Competition/Challenge Block

Written For: Monthly Challenges for All (Year 7); Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry 2.0 (Term 3); The Houses Competition (Year 11)

Hogwarts:

Houses: Gryffindor Transfiguration R3: [Location] The Burrow; [Disability] PTSD

MC4A:

Beta:

Word Count: 986

Warning Tag: References Trauma; Possession; Blood; Animal Death; Sibling Bullying

Author's Note:

Never Alone

"You will be alright. You are fine. You're okay."

It was all Ginny heard from her family the second summer started. The Healers weren't much better, and they did even less for her than what her parents were doing. Her mum stayed with her in her room the first week after coming home from St. Mungo's once they deemed her perfectly fine. Being possessed and nearly dying from her life force being siphoned away for an entire school year didn't seem like something that should be so easily dismissed. It was as if possession was something seen every day at the hospital. But what did Ginny know? She was only eleven, no one listened to what she had to say about anything, much less on how she felt about the situation.

They did their best to not make it a big deal and assure her that she would be alright, but Ginny saw the veiled shock on everyone's faces at the hospital. It wasn't a normal ailment that those Healers had seen before, which made Ginny even more fearful that maybe she wasn't going to be just fine like everyone said.

Of course, without the comfort from her mother staying with her overnight, everything quickly changed.

Ron was almost insufferable, going from being overly protective whenever she wanted to be outside, lingering around when she wanted to be alone, to doing a one-eighty and scolding her for being jumpy when he would randomly appear from seemingly nowhere when Ginny was lost in her own head while sitting among the wildflowers.

The twins tortured her with hissing sounds and rubber snakes tucked in the seats where she sat. They stopped when she let out a blood curdling scream when they shoved a small garter snake in her face one day, thinking it would be amusing to put it on her shoulder. She cried for hours after that incident, but Ginny knew their apologies were sincere, yet she couldn't get away from her brothers fast enough to have a scrap of peace and quiet. At least Percy left her alone.

Unfortunately, being alone was when everything got worse for her. Especially when the sun went down.

The walls of the Burrow whispered and shrieked, keeping her up at night. Groaning from the ghoul up in the attic sent goosebumps across her entire body. Water dripping from the leaky bathroom faucet reminded her of the deep depths of the underground where the serpent dwelled. It was also the only time she ever saw Tom.

His image still flashed across her memory. That smile, those eyes. They would always turn snake-like, warping that sinister stare into something far more menacing.

When she did get to sleep it was restless, often being jostled awake from nightmares, a cold sweat sending shivers all over her and she'd break out in tears as a result.

She was told to stop going to her parents room when this happened (it was every night) because they were losing sleep from her disturbing them, which made Mum cranky and Dad tired in the mornings. Dad would reason with her that the sounds were normal and that they've always been present in their home and that the ghoul was completely harmless as he walked her back to her room. Mum would simply say that it was all behind her and that she had no need to be afraid in the comfort of their own home. Ginny stopped trying to stay in her parents room after being dismissed so often.

The roosters that crowed in the early hour just before sunrise sent Ginny into the worst tailspin. Their sound caused her to see the blood splattering across the walls and staining her hands. The gurgling caws seemed to echo through her room, leaching into the walls where the pipes rattled and the wind whispered from. She never knew that birds' bodies could still move after dying.

A sloshing of water whoosing through the walls and out the spicket outside to water the garden had Ginny's mind picture the bucket she carried into the castle, blood from the roosters spilling over and dripping down the side as she painted the message on the wall. Remembering that the leftover was given to a large snake she was forbidden to look at. It was cold, just like her room was now, and echoed every drip, shivered breath, and step she took in the darkness.

It wasn't even dawn when Ginny crept from her bed and out into the hall, gripping her favorite hand stitched dolly her Mum helped her make from scrap purple material and the matching security blanket, she navigated the windy, rickety stairs to one of her brother's rooms. She would get flack from the twins if they ever found out, but she couldn't be alone anymore and she didn't want to disturb her parents anymore.

If Bill was still at home she would've immediately gone to him. He was her favorite brother (but she made sure Charlie didn't know that. This secret was kept safe in the diary tucked under her mattress she was now afraid to open). Ginny could only hope that Percy would be understanding.

She quietly opened his door, but the creak was resoundingly loud, causing Percy to stir from across the room. Ginny shuffled her way in anyway, pausing when he rolled over and looked right at her.

"Um… ca-can I stay with you?"

The tears were already welling in her eyes, making her voice watery. She sickly wiped her face and took a stuttering inhale.

"I'm… I'm scared."

Percy's face went from annoyed to softening into understanding. He shifted over and lifted his blanket for her to crawl under, cuddling close to her brother, she felt the tightness leave her chest almost immediately. The warmth of his presence allowed her to get a dreamless sleep. Even if it was only a few hours.