Chapter 4: The Chamber of Secrets

Ginny was crying in the loneliest hallway she could find, she didn't want anyone to see her like that, but what did it matter? No one cared what happened to her, she was just a stupid girl who had been deceived by everyone. Learning of her parents' betrayal was more painful than Tom's betrayal than to have been deceived by Lord Voldemort.

Even at her age, she could understand that her parents had tried to protect her, by blocking her memories and her skill with the blood ritual, they had given her two years of apparent tranquility, the nightmares had not been so horrible and her premonitions had stopped completely, but they violated her trust and her person by entering her mind without permission and blocking her memories, however horrible it was, it belong to her.

Pandora... It was like losing her again, as if she had just died.

And Luna, even her dear friend had been taken from her, surely Luna thought she hated her.

She hadn't spoken to her best friend in two years.

It was all because of that damn ritual, and she could only think of one person who suggested it... Dumbledore. Her mother had told her about that ritual, of course, telling her that her father, Percival Preweet, had used it on her out of fear when a serial rapist roamed the streets in 1959. Of course, her grandfather had been a blood purist who would never have allowed her mother to marry her father if he had lived. And her mother would never have allowed the ritual if Dumbledore hadn't intervened, and she didn't need to be a fortune teller to know.

And then there was Tom. A new sob came out of her throat at the thought of him. He cheated on her, lied to her, and wanted to use her, he had spent months pretending to be her friend and boyfriend. But that didn't hurt as much as knowing he was gone, and it was her fault.

She loved him... that knowledge of her deepest feelings tormented her, a part of her hated him, hated Voldemort for having deceived her, hated him for manipulating her... but, she also loved him, she loved Tom Riddle, she loved the young man with whom she shared her innermost thoughts, her feelings, in whom she trusted blindly, in the person who taught her so many spells, in the one who consoled her, in the one who did not judge her for her abilities.

Tom never criticized her true self.

She didn't know what had happened, but she sensed it had to do with this ritual that didn't allow any man to touch her and that Tom had tried to take over her soul after revealing his betrayal. He couldn't remember much yet, her memories were still hazy, only a few visions and nightmares remained, the most horrible ones, that she had shared with Luna, everything else looked like a dream waiting to be remembered.

Immersed in the deepest hopelessness and sadness she had ever experienced; she was barely aware of it when she pulled the knife with which she had killed Hagrid's roosters from her backpack. She let out a pitiful sigh when she saw it in her hands and almost hypnotized she saw how the sharp point began to cut the burned skin of her left palm, she watched almost with joy as the wound opened and bled. The hand holding the knife did not tremble or hesitate for a moment.

She was determined to follow Tom.

Footsteps startled her, and she turned her gaze to where the sound was coming from, separating her left hand from the knife. Her brother's best friend Ron was staring at her with his mouth open, he was the last person he wanted to see at that moment, the person who was suffering the guilt she carried.

Everyone thought that Harry Potter had opened the Chamber of Secrets, for Merlin, even she thought so, blindly trusted Tom and believed him when he told her that it was probably Harry who was to blame, but it had been her. Seeing him she burst into tears again, as she threw the knife to the floor and covered her face with her hands, filling her clothes and face with blood, giving a horrifying image.

The 12-year-old boy looked at her with horror, he had never been in this situation, he was frightened when he saw the blood, but when he saw that look in her eyes, the one he knew so well since he saw it every day in the mirror, Harry behaved as he wanted someone to act with him.

Harry walked over to her and sat down beside her, not daring to touch her and not speaking to her. She hugged him, as she used to hug her brothers for comfort, and despite feeling Harry tense up at the physical contact, she didn't let go, and hugged him for a long time, long enough for the boy who had never been hugged to relax.

"Forgive me, Harry, it was all my fault, I opened the Chamber of Secrets and they blamed you." Ginny began and confessed everything that had happened to the boy, who was too astonished to speak. She even told him about her visions, the most terrifying ones she had ever had and the most beautiful ones she treasured, the only thing she couldn't say was the ritual part, it was as if her tongue was stuck just thinking about telling him, and finally, she stopped trying.

She didn't tell him about Tom, it was something too personal and embarrassing, something she would keep inside her forever.

Harry looked at her in amazement, trying to process all that information. Ron had told him something, in between his endless monologues he was always grumbling about divination, and how it was so unfair that his sister had that ability and he didn't, besides, he gloated about how growing up Ginny had lost that ability and now they were equal.

It took him quite a while to process everything, but while he did so he continued to hold Ginny in his arms.

o-o-o-o

That day they went to Dumbledore at Harry's insistence (he only conceded that he would never tell any soul about the knife), who explained everything to the headmaster while Ginny cried glued to him. The only words she uttered were when, horrified, at the principal's intentions to inform her parents, she flatly refused, she didn't want to see them, and she didn't know what she would do if she saw them. Dumbledore agreed to their request and kept the book, letting them go without a hitch.

She was finally able to reconcile with Luna, who welcomed her with open arms without asking for explanations and without blaming her. And it was like being hugged by Pandora again. They spent all their time together again, sitting next to each other in all the classes they shared. Together with Colin, once he woke up, together with the others without remembering anything or who had attacked them, they formed a small group that spent the afternoons studying and doing homework.

After weeks Harry got used to Ginny and her sudden hugs, he believed her everything and forgave her wholeheartedly, if she had been possessed, she couldn't be guilty, and he could endure the disapproving looks without any problem. In exchange for his forgiveness, he gained a friend, which was very much on his mind.

In his entire life, he had only had two friends, Ron and Hermione, but this was different. They had shared adventures and he trusted them, but there were things he had never told them and would never tell them, the only person he was able to finally talk about his life with his relatives was Ginny. She had suffered a great betrayal from her parents, and her pain was so great, that he was able to share his pain, and so they began a friendship that made many people raise eyebrows.

Ron was not happy with that friendship, something that Harry could not comprehend, Ginny had told him that he was jealous because he felt that his friendship with the great Harry Potter was the only distinction he had from all the Weasley brothers, and that his sister was stealing it from him. Hermione behaved strangely with them, almost hurt, although Harry couldn't understand why, it was almost as if she didn't like Ginny, as if she was afraid of her.

Ginny feared at first that Harry would get carried away by his brother and stop talking to him and being his friend, but later she understood that the boy was loyal to his friends, to all of them, and he wouldn't stop talking to her.

Weeks passed, with the two of them getting closer and closer together, Ginny was used to physical contact, and with the blood seal broken the nightmares about the future began again, and her need for human contact during the nights restarted. As it had happened before, she first turned to Percy and spent almost a week sheltered in her bed, but stopped when she realized that she would not let her beloved brother sleep, and he could not study and began to lower his grades because of her, so she tried to be brave and abandoned the comfort it gave her,

Percy never questioned her for not coming to him. And then she remembered that he had to know that she lost her memory and never questioned anything, didn't give her comfort, and didn't even try to reconcile her with Luna.

She could never see him again and love him as unconditionally as she had done up to that point.

The twins were her next choice, but to her horror and surprise, she was turned away when they saw her enter their room. They weren't going to sleep with their scared little sister in front of all their friends, they didn't love her enough to put their reputation on the line, they told her, smiling and joking with her. Ginny only nodded coldly but felt her heartbreak in a thousand pieces at this rejection, and then she remembered the coldness that flooded her soul and spirit when these same brothers did not defend her from their parents.

When it was the Easter holidays, she finally mustered up enough courage to look for Harry at night, and he and Ron were the only ones left in his room. She slipped into the room and slowly made her way to Harry's bed, fortunately, her brother was a heavy sleeper.

o-o-o-o

Harry was startled when he felt soft, thin arms touch him, he turned quickly and saw Ginny's warm brown eyes looking at him pleadingly, and he wasn't even able to question her.

He knew about the nightmares, he had heard the brothers tell him about it, that it had come back and they were horrible, that the clairvoyance had returned. Harry didn't even know that could exist, but he figured that in this world where one could transform objects, it wouldn't be uncommon to see the future.

So, he just stood still and let himself be hugged, barely touching the redhead's head with his hand to soothe it as he tossed and turned in bed from nightmares. He tried to keep as quiet as possible, as his biggest concern was that Ron would notice, he didn't want to imagine the fuss he would make.

And so the days went by until they were discovered, and it wasn't the person who least wanted me to know.

But he realized that Professor McGonagall's discovery of them was even worse.

They spent the whole morning in the principal's office, being scolded by the teacher, who still couldn't believe what she had seen, and only calmed down when she finally finished scolding them and sent for Ginny's parents.

o-o-o-o

Minerva McGonagall was a serious and dour witch, she had never seen or believed in divination, so when Albus explained to her that Miss Weasley had been born with that ability, which she had sealed and now the seal had been broken, she did not believe it. She almost thought he was making it up to protect Harry.

"Dear Minerva, I understand that you are incredulous, being Professor Trelawney's companion, but divination exists, and Miss Weasley was born with the strongest gift on record, I do not think that even Cassandra Trelawney had such an ability in her middle age, when she had already developed all her abilities." Albus said quietly as he ate a piece of candy.

"Oh, but Albus, even if it were true, is no excuse for Miss Weasley to sleep in a boy's bed." Minerva was still indignant.

"Ginny's nightmares have always been horrible, I've heard from her parents, that at home she practically shared a room with Mr. Percy Weasley. " Albus said. "There was an incident two years ago when Miss Lovegood's mother died."

"Dear Pandora." Minerva said as she nodded, she had been her best student, a bright light both academically and socially, and had ended up married to a madman like Xenophilous, really love worked in very mysterious ways. "Her death was horrible, I went to the funeral of course, and now that I think about it, I remember a little Miss Weasley screaming devastatingly, it was very sad, I hardly realized that she cried a lot for her. "

"She loved her, according to Molly, she was like a second mother to Miss Weasley, and she died while formulating an incantation to put Miss Weasley to sleep without nightmares. She was so affected that Molly and Arthur called me because Miss Weasley had lost all will to live, it was then that they decided to seal their clairvoyance and erase all her memories."

–What? How dare they do something like that?" Minerva was furious about Ginny, no one had any right to alter the memory, it was like rape.

Before Albus could answer her, the flu network lit up. And their guests arrived.

o-o-o-o

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were angry, especially Molly. She couldn't believe that Harry would dare to allow her little girl to sleep in his bed. She had opened the doors of her home and family to him and paid her back.

Arthur wasn't that angry, he knew that nothing really could happen, and besides, Harry wouldn't be able to do anything to Ginny, even without the ritual.

When Minerva and Albus entered the office, Molly immediately stood up and addressed the teacher.

"Oh Minerva, tell me what happened, I can't believe it about Harry, my little girl is such an innocent child, she's only 11 years old, Harry is a... "

"A 12-year-old boy who has never received so much love," Professor McGonagall said dryly. "And I'm surprised to hear you speak so angrily about something innocent, I think I remember when I found both of you in the astronomy tower doing not-decent activities with Arthur when you were 13 years old."

Molly blushed with embarrassment and was unable to answer, while Arthur coughed uncomfortably. Professor Dumbledore interrupted the embarrassing moment by clearing his throat.

"Dear Professor McGonagall is right about one thing, the situation in which we find Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley can only be defined as innocent, and you know that nothing could happen anyway." Minerva opened her eyes in surprise at those words and understood the situation, she was mixed-born, and her paternal line was Muggle.

She would never have had that ritual performed, but many of her classmates at Hogwarts had done it, because of Grindelward, and later, during Voldemort's ascension, many of her students had done it, including the young Molly Prewett.

"We know, Albus," Arthur said awkwardly, "but it is still inappropriate for them to sleep together in the same bed."

"Clairvoyance returned. The professor said. And Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were horrified, but before they could begin to ask, Albus went on. "I don't know what happened, I only know that something happened that broke the memory spell and unlocked its power, it's certainly related to the Chamber of Secrets.

"But... She was supposed to be fine." Molly said to herself.

"Did Ginny open the Chamber of Secrets?" Arthur asked in horror, while Molly was still in shock.

"It is certain that she did, manipulated by an object in which Lord Voldemort left part of his essence." Dumbledore took a black book from his desk. "This was given to me by Mr. Potter a couple of months ago, and Miss Weasley handed it to him, and told him all that had happened."

"What is it?" Minerva asked in horror as she looked at the book in disgust, traces of dark magic emanating from it.

"Lord Voldemort's diary." The expressions of the three people were close to horror. "Or rather Tom Riddle's diary, he tricked her and possessed her to open the Chamber of Secrets, he used her and took advantage of her naivety and trust in people to manipulate her."

"It's my fault." Molly could only murmur those words.

"We provoked it, didn't we? We take away all the fear and distrust she had when we manipulate her memories, we leave her unable to distinguish evil from goodness." Arthur exclaimed angrily, wringing his hands.

"Lord Voldemort would be able to fool the most experienced adult if he put his mind to it. And I take this opportunity to apologize to you; Molly, Arthur, I know I should have told you this weeks ago, but Miss Weasley didn't want you to know. "

"She's still our daughter Albus," Molly finally reacted, and anger flooded over her. "You shouldn't have hidden this from us, she can't decide as long as she's a minor."

"Dear Molly, Ginny, and Harry are both abandoned and lonely children whose minds have only each other."

"Albus!..."

Dumbledor interrupted Arthur, who was already red with rage, and said to them; "Let me tell you an old story...

" ––The story goes that a little boy was walking with his father through the backyard of a circus. The little boy looked in amazement at a large dragon that stood immovable, tied to a tiny stake that attached one leg to a chain.––"

"Albus this is unnecessary" Molly tried to interrupt him, but Professor Dumbledore didn't stop;

"––Why is the dragon so stupid, Dad? The little boy asked. How is it possible that he doesn't realize that he is so much stronger than that chain and the weak stake?

The father answered:

When this dragon was captured, it was tiny, and it trusted anyone who approached it tenderly; Thus, he was chained for the first time, when the dimensions of the chain and the stake were greater than he was. Initially, when he was trapped, he tried to get away, as he was suffering, his trainer immediately hit him and tightened the shackle of his leg. When the little one tried to free himself again, his leg bled to death, causing him great pain, as well as receiving a blow. He grew up and again tried to free himself, feeling suffocated and tied to the wishes of his coach; I wanted to be free like the dragons of Ukraine or China. This time the tamer punished him with a curse of torture that nearly caused him to faint. So the dragon continued trying to free himself, looking at the people who passed by without letting go of his chain, who ignored his pain. And one terrible day, son, the dragon understood that he had no way out, that no matter what he did, he would always be punished for longing for his just freedom and so he stopped fighting for it, assuming his reality as the only possible one.––"

Everyone was silent for a moment as they processed the principal's words.

"Are you telling us that we tortured Ginny?" Molly asked without anger.

"Not intentionally, my dear." Minerva said immediately. "But to deprive her of mourning and to manipulate her mind and memories is a full-blown abuse of her person and violence too great for a human being, no matter how young she is."

Arthur took his wife by the shoulders and squeezed them gently, trying to support her.

"Of course, we know that it was all with good intentions," Minerva continued, feeling sorry for her, but without any shame. "But that doesn't take away from how betrayed and abused Ginny must have felt."

"Regardless of their age, those who have grown up in abuse and violence in a society that cares little about the pain of others, one terrible day understand that this is the reality they had to live with. Whatever they do, someone will always find them guilty of being victims." Dumbledore finished saying nothing. "Miss Weasley feels betrayed enough by all the adults in her life, and I don't want to take away the one person she trusts."

He didn't mention Harry, but he thought of him too, feeling sorry for the decision he'd made to leave him with his aunt and uncle, but not regretting it. So, if he could give him any comfort, he would.

The conversation lasted a couple of hours, but at the end of the meeting, the adults decided that Ginny would be allowed to sleep with Harry if she wished, on the condition that no students would find out. In addition, Dumbledore also authorized Harry to stay the last month of his summer vacation at the Burrow.

The adults in their lives were determined to take care of them and protect them from harm.

The fable that Dumbledore tells is a poetic plea called The Chained Elephant, by Jorge Bucay, I recommend you look for it and read the original :D