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Category: Alternate Universe Characters:Harry/Ginny Genres: Drama, Romance Warnings: Intimate Sexual Situations, Violence Story is Complete Rating: R Reviews: 410 Summary: The summer after the Chamber of Secrets was hard on everyone. How come no one can remember what happened? Prior to starting his seventh year at Hogwarts, Harry realizes he is missing some memories from his second year. Together with Remus Lupin, Harry sets out to discover what happened. He hopes to find out about that pretty red head he has been dreaming about as well. Hitcount: Story Total: 353537; Chapter Total: 12455 Awards: View Trophy Room |
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Arthur Weasley wearily took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. The headache that had been threatening since he had first seen the Daily Prophet that morning, blossomed behind his eyes. Molly had flooed him several times asking when he would be home. As he was sure he knew why she was so upset, Arthur was really in no hurry to head home. Arthur loved Molly with all of his heart and soul. He admired the way she had raised their seven children, she was an excellent cook and housekeeper, and even after thirty years together she was still his best friend and confidant. He had made a promise to her many years ago that whatever problems their children might have, he and Molly would face them together. Tonight, Arthur was afraid that one of the decisions he and Molly had made together had come back to haunt them. Remus was sitting in the study at Grimmauld Place staring at the damned carving when he heard a crash coming from the kitchen that heralded Tonks arrival. “I’m up here, Dora,” he called. A navy haired Tonks trudged up to the study, Remus rose to greet her and hugged her as she walked into the room. He ran his hands over her dark blue locks. “Bad day?” he asked. He knew she only turned her hair dark when she was having a bad day. Tonks did not respond at first, she simply slipped her arms around his waist and curled into his embrace. Remus held her and offered comfort to the woman he loved. After a few minutes, she pulled back and kissed him gently. “Thanks, love.” She pulled him over to the couch and sat down. “So what happened here?” she asked. Remus frowned and glared at the carving on the wall. “I’m not sure, to be honest. They stared at the carving without saying a word at first. I didn’t think it was working, until I felt Harry’s power surge. It was amazing, I have never felt anything so powerful. I think he was able to use his magic to…I don’t know power through the memory charms. I think he not only broke his, but hers as well. After the charms broke, Ginny was the first to react. I don’t know what she was reacting to, but it wasn’t good. She had tears rolling down her face and she looked…so young. Harry did not seem upset at first, he was almost smiling as some points, but then I felt his anger.” Remus trailed off, trying to describe his godson’s reaction. “He turned to face Ginny and for a brief moment I thought he was angry with her, but I realized he was angry because of what someone else was doing to her. Watching them react to their memories seemed to take forever, but I think it was only about 30 minutes. Harry came out of it first, he immediately reached for Ginny. She was so upset.” Tonks watched the emotions play across Remus’s face as he relayed the evening’s events to her. She wished she could have been there for him, it must have been terrifying watching Harry and Ginny relive their missing year. She reached out and held his hand. “What happened once they woke up?” Remus squeezed her hand. “He just gathered her up in his arms and comforted her,” he said as he smiled sadly at Tonks. “He looked so much like James. He was so good with her.” Remus frowned as he remembered Ginny’s words. “She said something about what she had done. Harry tried to reassure her, then he took her upstairs.” Tonks eyed the carving. “Did Harry tell you anything?” Remus shook his head. “I don’t think he even realized I was still here, his whole focus was on Ginny.” “Ginny?” Tonks murmured. “What?” asked Remus. Tonks flushed slightly. “I feel a little guilty saying this out loud, but I just assumed that whatever happened Harry was at the centre of it.” Remus smiled ruefully. “Don’t worry, I thought the same thing.” He leaned back against the sofa, pulling Tonks back against him. “So what did you find out today, love?” he asked. Tonks closed her eyes for a moment, her hair rapidly cycling through navy, black, and emerald green. She told Remus about her conversations with Hermione, Molly, and Ron. Remus shook his head. “We keep coming up with more questions. I have no doubt that Albus is behind a lot of this, but why? We will need to confront him eventually.” Tonks shrugged. “I agree. I can’t figure out what he would gain from all of this. I think Harry expects that Dumbledore has something to do with this, but I’m more concerned with Ron. Given his reaction, Ron knows something. He was upset at the thought of Harry and Ginny together. He was down playing Hermione’s illness, he knows something.” Remus shook his head sorrowfully. “I was really hoping Ron would be there for Harry and Ginny.” Molly watched the hands on her family clock as she finished getting dinner ready. Her clock was a magical clock, each member of the family had a hand and prior to Voldemort’s return it told where each family member was — work, school, traveling, etc. Since Voldemort’s return however, everyone’s hand was stuck on ‘in mortal peril’ except while traveling. As she watched, Arthur and the twin’s hands all switched to traveling. She had read and reread the article in the Daily Prophet, growing all the more nervous each time she did. Ron had taken off as soon as Tonks left, spending his day outdoors. She turned as the door opened. “Molly, love,” Arthur said as he entered the kitchen, he walked over and gave her a hug and a gentle kiss on the top of her head. She smiled wanly at him and then turned to greet the twins. Soon Ron joined them and to Molly’s surprise Bill also joined them just as they were getting ready to sit down. Arthur kept the conversation light while they ate. Molly had sent the dinner dishes to the sink and was serving apple cobbler when Bill turned to the twins and asked, “Did you get to see Ginny?” Fred nodded. “We didn’t really get a chance to talk to her, we arrived only a few minutes before the match.” “How was it?” Bill asked. George laughed. “It was amazing. Ginny is really good, she scored at least seventeen goals.” “She was easily the second best player there,” Fred added. “Second best?” questioned Bill. “Obviously, Harry was the best,” George replied, as if that should have been evident. Bill smiled. “I have got to see that kid play, everyone tells me he is amazing.” Ron managed a smile. “He is the best. He could easily go professional if he wanted.” “So were he and Ginny on the same team?” Bill asked. The twins burst out laughing at that. “What?” Bill asked in confusion. “Why is that funny?” “Well, based on what we saw before the match-” “-I’d say they were definitely…How would you say, Fred?” “I think ‘together’ is a good word, George.” Molly paled as she listened to the twins bantering back and forth. This is what she had not wanted to hear. “What do you mean together?” Ron asked roughly. George laughed and pulled a copy of the Daily Prophet from his pocket. “This is the evening addition of the Prophet. I guess they had more to say about Harry.” He threw the copy of the Prophet down on the table. On the front page was a big picture of Harry and Ginny’s kiss after the game. Fred laughed. “Based on that kiss, I’d say Ginny has a new boyfriend.” George sat back and watched the impact of the picture and Fred’s words on his family, what he saw surprised him. While Molly and Ron both looked ill at the thought of Harry and Ginny together, Bill and Arthur both looked delighted. Harry thought he would have trouble falling asleep, but he fell asleep easily. He felt the familiar pull of Ginny as he was pulled into her dreams. Harry watched as an eerily possessed young Ginny opened the Chamber of Secrets. He could tell she was not a natural Parseltongue, it took her several tries to get the phrase right. Once she had the Chamber open, she called forth the Basilisk. Harry could tell by her glassy eyed look she was possessed by Voldemort. He looked around for his Ginny and found her crouched by one of the stalls, she was staring in horror at the scene unfolding in front of her. Harry quickly made his way over to her. “Ginny.” She reached out her hand for him, but otherwise did not acknowledge him. He sat beside her and held her hand as they watched the horror of Ginny’s first year unfold around them. The scene shifted and they found themselves in the Gryffindor common room. Harry could see himself, Ron and Hermione on the couch in front of the fire. The twins were holding court at one of the larger tables with most of the Quidditch team and Percy was nowhere to be seen. Ginny walked in through the portrait hole, she looked sad and a bit lonely. Harry watched as she looked at her older brothers all obviously too wrapped up with their friends to notice their sister, after a few moments she bolted up the stairs to the girls dorm. Harry shifted so he was sitting directly behind the real Ginny, he wrapped his arms around her and drew her back into his arms. She sat stiffly at first, but then relaxed into his arms. He held her tightly in his arms as they watched the young Ginny sneaking out at night to kill the school’s roosters so they would pose no risk to the Basilisk, they watched her pouring out her hopes and dreams to the diary, and they watched the attacks that petrified Mrs. Norris, Colin, Justin and Nick, and Hermione and Penelope. Harry watched in horror as he recognized the deserted second floor hallway that led to Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. A young Ginny walked down the hall and stopped in front of the wall that still bore the words, ‘THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.’ As she stood in front of the wall, Ginny seemed to be fighting with herself, painting a letter and then struggling against painting another one. In the end, Riddle won and Ginny had painted ‘Her Skeleton will lie in the chamber forever.’ It was heartbreaking to watch the young Ginny trying to struggle against Riddle’s hold on her. As the Chamber of Secrets shifted in around them, Harry felt Ginny shudder in his arms. He hugged her close and kissed her on the side of her head. “I’m right here with you, sweetheart.” In the dream Ginny entered the chamber and pulled the diary out of the pocket of her robes. She swayed on her feet and as she opened the diary, a handsome and young Tom Riddle appeared . “Hello, Ginny,” Tom said to the young Ginny. Ginny looked around suddenly looking frightened. She looked around the huge dimly lit chamber, taking in the tall pillars carved with entwined snakes and against the back wall, the huge statue of Salazar Slytherin. “Where am I?” Tom laughed. “You are in the Chamber of Secrets, my dear.” “Tom?” Ginny asked in a trembling voice. “How…you look real…” “Not yet, I am a memory preserved in a diary for over fifty years. I have to thank you, Ginny for giving so much of yourself to me. If you had not invested your heart and soul into writing in my diary, I wouldn’t be here before you.” The real Ginny whimpered slightly, the first sound she’d made since she started dreaming. “It’s not your fault, baby,” Harry whispered. “No,” the dream Ginny whispered. “That’s not possible.” “I had hoped when I preserved my memory in my diary, that someday someone would find it and continue Salazar Slytherin’s noble work. I never imagined it would work so well. Not only have we managed to get rid of Dumbledore, but soon I will get rid of Harry Potter as well — all thanks to you, Ginny Weasley,” Riddle smiled mockingly at her. Both Ginnys burst into tears as Riddle finished his speech. Harry ran one of his hands up and down her arms and held her firmly against his chest. “Just remember — I’m fine, Dumbledore came back, and everyone who was petrified is fine. Nothing Riddle did is your fault.” “I thought you were my friend, Tom,” Ginny said as she backed away from the specter in front of her. “Your friend?” Tom mocked. “I don’t think so. I just needed you to trust me. I am very good at getting foolish girls to trust me. What will your family and friends think of you now Ginny? I bet your parents will hate you, going against everything they ever believed in. Your brothers, well I’m sure they won’t miss you; they didn’t seem to have any time for you this year did they?” Riddle asked maliciously. Tom Riddle laughed in the face of the dream Ginny’s tears. “In a few hours, Ginny, you will be dead and Harry Potter will be right beside you.” The younger Ginny looked up at Riddle defiantly drying her tears on her robe. “Why do you think you can defeat Harry? He’s already beaten you twice.” “That was just luck,” Riddle snarled. “This time I will be ready for him.” “Ready for him? The first time he defeated you, he was a baby. He is much more powerful than you are,” Ginny yelled spitefully. “How do you even know he’ll come down here?” Ginny asked her bravado fading. “It’s not like he would risk his life for me, he doesn’t even know I exist.” “Don’t worry about that, Harry will come for you,” Riddle sneered. “He is too noble to let his best friend’s sister die without trying to rescue you.” The dream Ginny had been growing steadily weaker while Riddle talked. “Sleep now Ginny.” She slipped onto the floor on the chamber and fell face down in front of the statue of Slytherin. Harry was startled when he saw his younger self enter the chamber. “Do you remember this part?” he asked Ginny. Ginny shook her head and watched in amazement as in the dream Harry rushed to her side and argued with Riddle. She jumped when Riddle released the enormous bright green Basilisk into the chamber. Together, Harry and Ginny watched as the young Harry battled the Basilisk, finally killing it. Harry could feel himself being pulled out of the dream, he woke with Ginny in his arms. He was wrapped around her as she lay on her side facing away from him, he could tell that she had woken up at the same time as he did. “Ginny, are you okay?” Harry whispered. Ginny kept her back to him and asked softly. “Are you sure you still want to be married to me, Harry?” “What? Of course I want to be married to you, I love you. Nothing is going to change that, ever. Riddle used you, it is not your fault. Remember what you told me after Sirius died, Voldemort uses lies and half truths to fool people into doing what he wants. You were eleven years old and he preyed upon your fears and made you think he was your friend. And just for the record, I did notice you back then, I thought you were really cute. I just didn’t know how to handle it,” Harry whispered into Ginny’s ear. This time she turned to look at him. “Really?” “Really,” Harry said smiling down at her. “And I will always come for you, I promise.” Harry gently kissed Ginny as she turned in his arms. He poured all of his love for Ginny into that kiss, he pulled back from her slowly and smoothed her hair away from her face. He rolled over onto his back and pulled her with him. Ginny rose up on one elbow and bracing her other arm against his chest, looked down at him. “It’s really strange, but the dream tonight wasn’t so much a nightmare as showing each other what happened. When I had nightmares that summer, they were horrible. Riddle would win, he would beat you and kill me; or you would win and tell me how horrible I was and question why you risked your life for someone like me; or Riddle would tell you what I did and you would turn around and leave me there.” Ginny shivered as she remembered her dreams from four years earlier. “I remember so clearly every time I got upset that year, instead of trying to make friends I would run to my dorm, pull out that damn diary and tell Tom about it.” Harry ran his fingers through her hair. “I wonder if Voldemort put some kind of compulsion charm on the diary, making anyone who opened it want to write in it.” He frowned slightly as he looked up at her. “I’m sorry for not being a better friend to you. Maybe if we hadn’t ignored you so much, you wouldn’t have felt the need to confide in that bloody diary.” Ginny shook her head. “It’s not your fault, Harry. I couldn’t string two words together in your presence. Why would you want to be friends with me?” Harry smiled. “That’s easy. I was fascinated by you, it was so frustrating that you wouldn’t stay in the same room as me. I remember the first time I saw you on Platform 9 ¾ , you were so cute with your mum and your brothers.” Ginny groaned as she buried her head in his chest. “Ugh! I can’t believe I acted so…stupid.” Harry laughed. “You weren’t stupid.” Ginny raised her head. “Harry, do you think that our bond is the reason I didn’t have a bad nightmare tonight?” “I don’t know, maybe. It is strange.” Harry thought for a moment. “You know I kept thinking that summer that I needed to see you. I thought that if I saw you things would be better.” Ginny nodded. “I kept telling my mum that I needed to see you, but she…she didn’t believe me.” “I wonder if that was our bond trying to assert itself?” Harry wondered aloud. “What do you mean?” Ginny asked. “I don’t know, I just…I wouldn’t have made it through the past two summers without you. I needed to be able to dream and know that you would be there for me. After the Chamber…I should have been there for you.” Ginny frowned. “That is strange, I would have these horrible nightmares, then Mum would give me a sleeping potion. I felt like I was trying to reach…I don’t know.” “Could something have prevented us from connecting?” Harry asked. “Like what?” Ginny countered. “I don’t know, but thinking back it feels like there was a shield or something preventing us from connecting. I remember dreaming about you, but it must have been after we were obliviated because I didn’t know who you were,” Harry replied. “Maybe once they obliviated us they didn’t think they had to block us anymore, so that is why we could meet in our dreams,” Ginny reasoned. Harry tightened his arms around her. “Well, we are together now — we can meet in our dreams or in person.” Ginny lay her head back down on Harry’s chest, she closed her eyes as she listened to his heartbeat. “I love you, Harry.” Harry ran his hands through her hair until they both fell asleep. As they left the Burrow that night, Fred and George walked with Bill out to the apparition point. “So Ginny and Harry Potter, huh?” Bill asked Fred smirked. “Yeah, she seems to really like him.” “So you did talk to her?” Bill looked from one twin to the other. “Will you come back to our flat?” George asked. Bill nodded his assent and the three of them apparated to the twins' flat above their shop on Diagon Alley. “Have a seat, Bill.” Fred waved his hand towards their kitchen table while George grabbed some bottles of butterbeer from the pantry. “What do you know about Ginny’s scholarship to Beauxbatons?” George asked his oldest brother. “Ginny’s scholarship? I don’t know much, Mum and Dad told me she hadn’t liked her first year at Hogwarts much so when they had been offered a chance to send her to Beauxbatons they jumped on it.” Bill stared off thoughtfully. “I always meant to ask her what happened her first year, but for some reason every time I got the chance, I forgot to ask.” Fred and George looked at Bill. “Her first year at Hogwarts? What are you talking about? Ginny was at home with Mum for her first year,” Fred exclaimed. Bill refocused on his brothers. “What in Merlin’s name are you talking about? Of course she went to Hogwarts, you must have seen her there. I remember when I got her owl telling me she got into Gryffindor.” Fred jumped up and began pacing across the small kitchen. “This all has to be connected,” he said to his twin. George nodded. “This is crazy.” Bill watched his brothers interact, while he knew they would do anything for a laugh, he didn’t see any hint of a prank or joke this time. He had never seen them more serious before. “What are the two of you talking about?” he asked. Fred sat in the chair across from Bill. “We talked to Harry and Ginny after the match. They were with Remus Lupin and Tonks.” Fred and George spent the next fifteen minutes telling their oldest brother about their discussion with Harry and Ginny. Bill sat at the table shaking his head. “So something ‘bad’ happened in Ginny’s first year at Hogwarts and someone is going around obliviating everyone?” “I know it sounds crazy,” George said. “But I swear it is true.” Bill pulled out his wand and murmured a spell in his brothers’ direction. He raised his eyebrows at the results and repeated the spell only this time he cast it on himself. Fred and George watched Bill anxiously, he turned to them in confusion. “I don’t know exactly what has been done, but we have all had some sort of confusion or misdirection charm cast upon us. Whoever did it must have been really good, because I usually -” Bill broke off his thought. “Who could be behind this?” “I don’t know who is behind it but, based on everyone’s reactions tonight I would say that at the least Mum knows what is going on. I’m not sure about Dad. I can’t imagine he wouldn’t know, but he didn’t seem upset about like Mum,” Fred answered. George nodded. “I don’t understand Ron’s reaction.” “I really don’t see Mum and Dad messing with our memories and leaving his intact,” Bill said. “But he really didn’t seem to like the thought of Harry and Ginny together.” “Could it be him just being a git?” Fred asked. “He does get very…jealous. He and Harry have been best mates since first year, could he just be jealous that he might have to share Harry with his baby sister from now on?” Bill suggested. After his brothers had left the Burrow, Ron took off for his room. He had been avoiding his Mum most of the day and didn’t want to deal with her tonight. Ron lay awake late into the night, he couldn’t sleep. As he had been all day, he kept looking for a way out of the situation in which he found himself. He wished for the hundredth time that day that he could talk to Hermione about everything. His thoughts drifted back to the day last summer when everything had changed for him. Ron moodily followed his sister down to the pond behind the Burrow. “What’s wrong with you, Ron?” Ginny asked. “It’s Mum,” Ron complained. “I can’t believe she is being so…mean.” “How is Mum being mean?” Ginny sat on the dock and watched her brother. “My best mate has had the worst year. He was practically tortured by this teacher at school. And if that’s not bad enough, You-Know-Who has been literally haunting his dreams, and just before the end of the year his godfather was killed. All I’m asking is for him to be able to visit. His parents died when he was a baby and now he lives with these horrible Muggles who don’t like him. Why can’t he have some fun and visit? She never lets him visit. I asked if he could come to the World Cup and she said no, I asked if he could come for Christmas the last two years and she always says no,” Ron ranted. “That doesn’t sound like Mum,” Ginny said confusion colouring her voice. “She’s always asking if there is anyone I want to invite.” “I know,” said Ron. “She has no problem with me inviting Hermione or Neville, but Harry no way.” “Who’s Harry?” Ginny asked curiously. Ron glared at her. “What do you mean, who’s Harry? He’s my best mate, the one we’re talking about. Harry Potter.” “Your best friend is Harry Potter?” Ginny asked in astonishment. Ron was fast losing his patience with his sister. “Of course Harry Potter is my best friend, he has been for five years.” “Ron!” Ron turned as his mother yelled his name. “What?” Molly looked as if she had run down from the house. “What are you talking about?” “What have I been talking about for days, Mum? I’m talking about Harry and how unfair you are being,” Ron replied heatedly. Molly looked from one child to the other. “Come up to the house, I need to talk to both of you.” Ron and Ginny followed their mother back up to the house. Once they were within the safety of the kitchen, Molly drew her wand. Looking at her daughter she said, “I’m sorry, Ginny. Obliviate!” Ginny smiled placidly and Molly said, “Ginny, you look quite tired, why don’t you go up for a nap? Ginny nodded. “Okay, Mum. I’ll see you later.” Ron automatically reached for his wand as he watched his sister leave the room, before he realized he had left his wand up in his room. “What the bloody hell is going on?” he yelled. Molly quickly cast a silencing charm on Ron. “Ronnie you need to listen to me. I’m going to cast another charm on you. I want you to try to calm down.” Molly cast another charm on Ron, this one broke the misdirection and other charms that had been placed on him the summer after his second year at Hogwarts. She waited patiently while Ron recovered his memories, then she lifted the silencing charm. “Do you understand now?” she asked Ron. “But…well…Bloody hell, this is a mess.” Ron vaguely registered the seriousness of the situation if his Mum didn’t take him to task for his language. “I know, Ron,” Molly said. “We agonized over this for a long time, but your sister wasn’t getting any better. She was losing weight, she wasn’t sleeping, she was walking around like a ghost…we tried giving her time, we gave her dreamless sleep potions, we consulted a mind healer, but nothing helped. After we talked to Professor Dumbledore, he helped us.” “Why did you have to obliviate everyone? Why did you have to send her to France? Couldn’t she have stayed here with us?” The questions just exploded out of Ron. “Ron, we did what we thought was best. We did not obliviate everyone, we used misdirection charms and lesser memory charms on you boys. Your memories of that year remain intact, you were just…discouraged from thinking about it. Professor Dumbledore helped us cast misdirection charms on the older boys so they wouldn’t ask too many questions.” “Okay, I can see that, but what about all the people who were petrified? They would remember something right?” Ron asked. “Professor Dumbledore cast some type of charm so they know they were sick, but they aren’t curious about it. There was also some letter sent to their families, but I don’t know all the details,” Molly answered. “What about Harry? He went into the Chamber and saved her life. He almost died,” Ron asked. Molly looked troubled. “I know, but we had to obliviate him. He was too involved, Professor Dumbledore said he kept asking about her and wanted to see her. This was even after the misdirection charms. The Professor thought Harry was too powerful for the lesser charms to work, he broke through them too easily.” “So shouldn’t that have been a hint that this wasn’t such a good idea?” Ron asked. “You punished him for saving her life. You do realize that, don’t you?” Molly looked at her youngest son with tears in her eyes. “If there was a way to save both of them, I would have taken it. I can’t tell you how I have agonized over that poor boy. I wanted to let him come to the World Cup, I wanted to let him come over for Christmas, and I know that he should have come with you kids after he saved Arthur’s life at Christmas; but we couldn’t risk it. The decision was a lot easier when they were eleven and twelve years old.” Ron was pacing the floor in front of his mother, running over the issues in his mind. On the one hand, Harry was his best mate, but Ginny was his sister. He couldn’t even imagine having You-Know-Who in his mind for a whole year. “Okay, so why did you just obliviate her again?” “I have a charm cast here at the Burrow that tells me if someone mentions the name Harry Potter in Ginny’s presence. I don’t want her to be so traumatized again. Professor Dumbledore thinks it is best if we keep them apart, I don’t know why.” Molly stood and looked at her son. “Ron, I think you are old enough to know the truth. I would feel better knowing that there was someone who knows what happened looking out for Ginny.” “Well...what would I have to do?” Ron asked nervously. “Just let me or Professor Dumbledore know if Harry starts to remember what happened. I know this doesn’t seem fair. You’ve been so persistent in asking for Harry to come here, I needed you to know why Harry can’t be here. My heart breaks for what he has gone through and if I could be there for both of them, I would; but I had to make a choice and of course I chose my daughter,” Molly replied. Ron nodded weakly. “Just be there for Harry, be his best mate; he needs your support. I don’t want to get in the way of that, I just need for you to understand why we can’t all be there for him right now. I’ve talked to Professor Dumbledore, he has agreed that you and Hermione can visit him. Remus will take you to visit, there is a park near his aunt and uncle’s you can visit. His aunt and uncle wouldn’t agree to have anyone from our world in their house, but they’ll let him out of the house during the day,” Molly told him. The moaning of the ghoul in the attic, roused Ron from his memories. He had done his best to continue to support Harry, and until he had talked to Tonks he had honestly thought nothing had changed. When he realized Harry might know Ginny, he had panicked. Tonight when he saw that picture of Harry kissing Ginny, he felt the bottom drop out of his world. He realized that at the very least Harry knew he had been lied to. Harry was not going to take this well. Over the past year, Ron had managed to convince himself he was doing nothing wrong, but he knew Harry would not see it that way. He wished he had asked his mum to obliviate him last summer. He did not like this responsibility. Remus made his way to the kitchen the next morning, he was surprised to hear laughter coming from the kitchen. He hurried down the last few steps and entered the kitchen. Harry was at the stove making omelets and Ginny was sitting at the kitchen table laughing at something Harry had just said. The teens both looked tired and Ginny had dark circles under her eyes, but she did not look as defeated as she had the night before. Harry looked up when Remus entered. “Good morning, Remus.” “Good morning, cub, Ginny.” Ginny smiled up at Remus. “Good morning.” Remus joined her at the table as Tonks entered the room. She shuffled over to the table and sat down as Harry sent a pot of tea and cups floating towards the table. Tonks smiled as Remus poured her a cup of tea and kissed her on the cheek. “Morning, all. Thanks love.” Harry sent a plate of bacon and a rack of toast over to the table before bringing over omelets to everyone. “Help yourselves everyone,” he said as he sat at the table. After everyone ate, Remus surveyed the teens. “So can you share what you remember with Tonks and me?” Harry and Ginny exchanged a look. “Could you bring my brothers here first?” asked Ginny. “I’d like for them to be here when we explain everything.” Remus nodded. “Sure, I’ll go to their shop; give me until noon.” Tonks looked up as he said that. “That would work out,” she said as she turned to look at Ginny. “Ginny, I need to run into Muggle London. Would you like to come with me?” Ginny’s eyes lit up. “Muggle London? That would be great. I've never really been there before.” Tonks looked at Harry. “I hope you don’t mind, but I wanted this to be a girls only trip. Besides, you have training to catch up on.” Harry looked at Ginny, she smiled at him. "Do you mind?” He smiled and reached across the table for her hand. “No, I do need to catch up on my training. You and Tonks have some fun.” Ginny stood, leaned over and kissed Harry briefly, she turned to Tonks. “Let me get changed, I’ll be back in a few minutes.” After she left, Harry turned to Tonks. “What are you doing?” “Don’t worry, nothing bad. I just think she needs an older sister right now. We’ll go shopping and talk. I have a feeling that this afternoon will be very difficult for her. She deserves to be pampered this morning,” Tonks replied. Harry looked at Tonks before he reached out and hugged her. “Thanks, Tonks.” She smiled up at him. “I don’t mean to be crude, but I could use my humble funds to treat her and we could get some nice things; or I could use your not so humble funds and…” Tonks trailed off as Harry walked over to the counter, opened a drawer, and handed Tonks a bundle of Muggle money. “Is this enough?” Harry asked. “I keep my Muggle money in here, take whatever you need.” Ginny looked around the crowded London streets in amazement. “This is great! Where are we going?” she asked a pink haired Tonks. Tonks smiled as she watched Ginny. “I was thinking that you need a trousseau.” Ginny blushed as she turned back to face the street. “I…what…what do you think I need?” “I thought we could start with some new outfits, most of your things are still at Beauxbatons and we can also get some lingerie,” Tonks replied. Ginny looked uncertainly at Tonks. “Will you help me? I don’t know…what to get.” “Come on.” They spent the morning picking out clothes for Ginny, it was a new experience for her to be able to get what she wanted. When she had shopped with her mother, they had always shopped in second hand stores and there was always a limit to what she could buy. It was a little scary for Ginny to not worry about the cost. “Are you sure?” she asked Tonks as the cashier rang up over three hundred pounds worth of clothing. Tonks laughed. “Do you have any idea how much money Harry has? Trust me he can afford a few shopping trips.” Tonks led the way into a lingerie shop. “Come on Ginny.” Ginny followed Tonks into the shop apprehensively, she looked over the racks of silks and satins as she heard a voice asking Tonks, “Can I help you?” Tonks smiled as the older woman approached her, she gestured to Ginny saying, “My young friend here just got married and she had no lingerie, she needs help.” The woman turned to Ginny. “My name is Lily, what is your name dear?” Ginny looked startled for a second. “My name is Ginny, Lily was my mother-in-law’s name.” Lily smiled. “Well, Ginny have you ever been measured for lingerie before?” Ginny blushed. “No, I’ve never seen anything like this before.” Lily lead Ginny back to the dressing room and efficiently measured her and determined what sizes she would need. Tonks and Lily went back and forth gathering items for Ginny to try on. Ginny stood in front of a full length mirror looking at herself in a black lace edged green satin slip. Tonks walked up. “Ginny, when Harry sees you in that…” Ginny blushed. “I hope he’ll like it.” Tonks laughed. “I don’t think you need to worry about that.” Ginny turned back to the mirror, fiddling with the straps. “Tonks…” Tonks looked up and as she did so, she saw a look of vulnerability slide across Ginny’s face. Tonks turned and looked at Ginny. “Ginny, have you ever…are you a virgin?” Ginny blushed again, but she turned to look at Tonks. “Yes, I’m still a virgin.” “Did your Mum ever…” Tonks trailed off. “She told me the basic facts and I’ve heard things…but I’m still a little…nervous.” An hour later Ginny was red-faced, but a bit less nervous after listening to Tonks. “So which do you recommend, the potion or the charm?” she asked Tonks. “I’d go with the potion, it lasts a month and works really well,” Tonks replied. “But I would learn the charm just in case. The important thing to remember is nothing is 100%.” Ginny nodded. “Trust me as the youngest of seven children, I realize that. Where can I get the potion?” “I’ll get it for you,” Tonks answered. “You’re only fifteen, so some places might not want to sell it to you.” Harry entered his training room adjacent to the kitchen. He and Remus had designed and stocked the training room over the past two summers. One wall contained Muggle training equipment such as an exercise bike, treadmill, and a weight machine. The adjacent wall contained dueling dummies that when activated would duel at different levels for training purposes. While he worked out, his mind replayed the newly remembered images from his second year. He remember how upset Ginny had been as he brought her out of the Chamber, he felt ashamed and angry at himself that he didn’t realize what was going on with her sooner. After the horror of realizing that Voldemort had been possessing her for almost a year, he could understand the Weasley’s need to protect Ginny, but he refused to believe that obliviating her was the best option. He moved on to dueling, thinking about the summer after the Chamber. He could remember the desperation with which he tried to persuade Professor Dumbledore to let him see Ginny. He struggled not to let his anger get out of his control, since the block on his magic had been removed, his magic responded strongly to his emotions. He did not want to take out a room because he couldn’t control his emotions. Harry was dressing after his post workout shower when the bedroom door opened. Ginny walked in carrying several bags. “Hey, love,” Harry called out from the bathroom. “How was your trip?” Ginny blushed slightly. “Great, I found lots of great stuff.” Harry walked into the bedroom shrugging his shirt on. “Did you spend all your money?” he asked. “My money?” she queried as he walked over to kiss her. He kissed her softly. “Yes, your money.” She tightened her arms around him and kissed him deeply. Harry returned the kiss with equal enthusiasm. Harry lost himself in her kiss until he heard the front door open. He reluctantly broke the kiss as he heard Remus call, “Harry, we’re back. We’re headed for the study.” Harry looked down at his wife. “Are you ready for this?” Ginny smiled shakily up at him. “I think so.” Harry tightened his hold. “I will be will you the whole time. Just remember, I love you.” “Thank you, love. I love you too.” Harry and Ginny headed down to the study hand in hand. When they reached the study, Harry pushed the door open to reveal not only Remus and Tonks, but also the twins and to Harry’s surprise, Bill Weasley. “Bill!” Ginny flew past Harry and into her oldest brother’s arms. “Firefly,” Bill said as he held his sister. “I’ve missed you.” Ginny pulled back and saw the scars on Bill’s face a result of his run in with Fenrir Greyback. She ran her fingers lightly over the scars. “Are you okay?” Bill smiled as he kissed his sister on the cheek. “I’m fine. I’m just worried about you.” He looked past his sister’s shoulder to see Harry watching him with concern. Bill reached out his hand to the younger man. “Harry,” he said as Harry shook his hand. “Not that I’m not glad to see you, but what are you doing here?” Harry asked. Bill gestured to the twins standing behind him, who had both greeted Harry and Ginny quietly. “I talked to them after dinner last night. They told me what you had told them.” “So what do you think?” Harry asked Bill as Ginny returned to his side. Bill turned to look at Ginny. “I’m sorry Firefly. Mum and Dad told me you had a rough year your first year at Hogwarts and got a scholarship to Beauxbatons. I think they must have cast some kind of compulsion or misdirection charm, because whenever I saw you I never thought to ask you about it.” Fred looked at Harry and Ginny. “So have you found anything out?” Harry nodded and gestured for everyone to sit. Tonks and Remus sat on the deep armchair next to the sofa with Tonks on the arm and Remus sitting in the chair. The twins and Bill sat on the couch. Harry pulled the bench around so it was facing everyone else and he and Ginny sat on the bench. “It all started with this,” He said gesturing at the carving on the wall. “So what is it?” Remus asked. “It is a replica of the carving that covers the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets,” Harry replied. “The Chamber of Secrets?” Remus asked. “I thought that was a myth.” “What’s the Chamber of Secrets?” asked Bill. Harry gestured for Remus to answer. “It was rumored to be a hidden chamber built by Salazar Slytherin. As you know, he disagreed with the other founders of Hogwarts about the type of students to be let into the school. He wanted to limit students to purebloods. Once Slytherin left Hogwarts, he sealed the Chamber of Secrets so no one but his own heir would be able to open the Chamber and unleash the monster within. The monster was said to be something only the heir of Slytherin could control and the heir would use the monster to purge the school of those ‘unworthy’ to study magic. We heard rumors about it when we were in school, but as far as I knew no one had ever found the chamber.” Harry nodded. “That’s essentially correct, except for the fact that Slytherin’s heir did open the chamber, fifty years ago.” “Voldemort?” George guessed. “His real name, is Tom Riddle,” Ginny responded, “but yes, he opened the Chamber of Secrets when he was a student. The monster is a Basilisk.” Harry told them how Tom had used the Basilisk to kill Myrtle and framed Hagrid for opening the Chamber. “Riddle somehow saved his sixteen year old self in his diary.” Harry paused as Ginny reached out for his hand. “Riddle had given his diary to Lucius Malfoy for safekeeping. Malfoy figuring his master was dead, decided to use the diary for his own purpose. He planted the book on an eleven year old school girl. Once she wrote in it Riddle enchanted her to do his bidding,” Harry explained. Ignoring the gasps from the others as they realized Ginny must be the school girl in question, Harry led the others through his second year at Hogwarts. He told them about hearing voices no one else could hear, the Chamber opening and the petrifying of Mrs. Norris, and he explained how he, Ron and Hermione made the polyjuice potion to get into the Slytherin common room in an attempt to discover if Malfoy was the heir. Harry told the others how Hermione had discovered what the monster was, but was petrified before she could tell them. The twins stifled a laugh when Harry told them how he and Ron confronted Aragog in the Forbidden Forest. All of the Weasleys gasped in horror when Harry told them about Ginny being taken into the Chamber. Ginny was sitting with her face buried in Harry’s shoulder, Harry was running his hand down her hair as he told them how he entered the Chamber to find Ginny. He told them about his confrontation with Riddle and his defeat of the Basilisk. When he finished talking, he wrapped his arms around Ginny. “Ginny...” George said, trailing off realizing he did not know what to say. “Ginny, you were bewitched by the diary?” Remus asked. Ginny nodded, her head still buried in Harry’s chest. “Riddle put a lot of himself in that diary and he could be very charming. He encouraged her to confide her inner most secrets to the diary and used then them against her,” Harry said, trying to make sure that no one would even think of blaming Ginny. “Ginny, I…we ignored you didn’t we?” George asked. “Four brothers at Hogwarts with you, how come Harry was the only one to go into the Chamber to rescue you?” Bill asked glaring at his brothers. “Part of that is because I can open the Chamber,” Harry replied. “How?” asked Remus. Harry took a deep breath before answering. “I’m a Parselmouth.” Everyone stared at him for a minute until Remus asked, “How?” “Dumbledore thinks Voldemort may have transferred some of his powers to me when he tried to kill me as a baby,” Harry explained. Bill was still watching Ginny. “Ginny, look at me sweetheart,” he said. Ginny turned her head, but did not let go of Harry. “You know we would never blame you, right?” Bill asked. Ginny turned to look at all of her brothers her voice shaking slightly. “You don’t blame me? I thought…I was afraid you would…Riddle said you would all hate me.” George and Fred jumped up and pulled her into their embrace. “Ginny, we love you. We could never hate you.” Bill joined his siblings and held Ginny as she cried. Once Ginny calmed down, Bill asked Harry, “Do you know who obliviated everyone?” “Dumbledore, we think,” Harry replied. “We think Mum and Dad must have been in on it, but we think Dumbledore did most of the magic,” Ginny added. “Not that I’m ignoring the implications of who obliviated everyone, but do you know why this is here?” asked Tonks gesturing to the carving. Harry shook his head. “I don’t know. I know most of Sirius’s family supported Voldemort. It isn’t too farfetched to think one or more of them supported Slytherin. Is it?” he directed his last comment to Remus. “No, Sirius’s family was mostly dark, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of his ancestors were Slytherin devotees,” Remus answered. “Yeah, just look at my aunts,” Tonks supplied. “Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy,” she responded to Bill’s silent question. Harry walked over to the carving, the snakes eyes looked as if they were following him. “Open.” He commanded in Parseltongue. There was a grinding noise from the wall, then the carving split open to reveal a dusty staircase leading into darkness. |
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