Chapter 14 – Routine
As September gave way to October, life at Hogwarts settled into a mostly comfortable routine for Harry, which was a novel concept for him. Madam Pomfrey's treatments had begun to work their magic; his back felt better than it had in years, and meals no longer upset his stomach. He had even gained some weight, though it seemed he would always be skinny. His sleep had improved markedly, and with it his energy levels were better, especially in the late afternoon.
Most impressively, he had even managed to forget about the Dursleys from time to time. Other than occasionally discussing his former home life with Ginny, no further mention of his hopefully former family had been made. Professor Dumbledore had promised him that the Dursleys would face some kind of legal consequences for his treatment, but thus far he hadn't heard a thing. The silence with regards to his family left Harry with mixed feelings. While he relished not thinking about the Dursleys, he occasionally wondered what, if anything, would happen to them.
Ginny had kept to her schedule, and thankfully her subsequent visits had been somewhat less emotionally wrenching than her first. She had been very pleased to receive Harry's letter; he received an extra appreciative hug when she returned later in the week. Together, they mostly did Harry's homework together, while at the same time Ginny talked about growing up in her very large family. It was nice – hearing how a family was supposed to work – though it brought up some feelings of resentment as well. He never said anything out loud, but Ginny seemed to be able to tell when his thoughts took a morose turn. Sometimes he would suddenly find his hand in hers, and they would sit together in silence while he processed. She was always ready to listen, and it was very strange to him that she seemed to want to listen to him complain.
"Sometimes talking helps. My brother Charlie… I could always talk to him if I was upset about something. Most of the time he couldn't actually fix whatever was wrong, but just telling him made me feel better. Harry pondered on that. He had never been allowed to talk much at the Dursleys, and complaining was strictly forbidden. He felt a little guilty every time he mentioned anything bad about his family, but Ginny seemed to be able to detect that as well. It felt like she could read his thoughts, which strangely made it easier to talk—like she already knew what he'd say.
Some of what she talked about was also embarrassing. Ginny had let him know that there was an entire line of books written about him – The Magical Adventures of Harry Potter – supposedly covering his fantastic life after defeating Voldemort. She had, reluctantly and red-faced, admitted that the series was her favorite growing up and constituted her bedtime stories for several years. Together they had gone and found one of the books in the Hogwarts library. According to this particular volume, Harry had a merry adventure involving riding a dragon through Gringott's to escape an army of angry goblins at the age of six. Ginny was mortified, but he actually thought it was funny with how ridiculous it was.
Along the lines of things that were embarrassing, he had finally met Ginny's twin brothers, Fred and George. During Ginny's third visit, they had appeared in the Great Hall to introduce themselves. They only stayed a few minutes before being chased away by Ginny, but since that moment they seem to prefer referring to him as Ginny's boyfriend, which makes him blush furiously every time. Ginny assured him that they liked him, and that being annoying was just part of their charm, but he wasn't sure about that. That weekend, the twins had cornered him in the common room and started quizzing him about all the time he was spending with their sister. When he got flustered trying to respond to them and explain that she was his best friend, they suddenly seemed to back down and just told him to make sure to treat her well, so maybe Ginny was right after all.
Ginny had also properly introduced him to what was now his favorite activity since coming to Hogwarts – flying. At first, he hadn't liked flying at all. During Madam Hooch's beginner lesson with all the first years, things had not gone well for him.
In many of his classes he had learned that confidence has a large impact on the success or failure of his spellcasting. The more relaxed and confident in the success of a spell he was, the more reliable his spellcasting seemed to be. Apparently, this same concept was also applicable to flying on a broom, and unfortunately he had always felt vulnerable up high; he had fallen down the stairs at the Dursleys a few times too many for his liking. Combined with the pressure of sharing the class with the Slytherins, he had barely managed to make it off the ground during Madam Hooch's lesson.
When he told Ginny how his flying lesson had gone, she was not having it. Her face grew determined, and without a word she stood up and dragged him out to the courtyard. He offered little resistance, bewildered as he was by her sudden intensity. Ginny retrieved two brooms from the storage shed, and it was clear this wasn't her first time on a broom. It flew to her hand the instant she reached for it, and she mounted up smoothly. She scooted forward on the broom and then turned to him and said, "Come on then, hop on."
He just stared nervously at her, and after a moment Ginny suddenly blushed and said in a much gentler voice, "Come ride with me, please?" Harry gulped, and then climbed on behind her. What do I hold on to? Ginny solved his short quandary by reaching back and pulling his hands around her waist. "Er, hold on please. I'll go slowly, I promise." Ginny kicked off the ground and together they rose leisurely into the air while circling around the courtyard.
At first, Harry clung tightly to Ginny, squeezing his eyes shut as he pressed into her back. But then as she turned the broom and pulled skyward, the breeze blew across his face and through his hair, and he chanced a look around. It took a few moments, but his grip slowly loosened and his whole face lit up into a smile, pressed against Ginny's back. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, and as he exhaled, it felt as though his entire perspective shifted. This was revelatory. Up in the air he suddenly felt free, and safe, and… he blushed.
As she flew, Ginny kept peeking behind herself to check on him, smiling more and more each time she did. "I see you like it. Would you like to land so you can try on your own?" No way. He shook his head and gave her a gentle squeeze; he felt more cared for in that moment than he could ever remember. "Not yet… this is perfect." She turned again, taking them out of the courtyard and over the grounds. He didn't care in the slightest where they went. He could feel the breeze and the sun on his face. It might have been cold, but his cloak was thick enough, and he was pressed up against Ginny who was radiating warmth. The crisp scent of autumn filled his nose, mingled with something faintly floral he was suspected was coming from her hair. He put all his focus on burning this moment into his memory. They flew in silence for a few minutes, when Ginny noticed him. "Harry, are you sure you're OK? You're crying. I'll land…"
He hurried to interrupt her, even as he sniffled. "No! I'm alright… I'm… no, please keep flying."
Ginny flew the two of them for another half an hour before she landed and insisted Harry fly on his own. This time when he stepped up to his broom, it leapt eagerly into his hand. He mounted it and flew an easy lap around the courtyard while Ginny watched, before landing softly next to her. Flying was amazing, and he was would definitely want to do it again, but he wasn't sure he would ever top that first flight with her.
Ginny looked at him with concern at his quick landing, when he surprised her by wrapping her up in a firm hug. She enthusiastically returned the hug, and then asked, "What was that for?"
Harry struggled to find the words, which once again Ginny seemed to be able to intuit. They sat down cross-legged on the grass, and she waited for him to answer. "You know… you know that I don't like being touched, or touching most people." She nodded. "It's because of my family… they… they acted like touching me was unpleasant, like I was dirty or something. They mostly only did it when they wanted to punish…er, hurt me. I never felt safe, unless I was alone and… enclosed, I guess. It's why I prefer small spaces. You probably already know all that…"
Ginny didn't say anything and simply gave him an encouraging smile and waited for him to continue. "With you, it's different. I'm still nervous, but it's… It's different. I feel safe with you. And… up in the sky, on the broom with you, I felt free, and completely comfortable, even out in the open. I felt…" He trailed off, his face flushing. "I think I felt… loved. It's stupid.
Harry steadfastly looked down at his lap to avoid Ginny's eyes at his admission. The word love had been stuck in his mind since her letter, and it had lingered in the back of his thoughts every time he interacted with her. Other than his conversation with Hermione in the library, he had never brought up his reaction to Ginny's letter, since he knew he had made a big deal out of a simple sign off. But it had stuck with him, like an undercurrent to his thoughts. Now that he had said it out loud, he felt like an idiot. Really, he had only known her for a month, and his feelings were always a jumble when he was with her. What did he know about love, or family, or… but his thoughts shattered to a halt.
He had been so focused on himself that he hadn't noticed Ginny had moved. His head shot up as he stared at Ginny, who was lightly blushing as she sat back down. He brought his hand up to his left cheek, which was simultaneously flaming hot, but also tingling with electricity. She… she kissed me. He had absolutely no idea what to say or do, and he simply gaped at her while touching his cheek. "I… I don't… I don't understand."
Ginny smiled. "Yes, you do. It's not stupid of you to feel loved."
He wasn't sure how long he stared at her; it felt like ages but was probably only a moment before he tried to whisper a response. "But… you…" He couldn't seem to make his mouth cooperate. Ginny blushed a little more as she shrugged. "I've spent more time with you these past weeks than I have with anyone other than my family. You said that things feel different with me, and I feel that too. You've become my best friend, Harry. I know that your family is… well, no good. But my dad says that friends are family you choose. I love my family, and I love my friends."
He wanted to reply, he really did, but he couldn't seem to make himself. While he struggled, Ginny leaned towards him and rested against his side. Suddenly, it didn't seem important to speak. They sat together on the grass for a while longer, until it was time for Ginny to head home. He walked with her to Professor McGonagall's office, and then returned to the Gryffindor common room after she left.
After Ginny left, Harry spent the entire weekend in a daze. Hermione grew so exasperated at his behavior that she eventually managed to corner him in his dorm and get most of the story out of him. After hearing what happened, she grew quiet for a moment before grabbing him in a strong hug, and then shyly asking if Harry would help teach her to ride a broom. Both Harry and Hermione sported matching rosy cheeks as they headed out to the courtyard to find the brooms.
Near the end of October, the weather turned colder and Harry found himself spending more time indoors, seeking refuge from the biting chill. The castle was fairly drafty, but the Great Hall was always warm and became one of his favorite places to study. It didn't hurt that Ginny always met him in the Great Hall, even if they wandered elsewhere in the castle afterward. This Friday, however, was different. Ginny's comings and goings had become routine, and Harry no longer received any notifications informing him of her pending arrival, so it came as a surprise to him that Professor McGonagall delivered a small, folded parchment to him while he ate lunch.
Hermione poked him in his side. "What does it say, Harry?"
Harry bore a confused expression. "I'm supposed to go to Professor Dumbledore's office after I eat. Ginny isn't coming today… I don't know why. He says he will explain when I get there."
Hermione frowned. "Do you… do you want me to come with you?"
He wondered how long it would take until simple offers of companionship and kindness would feel normal, because Hermione's simple support gave him a warm feeling inside. "Thank you, but I think I'll be OK. I might want to talk afterwards, if that's alright?"
Hermione gave an emphatic nod of her head, and then resumed eating. Harry tried to finish his meal, but the sudden break in his routine had spooked him a bit. After only a few minutes, he pushed his plate away and stood up. "I'd best go see what's going on…"
He let his feet guide him as he meandered to the headmaster's office. His thoughts, on the other hand, were everywhere and nowhere all at once. When he rounded the corner, the spiral staircase leading to the Headmaster's office was already visible, and he nervously went in.
As soon as Harry stepped into the room, he blinked in surprise; there were more people than he was expecting in Professor Dumbledore's office. The headmaster and Professor McGonagall were both here as expected, but so was Madam Pomfrey and, for some reason, Ginny's father. When he caught sight of the man, alarm surged through him and he blurted out, "Is Ginny OK?"
The quiet conversation that had permeated the room came to a sudden halt, and Professor Dumbledore's eyes widened. "Apologies, my boy. Miss Weasley is well, there is no cause for concern. Please, sit, and I will explain."
Harry walked over to the armchair across from the headmaster's desk. He sat down, but fidgeted a bit. Somehow, the chair seemed less comfortable than it had before. Once he had settled, Professor Dumbledore resumed.
"Once again, my apologies. I can see how my note, combined with this particular collection of people in my office might cause one to make certain assumptions. Let me reassure you that Miss Weasley is perfectly fine, and in fact you will be able to see her later tonight if you wish." Harry's shoulders relaxed slightly as he waited for the headmaster to continue. "With that said, I will get straight to the point. Mr. Potter, when last we spoke, I mentioned that the Dursleys would face legal charges for how you were treated in their care. Since that day, we – that is, the people in this room – have worked to ensure those charges would be brought. Much has been done in that time, and we have come to the point where we must ask for your participation."
A sinking weight settled in Harry's stomach as he pulled his legs up onto the chair, curling into himself. "Today, instead of your normal time with Miss Weasley, I have arranged a meeting with a muggle barrister named Mr. Fleming. Your Aunt and Uncle are muggles, and legal justice for their behavior lies in the muggle courts. Mr. Fleming is handling their prosecution. Arthur and Pomona, that is Madam Pomfrey, have already spoken with him and provided their statements. It is an unfortunate necessity that your testimony is also required for the case to proceed, which brings us to today."
His thoughts swirled, and the room around him faded. He didn't want to talk about this. Where was Ginny? Why couldn't she be here? She could talk for him! He had told her everything. Does he have to? Does it have to be today? Why…
His trance was punctured when Professor McGonagall knelt down in front of him, her face etched with raw concern. She reached out her hand towards his, but just as he started to pull away, she stopped. Her hand hovered, palm up, inches from his - a clear invitation - but the last step was left to him. He looked back and forth between her outstretched hand and her lined face, etched with worry. Slowly, the room came back into focus, and he reached out and gave her hand a quick squeeze. He pulled back his own hand and… unclenched, his feet returning to the floor. Professor McGonagall remained kneeling next to him, but turned with him to look at the headmaster.
"If you will recall, I also promised that you would have a say in your own future, Mr. Potter, and I very much meant that. You do not have to do this, nor do you have to do it today. But there are consequences to those decisions that I must explain. Without your testimony to the barrister, it is unlikely that the muggle authorities will be able to bring charges against your family. You will still never return to their home, but I am afraid they would escape almost all legal consequences for their actions. If you desire justice for your treatment, pardon, for the abuse you suffered, you must eventually speak with this barrister."
Over the past month, and especially after his conversations with Ginny, he had begun to look forward to the idea that his aunt and uncle would be punished for how he was treated. A small part of him had even imagined vindictive punishments they might be subjected to, which he felt slightly ashamed to have entertained. Now, his chest felt like he had been stabbed with ice as he considered the idea that they might escape without consequences.
"There are benefits to meeting with the barrister sooner rather than later, which is why I recommend you meet with him today. Muggle prosecutions take time, and in general the longer the process drags on, the less certain the outcome becomes. Clever barristers can sometimes persuade judges and courts that delayed testimony is less reliable, especially if the victim or witness does not appear in person during the trial. We are trying to build an iron-clad case against your relatives - one that does not require you testify in front of a judge and jury - and speaking to your barrister now is the best way to do that."
Harry looked back and forth between Professor McGonagall and the headmaster, before nodding. "Good. Mr. Potter, if you consent, I will escort you to London, where you can meet with Mr. Fleming. The meeting should take an hour or two at most."
"Can… can Ginny come with me?"
Professor Dumbledore looked at Harry with a sad expression. "I'm afraid not, Mr. Potter. Given the sensitive nature of providing a statement against your own family, we want to avoid any impression that your statements are being influenced by anyone else. Aside than Mr. Fleming and a neutral witness, you will need to give your testimony on your own. However, it's not all bad news. Arthur?"
Harry turned as Mr. Weasley stepped forward. "Hello there, Harry. After you've finished with the barrister, I would like to extend an invitation to visit my home for a few hours, and to have dinner with us. I'm sure that talking to Mr. Fleming will be stressful - it certainly was for me - and you might appreciate a small retreat afterward, rather than returning to the castle. Ginevra is also… distressed, and she would very much like to see you."
Harry's stomach churned at the mention that Ginny was upset. Of course he wanted to see her, but now he was in a hurry. "Let's… let's get this over with then."