A/N: Please note that due to the AU nature of this fic, there may be differences from canon regarding wand lore, curses, and other plot points.
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Chapter 14
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Ron really- really- wanted to bang his head on the table.
But according to Hermione, that would be 'immature' and 'rude.' He disagreed. Banging his head hard enough on the wooden table in the pub would surely be understandable. The severe desire to lose consciousness stemmed from having to endure the conversation he was currently in.
They had met up again with the Curse-Breaker, and to Ron's chagrin, the man was neither sober nor less frustrating to speak with. His endless questions and calculations were odd at best, and the whole thing was beginning to look like a complete waste of time and Galleons.
And they were only five minutes into the meeting.
"Alright, next," Connor flipped over another piece of parchment, taking a puff of his cigarette as his red-rimmed eyes scanned the words. "Has your sister knowingly or unknowingly been a part or subject in fringe science experiment groups or secret government research operations?"
Ron couldn't help the small groan of annoyance that escaped him, earning a sideways glare from Hermione. "No," she answered politely, "Nothing of that sort at all."
"Alright," Connor nodded lightly, unaffected by Ron's sour demeanor. In fact, the bloke actually seemed rather jovial... even more so since they had last seen him.
At least someone at the table wasn't contemplating their own demise.
"Has your sister ever been visited by a human or magical being and subsequently told that she is or will be instrumental in their survival- including but not limited to 'saving the world' as defined by said group?"
Ron's brow creased. Did the guy have memory issues?
"Well," Hermione coughed. "Yes, she has. That's part of the issue we're having-"
"And in this visit, was there mention of a vision, prophecy or curse?"
"Well, yes, all of that-"
"And she has been referenced as one or more of the following- a savior, a chosen one, or only hope?"
"Yes, that's what we're trying to-"
"Was your sister ever infected with an illness that may have resulted in her transformation to half-Mermaid status, or could she have injected herself with an experimental serum?"
"Oh now, really-"
"Is it possible your sister could have been in contact with another being- either human or magical creature- who would have reason to turn her into a Mermaid? Examples being a fairy godmother, elf, a sprite or spirit, fairy, or other strange creature? Or could she have been part of a gang or terrorist group where initiation included Mermaid transformation?"
"No-"
"Could she have been bitten by a radioactive spider?"
"Oi!" Ron slammed his palm on the table, making Hermione jump. "Are you just making this shit up as you go? D'you go home and have a laugh afterwards while you drink away your last brain cells?"
"Ron!" Hermione looked mortified at his outburst. Connor on the other hand was wide-eyed, cigarette barely clinging to his lips. He looked genuinely surprised to have been interrupted as if he had no idea his questions could possibly be so maddening.
"Sorry," he replied, looking like Ron had just insulted his favorite tie. He shuffled the stack of parchment in front of him. "I just try to be thorough is all."
"It's more than thorough, alright? I'm not answering any more stupid questions. We already know how she was cursed, yeah? We're paying you to find a way out."
Connor gripped his tankard, still looking like Ron had hurt his feelings.
"I only had one more question on the list."
Ron wanted to tell him where he could shove that last question, but was stopped by Hermione's hand on his arm. "One more question is reasonable," she assured him kindly, "But then it would be best if we moved things along."
Ron cheered inwardly at her support.
"Fine. Last question then," Connor replied stiffly, "And they aren't stupid," he emphasized, looking pointedly at Ron. He glanced at the last question to ask and cleared his throat. "Did your sister ever inherit a magical ring that allows the wearer to become invisible, and was she ever told that a Dark Lord was seeking it out and that it must be cast into the fiery depths of an active volcano in order to destroy it?"
"Oh my god, are you serious right now?"
Connor raised his eyebrows. "So that's a no, then?"
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"You weren't here yesterday."
Her soft words echoed in the grotto. Harry sat down slowly, taking off his shoes and socks in the dim light. His heart was hammering at the thought of what he carried with him, of what he was going to show her. Her dark eyes looked up at him, her small hands gently clinging to the edge of the rock.
"I waited for you."
Slow to comprehend her words, he moved closer. Anticipation was making his mind fuzzy.
Would it work?
Of course it would. Sirius wouldn't have shown him otherwise.
"You worried me," Ginny said, looking angered at his lack of response. "I didn't know what had happened."
Harry rubbed his sweaty palms on his trousers, placing his feet in the water. He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for worrying for you. But I'm not sorry for being gone- there was something important I had to do. It couldn't wait."
"Important?" She huffed, sparks flaring in her eyes. "More important than letting me know you wouldn't be here?"
"Yes."
Her eyes widened. "Oh." The anger fled her features, replaced by a palpable tension between them. She fiddled with a wet lock of her hair, looking torn on whether to press him. "Can you tell me about it?"
Releasing a breath, the dream came rushing back to him in a wave of clarity. Removing the small pouch he had held in his pocket, he placed his free hand on her arm. So smooth. So cold to the touch under his fingers. He licked his lips.
"Do you trust me, Ginny?"
It was oddly satisfying to see the faint blush bloom on her cheeks. A blush for him- only for him- and it made her all the more lovely.
"You know I do."
Removing his outer robe, Harry cast a warming charm on himself. Lowering down into the cold water, he dimmed the light of his wand a bit. The couple instinctively drew closer.
"There's something I want you to see," he said, his heart thrumming, "but it's better if it's dark." Ginny gave him a silent nod. Extinguishing the light from his wand, the grotto became shrouded in darkness, save for a sliver of moonlight. It reflected off the lake, flickering around the couple as the black water gently lapped on the rocks. Carefully, Harry opened the pouch to remove the delicate item within. Holding his palm to Ginny, he opened his fingers to reveal the tiny succulent. A soft gasp of wonder left Ginny's lips, causing him to grin. Such a small thing, but still it managed to illuminate the cave with its ethereal light.
Ginny peered closer, entranced. "It's glowing," she whispered, "Like it caught the starlight somehow." Reaching out, she gently touched a finger to one of the tiny leaves. "Fascinating..."
"Ipomoea alba anise," he murmured to her, lips brushing her forehead, "It's a type of moon plant."
The glow of the plant reflected in her eyes, making them sparkle more than usual. She smiled.
"It's beautiful."
Moving back, he guided her to follow him towards the mouth of the grotto. "Magically speaking, it's a fairly useless plant, mostly a collector's item. Moon Plants and Moon Flowers glow or bloom in the moonlight. The Moon Anise always glows, but the moonlight amplifies its light." Clutching the plant carefully, he used his free hand to pull Ginny out of the grotto. He led her outside, treading the water as they moved into the dark of night. The crescent moon peaked out of the cloudy sky. Turning back to Ginny, he placed the plant in her hands and grasped her shoulders, fervently tampering down the excitement he felt.
"This is where I was yesterday. I mean, this is why. It was this plant- this tiny Moon Anise. I knew I had to find one."
Her brow creased. "But why?"
Harry plucked one of the tiny leaves from the succulent, holding it up to the moonlight. "It's funny, you know... I learned about this plant in a lesson with Sirius. There are so many other Moon Plants that have more magical properties. So many others that are used in potions. But the Moon Anise, we barely glanced over it in our lesson. It was such a small thing- a side note really, I never would have remembered if he hadn't..." He trailed off, his mind going back to Sirius. To the dream.
The dead never truly leave us. That's what Dumbledore had said, years before he too would be among the dead.
"If he hadn't what?"
Ginny's voice brought him back. He blinked at her, then smiled reassuringly. A story for later. Not now. Not when he wasn't even sure it meant anything. "Nothing. It's just that yesterday, I remembered the plant, the small tidbit of information. But that small tidbit meant nothing until now. It's information that should have been useless. But it isn't useless, not for you."
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
His heart clenched at the hope written on her face. God, he was already screwing this up.
"It's not a cure, Ginny. I'm sorry, I should've made that clear initially... well, anyway, it's not a cure, but it is important. You'll see in a minute."
She bore the disappointment she must be feeling well as if she had known it had been too much to hope for anyway. Her gaze fell, but she did not otherwise show any emotion.
"This plant," he continued earnestly, willing her to not withdraw from him, "it has only a few known magical uses, and one of them can help us."
She perked up again at that. "It can help us? How?"
"Can I just show you?"
Pulling her closer, he reached out the succulent leaf and tapped her bottom lip with it. "Open your mouth."
"What?"
He raised an eyebrow. "I thought you trusted me."
"Well, yes. Of course, I do-"
"But?"
"But- but nothing!" She sputtered. "You're just being so odd about this. I want to know what will happen."
"That would ruin the surprise."
Still looking unconvinced, she eyed the leaf in his hand warily. He took advantage of her distraction and drew forward in the water, placing a kiss on her lips.
"It will be alright. Now, open your mouth. Please."
Sighing, she opened for him. He placed the leaf right on her tongue, allowing the pad of his finger to brush against it as he did so, spurring on his already racing pulse.
"Now, keep the leaf on your tongue for a few seconds, then swallow it. Don't chew it up at all."
Following his instruction she swallowed the leaf. Harry looked up into the night sky. The crescent moon was completely unobstructed by clouds, shining on the two of them as they bobbed in the Black Lake. It was perfect.
"What happens now?" She asked.
Taking the succulent from her hands, he motioned with his head back towards the grotto. They swam back into the safe haven, Harry feeling immensely grateful to give his legs a break from treading water. Casting a light with his wand, he peered closely at Ginny.
"How do you feel?" He asked her.
"Fine. Maybe a bit dizzy."
She looked more than just a bit dizzy. One of her hands came to rub her forehead, her features pinching with discomfort.
He nodded. "It will pass in a few moments."
"Harry," she growled at him, looking green, "no more games. Start talking." She curled up, retching slightly. "Ugh, I think I'm going to be sick."
"Don't get sick, just breathe through it." He rubbed her back reassuringly. "It won't work if you vomit it up."
With that she let out a low moan, her forehead dropping to the stone in the grotto. Feeling slightly helpless, but also knowing it would be worth the end result, Harry hoped his words would distract her.
"There is a type of Moon Plant that grows right here around Hogwarts called Moondew. It has beautiful flowers, but it doesn't glow like the Moon Anise. The flowers are used to sweeten drinks like Butterbeer."
"Butter what? Ugh..."
"Breathe, Ginny. Another type of Moon Plant is native to North America. It became quite controversial at one point since many Witches were using it to off their husbands and collect benefits upon their death. The seeds look like little Crescent Moons."
Ginny only moaned in response.
"And then another Moon plant in South Africa-"
"Harry, will you please shut up about the Moon Plant," she snapped, pale face looking up from the boulder to glare at him. He thought she looked a bit less green.
"Sorry. Do you want me to tell you about the time Sirius and I took Gillyweed and hid from Death Eaters in a farmer's irrigation pond? I can't tell you how many showers it took to get the smell out."
Ginny released a small sob as she dropped her head again, holding very still. Harry touched her shoulder gently.
"Gin?"
She stiffened suddenly under his hand, and turned to him. Her face was pale as death, and she had beads of sweat covering her brow. He felt her begin to tremble.
"Somethings wrong," she said. "Harry, I don't like this."
Unable to stop the worry that rose within him, he settled for wrapping an arm around her.
"I promise it will pass," he repeated, "just keep breathing."
Her whole body seemed to seize up in pain beneath his hold, and she gasped.
"Oh god, Harry what is happening?" She asked with a shaky voice, "Please, you've got to tell me."
He moved her hair out of her sweaty face. "I told you this Moon Plant wasn't of much use, and it's true. But there is one thing it does, one thing that hardly anyone in the world would think to be worthwhile, except for someone like you." Ginny's breaths were panting with discomfort now, her fingers digging into his skin. But he kept talking. "The footnote in my lesson with Sirius talked about this plant having 'the power of ones.' One leaf, one night, one curse, one hour."
Ginny thrashed beneath him, and he struggled to keep a hold of her. She fought his embrace, her face contorted in fear and pain.
"What have you done to me?!"
His heart broke at the accusation. He never wanted to cause her pain. For the first time his resolve faltered.
No. She needs to finish it. She needs to see.
Wrapping his strong arms back around her, he hushed her gently. "It will be over soon." He didn't know if she was listening to his words anymore as she sobbed in his arms, but he spoke anyway. "The power of ones," he recited, meaning that consuming one leaf of this plant, on one night where there is moonlight, will lift one curse for one hour."
Ginny's thrashing stopped. Limp in his arms, he tipped her head back, cradling her face with one hand. Her eyes were closed, red lips serene in her unconscious state.
"Gin," he whispered to her, "it means for one hour tonight, the curse is lifted. For one hour tonight, you can be your true self."
A golden light began to gently glow in the water around them. Heart hammering, he held Ginny tightly to him. It was working. The light gradually increased until it became absolutely blinding, and he had to close his eyes and turn away. A warmth began to creep beneath his hands, and he realized that it was Ginny's body. Her body, almost always cool to the touch, was warming under his hands. The light came to a crescendo before it suddenly stopped, innocently evaporating into nothing. Releasing a heavy breath, he shifted Ginny in his arms. Placing a gentle kiss on the corner of her lips, he bent down to her ear.
"Wake up, sweetheart. Open your eyes for me."
Eyelashes fluttering, the beautiful girl in his arms began to stir. Sparkling brown eyes met his.
"How do you feel?" He asked, smoothing her hair away.
"I'm alright," she answered slowly. Her brow then furrowed. "I'm cold."
He grinned down at her. "I'll get you warmed up. But first, look down."
Straightening in his arms, her gaze fell to the water that was up to their chests. Keeping his eyes trained on her face, he watched as her eyes widened in disbelief.
The water was dark and blurry, but it could not hide what lay beneath Ginny, because in place of a Mermaid tail were two- perfectly human – legs.
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TBC
Thanks again Gin for all the help!