Chapter 51

Ever since the Yule Ball, Ginny had tried really hard to stop viewing Harry as a hero, but all her efforts went to waste with the second task, when Harry risked his life to rescue a little girl whom he didn't even know and whose sister had done nothing but scorn him. How would Ginny ever cease to be in awe of him after that?

Awe wasn't the only thing she was feeling, though. She would never admit it to anyone else, and she felt ashamed admitting it to herself, but she was also a little jealous. Well, perhaps more than a bit. And envious. And disappointed. And conflicted.

Much as she admired him for it, Harry rescuing Fleur's sister made Ginny feel less special, her own rescue less significant. It was a hard reminder of something she had already known: that Harry had only saved her from Tom and the basilisk because that's what heroes did, not because he had cared about her.

Ginny couldn't help resenting little Gabrielle for having required Harry's heroic services as well. And for daring to hug him afterwards, when Ginny had never even dared saying thank you. It also bothered her to know that that girl had been completely innocent and had deserved being rescued, while Ginny had probably deserved for her skeleton to lie in the Chamber of Secrets forever as a punishment for her idiocy and weakness.

As if feeling all that were not despicable enough, Ginny also envied Hermione and Cho Chang for having been chosen as hostages, even though she knew they could have died at the bottom of the lake. It was painful to think that no one would ever care about her that much, and certainly not Harry, who plainly cared more about a dog than about her or anyone. Ginny supposed it was a small comfort that at least Harry's hostage had not been any girl, but it still hurt to not be able to compete with even a dog for Harry's affections.

A dog that she hadn't even known Harry had. This ignorance confronted her yet again with the painful fact that she didn't really know him, and to her shame she couldn't help being reminded of Tom and how she hadn't really known anything about him either. A completely unfair comparison, since Harry had never tried to fool her nor manipulate her in any way.

Colin's excited voice brought her back from her self-deprecating reverie.

"... and then he Silenced the chief mermaid," he was saying. "The merpeople didn't know what to do without instructions from their chief, so they surrendered."

"They didn't surrender, they attacked," argued Sloper. "And Potter killed several of them before using one of the dead mermen's spears to cut the ropes and free the girl."

"Harry didn't kill anyone!" insisted Colin. "Dumbledore only mentioned the Silencing Charm, the Stunning Spell and the Disarming Charm as offensive spells used by Harry."

"And all non-verbal, like grown-ups do," chimed in a Ravenclaw from across the table. Most of the Ravenclaws seemed to have stopped hating Harry overnight, something that annoyed Ginny because they shouldn't have hated him in the first place.

"Well, obviously Dumbledore wasn't going to say everything that Potter did down there, but he must have killed a few mermaids at least, why else would the merpeople be so angry when they came to the surface?"

"They were angry because they had lost their voices and some were unconscious, that's all, and later they were smiling and shaking Harry's hand, so they must have forgiven him. They wouldn't have done that if he had killed one of them."

"Harry Potter is friends with the merpeople," agreed Luna, not seeming to be addressing anyone in particular while she pruned her bush with a dreamy air.

"The merpeople were afraid of him, didn't you see?" insisted Sloper. "It was Dumbledore that forced them to make peace."

"What do you think, Ginny?" asked Colin.

"Harry didn't kill anyone," said Ginny with certainty, leaning over to help Luna with her bush, which was beginning to resemble some sort of bird. Professor Sprout usually didn't mind when Luna got creative, but today she had been clear about giving all the plants the same shape so they wouldn't become jealous of one another.

"How do you know?" demanded Sloper.

"I just know," she said simply.

Harry hadn't answered any questions after the second task, but Ginny was certain that if Harry had killed any mermaids or even a single Grindylow he would be a mess right now, just as he had been after killing the dragon. He would be in shock, and he wasn't, although that didn't mean he was fine.

Ginny suspected that the dog had a lot to do with Harry doing well enough. The animal went everywhere with him, even to most classes, and it was obvious that his company made Harry a world of good. According to Neville the dog slept with Harry and he seemed to help with the nightmares too.

Maybe that's why the Goblet allowed the champions to keep their hostages for a little while after the task: so they could recover from the fright of almost losing them. Although that seemed unbelievable kind from the nasty object, so perhaps the thing had some secret evil motivation, like letting them enjoy their hostages so it would later hurt more to have to let them go. It certainly looked like Fleur Delacour would have a nervous breakdown if anyone tried to take her sister from her anytime soon.

Sometimes Ginny thought that the Goblet of Fire was a bit like Tom's diary: full of Dark Magic and evil intentions, manipulating everyone in the cruelest ways. Only it was much worse, because nobody could do absolutely nothing against the Goblet, not even Albus Dumbledore. Next to this, the diary seemed like a really tame magic trick, and that made Ginny feel even more pathetic for having been too weak to stop writing in it.

"What about Snape?" asked a Ravenclaw across the table in an almost inaudible whisper.

Silence fell in the greenhouse, people from other tables also hushing and leaning over to listen after glancing in all directions to make sure Sprout hadn't returned yet. Ginny rolled her eyes. Herbology was the only class Gryffindor and Ravenclaw shared in her year, so here was when the weekly gossip was regularly exchanged. And this was the first time they came together since the second task.

"What about him?" asked Colin in an even quieter whisper.

"Do you think he's really a Death Eater?"

"Not even Dumbledore has denied that, so yeah," said Sloper. Then added in a conspiratorial tone, "The question is which side he's really on."

They all exchanged uncertain looks.

"I heard he tortured Potter's dog again during class," said another Ravenclaw. "He broke all its bones or something like that, made Potter watch."

"That doesn't necessarily mean he's on You-Know-Who's side," observed Ginny, although she wasn't sure at all what to think about the subject herself. "Snape has always hated Harry, he would probably treat him the same way no matter which side he was on."

"That's true," agreed Colin "But what kind of person tortures a dog? That's sick, the kind of thing one would expect from someone really evil. It's one of the ways to identify a psychopath, according to Muggle science."

Sloper snorted.

"We already knew that Snape is evil, nothing new there."

"Professor Snape is just hurt," commented Luna, the only one who was still trimming her now weirdly-shaped bush. "Pain makes him angry. It's sad, really."

Most people just ignored Luna, as usual, while others shook their heads in exasperation. Ginny mainly hoped that Luna would keep such dangerous opinions to herself, since it was scary to imagine Snape's reaction if he heard anyone describing him as 'hurt'. Although it might be true regarding physical pain, like getting his arm chewed by Snuffles. Ginny had seen Snape really angry for extremely mild things in comparison, like melted cauldrons or Harry's mere existence, if wasn't really surprizing that his fury had reached torturing levels in the face of such serious offense. Especially considering that it was Harry's dog.

"Do you think he has ever tortured Potter in his private detentions?" whispered Sloper.

"What is this?" demanded Sprout loudly, making everyone jump. "I can't leave you lot alone for ten minutes! Only Miss Lovegood seems to be still working... or something of the sort."

She stopped to assess Luna's bush with a thoughtful frown.

"It's a Crumple-Horned Snorkack, Professor," explained Luna brightly. "I thought the plants might like the shape."

"I see... well, seeing that you're the only one who has finished, now all the rest will have to give their bushes the same shape. Back to work, people. And ten points to Ravenclaw, dear."

Everyone groaned and gaped in dismay at Luna's amorphous bush, which now they had to replicate somehow.

As soon as Sprout released them everyone began talking again, the boys resuming their argument about Snape while most of the girls huddled together to whisper amongst themselves, sending Ginny furtive looks over their shoulders. She sighed and pretended to stop to tie her shoes just so they would walk ahead and whisper all they wanted out of her hearing. No doubt they were discussing Skeeter's latest article, a piece in Witch Weekly about Hermione, Harry and Krum that had come out the day before. Ginny mercifully hadn't been mentioned, but everyone knew that she liked Harry and that she had gone to the Yule Ball with him so she was treated as the fourth invisible corner of an implicit love square, which was somehow worse. Clearly no one considered her important enough in relation to Harry as to make it to a magazine front page, but she was involved enough for her lack of mention in the article to be whispered about with pity or mockery.

"Are you all right?" asked Luna, who had lagged behind to wait for her.

Ginny looked up and tried to smile as if there was nothing wrong, but Luna's oddly intense eyes seemed to see through her weak attempt of appearing strong so Ginny ended up just shrugging.

"I don't know," she admitted. "This is a really weird year."

"Oh yes," agreed Luna seriously. "Everyone is acting out of character. Or perhaps more in character."

The girl tilted her head to the side, seeming puzzled by her own statement. Ginny stared at her for a minute, wondering whether anything that Luna said ever had any meaning to Luna herself.

"Do you think Harry Potter would introduce me to his Grim?" asked Luna finally, apparently forgetting what they had been talking about, if they had been talking about something. "I've never met one, and it seems really interesting."

"Hum... Snuffles is not a Grim," said Ginny.

"What is it, then?" asked Luna, again puzzled.

"It's a dog, Luna," she said patiently.

Luna didn't seem very convinced, but Ginny wasn't in the mood to argue about nonsense so she simply agreed to introduce her to Snuffles at the first opportunity and then changed the subject. As they walked back to the castle she couldn't help bringing up Skeeter's article, even though she didn't expect Luna to have anything useful nor even relevant to say to her.

"I don't think the article is about Hermione Granger at all," said, indeed, Luna. "You should read the Quibbler instead, my daddy only hires authors who write about whom they say they write, he says it's too confusing otherwise."

Ginny thought that everything in the Quibbler was confusing if not absurd, so she didn't comment. Talking with Luna had made her feel better, though, she realized as she made her way to Gryffindor Tower. It always had some sort of calming effect to hang around someone so out of touch with Reality. Normal problems weren't even acknowledged as such by Luna, and that helped Ginny acquired some perspective about things. Even though she was never quite certain which perspective was that.

At the very least spending some time with Luna made her eager to deal with earthily matters again, no matter how complicated.

Sprout had let them go late because of the unfinished bushes, and Ginny had delayed some more talking with Luna, so when she reached the Common Room everyone had already left for dinner. Everyone except Harry, apparently.

Ginny stopped to drink in the scene by the fire. Snuffles was sprawled on the carpet, snoring softly, with Crookshanks curled right next to his neck, also asleep. Harry was sitting on the floor with his back supported on a couch, staring at the dog with fondness and sadness.

It was too peaceful a scene to disturb, but Ginny felt irresistibly drawn to it so she found herself tiptoeing and silently letting herself fall across from Harry. She hadn't been alone with him since the Yule Ball, but she had craved for another opportunity like this, a chance to prove herself that she wasn't a complete coward.

The dog didn't seem to notice her approach, so deep was his sleep —his limbs were actually trembling as if dreaming of running—, but Harry smiled at her.

"Hey Ginny," he greeted.

"Hey," she said shyly. They remained in silence for a minute, both staring at the dog. "I thought Neville was lying when he said that Crookshanks slept with Snuffles."

Harry snorted softly.

"Neville never lies," he said, very truthfully. "I barely have space in my bed with these two invading me."

"Hermione doesn't mind?" asked Ginny, puzzled. Hermione was very protective of Crookshanks, it was hard to believe that she was fine letting him anywhere near such a beast.

"No, she knows Snuffles is harmless."

Ginny glanced at the huge dog again. He looked harmless now, but she could remember perfectly well how scary he had looked masticating Snape's arm. That must have hurt like hell, and yet Snape had taken his time to finish slipping Harry the bezoar before turning to torture the dog.

She shook her head, giving up on figuring out Snape, and focused instead on Harry. He looked more relaxed than she had seen him in months, but there was still worry in his eyes. And sadness. And of course the usual underlying anger that never really left him. She wondered if he was just angry at Snape or if it was true that he and Krum had had a fight at the bottom of the lake. No one had seen them so much as exchanging a look ever since the second task, and Krum no longer sat at the Gryffindor table every day. Was there any truth in Skeeter's article? Had Harry and Krum fought over Hermione and stopped being allies? Krum had helped Harry at the end of the task, though, and as far as Ginny knew he and Hermione were still together even though they seemed to be spending a lot less time together instead of more, as one would have expected.

"You okay?" asked Harry suddenly, bringing her back to the present. His green eyes were boring into hers with such intensity that she felt colour rise in her cheeks, to her annoyance.

"I'm fine," she said quickly.

"You sure? I haven't been paying much attention to anyone, lately, I guess I've been a bit self-absorbed. But you can still talk to me, you know."

Ginny usually hated being asked if she was all right, at this point everyone in her family had learned not to bother her and went along with her pretence that she hadn't been a victim of anything. It was different with Harry, though. She found that she didn't mind him worrying about her; on the contrary, it made her feel warm all over and less alone with that broken part of hers. Which didn't mean that she was ready to talk about all that stuff nor that she could accept being worried over by Harry when he had so much on his plate.

"I'm really okay," she said. "Just worried about you. We're all worried about you, Harry."

"You shouldn't," he said tiredly. "Worrying just makes you all feel bad and me feel guilty for worrying you. I made it this far, and I'm beginning to think I might survive this thing, so really, don't worry about me."

He gave her a reassuring smile. Ginny couldn't stop worrying just like that, but she felt a little better hearing that Harry believed in himself. And he had survived two tasks so far, it really was beginning to look like he might make it.

She sighed. This year was dragging excruciatingly slow.

"What are you worried about?" she asked, glad that she had been able to formulate the question. It wasn't always easy to talk to Harry, with the Goblet subtly influencing everything. She knew that she couldn't ask him about Krum or the alliance, but maybe Harry would tell her on his own.

"About Snuffles," he said sadly. "I have to send him away soon."

"He'll be all right, though, won't he?" said Ginny, although she wasn't very confident about Harry's relatives taking care of the dog properly. Those Muggles had locked up and starved Harry, and by the look of Snuffles they hadn't been feeding the animal very well either. She still didn't understand, actually, how Harry could have left his dog behind with those people, nor why nobody —except apparently Hermione and maybe Ron— had known of his existence.

"He'll survive," said Harry bitterly. "But I don't like the idea of him eating rats."

Ginny raised an eyebrow.

"Rats? Don't your relatives feed him dog food?"

Harry snorted.

"If they barely feed me they definitely wouldn't feed my pet," he said shaking his head. "No, my Uncle would probably shoot Snuffles at first sight, I would never send him there."

"Where will you send him then?" asked Ginny in confusion. "I mean, where was he until now?"

"He was wandering... living off rats. That sort of life."

Ginny was more confused by the moment, but she was also beginning to understand, sort of. It did make sense —and reassured her— that the dog didn't live with Harry's relatives (Harry shouldn't live with them either, she thought angrily). It raised the question of how Harry had ended up sort of adopting a stray dog or how would he manage to send the animal away if it didn't have a home to go to.

The solution to this problem was extremely simple.

"You should send him to the Burrow," she said without hesitation. "Mum and Dad will take care of him, and then you can see him there during the summer."

Harry's eyes widened, his expression somewhere between horror and amusement.

"That definitely isn't an option," he said after a moment, sounding regretful but firm.

"Why not?" she demanded.

"Because... It would be just wrong to ask that of your parents."

"They would be happy to take Snuffles in," she argued. "They would do anything to help you."

"All the more reason not to even ask," said Harry. "They probably wouldn't be able to take him in if that helped me."

Ginny thought about that. Could the Goblet really get in the way of this? She was talking to him about it, giving him advice about Snuffles, that suggested it was possible to help in this if in nothing else. Although she wasn't sure if her mum or dad would be able to come all this way to pick up the dog, or if Dumbledore or someone would be able to take him to the Burrow. Agg! She hated that damned thing.

"We don't lose anything by trying," she said finally. "Maybe if I write home instead of you it will be as if they are helping me. Or Snuffles."

Harry seemed to consider that. She could tell that he liked the idea, but he still shook his head in defeat after another moment.

"No, Ginny. I can't do that. It would be wrong."

"How can it be wrong to send your pet back home for your family to take care of it?"

He sighed.

"Leaving aside the fact that the Burrow is not my home and you are not really my family..." he began to say sadly.

"We are your family," she hissed angrily. "And the Burrow is your home. You're not still worried about Charlie, are you? I told you he's not allowed to hate you."

"Whatever," said Harry with a shrug that made obvious that he still thought Charlie hated him and that he deserved it. Ginny had intended to wait until the summer to confront her brother, but perhaps she should write to him before and clarify that stupidity as soon as possible. "Even if I had any right to ask anything from your family, I would not endanger them by sending Snuffles there."

"Snuffles is not dangerous," she argued. "He only bit Snape and the git deserved it."

"That's not the danger I'm talking about," said Harry cryptically.

Ginny stared at him, trying to understand what he meant. Having grown up with Fred and George and knowing that Harry had all but stolen a house-elf it didn't take long for an idea to come to her head. She glanced around to make sure the Common Room was deserted before leaning closer to Harry.

"Is Snuffles... illegal or something?" she asked in a whisper.

Harry startled and also glanced around in alarm.

"Maybe," he said finally in another whisper.

Ginny nodded. She felt more in her element now. She could tell by Harry's guarded attitude that he wasn't going to give her any details, but she could live with that. She had learned from dealing with Fred and George that sometimes it was better not to know too much.

"Dad had an illegal enchanted car hidden in his shed," she whispered, even though that wasn't a secret anymore. "I can't even remember all the illegal stuff that Charlie or the twins have taken home, and Mum wasn't ever aware of most of them. Trust me, Snuffles will be fine there."

"I don't want to get your parents into trouble, Ginny," said Harry shaking his head again.

"Harry, we would harbour a fugitive at home if you asked," she said with exasperation, and Harry snorted at her words. "It might be better not to tell Percy, but even he would have to agree. It's family law, and you are family even if you don't believe it."

Harry stared thoughtfully at his sleeping dog for a long time, probably weighting the risk against the idea of his pet wandering the earth living off rats. Ginny was thinking that she would try to put her plan in motion whether Harry agreed or not, since it would be stupid not to. The way she saw it, it didn't matter where Snuffles came from nor who was the real owner, it was clearly Harry's dog and he should be properly taken care of. If it was stolen, at least nobody seemed to have recognized it yet and there would be less chances of it being recognized if they took him away to the Burrow.

Finally, Harry looked back at her with a mischievous smile on his lips.

"What about a fugitive hippogriff?"