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HGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG
VENOMOUS CURE
Chapter 4: At Luna's
Amid the chaos, Ginny stood alone and flustered in the Burrow kitchen, her mind swirling with uncertainty. Harry's unresponsiveness had left her feeling dazed, but she had pushed through the haze, focusing on bringing him back to the Burrow. The numbness kept threatening to consume her but she concentrated on the immediate tasks at hand, for now. Summoning Ron for help, he managed to levitate Harry up to Bill's old room, adjacent to hers, seeing as it was the nearest space available.
Her mother and father had joined them soon after hearing the commotion, their expressions mirroring her own distress. Hermione followed closely after, her concern palpable as she surveyed the scene. They gathered around Harry's bed, wearing the same worried expressions as they had looked from Harry's unconscious form to her miserable appearance. Her father took charge, summoning a healer he knew from the Order. Within moments, the healer arrived, ushering them all out of the room to give Harry the space he needed.
Outside the closed door, a heavy silence enveloped them as they waited. The air hung thick with tension as Ginny felt the weight of everyone's gaze upon her, each pair of eyes holding a multitude of unspoken questions. Unable to bear the scrutiny any longer, Ginny's instincts kicked in, propelling her toward the kitchen without a second thought. All she wanted was to escape, to flee the questioning stares that threatened to reveal more than she was ready to share. The fear of her family discovering the truth weighed heavily on her, driving her to seek solace in the familiarity of the kitchen, if only for a fleeting moment of respite.
After what seemed like forever, the healer emerged, accompanied by Ginny's father. Their conversation drifted into the kitchen, and Ginny's heart pounded with anticipation. Each passing moment felt like an eternity as she awaited news of Harry's condition.
As they disappeared through the kitchen door and into the garden, Ginny's nerves were stretched taut. She longed to follow them, to eavesdrop on their conversation and glean any shred of information about Harry's well-being. But all she could do was wait, her anxiety mounting with time.
Ginny's father returned to the kitchen, his expression unreadable as he joined her.
"Is Harry alright, Dad?" Ginny asked, carefully keeping her tone indifferent to avoid arousing further suspicion.
Ginny's father reassured her with confidence, "Oh, he will be fine, don't you worry! The healer said he just had a bit of an accidental magic burst due to stress, which is understandable, of course. I suppose he will be sleeping for a while longer than we would expect."
Ginny breathed a sigh of relief at her father's reassuring words. "That's a relief, then," She murmured, feeling the tension that had gripped her gradually loosening its hold. With a forced smile to conceal her lingering worry, she asked, "Can I spend the day at Luna's?" Her request, though subtly veiled, served as both an attempt to escape and a means to shake off any lingering unease. Ginny wanted to seek refuge and solace in the comforting presence of her dear friend Luna.
"Sure, I'll let your mother know," her father responded, his warm smile easing some of the tension in the room as he winked at her.
Ginny's legs moved mechanically, driven by a primal instinct to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the Burrow. Despite a nagging sense of guilt for Harry's breakdown, she couldn't allow herself to feel anything just yet. Instead, she focused on the void, the emptiness within, seeking refuge from the storm of emotions swirling inside her.
She knew she couldn't remain at the Burrow, not today. Her usual facade would crumble under the weight of her physical and emotional exhaustion. The ache in her body served as a reminder of the turmoil she had endured the previous night. Her muscles still felt tender and achy and it would be too much to try and hide it. Not to mention her emotional meltdown that she was bearly keeping under the surface. It threatened to break free at any moment. Her determined steps gained speed outside the door and she slowly walked to the private apparition point outside the property gate.
There, in the solitude of the open air, she paused to find a brief respite from the chaos that had consumed her world.
She supposed she could have used the short walk to steady her nerves and find some semblance of calm. It wasn't a long distance, after all. She sighed heavily and cast a glance towards the road, knowing that the unwanted presence of reporters lingered just beyond the heavy wards. Of course, none of them would dare to risk crossing paths with the protective enchantments surrounding the Weasley property.
Despite their inability to see through the guarding barriers, Ginny was all too aware of their stubborn persistence. Those stupid journalists remained camped outside the warded perimeter, refusing to budge from their position. Their relentless pursuit of a story bordered on foolishness and Ginny couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration at their intrusion. It wasn't like any of them would be stupid enough to cross paths with those idiots.
'Well, they are only doing their job. No need to get worked up over irrelevant things.' Ginny thought then she was gone with a loud pop.
Ginny materialized outside the Lovegood house's gate and swiftly walked inside the garden. She climbed a few steps leading to the front door and knocked.
Luna's father answered the door, offering a warm smile. "Good morning, Miss Weasley."
"Good morning, Sir." She greeted back automatically.
He gave her a long scrutinizing look, "I was just about to head to town to buy some groceries. Well, don't just stand there! Please come in, Luna is in her room."
When she didn't make a move, he gently nudged her inside before he continued on his way, closing the door behind him. With a shake of her head, Ginny made her way straight to Luna's door and knocked once before entering.
Inside, Luna was busy rummaging through her wardrobe, presumably selecting her outfit for the day. Ginny watched as Luna grabbed a rainbow-colored T-shirt and some denim shorts, her friend's eccentric style with its vibrant colors and whimsical patterns clashing starkly with Ginny's somber mood.
"Morning Luna, can I stay with you today?" She asked unnecessarily. She knew Luna would always welcome her.
As a smiling Luna turned to face her, Ginny couldn't help but feel a pang of dissonance between her own emotions and the cheerful atmosphere that Luna exuded. A pang of guilt tugged at her as she noticed the slight falter in her blonde friend's expression the moment their eyes met.
"Of course, you didn't have to ask," Luna replied hesitantly, her smile fading slightly. "We can bake a cake and have a picnic. Or we can—" Luna's words trailed off abruptly as she began to examine Ginny from head to toe, "You have got Jinbuncks messing with your head," she observed.
"Jin- What?!" Ginny exclaimed in confusion, but before Luna could respond, Ginny simply shook her head and collapsed onto Luna's bed with a huff. How she longed for a moment of peaceful sleep right now.
"Something bad happened," Luna stated and crouched down in front of Ginny. With a gentle tilt of her head, Luna studied Ginny's face intently before tentatively asking, "What happened, Ginny?"
Ginny's eyes lifted to meet her friend's gaze, her voice trembling as she whispered feebly, "He knows." She watched as Luna's brows knit together in confusion, and then continued in a stiff voice, "Harry knows. He knows about the curse." The weight of her confession hung heavily in the air, casting a shadow over the room as Luna's hands flew to her mouth to cover her horrified gasp. Ginny watched as her friend's expression turned grave, shock, and disbelief written all over her face. She got up abruptly, hurried to her desk then started searching for something amidst the clutter of papers and trinkets scattered across its surface. The urgency in Luna's actions only heightened Ginny's own sense of unease, amplifying the gravity of the situation.
Luna glanced at her fleetingly, her voice tinged with worry, "I'm owling Neville," She announced and continued to rummage through her drawers. "Oh, for God's sake!" She muttered impatiently grabbing her wand and attempting to summon a Patronus to deliver the urgent message. Her first try failed, but she persisted with a determined look.
Ginny silently concluded how upset Luna must be if she struggled to cast the charm. Her closest friend, who had always possessed a natural affinity for magic, never had any problems casting the Patronus charm before. Not even last year at Hogwarts when all hope seemed to have been lost with all those horrors they had faced. Despite the darkness that surrounded them, Luna had remained steadfast in her dreamy, joyful, and sometimes odd demeanor. But now, Ginny sensed a shift in her friend, a change brought about by the lingering scars of war. The war changed people, she supposed. But Ginny had the inclining suspicion Luna's change was not solely a product of the broader conflicts they had endured. Instead, she couldn't help but wonder if her abduction last spring had played a role in it.
Luna franticly paced the length of the cramped tiny room whispering 'This is bad,' repeatedly and Ginny's head swam. She closed her eyes sighing and lay on Luna's bed twisting to face the wall. She still wasn't ready for this. Not now.
It seemed that only a few seconds had passed before she heard the knock on the door. Ginny remained fixated on the wall, seemingly indifferent.
She heard Neville's voice as Luna answered the door. Their murmurs escalated, culminating in a sharp intake of breath and Neville's incredulous and loud "WHAT?"
Soon, hurried footsteps entered the room before she felt the bed sink slightly as Neville took a seat at her feet. He hesitantly touched her knee, but she didn't acknowledge him.
"Ginny?" He gave her knee a gentle squeeze, concern coloring his voice, "What happened?"
"I think she's still processing, Neville," Luna interjected thoughtfully.
"I wonder how he found out?" Neville couldn't keep the curious tone out of his voice.
For some reason, his curiosity made her feel.. something, irritation maybe? It jolted her out of her stunned numbness, prompting her to sit up abruptly totally intending to unleash a sharp retort. However, as she turned towards him, she found her resolve deflating at the look of concern in his blue eyes. Casting a glance towards Luna, she noticed Neville's mirrored concern in her own eyes.
"Ginny, please," Luna's plea carried a tone of genuine worry.
Lowering her head, she drew in a deep breath before speaking. "Yesterday, Harry left the Burrow without a word... Ron and Hermione mentioned something about him wanting to move out. He was late, and we were all concerned," she admitted, glancing at them, her lip caught between her teeth. "And then, I... I sort of forgot to cast my privacy charms."
"Oh, God," Neville's voice trembled as he whispered shakily and Luna just collapsed on her desk chair, overcome.
"He must have been unable to sleep, or perhaps he was returning from outside... I'm not certain, but it seems he pretty much witnessed everything."
Neville hurried to interject anxiously, "No, that can't be. You wouldn't be here if he did. Maybe-"
"No Neville, you don't understand- " Ginny interrupted him to explain but was cut off by Luna.
"What about Hermione? Didn't your mother insist she bunk with you? We were even worried about her finding out then,"
"She had probably snuck up to Ron's bedroom again..." At their confused look, Ginny clarified, "Well, they are together, now. Anyway, Hermione's clueless. For now, at least."
"What do you mean?" They both asked simultaneously.
Ginny struggled to recount the events of the previous night, her exhaustion evident in the way her still-aching body protested. With a shake of her head, she pressed on, "...Hermione dragged me out. They were fighting. Harry was on the ground, his nose was broken. Ron had punched him. Then, Ron left and Harry... he wouldn't meet my eyes. Oh, Merlin," Ginny trailed off, her head sinking between her knees in distress.
She continued talking in an aggravated voice, "I guess I didn't realize it at the time, I thought he was just feeling embarrassed or something... I thought he was having a breakdown because of his stupid guilt, I never saw this coming..."
Neville offered a comforting squeeze to her calf, while Luna joined her on the bed, wrapping an arm around her and gently rubbing her back.
Speaking more to herself than to her friends, Ginny recounted, "We were just talking, and out of nowhere, he brought up the nightmares. I was so shocked, and it was still dark, and..." Ginny trailed off, knowing she didn't need to finish her sentence as both of her friends mirrored identical alarmed expressions when the realization hit them, but she continued speaking anyway, "I had an episode right there in front of him."
"Oh, no, Ginny... th- that's... " Neville struggled to find his words, his voice faltering.
"It was ugly. Tom was utterly vicious. When dawn broke, it finally stopped, but by then, I was a complete wrecking mess." Ginny took a convulsed breath and glanced briefly at Luna before continuing, "Harry asked me if it had been happening since the Chamber, and I just couldn't lie to him... I told him yes and he passed out."
"WHAT?" Both Neville and Luna exclaimed, jumping off the bed.
"Is he okay, Ginny?" Luna asked urgently.
"He's okay. The healer said it was just stress, and he'll likely sleep most of the day," Ginny replied. "I know logically they wouldn't suspect it's because of me, but I couldn't shake that feeling, so I came here."
Luna hugged her gently once more. Unlike Neville, she was aware of Harry's situation and was trying her best to offer Ginny support however she could.
There was a moment of silence, and then Neville suddenly exclaimed, returning to his former seat at the end of the bed and banging his fist on the mattress, "This is all Dean's fault!"
Ginny stared at him in exasperation and he added, "You know he shouldn't have broken up with you."
"Neville, that's beside- "
"No, it's not and you know it," Neville was frustrated. She felt his helplessness just by looking into his eyes. Each day it seemed to weigh heavier on Neville since learning about the Cruciatus curse. She guessed it had to do with his parents. Luna was silent next to her. She appeared to be deep in thought.
"What happened with Dean, Anyway?" Neville demanded.
Ginny gritted her teeth, refusing to respond. Despite Neville's good intentions, she was far beyond worn down to care. Her silence only seemed to stoke his frustration.
"You never said anything about that, Ginny?" Neville pushed persistently, undeterred by her lack of response.
"I felt like I was using him!" Ginny cried out in defeat, "He must have known I didn't return his feelings when the curse didn't break, but he never once hesitated to... to..." Neville seemed on the verge of interjecting, and she erupted, "Oh, to hell with this!"
Ginny hung her head in shame, feeling utterly humiliated. Luna quietly closed her bedroom door and, with a flick of her wand, cast a silencing spell. She observed the exchange between Ginny and Neville without offering a comment. After last year's events, she was so used to their bickering by now.
"So what if the curse didn't break? You weren't being driven into insanity! Dean's feelings don't matter, Ginny. He made his choice, and it was the only-" Neville's face flushed red with anger.
"How can you say that, Neville?" Ginny fixed him with a piercing gaze, Tom's nasty words from last night echoing in her mind. "Should I have kept doing it just because he didn't mind? Is that all there was ever going to be between me and Dean? Or anyone else? Is that how little you think of me?"
"No, Ginny, of course not! Oh, Merlin..." Neville shook his head in dismay. "Can't you see it? Riddle is already twisting your thoughts! This is dangerous, Ginny. Dean was just-"
"Dean has his own damn life to live! he can't keep shagging me now and then so that I don't have fucking nightmares!" Ginny's body trembled from head to toe with rage. She took a deep breath through her nose, already dreading the impending night, knowing it would be just as hellish as the previous one.
"He cared about you! Why can't you believe-" Neville just couldn't let it die.
"If he bloody liked me so much, why didn't he put up a fight? Why did he run off at the first opportunity?" Ginny interrupted him sharply, a look of defiance coloring her brown eyes.
"I can't believe you!" Neville exclaimed, his frustration evident. He looked like he was considering something as he studied her intently, a hint of uncertainty in his gaze. After a moment's hesitation, he continued, "I think I know why..."
"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, intrigued.
"It's because you're in love with someone else, isn't it?" Neville inquired.
Ginny gave herself away as she snapped her head towards Luna so abruptly she feared she might have strained her neck, but her friend shook her head vehemently from side to side with sincerity in her eyes.
"It's true!" Neville exclaimed, his gaze shifting between the two witches in astonishment. After a moment of silence, he asked eagerly, "Well?"
Both Ginny and Luna hung their heads in silence. "Isn't this just wonderful?!" Neville's voice carried a tinge of hurt. "Well, whoever he is, Dean must have had a point then."
"How so?" Ginny inquired, still avoiding eye contact.
"He probably felt like he didn't stand a bloody chance against some unknown guy!" Neville sighed heavily. "This complicates things."
Ginny felt a twinge of indignation, but deep down, she couldn't deny the truth in Neville's words. She knew Dean genuinely cared for her. Yet, she was in love with Harry. She always had been. And she couldn't shake the feeling of unfairness toward Dean.
"You know, being with Dean was the only thing keeping that bastard at bay," Neville muttered, his hands clutching his head in distress. "And now, with Harry knowing..."
Luna, breaking her silence at last, interjected, "Yes, Harry knows. Perhaps we should concentrate on that."
They both turned to look at her with confusion, and she continued, "Do you honestly believe that Harry will simply pretend like he doesn't know anything? leave it alone?"
Neville remained perplexed. He turned to look at Ginny who appeared to be struggling against the urge to throw up all over the bed sheets. He didn't need to seek further clarification as realization finally dawned on him.
"Oh, shit!"
Harry would undoubtedly want to know how to break the effing curse.
'Well, that would certainly make things complicated.' Neville thought miserably.
HGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG
Harry Potter woke up with a scream still stuck in his throat, desperately trying to catch his breath. Calloused hands came up to rest on his chest where his heart was violently hammering away. Each breath he took was shallow and quick, not one of them feeling deep enough.
His heartbeat slowed as time passed. The nasty images refused to leave his mind, but breathing eventually got easier. He calmed down enough to open his eyes slowly taking in his surroundings. An old lumpy bed was beneath him, the red glow of the setting sun contrasting mockingly with his internal shadows. He realized he was in the Burrow, but not in Ron's bedroom.
He also couldn't help but notice peculiar magical static lingering around him, though it dissipated as quickly as it appeared. With a heavy sigh escaping his throat, Harry cautiously tried to rise from his position.
Laying down after a nightmare only exacerbated the panic. Harry knew how to handle nightmares by now. Since the end of his fourth year, they had become an almost nightly occurrence over the years. Waking up this way had always been his normal; feeling broken and terrified was normal. Used to it as he was, it never got any easier... This particular nightmare, however, was especially vile and dark, it left him feeling slightly disoriented.
Harry struggled, his sweaty skin sticking to the damp sheets. He carefully peeled himself away, muscles screaming in protest as he dragged his legs over the side of the bed. The old cot creaked beneath him as he attempted to sit up fully.
Immediately, he froze at the noise. A flashback of bed creakings, mixed with moans and sobs, echoed through the silence like a haunting melody, flooding his mind. Suddenly, he wasn't so certain if his nightmare was truly over.
Harry was torn out of his morbid thoughts as Ron entered the room. He noticed Harry was awake and gave him a long, silent scrutinizing look before retreating just outside the doorway.
"Mom, he's awake now!" Ron's voice echoed downstairs.
He re-entered the room and took a seat on the sole chair available. "You scared us half to death this morning, mate. You've been asleep practically the whole day, Harry," Ron said with an audible sigh.
Harry glanced out the window and noticed that darkness was descending outside, signaling the end of the day. Nightfall was close. He was just going to ask Ron about Ginny when Mrs Weasley burst into the room, her face a mask of maternal concern.
"Oh, Harry dear, are you feeling alright?" Mrs. Weasley asked hurriedly, taking a seat beside him on the bed and gently touching the back of her hand to his forehead to check his temperature.
Hermione walked into the room then, giving him an assessing stare.
"I'm okay, what happened?" Harry asked looking between them.
"It seems that you have exhausted your magical core." Mrs Weasley informed him.
Harry's eyes widened in alarm, his eyebrows shooting up. "Does that mean my magic is gone?!" he asked incredulously.
"Oh, no darling, it simply means you exerted too much magic in a very short amount of time. But don't worry, it's only temporary," she reassured calmly.
"You just need proper rest and to avoid stress. Your magical core was working overtime to try to prevent any damage that could have been done to your brain due to mental fatigue. The healer mentioned that it seemed your control got away from you—your emotions became too overwhelming. Your magic was released, but it was too much for your body to take, so you passed out." Hermione elaborated.
"Alright," Harry responded, his eyes darting around the room. Mrs. Weasley caught his gaze and smiled knowingly.
"This is Bill's room. I thought you might prefer it here so I moved your stuff in there earlier," she gestured towards an old white dresser on the opposite wall, "I reckoned you'd rather not bunk with a snoring Ron."
"Oi, I'm standing right here!" Ron protested indignantly, but they paid him no mind.
"I'll fetch you some food," Mrs. Weasley announced, giving Ron a quick peck on the cheek as she left the room.
Ron, face flushed, emitted an annoyed grunt but couldn't suppress a sheepish smile, "I'll go help Mum," he said before trailing after his mother downstairs.
"Is Ginny okay?" Harry inquired, genuine concern evident in his voice. "I didn't inadvertently hurt her, did I?"
Hermione paused thoughtfully for a moment before shaking her head. "No, Harry. She's perfectly fine," she reassured him. "I think she was just a bit shaken up seeing you pass out before her, but nothing serious."
"Good to hear," Harry replied nonchalantly, masking his relief.
"It's you we're still worried about, Harry..." Hermione began, but he waved her off.
"I'm sorry for causing you concern," he interjected, anticipating her response. She looked like she wanted to interrupt, but he shook his head and pressed on. "No, really. I mean it. I know my guilt might be clouding my judgment, and I should strive to think more positively going forward. Yesterday was a complete mess, and I know I was out of the line, but I promise it won't happen again," Harry declared, his resolve strengthening as he spoke.
Harry knew his depression was still soaring high, his words didn't ring true even to his own ears. The attempt to push aside his guilt was an obvious, glaring lie, one he couldn't deny, but he hoped Hermione would just drop it and let it be... He always despised discussing his emotions and tried to come up with excuses, so he wouldn't have to. However, the part of yesterday's debacle not happening again, he was determined to keep that promise. He had to now. He had a very compelling reason, one big enough reason to not let himself fall apart.
Just as he was about to speak again, probably to ask where Ginny was, Hermione cleared her throat. "You sounded awfully devastated last night," She told him very seriously, "Are you sure this is only about blaming yourself?"
'Damn, Hermione is honestly too smart for her own good,' Harry thought to himself, mentally cursing Hermione's astuteness.
"What else would I be upset about, Hermione?" he asked, trying to sound casual despite the unease churning within him.
"I'm not sure. But even when Sirius died, you weren't so..." Hermione mumbled distractedly.
Harry's heart skipped a beat at her mention of Sirius. He swallowed hard, struggling to maintain his composure.
"Anyway, I will find out. Eventually." Hermione declared, her gaze unwavering.
Harry did not know how to feel or what to think. However, he stayed focused on keeping his emotions back and trying to think rationally. He had to keep his feelings and magic under control.
He got up and headed towards the door. Hermione sighed loudly.
"What part of 'you need to rest' wasn't comprehensible?!" She exclaimed, hurrying after him as he descended the stairs. "Harry!"
He halted suddenly turning to Hermione, causing her to bump into him and continue speaking into his chest. He grasped her shoulders firmly, huffing with frustration. "Breathe, Hermione!"
She took a deep breath and looked at him expectantly.
"Relax, I'm not going anywhere," Harry stated impatiently. She nodded her head once and he cautiously proceeded with his next question, "Where is Ginny?"
"I think she's at Luna's. Mrs. Weasley mentioned she was spending the day with her," Hermione answered.
His expression fell, and Hermione immediately picked up on it. "Why do you keep asking about Ginny?" she inquired, her suspicion evident in her tone.
"Nothing, I'm just feeling a bit bored, so I thought she would be up to some... flying," He blurted the first thing that crossed his mind.
Hermione studied Harry for a moment, seeming to consider his response. Harry let out an internal sigh of relief as she simply nodded and let the conversation drop making no further comment.
They were rounding the corner towards the kitchen when Harry caught the tail end of Ron's exasperated remark, "...little girl, Mum! She's perfectly capable of walking home on her own, you know!"
"It's getting dark, and those reporters are always scattered around on the road like they have nothing better to do." Mrs Weasley complained.
Harry seized the opportunity and interjected hastily, "I can walk her home."
All three heads turned to him. Hermione's expression bore a weird look he had never seen on her face before.
"Harry! Why aren't you in bed?" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, her voice carrying across the kitchen.
"I don't feel like staying in bed-" Harry began to protest.
"Nonsense, you must go and rest some more... and you haven't even eaten a thing," Mrs. Weasley interrupted, turning to the worktop and grabbing a plate full of sandwiches. "Here, take these with you. I want them all finished."
"I can eat them while I'm walking," Harry insisted, obviously determined to seek Ginny out. Sensing Mrs. Weasley's hesitation, he quickly added, "Besides, I'm feeling a bit restless, so I wanted to ask Ginny if she could fly with me for a bit." That seemed to have worked on Hermione. He glanced her way and she was... stifling a laugh?!
Harry shot her a curious glance, wondering what she found amusing. He glanced at Ron and found that he was too preoccupied stuffing his mouth with sandwiches to pay much attention to the conversation.
He turned back to Mrs Weasley and she appeared to be amused by something, too.
"Flying?! Are you sure, Harry?" Mrs Weasley asked, her eyes twinkling in a peculiar manner.
"Yeah," Harry was too busy walking towards the back door to notice Mrs Weasley smiling sweetly at him. Too sweetly.