that served to keep his ears warm and make him look like he might also be a star of one of those muggle rock bands that Hermione was always showing me photos of. His eyes flicked toward the stairs for a second, and the grin on his lips widened into something a little less mischievous - something vaguely love-sick. James nudged him with his elbow, and Sirius responded by shoving the taller boy away and meeting me halfway. "Hiya Red," He murmured as he leaned forward to place a warm kiss on my cheek. I breathed him in, letting the strong smell of Fleetwood's high-finish broom polish, and something sweet and fiery, wash over me. Gods he smells good.
"Hiya Black," I replied.
"You look lovely."
"Trying to get into my knickers?" He quirked an eyebrow and smirked.
"Is it working?" I laughed and his smirk quirked into a grin. He reached for my hand and tugged me along toward the portrait hole.
"Have fun you two," James called as we walked past him. "Have her home by 7 young man."
Sirius let out a bark of a laugh when I threw up a lewd gesture over my shoulder and the resulting sound of James' high-pitched laughter fell away as we left the common room and started our journey toward Hogsmeade.
"And where are you taking me, Mr. Black?" I asked him with a smile as he swung our intertwined fingers with wild abandon.
"Anywhere your heart desires, Ms. Cole." He tugged me down the stairs.
"The South of France?"
"Vos désirs sont des ordres." A blush crept up my cheeks that I attempted to bury in my scarf.
"Are you speaking French?"
"oui c'est le langage de l'amour." He paused the swinging of our hands to bring them toward his lips where he placed a firm kiss on the back of my hand.
"You're a real charmer aren't you?"
"I like to think so," He winked as he pulled me toward the doors and into the wintry February air. The path toward Hogsmeade was crowded with coupled-up students who were making their way toward the gates. Filch waited near them with a long list in hand, checking off names and glowering at everyone as they passed. He reserved his most withering glare for Sirius who only grinned in response when it was our turn. "Ginny Cole and Sirius Black."
"I'd better not see you walkin' back in 'ere with a Zonkos bag, do you 'ear me?" Filch grunted.
"Mr. Filch, I would never take a fine lady like Ginny Cole to the proprietor known as Zonko, I am a gentleman after all." I had to stifle a laugh behind my hand but Filch caught it and turned his glare on me.
"Gates close at 7 tonight, you two be back early."
"Of course Sir. 6:59 on the dot," I grinned wickedly and pulled Sirius along behind me. Filch's grumbling was lost as the sound of our laughter followed us down the path.
"See, this is why I love you!" Sirius laughed, and I felt like someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over my head. This is why I love you. He'd said it. Said it with his full chest - no shame, no stammering - just I love you. We'd never said before. Sure, I'd been thinking it since New Year's Eve, been stumbling around it for weeks - unsure of how to declare my love for someone who I had no business loving…who had no business loving me. His fingers tightened on mine, drawing me out of my musings and back toward him where he regarded me with a raised eyebrow. Gods, he's handsome. "Alright?"
"Never better." Ugh, you're disgusting. I groaned at myself.
Hogsmeade was packed for Valentine's day with students, visitors, and villagers alike. The streets bristled with energy as everyone moved in pairs, all of them with only eyes for each other. We passed them calmly - as if Sirius hadn't just told me he loved me. I followed him as if I didn't just hear it. It was insane the way I was expected to carry on as if he hadn't just revealed something so huge to me.
Despite the casual, I love you, the date was good. We stopped at Zonko's first, then at Honeydukes where Sirius begged me to distract the shopkeeper while he nicked down the cellar to hide his purchases - 3 large bags worth - in the tunnel to be picked up later on. Then, with fire fancies and a decent stash of chocolate frogs, we made our way through the village. The conversation flowed easily, and if the words from earlier had thrown me - which they absolutely had…like a fucking quaffle - I didn't show it. We walked past couples, and small groups who clustered together dressed in black as if they were protesting the holiday, and past a group of goblins who seemed to regret ever leaving home this morning as they pushed past gawky fourth years on their first date, and elderly couples who seemed to be on their thousandth. Sirius kept my fingers intertwined with his as we strolled through the village.
"Have you seen the shack?" He smirked down at me.
"The Shrieking shack?"
"Well yeah, what other shack is there?"
"I don't know. What about the Shrieking shack?"
"They say it's haunted." I didn't fight the eye roll that his words brought on. In 20 years, there hadn't been a single boy who could think of a new line. Amatuers.
"Does that usually work?"
"What?"
"The whole 'lets go see the big scary haunted house' bit so I can protect you?"
"That depends - is it working?" I snorted and shrugged. "They say the ghost is quite loud. Very scary."
"Scary?"
"Terrifying."
"What's got everyone so scared? Is it the screams?"
"Howling at the moon." Sirius grinned wolfishly and threw his head back to let out a loud "owoooooo!"
Everyone's eyes were on us but I didn't feel an ounce of shame as I watched Sirius howl into the air, his blue eyes shining and dark hair brushing his shoulders. He looked fully alive as the sun reflected off of the snow lit up his pale cheeks lifted in laughter, he looked happy with my fingers still clutched in his. He looked…beautiful.
"OWOOOOO!" He howled again and tugged gently on my fingers, drawing me in. I was helpless to follow, being lured in by bright eyes and wild laughter. When I was facing him, he brought his free hand up to my face, brushing a lock of hair that had fallen out of the safety of my hat and tucking it behind my ear. "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?"
"Not I," I grinned up at him.
Blue eyes flashed down to my lips, and then back up as the howling stopped and a softer smile graced his lips. I strained onto my toes to close the distance between us, desperate to taste his smile and felt the familiar heat curl deep in my stomach as his icy lips brushed mine. Before either of us could deepen the kiss, we were jostled forward and Sirius had to let go of his hold of my hand to avoid falling on top of me.
"Oi!" He called after a black-cloaked man who didn't even do us the courtesy of turning around to apologize. Sirius turned his gaze back to mine and rolled his eyes in irritation.
"How rude, didn't he see we were busy?" I asked him.
"Jealous, I think." His irritation was replaced by the usual smirk of mischief quickly, and just as soon as it found its way back into his eyes, his hand found its way back to mine.
"Obviously, he was hoping to duel you for my hand."
"I'll beat him, and then I'll carry you off to have my way with you."
"Some prince you are," I laughed.
"Never said I was a prince, Red. I think I'm a much better rogue."
"Rake is more like it."
"You love it." A thrill ran through me at his words, at the subtle challenge of his lifted eyebrow, and lift at the corner of his lips. An invitation…a challenge. You love it. I fucking do. And it would be so easy - so quick. I love it. I love you. But I am a coward.
"You wish." He grinned and leaned down to kiss me again. This one was fast, a blink and you'll miss it kind of kiss not long enough to set fire or allow me to regain my composure.
"Should we stop at the Three Broomsticks before we head back?"
"Yes!"
He pulled me into the square that was teaming with activity despite the chill in the air. There were couples everywhere, some holding hands as they stared into shop windows, a pair of Hufflepuffs sitting on the bench by a fountain with their heads pressed together, two men in black robes standing outside of Zonko's, an elderly couple sharing a chocolate frog between them, a woman waiting eagerly outside of the Three Broomsticks twirling her wand between her fingers in excitement no doubt waiting on her date. Sirius pulled me inside the pub, and we searched through the crowd for an empty table.
My heart still thudded in my chest, and my fingers still buzzed with the thrill of hearing those three words fall from his lips, but I tried to shake it off and keep my head. Just a slip of the tongue. Sirius gave my fingers a tight squeeze and leaned in close to say into my ear:
"I think we'll have to fight for our seats," he laughed. I smiled up at him and nodded, letting him pull me into the warmth of the room and toward the back as we searched for somewhere to sit.
A flash of sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes caught my attention and I took the lead from Sirius as I pulled him toward the familiar battle-scarred face. When we got closer to the table I realized that the Auror wasn't alone, there was a man I didn't recognize sitting in front of him and they leaned in close to one another as they murmured something under the din of the crowd. Before I could abort the mission of coming to talk to him, his eyes found me and his lips twitched in something that might have been mistaken for a smile. He whispered something to the other man who stood up quickly, drained the remainder of his glass, and disappeared into the crowd.
"Cole," Moody greeted us as we arrived at his table. "Black."
"Auror Moody," Sirius nodded his head in response.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him with a wide grin.
"Having a drink," he replied and lifted his glass in my direction in a silent toast before draining the remainder of its contents. "Looking for a table?"
"It's a bloody zoo in here," Sirius grunted in response.
"I'm just leaving." He stood up and fished a few galleons out of his pocket before dropping them on the table. "Have a round on me."
"You don't have to do that," I tried to protest and he brushed it away with a wave of his hand.
"Humor me." He flashed me a wink. He reached toward Sirius and they shook hands briefly before he turned his attention back to me. "I'll be seeing you soon."
"What for?"
"Auror interviews, April fifth," He grunted.
"But I haven't applied."
"What do you call Christmas Eve?"
"A fucking nightmare," Sirius muttered under his breath but if Moody heard it he was careful not to show it.
"I don't want to be an Auror," I replied.
"We'll be meeting at 9:30, you, me, and the head of the DMLE. Dress sharp, Cricket," Moody winked down at me before squeezing my shoulder tightly and brushing past us.
I turned to watch him go, baffled at the exchange, and half tempted to chase after his retreating back to correct him that I would, in fact, not be joining the Auror's office after graduation, but the gentle tug on my left hand drew my gaze back to Sirius'.
"Did Alastor Moody just recruit you for the Aurors?" Sirius asked in a low voice with a wicked grin.
"I think so," I shrugged. "I'm not going to be an Auror."
"Seems like you will," Sirius teased.
"Seems like this date will end soon if you don't stop teasing me." Sirius let out a bark of a laugh before pressing a firm kiss to my cheek.
"You're cute when you're angry."
"Oh is that why you're always riling me up?" His eyes grew dark and his tongue darted out to wet his lips quickly before disappearing behind a wicked smirk.
"Maybe this date should be over, I know a lovely broom cupboard on the-"
"Butterbeer!" I cut him off. "2, and they better be hot." He winked at me and disappeared into the crowd in search of our refreshments. I settled myself into the booth in his absence taking note of the crowd around us. It was far more crowded than a typical Hogsmede weekend, couples littered the periphery of the dining room with their heads leaned close together as they shared a drink. There were people of all ages young, and old, romantic partners, and not. For a moment I wondered if there had been a funeral today seeing as there were so many people here dressed in black but I brushed off the thought quickly with a laugh.
My fingers drummed on the top of the table as I leaned back to look for Sirius. Before my eyes could catch him, I caught the back of Moody's head as he pushed out of the bar and almost imagined that I could feel the burst of cold air his exit left from my seat in the back of the room. My gaze shifted toward the corner of the room where I met a pair of black eyes that watched me predatorily. I tried to place them in my memory, but their face was obscured by a scarf around their mouth and a hood that covered their head, and I was only left to wonder who the owner was as they watched me with glee. The eyes left me with a cold chill and a nagging feeling that I was forgetting something important. Something very important.
"Rosmerta is going to bring them by," Sirius huffed as he fell into the seat across from me and I tore my gaze from the black-eyed figure. "Alright?"
"Yeah, I just," I tried to look back at the hooded being but someone had stepped into the way and the view was lost. "I feel like I'm forgetting something."
"Like what?"
"I can't remember." My eyes darted around the bar again. There was a steady stream of black-clad figures standing up one by one to head out of the door, all of them hooded, none I recognized.
"Funeral in town?"
"Must be," I shrugged, but the nagging feeling didn't leave. Just as I was prepared to put the matter out of my mind and get back to what should have been a lovely date with my very attractive boyfriend a flash of icy blonde hair jogged my memory. For a second time slowed, and my blood turned to ice in my veins. "Sirius, we have to get the fuck out of here."
"Why? What's wrong?"
"It's Valentine's Day."
"I don't understand." The blonde-headed man walked calmly through the crowd, joining the half dozen other black-clad men and women as they made their exit from the bar.
"Malfoy's giving me my Valentine's present."
"What?"
"EVERYBODY GET DOWN!" I screamed at the top of my lungs leaping up to stand on the chair I'd been sitting in only a second before. I tore my wand from my pocket and pointed it toward Lucius Malfoy as he tried to exit the bar. Over the ducked heads of the bar patrons, I shouted. "Stupefy!"
Malfoy threw up a lightning-fast shield charm before disappearing outside toward the square. Without pausing, I began to chase after him. Over the confused shouting, I heard Sirius following closely behind me as all hell broke loose. The remaining black-clad figures began to shoot off a bevy of spells, flashes of blue and red, and green tore through my periphery but I didn't slow in my pursuit of the death eater.
"Ginny!" Sirius shouted, his hand wrapping around the back of my sweater as he pulled me behind an overturned table and out of the blast range of a Bombarda Maxima. "Alright?" He panted.
"Fine."
"We need to get the young ones out of here."
"Bad idea," a calm voice on our left called out. We turned our attention to find Alice Longbottom ducked behind an overturned table. "There are dozens of death eaters outside. Keep the young ones in and protect them from here."
"That's a big fucking target," Sirius grunted as he shot a stunner toward the door.
"Got a better idea, Black?" She yelled before standing to release a barrage of blue lights from her wand.
"Did you bring backup?" I called, shooting off a shield charm to cover her as she ducked back down for cover.
"Just Frank, and Robbards," she replied. "Our intel said the attack would be tonight, at the Leaky."
"Fucking hell," Sirius cursed.
I summoned up a happy memory, tampering down the panic, and tried to remember summer nights at The Burrow, scoring the winning goal, kissing Sirius on New Years' eve, and - "Expecto Patronum!" A burst of white light exploded from my wand and a figure I wasn't familiar with appeared before me. Instead of the white horse with its long flowing mane, I was met with a large shaggy dog instead. Bewildered, but not having the time to think about it, I spoke to the Patronus. "There's an attack at Hogsmede, students holed up in the Three Broomsticks. The Aurors need backup!" I said quickly. "Find Albus Dumbledore, go!" The dog ran off at a breakneck pace before disappearing from view. I turned to find Sirius watching me closely.
"Was that a corpeal patronus?" Sirius asked in wide eyed surprise.
"Yep. Stupefy!" My stunner hit the last standing death eater in the chest. For a second the room was still and completely silent as if we were all waiting for a new attacker to rise. When none came, Alice took charge.
She stood quickly, her wand still held aloft, "Students stay here, nobody leaves. Rosmerta?"
"Yes?" The barmaid stood up from behind the bar, her wand pointing toward the door.
"Nobody comes in unless they're an Auror, understood?" Alice asked her.
"They'll have to kill me first," Rosmerta stated with a glint of something wild in her eyes.
"Black?" Alice called and Sirius turned to her. "You two stay here."
"No way," I seethed.
"You can't fight, you're students," Alice replied. Outside a loud boom and the sound of screaming commenced, and the Auror moved toward the door with a vengeance but I moved to block her.
"I'm fighting."
"Move."
"Red, get out of her way," Sirius reached for my arm but I brushed him off without tearing my eyes from the woman before me.
"I'm fighting," I said again. Alice flicked her eyes toward Sirius and shook her head in exasperation.
"Fine, but you do as I say, understood?"
"We both will," Sirius grunted.
"For fucks sake," she muttered under her breath. Around us I watched as the handful of seventh-year students sprang into action, herding the younger ones toward the back of the pub where there were no windows and more cover. The adults who littered the room seemed to decide amongst themselves who'd be staying and who'd be going, a few panicked ones tried to apparate away before realizing anti-apparition wards had been erected.
Alice moved toward the door, raising her wand in preparation and taking a steadying breath. Those of us willing to fight followed suit.
"You stay low, find cover, cast to incapacitate. Stun and bind them, then move on. If I say run, run. Understood?"
"Yeah," I replied. Sirius gripped my hand tightly and I ignored the pounding in my ears that was drowning out all of the noise around us.
"Back up is coming," Alice added. "We just have to outlast them. Ready?"
A quiet chorus of agreement drummed up as Alice reached toward the door.
"Whatever you do, don't die."
It was madness as soon as we exited The Three Broomsticks, there were dozens of masked death eaters in the square all fighting their way toward Alastor Moody at the center of it. Moody was a formidable opponent and any wizard or witch who got close to him found themselves on the ground in seconds. Alice moved so quickly that her opponents could hardly keep up with her as she bobbed and weaved through the square. With adrenaline in my veins, I ducked behind a low wall with Sirius as we took turns attacking the Death Eaters.
At first, we went unnoticed by the attackers in the square whose attention was solely focused on Moody at the center of it, but when Sirius shot a nasty slicing hex that took one of the men down we were discovered. 5 death eaters turned their attention toward us and began to focus their attention on our little wall.
"Impedimenta!" Sirius shouted as 1 ran at us from the left. He slowed considerably and I took the advantage I'd been given.
"Incarserous!" The man fell to the ground-bound with ropes. The rest spread out more, I felt Sirius press his back to mine as we stood to face the adversaries.
"If it isn't the blood traitors!" The death eater on our left jeered.
"The dark lord will be pleased we've found you," Another giggled with glee.
"Reducto!" Sirius shouted at one and I heard the body go flying through the air and land with a sickening crunch.
"Avada Kedavra!" We both hit the ground as fast as we could and in the panic of wondering if either of us had been hit, I was struck by something nasty. It felt like a hand was squeezing my lungs, pushing the breath out of them, and holding me there. I gasped for breath, grabbing a hold of Sirius' pant leg as he shot spell after spell toward our attacker. Through the mad pain of suffocation, I heard bodies hit the ground until the sound of my erratic heartbeat drowned them all out.
I didn't want to die. Not here. Not now. My vision began to tunnel, and the blackness at the edges crept in slowly - painfully - as I fought for breath. I wanted to see my mum again. I wanted to see my mission through, and know that it had been worth it. I wanted to tell Sirius -
"Finite incantatum!" The wash of magic loosened the tightness in my lungs and I sucked in mouth fulls of air. As the oxygen hit me, the blackness at the corners of my eyes receded and the vision of Lily Evans crouching over me swam into view. "Just breathe, Ginny. It's alright."
"Sirius!" I gasped looking around frantically for him.
"He's fine." A flash of something blue hurtled toward her and she threw her arm upward in a shield charm. "Can you move?" I nodded quickly as I tightened my hold on my wand, still sucking in mouth fulls of air. She gripped my left hand in hers and hauled me up.
"Protego!" I croaked as she pulled me toward an alleyway for more cover. We ran as fast as I could manage, crouched low - lungs burning - me on the defense and Lily on the attack. Lily's tight grip urged me forward through the barrage of falling debris and enemy fire until the grip slackened and she cried out as she was struck by a purple spell.
I whipped around to find her attacker watching me with hungry black eyes, though I couldn't see his face under the cover of his mask I knew he was grinning beneath it. He made his way toward us like a cat stalking its prey.
"Lily get up," I called to her, afraid to look away from my soon-to-be attacker. "Lily!"
"Gin," she sounded like the word caused her a great deal of pain and for a second I broke away from the man who was moving toward me. Lily Evans was lying on the ground clutching her jean-clad leg, the light denim quickly turning wet and sticky with her blood. This is bad. I looked back toward the death eater and found him closer than before.
"Fuck!" I shouted. I searched around for help, for a distraction, for absolutely anything that might buy me some time to get Lily somewhere safe. The man continued his slow deliberate walk toward me like there wasn't a battle surrounding us as if nothing was going to stop him, as if he knew he was going to bring about my end. "Bombarda!" I aimed for the bench he was passing and it exploded next to him, sending him to the ground in a painful slump and giving me time to help the girl next to me. "Cover me." I crouched low next to her, bringing her left arm over my shoulders, and wrapping my hand around her waist to haul her up before I ran toward the alleyway next to us.
When we reached our hiding spot I leaned her against the stone wall and turned back to face the entrance, praying no one had seen us.
"Alright, Lily?" I called to her.
"It's bad," she panted, and I chanced a quick glance over my shoulder to find her pale-faced and grimacing as she clutched her thigh as tightly as she could. I looked toward the entrance again, knowing that I should keep us covered but afraid that not helping her might mean something far worse. My decision made, I turned away from the alley entrance and toward her, unwrapping the scarf around my neck as I walked toward her.
"Watch the entrance," I urged as I bent low over her leg. I couldn't see where the blood was coming from but there was enough to signal that it was bad. She sucked in a breath through her teeth as I began to tie my scarf tightly around her thigh. "You're going to need to see a healer, I can't fix this."
"It was Bellatrix Black," she whimpered as I tightened the scarf even tighter, slowly staunching the heavy flow of blood.
"LeStrange," I corrected quickly and pointed my wand toward her leg. "Coaglure." The blood flow stopped almost completely as it coagulated, buying her some time to find a healer.
"You know her?"
"We've met." The memories of the ministry flashed across my eyes as I remembered her high-pitched cackle and wild spell fire. Memories of a curse, and a man falling through a veil. "Where's Sirius?"
"With James, I think." There was a loud sound of something exploding to our right, and instinctively we cowered together, me throwing my body over Lily's leg, and her ducking over me. The stone wall across from us shook but didn't crumble. "Where are the fucking Aurors?"
"I don't know," I looked toward the entrance of the alleyway again, wondering how the fuck we were going to get out of here. The gash on her leg, while fine for now was only one small movement away from killing her, and the battle raged on around us with no end in sight. I had to do something. "Lily I have to go."
"No!"
"I have to get you help. You can't stay here, your leg won't hold for long. I promise I'll come right back."
"Ginny." Her pale cheeks streaked with tears, smudging the dirt on them as they fell down her face. "Please don't leave me."
"I promise, I'm coming back." She gripped my hand in hers tightly, begging me not to leave her behind.
"Ginny, no." I found my cheeks wet with tears of my own.
"If I don't find you help the bleeding will just get worse." Her grip on my hand tightened and a wild panic shot through her eyes. "I can't stay with you, and find a way out." A choked sob fell from her lips as her blue eyes searched mine. "Lily I swear, I'll come back." She nodded quickly, realizing that I was right. "Whatever you do, don't fall asleep. Promise me?"
"Promise." Her breath hitched but her grip on my hand loosened and I was able to pull away."
"I'll be right back." I stood quickly, tightening my grip on my wand, and turned my back on her only to find that we weren't alone.
"Well isn't this sweet." The voice sent a chill down my spine as I turned to find Evan Rosier unmasked and blocking the exit. When our eyes met his eerily beautiful face twisted into a sickening grin making me feel like the prey caught in a trap. "Ginevra, I knew we'd be seeing each other again."
"Evan," I replied, fighting with everything in me to keep my voice steady, "fancy seeing you here."
"And where's your traitor boyfriend this afternoon?"
"He'll be around."
"Promises, promises." His eyes glinted with malice as he took another step toward us and I shifted to block Lily from his view but the movement caught his attention. "You brought a mudblood?"
"Go to hell," Lily spat. Evan's features darkened with unbridled rage when she addressed him.
"You dare speak to me?" He took another step toward her and I pointed my wand at him in a threat of what might come should he make another move our way. He caught the action and held up his hands in mock surrender as he bowed ever so slightly. "Forgive me, Ginevra, I get carried away."
"Get back!" I called.
"Are you afraid of me?" His perfectly manicured eyebrow arched upward. "I would never hurt you."
"Liar." He brought his palm to his heart as if I'd offended him.
"You wound me, Ginevra." A small wicked smile crossed his lips. "Did I not sing your praises to the Dark Lord? I told him all about the spitfire of a girl Sirius Black had found for himself. I secured your invitation into the fold."
"Why?"
"Can't you see it? The mudbloods, and half breeds at our feet, no longer pushed into the shadows by muggles, me at your side."
"Evan, it was one dance. I'd recommend a dinner before we go picking out our wedding china." He laughed darkly and took another step forward. I held my ground, my wand still leveled at his chest.
"Ginny," Lily murmured from behind me and Evan's eyes flashed with rage.
"Shut up, you disgusting little-"
"Now, now, Evan, you and I are talking." His lips curled into a smirk as he brought his attention back to me.
"So we are," he drawled. "Why didn't you take it?"
"Your invitation?"
"The Dark Lord's invitation."
"Evan, if you wanted to ask me on a date you didn't need your daddy to do it." His smirk morphed into a sneer as rage crossed his face.
"You test my patience."
"What do you want from me, Rosier?"
"Join us."
"Or what?"
"Or end up on the losing side." Beyond the alley a bevy of shellfire overtook the air and shook the ground we stood on, but Evan and I stayed locked on each other.
"Sounds like it's you who's losing."
"I wondered why Lucius was so drawn to you - and then we met, and I understood it."
"Got a thing for gingers?" I drawled, bored and unamused. He clenched his jaw in response.
"Touching you that night, I felt it. Your power. Our magic mingled together, it was intoxicating." He took a step forward
"I think they call that Champagne, actually." I tightened my grip on my wand.
"Admit it, Red, you felt it too."
"Don't call me that," I gritted out. He quirked his head to the side in surprise.
"Oh, right, that's what Sirius calls you - isn't it?" My heartbeat quickened.
"How do you know what Sirius calls me?" He never used that name at Nott Manor. It was all pureblood propriety, society etiquette, we were careful.
"There are ears everywhere. Surely you know that."
"Almost as well as you do," I replied with a raised eyebrow and something cruel flashed across his face. As if something had snapped he quirked his head to the right.
"You know, I thought we were friends," His black eyes glinted with malice. "Friends don't betray one another." I took another step back toward Lily, planting my feet in the snow and readying myself for the attack I knew was coming. "Did you tattle to ickle Uncle Albus?" My heart beat faster under the jeering. I knew that he knew what I'd done. I knew he was after me - Regulus made sure I knew - but the promise of pain that his words held sent me into a panic. Where the fuck are the Aurors?
"Shouldn't spill your secrets to pretty girls," I shrugged, sounding much calmer than I felt. "I'm sure Voldemort wasn't happy about it."
"You dare speak his name!" He took another step toward me, his face contorted in unbridled rage at the disrespect.
"Tell me, Evan, how long did he hold you under the cruciatus? How long can you last?" Taunting him was stupid, but it was buying me time, precious time that might mean both Lily and I make it out of this bloody alley alive. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."
"You're going to die for what you've done," He promised me, and I believed him.
"Ginny-"
"Shut up mudblood," Evan spat.
"This is between you and me, Rosier. Leave her alone." His dark eyes flitted back to mine. "How long?"
"9 minutes," He grinned wickedly and a part of me felt a pang of sympathy for the man in front of me. Evil. A murderer. But barely 20, hardly an adult, and throwing himself behind the man who tortured him for a mistake. My own words rang in my head change what you must. Was this a change? Was this a person worth saving? For a second I faltered, my wand twitched like I was going to lower it, and he sent a flash of something purple my way. Lily was fast and she shot up a shield charm that sent his spell bounding away from me, and my mind was made up. Some people can't be saved.
"I lasted 15."
It was a blur of battle as he let off a barrage of spells, red, and purple, and green flashed before me as I moved quickly to block them. A protego sent his slicing hex hurtling back toward him and he was forced to dive out of the way. I used his distraction to my advantage and sent a nearby trash can hurtling toward him. Before it could hit its mark, a twist of his arm turned the metal bin into pieces and hurtled them toward me. My quick shield charm sent most of the jagged bits away, but the few that managed to get through sliced my cheek and uncovered wand arm.
"Retaro baculum!" He shouted, using his window of opportunity to his advantage. The white light hit me in the chest sending me flying backward toward the brick wall behind me. The force of his spell knocked the wind from my lungs and my head reeled back from the force of it, knocking against the brick with a sickening crack and forcing me to drop my wand. My vision spun, dotted with black spots, and blurred as I tried to push myself off of it, but I couldn't move. There was pressure on my chest, like a hand that pushed me back against the wall and held me there. I fought it, trying to dislodge the invisible hand from me, trying to regain my footing, to fight back, but nothing I did made it go away.
"Stupefy!" A voice on my left called - Lily's voice I reminded myself - but Evan flicked her spell away as if he was swatting at an irritating fly.
"Petrificus Totalus!" He sent back lazily, and I could hear her body seize up under the spell of petrification. "Don't worry, little mud blood you'll get your turn. But I think I'll have you watch first."
"Didn't take you for a voyeur, Evan," I struggled against my invisible bindings again with blurry vision.
"No," He smiled cruelly, his white teeth sparkling in the afternoon sun, "you took me for a fool, Ginevra."
"My mistake." I fought harder against the pressure, finding that there would be no release. "Won't happen again."
"No, I don't think it will." He was barely a foot away now, close enough to reach out and touch me. My heart was pounding, my vision blurry, as I fought to keep my eyes open - fought to free myself. He reached a hand up toward my face, looking at me almost reverently as he brushed a bloodied lock of hair behind my ear. If it were anyone else, any other situation, it might have been sweet, but instead of turning my insides molten, like Sirius' touch always did, I felt sick. "The Dark Lord is forgiving, Ginevra. I'll give you one last chance to apologize."
"That's all you want?" I gasped, my vision was tunneling - the only thing I could see was black glee-filled eyes as he ran his icy fingers along my jaw.
"Oh no, you'll have to prove yourself too. The Dark Lord is forgiving, not stupid." His fingers moved down my throat, caressing the skin that had been covered by a scarf what felt like hours ago but was really only a matter of minutes. "A shame to spill pureblood." My stomach twisted and I tried to shake his fingers off of me. My cheeks were wet with tears, and my heart pounding. I didn't want to die. Not like this.
"Get off me." My voice was shaky and quiet. He pressed his body against mine, the heat of him churning my stomach and the hard length of him an unwanted pressure against my belly.
"You ruined it, Ginevra. It was meant to be beautiful." His fingers moved from my neck and into my hair where they knotted themselves in the blood-matted tresses. He yanked my head back, exposing my throat to his teeth and his hot breath against my neck left me whimpering in fear. He groaned in response, rubbing himself against my stomach. "Merlin, that sound. It would have been perfect. A dozen wolves, a town full of filthy," a thrust "fucking" another "blood traitors." I felt his tongue on my neck, licking the sweat and blood along it. "I was meant to be promoted, moved to the inner circle, but you just couldn't keep your traitor mouth shut. Could you?"
"GET OFF ME!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, and then his hand was against my mouth, covering my nose, making it impossible to breathe. I panicked against him, fighting as hard as I could to get rid of him against me.
"You're worse than the mudbloods, Ginevra." I bit down on his fingers and when he jerked them away I sucked in a mouth full of air. I moved to scream again but he pressed his wand against my throat. "Ah, ah, ah, that's not very wise." My eyes met his and he grinned wickedly again his beautiful face twisting into something that would haunt my nightmares. "Are you going to be a good girl Ginevra?" I made no move. "Answer me." He pressed the wand tighter against my throat and I couldn't help the noise that escaped me. He groaned at the squeak that came from my mouth. "Ginny. Red."
"Don't fucking call me that." His smile grew bigger, growing more and more thrilled with the game he'd forced me to play.
"The Dark Lord will love you."
Something inside of me snapped. The churning in my gut and the pounding of blood in my ears surged forward and for a second I felt like I was going to explode. Everything seemed to stop for a heartbeat, the wand pressed against my throat, Evan Rosier's hot breath against my face, his sneer clouding my line of blurred vision, all seemed to disappear as the chord inside of me snapped and everything burst forward.
A surge of magic exploded out of every pore in my body releasing me from the hold Evan's spell had on me and sending his body flying into the brick wall behind him with a harsh thump. A wordless Accio Wand, sent the familiar warmth of yew into my hand as I stood shakily. My vision swam, and I found that standing upright was next to impossible, so I leaned against the cool brick watching the crumpled pile of black robes across me.
"Lily?" I called without breaking my gaze on him.
"Ginny?" I breathed a sigh of relief, still not able to look away for fear of another attack.
"Do you have your wand?"
"I can reach it." I heard her scrambling for it, whimpering in pain as the movement jostled her injured leg. "I've got it."
"Good." I nearly collapsed as a wave of dizziness washed over me, but I shook it off quickly knowing that this fight wasn't over. "Lil, I think I'm going to pass out."
"No, you're not."
From outside the alley, the sounds of more fighters entering the square sent a surge of panic through me. There was no way I could keep fighting like this. I chanced a glance at Lily who was pale-faced and shaky-handed - the coagulation spell on her leg seemed to have stopped working as the blood soaking her jean-clad thigh grew darker.
"You're bleeding again."
"So are you." She flicked her eyes toward mine, wide and panicked. I turned back to the body before us. It was twitching.
I summoned up a memory of flying with my brothers. The memory of a new Weasley jumper on Christmas morning. Of stormy blue eyes that churned with each heated glance. "Expect Patronum!" The unfamiliar figure burst out of my wand turning toward me for direction and I fought to keep my eyes open as I instructed it. "With Lily. Rosier found us. We're by Zonko's. Please hurry." My vision swam again, and I was forced to slide down the wall to keep from passing out. "To Sirius. Or James. Or Moody. Anyone." The dog ran off down the alley in search of help.
"Was that a corpeal Patronus?" Lily asked in awe. Rosier groaned.
"Yes." I raised my wand, ready to fight again.
"AURORS!" A man shouted through the square - his voice amplified with a sonorous charm. I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that help was here, and that we didn't have to keep fighting.
Rosier pushed himself up slowly with our wands pointed at his chest. Outside our little alleyway, the sounds of death eaters escaping could be heard. My head swam, and it took a wave of strength to keep my eyes open, and my wand trained on the man who slowly sat up. His sneer was the first thing that I could make out as the blur of dizziness passed.
"You stupid, filthy-"
"Incarcerous!" Lily shouted as he reached for his wand, but he flicked the spell away at the last second.
"LILY!" A voice screamed through the square. Evan flicked his wand toward the bleeding girl sending something nasty toward her as I threw up a shield charm of my own to block it.
"GINNY!" Remus' voice rang through the square. I heard the sounds of battle dying around us but kept my wand trained on the man before us.
"That doesn't sound like your Black, love," Evan grinned revealing blood coated teeth. My heart pounded at his words. "The Dark Lord promised glory for the witch or wizard who brought his body back. Who done it, do you think?" His words were slurred, likely just as concussed as I was, but the intention behind them turned my blood cold. Sirius wasn't looking for me. Sirius wasn't shouting. Sirius wasn't. "I'll come back for you, Ginevra." I raised my wand shakily - a curse on my lips - as he lifted his own.
"Stupefy!" I screamed, but the spell hit the brick wall behind him half a second after he apparated away.
"LILY!" James screamed again, and my legs finally gave out as I slid down the wall, succumbing to the panic and the weakness. The sounds of footsteps crashing through snow, of James and Lily reuniting, were drowned out by my heart in my head. Why wasn't Sirius looking for me?
"Ginny, can you hear me?" Remus's pale face swam into my line of site. He looked worn and tired, a nasty green and yellow bruise started to bloom across his cheek, but wholly alive. "Gin?" A wave of blackness threatens to overtake me and I felt myself succumb to the weight of my head, unable to hold it up. A soft hand caught it gently. "WE NEED A HEALER! Ginny?"
"Remus, it's Lily," I slurred as I fought to keep my eyes open.
"James has her. Did you get hit with something?" He sounded panicked and shaky. The hand cradling my head trembled.
"Just the wall."
"Dorcas?"
"Inside Honeydukes with some fourth years." I tried to lift myself up, but he pressed my shoulders down gently.
"Don't get up, it's okay."
"Sirius-" the sound of someone running into the alley cut me off, and a bloodied face with piercing blue eyes came into focus.
"Cole?" Alastor Moody's gruff voice rang out.
"Professor."
"What happened?"
"Sirius," I breathed, but it was slurred I barely recognized the voice nor the words that fell from my lips.
"Did she get hit with anything?" Moody shouted again, and I fought as a wave of darkness nearly took me.
"No," Remus replied. "I don't think so."
"Take her to Pomfrey," Moody instructed. "Don't pass out, Cricket. Lupin will get you sorted." There was jostling as strong arms picked me up. My head pressed against a solid expanse of chest, an arm around my back, another under my knees, as they moved quickly away from our alleyway.
"Sirius," I murmured into Remus' chest, but no one heard me. The blackness crept up again.
"Just a little further, Ginny, talk to me."
"Ihavetogetssssrsss." The words were incoherent coming out like a jumble of sounds as I lost the ability to control my tongue.
"Okay, Gin."
"Lil-"
"Just ahead of us, promise."
"James."
"Nearly there."
"Sssssss." Another wave of the darkness hit me and I could no longer fight it, it took me down and pulled me under - deeper and deeper until everything was miles away. Miles and miles away.
The room around me bustled with noise, a woman crying on my left, a man groaning on the right, somewhere near my feet a child was shouting in pain, and a cold-fingered hand was clutched in mine. My head pounded, but the nausea was gone, and through the cacophony of noise surrounding me I could hear Mad Eye Moody yelling for a healer. I gripped the fingers tightly at the noise.
"Ginny? Ginny are you awake?" It was Remus who held my fingers tightly in his own. I groaned in response. "EFFIE! SHE'S AWAKE!" Remus bellowed behind him. The sounds of bustling continued all around us as the noise threatened to split my head open. I curled in on myself at the noise.
A gentle hand found its way to my forehead, soft and warm, as it brushed the hair away from my face.
"Ginny, my love, I need you to sit up." I groaned in response to the tender voice of Effie Potter as she continued to stroke the hair from my face. "Softly, Remus, put your arm under her neck - be very careful - we're going to help her sit up. Just lean on us, love, we've got you." Remus' thin arm snaked gently behind my neck as another hand found its way lower on my back. Together they shifted me to a sitting position that sent the room spinning. I whimpered at the sensation. "It's okay Ginny dear, just drink this. It'll make everything better, I promise." A cool vial was pressed against my lips and I sheepishly opened them allowing the foul-tasting liquid to be poured into my mouth. As soon as the potion was drained from the vial Effie dropped it to press her hand against my lips. I fought with her weakly to spit it out, but she kept her hand there. "Just swallow my love, it's alright, drink it down. Come on, Ginny." Her voice sounded wet with tears as she pressed her hand against my lips and finally I swallowed the potion, giving up my fight. "Good girl." Gently she and Remus laid me back down.
The dizziness began to recede, but the noise of the surrounding room only seemed to grow louder. I curled up on my side, pressing my hands against my ears as I prayed for the potion to kick in faster. Effie rubbed softly at my back in soothing circles.
"You're alright, my dear, you're safe." The pain had dulled to a harsh ache, but instead of white spots dancing across my vision, I was comforted by the cool darkness behind my eyelids. "Ginny?"
"Effie?" My voice was cracked and scratchy, but the words weren't slurred as they had been before.
"I have to go help the others, Remus will stay with you." I nodded against the scratchy sheets and felt Remus' hand on my ankle reassuring me he was nearby.
I felt the absence of her hand on my back but never heard her leave over the cacophony of madness around us. To my left, someone was sobbing, and just down the way, another voice wailed in pain. The calm I'd felt with Effie at my side soon washed away as I realized it was Remus next to me. I reached out toward the boy before me, gripping his arm in my hand, and pulled him closer. He came willingly.
"Is everything alright?" He asked in a panic.
"Lily?"
"James is with her, they got her leg healed up but she's lost a lot of blood."
"James is okay?"
"Fine."
"Dorcas?"
"We were in Honeydukes when all the fighting broke out. I sent her and a bunch of fourth years through the tunnel."
"Sirius," I croaked, but he didn't say anything. My heart started to pound. "Where's Sirius?"
"Ginny you have to stay calm," Remus soothed, but it did little to help me. The room started to spin again and it had nothing to do with the concussion I was recovering from. I tried to push myself up from the bed, but strong hands kept me from moving. "You can't go anywhere."
"Where's Sirius?"
Remus choked. I tried to open my eyes to peer up at him but found the lights around me were still too bright. "He was fighting with James when I found him, but then I turned my back and he was gone. We looked for him, but then you and Lily were bleeding and passing out."
"Where's Sirius?"
"I haven't seen him." With four words he turned my world upset down. He wasn't here. Remus hasn't seen him. If he's not here, then he must be out there…out there where the death eaters were.
I opened my eyes fully, the blinding white light nearly knocked me back but I fought through it with squinting eyes as I pushed Remus off of me. Through my white-dotted vision, I made out my wand lying on the stand next to the hospital bed and reached for it.
"Ginny you have to lie down!" Remus reached for me, but I sent a stinging hex his way and shoved past him. "Fuck!" I stumbled into the aisle between beds, shielding my eyes from the blinding white light as I tried to make out where the doors to the hospital wing would be. "Ginny!"
"Miss Cole, you have to lay down!" Madam Pomfrey shouted from behind me, but I continued to stumble toward the exit. Strong arms wrapped around my waist, lifting me from behind, and tore a harsh scream from my lips.
"SIRIUS!" I bellowed, fighting against the arms that wrapped around my waist to get toward the door.
"Ginny you have to lie down," Remus struggled against me, his breath hot against my ear. "I'll go find him, I promise. You have to lay down." I twisted in his arms finding myself staring at the dark wash of his ratty green jumper as his arms loosened.
"Vespertillo Nassum," I yelled as I pointed my wand at him. Instantly the arms that were wrapped around my waist flew up to his nose where his bogey's had turned to bats. They flew around his head as he shouted in pain and I stumbled away from him.
There was more shouting around me, cries of the other patients, and protests from everyone else who didn't want me to leave. The room spun for a moment, nearly sending me sprawling, but I caught myself on the closest bed before I could fall. I used it to push me forward, and the door finally came into view. Running toward it I nearly tripped again, my feet heavy and my vision blurry, but I pushed on until another pair of arms wrapped around my waist this time lifting me off the floor.
"SIRIUS!" I wailed, kicking my legs out and trying to escape from the large grip of the man holding me.
"Don't make me stun you, Cole," Moody said through gritted teeth. It may have been his words or the fact that the room was spinning around me but I finally relaxed my fight and stilled. "Atta girl. I'm going to set you down, curse me and you'll regret it."
"Sirius," I whispered.
"I'll go find him, Cricket." While my feet touched the floor, he didn't release me. My arms were pinned beneath his and he ushered me gently back toward the bed I'd run from minutes ago. The room swam into view, no longer dotted with black and white dots - the light no longer blinding - and I took in the chaos around me. There were students all around, blood drying over the floors, mediwitches, and wizards, and house elves running all around to help those who'd been wounded. Near the back of the room, I watched as a green-robed healer drew a white sheet over the face of her patient with a soft reverence before taking a slow breath and moving on to the next. It was chaos, it was madness…it was war. "Potter!"
"Sir?" James eyed us warily as he walked beside Moody. His eyes were bloodshot, his lip busted and bleeding, and a harsh bruise was forming around his collarbone, but he was alive. Wholly and completely alive. A pang of agony washed over me and I tried to throw Moody's arms off until they tightened, squeezing the air out of me until I relaxed.
"Last warning, Cricket," Moody said through gritted teeth. When he was satisfied that I wouldn't try to fight him again, he turned back to James. "Where was the last place you saw Black?"
"Outside of Zonko's," James murmured. "We saw Lily get hit, and she and Ginny ducked into the alley. Then Rosier followed. We were trying to get to them."
"Rosier?" I couldn't see it but felt it as Moody turned his attention back to me.
"He knows about Mousehole," I informed him in a monotone. "Knows it was me."
"But only Rosier came after you?"
"They told Voldemort-" James sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth and Moody's arms tensed for half a second before I continued "that it was Sirius."
"How do you know that?" James asked quietly.
"Little birdie." I looked toward Remus, who had been ushered into a chair by a house elf and was being given a cool towel to press toward his red and snot-covered nose. Remorse washed over me, while I'd never been on the receiving end of my own bat bogey hex I'd served enough detentions to know that it wasn't exactly a pleasant experience.
"Who?" James urged but I looked back toward the door, willing Sirius to walk through it. Alive. Unharmed. Maybe with a cheeky shit-eating grin.
"She won't give up her source," Moody grunted as James tried to question further. I nodded in agreement, eyes unmoving. "What else did Rosier say?"
"Nothing that'll change anything." Moody gently eased me onto the bed and crouched down so we were at eye level. There was a large gash across his left cheek, half-healed, and a harsh bruise formed around his right eye. I reached up to softly touch the cut, he didn't wince as my fingers pushed the flesh together. "Episkey." With a wave of my wand, the skin stitched itself together. It would scar, but it wouldn't bleed anymore. Moody nodded in thanks.
"Did he say anything that might help us find Black?"
"Voldemort put a bounty on his head." I stared toward the door again, praying he might walk through it. "Glory for whoever brought his body back." I felt something damp on my cheek and reached up to brush away a tear that had fallen.
"Auror Moody we have-" James began, but Moody stood abruptly cutting him off.
"Longbottom!" The auror bellowed across the loud and crowded hospital wing. Frank ran toward him looking disheveled but alright.
"Sir?" He asked. He eyed me warily as if I might jump up and curse him next.
"Sirius Black is missing. Our theory is he's a target. Is your source willing to give up their location?"
"Blimey, Sirius?" Frank breathed and flashed me an apologetic grimace before turning back to Mad-Eye. He ran a tired hand over his face and sighed. "Are we granting immunity?"
"Do I look like the bloody minister of magic?" Moody grunted.
"That'll be the price." Frank shrugged. For a moment Alastor Moody warred with himself over this decision before finally heaving a sigh of his own.
"Contact him."
"On it, sir." Frank turned on his heel to make his way out of the room, but a loud commotion by the entrance stopped him in his tracks.
"HELP!" Someone shouted. "I NEED A HEALER! PLEASE!" Two mediwitches rushed toward the entrance, and my heart sunk to my knees.
I stood slowly, my knees wobbly, and limped toward the aisle in between the two rows of beds. Moody was at my side, gripping my arm as if I might make a run for it and James was at the other. The three of us gazed at the two boys standing in the doorway. The shorter of the two supported the taller. With his arm slung around the smaller boy's shoulder, they took a pained step forward and the injured boy slumped over the other. It took a great feat of strength for the uninjured boy to keep his companion from falling. As a pale hand came up to press against the chest of the tall boy, it came away bloodied, and the hair that had been hiding his face fell away.
"Sirius," I whispered. My knees gave out and it was Moody who caught me before I could fall to the floor. James jerked forward, running toward his best friend until Frank caught him bodily.
"PADFOOT!" James shouted as Frank tried to keep him from crowding Sirius as he was swarmed by medi witches. He was pulled away by the swarm of healers and toward a cot leaving only his companion to stand alone in the doorway. Blue eyes met brown from across a sea of chaos as I took in the battle-worn appearance of Sirius' savior: Regulus Black.