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Unity in Diversity | ||||||
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Category: Alternate Universe Characters:Dumbledore, Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Minerva McGonagall, Neville Longbottom, Other Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama, Romance Warnings: Mild Sexual Situations Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 118 Summary: Sequel to The Beast Within. Highly reccommend you read that first. Harry and Ginny make new friends, find a few rivals, and generally enjoy themselves until danger is thrust upon Harry once again. Hitcount: Story Total: 61517; Chapter Total: 2402 Author's Notes: Thanks to Arnel for correcting all my mistakes. |
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― Frederick Buechner, Beyond Words: Daily Readings in the ABC's of Faith The first Saturday of October had been designated as the first Magazine Run, the outing third-years and up earned by keeping their grades to passing level, similar to the Hogsmeade Weekends. It had rained the last couple of days, but today, the sun shone brightly. Unfortunately, that meant the humidity was higher, the air stickier. Harry sat in the commons room, waiting for Ginny, and thought about their training session that day. It hadn't gone well, not for him. He still had nightmares about the strange woman leading him away from Ginny. He knew Ginny was growing concerned as he was beginning to actually look as if he wasn't getting much sleep. In addition, that desire to do more with Ginny was still present, building to near uncontrollable levels like magic right before casting a spell and falling away again as the spell is released. The times when it was bad, Harry had split from Ginny to study in the library. It was the only way to save his sanity, though he knew it hurt her feelings. Needless to say, he'd been very much distracted and it cost him. Sirius had introduced them to their newest instructor, a middle-aged woman with fair skin and long, curly blonde hair by the name of Cassiopeia Galatea, though she insisted they call her Cassi. She, apparently, was fascinated with ancient spells, and that's what they were now learning. They'd just begun working on one that confused the target, much like a Befuddlement Draught, but stronger than the Confundus. Also, they'd practiced a spell that made the target's eyes swell more than with the Conjunctivitis Curse, and one that messed with a person's balance. Harry, unable to keep his eyes from wandering to Ginny, had no luck in getting any the spells to work, while Chris and Ginny managed to some degree. The incantations hadn't been complicated — though a bit longer than modern ones — and the wand motions hadn't been convoluted, he'd simply been unable to focus enough to succeed. Sighing to himself, Harry dropped his head to the back of the sofa. He really needed to get a grip on himself. Just because he loved smelling her special flowery fragrance, just because he felt he could drown in her golden brown eyes, or loved how soft her skin was to the touch … Harry let out a little growl of frustration, one his inner demon echoed, and ran his hands through his hair, making it stand up more than it already was. Rubbing his eyes, he suppressed a yawn. He'd been looking forward to returning to Magazine Street, with all its shops and that one restaurant he'd noticed when Ginny's parents had visited, but now he worried he wouldn't last long enough. “Hey, kiddo, are you okay? You don't look so good. Feeling ill?” Harry dropped his hand from his face, blinking a bit before he could focus on his godfather. “I'm fine. I've been looking forward to this day, and I know Ginny has been, too.” Sirius' scrutinizing gaze stayed on Harry, making Harry want to squirm, but he must have passed whatever test Sirius had been issuing, for Sirius nodded once and said nothing else about Harry's appearance. “So, what are your plans for today? Anything in particular?” Harry shrugged. “Just wandering the shops, really. Maybe have lunch at that restaurant, er, Wolf Harbor, I think it was called.” Harry looked around him as others gathered in preparation to leave. “I have to say I'm a bit surprised they visit Muggle shops. I would have thought they'd go by Floo or by Portkey to Magic, Inc.” “Here, I've discovered, a class is required for all incoming pureblood first years that teaches about Muggles. It's very basic stuff like attire, housing, money, things like that. A more in-depth class is offered to third years and above where they often go on field trips to enjoy Muggle entertainment, like to the cinema and malls, study their literature, things of that nature.” “Oh. How do you know all this?” Sirius' expression turned to one of exaggerated hurt, his hands over his heart. “Do you think I wouldn't research the school thoroughly before choosing it? That hurts, Harry.” Harry laughed despite his fatigue. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever. So, what are you doing today?” “I'm chaperoning. I'll be one of the staff members wandering around, making sure no one goes out of bounds or gets themselves into trouble with the Muggles.” Harry adopted a shocked expression. “You mean, they actually trust you to be responsible? Dad and Uncle Remus would be horrified.” “Watch it, kiddo. I gave my permission for you to go. I could easily take it back.” Harry's brows rose in challenge. “And deny Ginny the opportunity to go?” “She could go with her friends.” Sirius seemed to give it some thought. “Though you're probably right. She likely wouldn't go without you. Well, bugger! I guess I can't do that. I certainly don't want to get on that witch's bad side.” Harry grinned cheekily. “Good thinking.” Sirius was silent a moment, then hesitantly asked, “You, er, you two are okay, right? I've noticed that you've been in a bit of a mood at times, and how you've taken to occasionally studying away from her.” Harry didn't like being asked that, but figured it was only a matter of time before someone had said something. Doing his best to play it off, Harry said, “Yeah, we're fine. Sometimes it's good to have some time apart, you know? It's good for us.” Sirius looked as if he didn't believe him, so Harry rushed on with a question of his own. “So, what exactly do you do around here?” Sirius shrugged. “A little of this, a little of that. Patrol the grounds to make sure kids aren't getting up to more than they should. Generally, I help out wherever I'm needed. That's after arranging for the early morning training classes, of course.” “Of course,” Harry agreed, glad to be off the subject of his 'issues'. At that moment, Ginny chose to enter the commons area wearing a white circle skirt that ended a couple of inches above her knees, a navy blue tank-style top with wide, lacy, zigzag-edged shoulder straps, navy blue flat-soled shoes, and a white bag worn across her body. Her hair had been pulled to one side and plaited somewhat loosely from the top of her head all the way down so that the plait hung over one shoulder. A few loose tendrils framed her face. Her lips were glossy. She smiled when she saw him. An answering smile graced his features. “What are you …?” Sirius asked, turning around. He whistled. “Never mind. I see very well what you're smiling at. Very nice, Stuff. You sure you don't want to ditch him,” Sirius motioned towards Harry, “and keep me company?” Harry nearly snarled at the thought. His inner demon actually did. Jumping to his feet, Harry insinuated himself between Ginny and Sirius, taking her hand. “Sod off, Sirius,” he retorted with only a bit of heat. Harry felt plain in his khaki shorts, red shirt, and trainers compared to Ginny, and said as much. Ginny threw Sirius an aggravated look at the use of the shortened nickname as she often did, before turning her attention to Harry. “You look nice, Harry,” Ginny assured him. Sirius chuckled at Harry's show of possessiveness. “Have fun, you two. If you have any problems, just find a staff member or go to Alex's shop. You remember which one that is?” “Yes, we do. See you later.” Harry led Ginny to the crowd to wait their turn to go out the front door. He suddenly felt nervous about the day. Today was their first date; every other time they'd been together had been at Hogwarts, the Burrow, or Sirius had been with them. “Do you have anything in particular you want to do?” he asked, seizing on the topic that popped into his head. “Not really, no. I'd like to look around for a bit.” Ginny paused, and when Harry looked over at her, he found her studying him rather closely. “You look tired. Are you sure you're okay?” Harry forced a smile on his face. “I'll be fine, Ginny. A little fresh air, some good company, that's all I need.” “Alright, but tell me if you need to come back. It won't hurt my feelings or anything. Promise me.” Harry chuckled lightly. “I promise, okay? Now, come on. It's time to go.” The couple visited lots of different shops, from clothing shops to jewelry shops and shops selling souvenir trinkets. At noon, the two stopped in at Wolf Harbor, the restaurant that held such fascination for him the last time they'd walked a bit of Magazine Street with Ginny's parents. The interior exuded a homey air with comfortable chairs and heavy wooden tables. The center of the floor space was taken by several artfully arranged buffet tables. “Well, hello there.” Harry turned to his right to see another boy about his age with dark brown hair and light blue eyes, eyes that were currently spending more time looking Ginny over than Harry thought he should. The leering and the smarmy voice had him grinding his teeth. Then, the boy walked around them, studying them, though Harry couldn't figure out why. Harry almost shoved the boy away when he leaned close to Ginny. He could practically feel her discomfort. “Is there something that you want?” Harry bit out, desperately trying to hold back his temper. Still looking over Ginny as if she were a tasty morsel and he was starving, the boy said to her, “You've been marked, but not claimed.” He leaned close to her again, sniffing. “You're not one of us.” Having had enough of this boy's rude behavior, Harry gave him a little shove. “That's enough.” “No, I don't think it is.” “What did you mean by 'one of us'?” Ginny asked. Harry shot her an incredulous look. He couldn't believe she wanted to make small talk with the git. “It doesn't matter. We'll just go.” Harry turned back toward the door, intending to lead Ginny back out of the building when the boy's next words stopped him. “Never would have pegged you to be a coward. Come here, chérie. Ditch the coward. I can treat you better than he ever could.” The boy reached out a hand and wrapped his fingers around Ginny's arm to pull her away from Harry. Ginny began to twist her arm to pry it out of the boy's grasp as she'd been taught, but it was Harry's steely grip on the offending limb that had the boy dropping Ginny's arm. Stepping into the boy's personal space, Harry defiantly stared into the boy's eyes, his own hard as jade. “Don't. Touch her. Again.” “Ah, there it is,” the boy replied mockingly. “There's that lycan attitude I was expecting.” He rubbed his arm where Harry's hand had been. “Nice grip. Let me guess. You were gifted with strength. Lucky you. I received a stronger sense of smell. That's how I knew you were one of us. I could smell it on you. Her, not so much, but I know lycan scratches when I see them.” Harry's anger completely faded, leaving behind utter confusion. “What? Were you … testing … us?” Cheerily, the boy motioned for Harry and Ginny to follow him. “Come on, I'll take you to the back part of the dining room. The meat there will be more to your liking, though you're welcome to your choice from any of our buffet tables.” Harry, still wary and confused, exchanged glances with Ginny, who shrugged as they walked along. As they reached the section the boy had mentioned, Harry felt a subtle tingling all over. It was only there for a moment, and he could only guess that they'd passed through some sort of ward. The boy stopped at a table and set down linen-wrapped flatware. “This is our Wizarding section. Feel free to discuss anything to do with magic here. That tingling you felt as we came back here was a ward, like a privacy charm. The regular public won't hear anything discussed on this side of the ward. By the way, my name is Ashton. If there's anything I can do for you, let me know.” “Why aren't you in school?” Realizing how rude that sounded, Harry blushed. “Sorry. I didn't mean that how it sounded. It's just that you don't look older than me.” Ashton shrugged his shoulders, a sheepish grin on his face. “I'm likely not. I have tutors. I went to school once, but I didn't do well with the restrictions and such. It just wasn't for me.” He motioned for them to sit. Once they'd settled, it was Ginny who asked the next question. “Why were you being such a git before? You actually seem really nice.” Ashton sat across from them. “Yeah, about that. I'm really sorry. Sometimes, my beastly side gets the better of me, especially when a pretty, unclaimed girl walks in.” Harry scowled at that, but Ashton ignored it. “Add to that the fact that I could smell a rival and … anyway, I apologize for that, though I imagine you're probably used to that kind of behavior by now, right?” “Unclaimed?” Ginny asked, perplexed. “You said that before. I am claimed, though. Harry's ring proves it.” She held up her hand to show the Claddagh ring she wore. “Harry and I are together, and will be forever.” “You don't understand. What I meant was -” Fearing he knew where this conversation was heading, Harry faked a cough, pointedly staring at the other boy. The boy's gaze jumped between them a few times, then his expression turned to one of understanding. He even smirked at Harry. “You haven't told her. Dude, you're living dangerously, don't you think?” “Told me what?” Ginny demanded, her eyes jumping from Ashton to Harry and back again. “Nothing,” Harry quickly interjected. Still glaring at Ashton, Harry said, “It's not an issue.” “Right,” Ashton said, drawing out the word, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “You were just giving me death glares earlier for no apparent reason.” He stood and pushed his chair in. “Keep telling yourself that and see how far you get. It's going to drive you crazy until you acknowledge it and do something about it. Anyway, enjoy your lunch.” Harry watched the boy walk away, silently calling him names for daring to bring up something so personal, especially in front of the one person he wanted to remain clueless. “Harry, what was he talking about? And don't tell me 'nothing' because it's obviously something.” “It's just something personal, okay? Something I really don't want to talk about. You have things you don't talk about with me. This is something I don't want to talk about with you.” Ginny's bright brown eyes narrowed as she thought about what he'd said, and Harry was afraid he'd angered her. Finally, she gave a little nod, and he breathed easier “Alright. I suppose I can accept that. There are some personal things I don't share with you. Promise me, though, that you'll talk about it with someone, whatever it is.” “I had already thought about doing that. Come on, I'm hungry.” Harry immediately stood and waited to see what Ginny would do. Ginny giggled. “Well, let's not keep you suffering. Something smells really good.” Harry grinned, knowing full well that that was Ginny's way of admitting how hungry she was without coming right out and saying it. He'd learned not to get in the way of a Weasley and food, so he let her lead the way. After visiting more shops, and sampling some sweets along the way, Harry had begun to yawn and Ginny had insisted they return to the school. Upon walking in the front door, Mrs. Cole beckoned for Harry to follow her into the Infirmary. Shrugging to Ginny, he followed the school's nurse. They walked into her office, Miss Cole picking up a small vial of a light golden liquid as she turned to face them. Two more of different colors remained on the desk. “As you know, Harry, I've been working on a way to desensitize you to Ginny's perfume, and I think I may have come up with something that will work. I'm sorry it's taken me so long. I had to identify every element in that perfume before I could go about concocting something that isolated each scent.” She pulled the cork from the vial. “I need you to try smelling this.” A little embarrassed, Harry hesitated a moment before taking the vial and sniffing it. The same floral scent he remembered from the perfume reached his nostrils. After holding his breath a moment for some sort of reaction, he let it out again. Nothing. Harry handed the vial back to Mrs. Cole. “I'm fine with that.” Mrs. Cole then gave him another one to try. Harry smelled the same citrus scent as before, one he still couldn't identify. Again, he waited for his nose to protest. It didn't. Handing it back he shook his head. “Still fine.” “Alright then, it must be this one.” Mrs. Cole handed him the remaining vial. One sniff and Harry couldn't hand it back fast enough. It took five sneezes to clear his nose of the woody, bothersome scent. “That one,” he said in a watery voice, sniffling. “What is it?” “It's pine. Well, now we know the culprit, I can start working on weakening your reaction to it. We'll start with a faint scent and work our way up to full strength.” “I'm sorry, Harry,” Ginny fretted. “I never should have bought it. It's just … the scent reminded me of Hogwarts … and of you.” “It's okay, Ginny, don't worry.” Sniffling still, Harry nodded to Mrs. Cole. “Sounds fine with me.” Ginny handed him a tissue, which he accepted gratefully. “There were pine trees all around Hogwarts. Why didn't I react to them?” “Most likely because the scent isn't concentrated like it is in a perfume.” Mrs. Cole paused a moment, looking him over. “Harry, you're looking a bit tired. Are you sleeping okay?” Harry felt like squirming, but he forced himself to be still. “Yeah, sure. I've just had a lot going on, is all.” She scrutinized him a bit longer before giving a single nod of her head. “Alright, but if you need something to help you sleep, come see me.” Anxious to get out of the conversation, Harry nodded. “Yeah, sure. We'll see you later.” Harry quickly took Ginny's hand and practically dragged her out the door. They settled in the commons area on one of the sofas. Almost immediately, Harry left to retrieve the book he'd received on his family history. He hadn't had a lot of time to look through it before now. With Ginny on one end of the couch, turned sideways, her knees bent, and reading a book of her own, Harry sat on the other end, mirroring her position, their feet touching. Chris was playing a game of pool with Lew. A barn owl flew in and landed on the back of the sofa next to Harry, who looked up at the owl in confusion, then at Ginny. Shrugging, he took the note attached to the owl's leg. It flew away as soon as its burden was removed. Harry didn't recognize the writing, but shrugged again. He wouldn't know what it said or whom it was from if he didn't open it. As he read, his stomach clenched, his breath hitched, and he shivered. He couldn't believe what he was reading. Could it be true? How? His blood roared in his ears as he contemplated the validity of the message. From far away, he heard Ginny's worried voice. “Harry? Harry, what's wrong?” Harry shivered again, feeling icy cold. “I … I ...” He couldn't force the words from his lips. Ginny snatched the parchment from his nerveless fingers, read the note and gasped in horror. “Mum! Bill! Charlie! They've been taken! What are we going to do?” “We're going to do exactly as it says,” Harry said with cold determination, having recovered from his initial shock. “We're going to find a way to get me into the Triwizard Tournament.” “Harry, no. You can't. Neither Mum nor Bill would want that. Charlie, neither. You heard Hermione. That Tournament is dangerous.” “Ginny, I'm not willing to risk their lives. You read it. They'll be released, one by one, as the Tournament goes on, as long as I compete.” “We don't even know if this is true. Let's talk to Sirius first. Then, we can decide what to do.” “You were all ready to believe it was true a second ago.” “That was before you decided to follow the ultimatum.” Harry stood. “Come on. Let's go show this to Sirius.” Harry and Ginny sat in chairs across from Miss Lena, who sat at her desk, studying the note Harry had received. Sirius paced behind the teens. “And you have no idea who sent this note?” Sirius asked Harry again. “No, I have no idea,” Harry said, a little impatiently. “I don't recognize the handwriting. The owl was an ordinary barn owl.” “Are you certain, Harry? Think carefully.” Miss Lena jumped into the conversation before Harry could respond. Perhaps she could see how irritated he was getting at the repeated questioning. “Before we start to panic, let's find out if this is indeed true. There's a bare minimum of workers at the Ministry on the weekends, so I'm not sure if there's anyone there who can help with this, but it's worth a try.” “Alright,” Sirius said, stopping his pacing. “This is what I'm going to do. I'll go to the Ministry and see if I can't get an International Portkey. I'll talk to Ginny's dad, see if this is even true. If I can't get a Portkey, then I'll be taking an aeroplane and flying back to London. Where's the nearest international airport?” “There's one in Kenner, which is about a twenty to thirty minute drive west of here.” “Alright, great. I'm going to go pack a bag, then head over to the Ministry. Don't worry, Ginny. We'll get it all figured out.” With that, Sirius practically ran out the door. “But if it's true,” Ginny went on, directing her word to Miss Lena, “then, why didn't Dad tell me? I mean, whoever wrote that didn't do so until after they had my mum and brothers, and the note had to have taken a week to get here. I've heard nothing! Did he not think I'd want to know?” Harry took Ginny's hand in his. “He probably felt it better that you didn't, so that you could concentrate on your studies.” This, apparently, was the wrong thing to say because Ginny snatched her hand from his and glared at him. “Don't patronize me, Harry.” Shocked, Harry shook his head. “I wasn't trying to.” “Yes, you were,” Ginny snapped back, “with that 'don't worry your pretty little head about it' tone of voice. I hate that tone of voice. I've heard it often enough that I know it when I hear it. I certainly don't need to hear it from you.” Harry had always loved seeing Ginny with her temper up. Her eyes glittered menacingly, her cheeks flushed to nearly drown out her freckles, and her lips thinned to almost nonexistence, but there was just something so … alive … about how she looked that he really found attractive. The instant that thought formed in his head, the wolf inside him sat up and took notice. The need to take Ginny off to some place private slammed into him full force, igniting his own temper and frustration at its ill-timed reappearance. “Well, excuse me for at least trying to make you feel better! If I hadn't, you would have yelled at me for that!” “Okay, now,” Miss Lena jumped into the argument, “that's enough.” Ginny, though, ignored her. “Did it ever occur to you that maybe I don't want to feel better? Of course it didn't! Maybe I just want to be heard, to have my feelings validated!” “I don't even know what that means! What the bloody hell does that even mean?” Ginny jumped to her feet, her arms crossed over her chest. “It means that my feelings are mine, and that I'm entitled to them. I don't need you to try to make it all better!” “Harry, Ginny, that's enough.” Miss Lena's forceful voice finally reached them. Harry stood. He had to get out of that office or he'd say or do something he'd highly regret. “Fine. Let me know what Sirius finds out.” Completely ignoring Ginny, Harry hastened to the door, yanked it open, and left. Upset at what had just happened, Ginny burst into tears. She felt a pair of arms slide around her and heard the soft, crooning voice that belonged to her Headmistress. It only made Ginny cry harder. A few minutes went by before Ginny pulled away. “I'm sorry,” she said, sniffling. “I didn't mean for that to happen.” She muttered under her breath, “Stupid hormones.” “Of course you didn't,” Miss Lena said, soothingly, obviously ignoring Ginny's last utterance. She helped Ginny back into her chair before retaking her own. She handed over a box of tissues. “Care to talk?” Ginny blew her nose and wiped her eyes. “I'm just worried. Not just about my family, but about Harry, too. He looks like he hasn't slept soundly in some time, he often doesn't want to study with me anymore, hasn't really initiated a kiss like he used to. In fact, there's been times when he's pulled away when I try to. Now, I find out he's hiding something from me, something that I should know. At least, according to the boy at Wolf Harbor, I should know it.” “Ah, so you've been there, have you? Ashton's parents, aunts, and uncles own the place. He isn't the only lycan over there. They established the place to be just as the name specifies: a safe place for anyone with the affliction. They just decided to branch out, so to speak, and also cater to everyone else.” Miss Lena folded her hands onto her desk and leaned on her elbows. “Ashton spoke out of turn. What he referred to is something that is highly personal, and I'm afraid it's something that Harry will have to tell you.” “But Ashton said it would make Harry crazy until he acknowledged it and did something about it. That can't be good, whatever it is.” “It sounds that way, doesn't it? It's still something that Harry will need to tell you. If it's even an issue. It may not be.” “Ashton sure made it sound as if it was.” “I'm sure he probably did, and as I said, he spoke out of turn.” Miss Lena paused a moment, then asked, “How are you doing? You've talked about Harry, what of yourself? How are you adjusting?” Ginny shrugged, unable to look her Headmistress in the eye. “Okay, I suppose.” “You suppose? That doesn't sound very certain. Talk to me. What's on your mind?” After a moment's hesitation, Ginny did talk. She assured Miss Lena that the school was great and how much she appreciated everyone's friendliness, but Ginny also admitted to missing Hogwarts, the environment, the food, and the staff — well, most of the staff. Unloading that felt so good that Ginny went on before Miss Lena could respond, mentioning her questions regarding the aging process of someone scarred by a lycan. “Is it even possible?” Ginny asked. “I mean, sometimes, the feeling is so incredibly strong. I'm fairly certain other girls my age don't feel this, not like this, anyway. What do you think?” “I think anything is possible. Harry marked you, and he is your match. That could account for it.” “But you're not certain?” Ginny caught a slight hesitation before Miss Lena replied. “No, I'm not certain. Every circumstance is different, especially when lycanthropy and its effects are involved. Have you discussed this with Harry?” Ginny shrugged, a bit self-conscious. “Some. Once. He's convinced that what we feel for each other is wrong, that we're too young to be feeling the way we do. He seems quite hung up on that, actually, and feeling guilty for it all, saying it's not normal.” “Well, you aren't normal, are you?” Miss Lena asked with a raised brow. “Neither of you is what's considered normal. You can't live your lives based on someone else's ideals. You have to live your lives, live them the way that's right for you. Am I advocating that you do something you're not ready for? Of course not. However, you do have to stop comparing yourselves to others, as what's right for them isn't necessarily what's right for you.” Ginny sighed in mild frustration. “I've been trying to tell Harry that, but he just doesn't listen.” Miss Lena smiled, giving one of Ginny's hands a gentle squeeze. “You'll just have to keep telling him until you get it through to him.” She paused a moment before patting Ginny's hand sympathetically. “It's not easy when the ones we love can be stubborn idiots, is it? That brought a laugh out of Ginny. “No. it isn't, but they're worth it.” “They certainly are. For now, give Harry a bit of time. He's struggling right now with things, but he'll find his way back to you.” Ginny nodded resolutely. Knowing she'd been dismissed, she stood and opened the door to Miss Lena's office and spied Sirius heading her way. “How did it go?” she asked once he'd reached them. Sirius shook his head. “Couldn't get a Portkey so I'll have to fly out tonight. I'll probably stay for a few days in the hopes that I can help with the search for your mum and brothers.” Sirius looked around the commons area. “Have you seen Harry? I wanted to let him know what was happening.” Feeling awkward, Ginny shook her head, unable to meet the man's eyes. “Er, no, he, er, left and I stayed to chat with Miss Lena.” “Why do I get the feeling there's more to it than that?” Miss Lena spoke before Ginny could respond. “Ginny, go on, now, child. Sirius and I will have a quick chat before he goes.” All too happy to get away from Harry's godfather, Ginny scurried through the doorway and hurried off to find Amelie and Raven. She hoped Raven could play with her hair again and Amelie could help her with some make up. That was something Ginny had thought about for the last couple of weeks. Having watched the two girls every morning go through their morning rituals, Ginny had recently become interested in joining, but had been too shy to speak up. Gathering her Gryffindor courage, she found the girls playing a card game at one of the tables in the commons area and approached them. After hesitantly asking her questions, Ginny was taken aback by the enthusiasm that met her. Both girls returned the cards to their box, grabbed Ginny, and marched her straight to their room, chattering excitedly, which built Ginny up, too. She joined in their conversation, explaining the girls' limits, but looked forward to seeing what her friends could do. Two days later, leaning against a massive live oak tree, Harry sat, brooding about how things had become so out of control. Those weird nightmares continuously tormented him, now including Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie, before morphing to himself and Ginny and that horrific woman with the odd, Pied Piper act. His need for Ginny still ran hot and cold, as unpredictable as ever. His studies were beginning to suffer because he couldn't concentrate. He found himself worrying constantly over how to get himself into the Triwizard Tournament to save Ginny's mum and brothers. The stress was getting to him; he was beginning to crack. Pulling his knees up to his chest, he propped his elbows on them, and dropped his head into his hands. What was he going to do? He hadn't heard from Sirius, but then, it hadn't really been long enough for anything to have happened, one way or another. His head pounded from lack of sleep and Harry dug his thumbs into his temples, hoping to alleviate the pain. Then, he rubbed at his gritty, tired eyes, groaning softly. If something didn't give soon, Harry was afraid he would be the one who did — by losing his sanity. Someone walked in his direction, but Harry couldn't muster enough energy to care. The humid warmth of the air made him drowsy, but he was afraid to sleep. Harry didn't bother looking up until the person knelt beside him. Looking over, he was a bit surprised to see Ginny watching him, concern for him practically radiating from her. He tried to offer her a smile, but failed miserably. “You look terrible, Harry. Talk to me. What's going on in that stubborn brain of yours? You hang out with me one moment, and disappear the next. You rarely kiss me anymore. I barely can get you to even hold my hand. You're not sleeping very well, obviously. What's going on? I need you to talk to me.” Heaving a great sigh, Harry spilled it all — even the embarrassing parts. Once he finished, he looked away from her, afraid to see her reaction to the secrets he'd kept from her. “Oh, Harry. I wish you'd told me this sooner.” Harry winced at the sadness in her voice, but she continued. “First things first, though. You need to get some sleep.” Ginny stood and held out her hand. Harry just looked at her. “Ginny, I can't. That's the problem. Those nightmares are terrifying. I can't ask for a Dreamless Sleep Potion because those can't be taken every night.” “I know that, Harry,” Ginny reassured Harry gently. “We're going to talk to Miss Lena. I'm sure she'll know what to do.” Wearily, Harry took her hand and let her pull him to his feet. He swayed a moment, prompting Ginny to slide her arm around his waist. Once he was steady again, he tried to reach for his book bag, but Ginny grabbed it instead, giving him a look that dared him to complain. He didn't. “What about classes this afternoon? It has to be getting close to one o'clock by now. You shouldn't miss them, especially Defense Against the Dark Arts.” “Don't worry about them.” Ginny began leading Harry back towards the main school building. “I talked to Miss Lena. She said we could miss classes this afternoon if it meant we settled things between us. She said we were more important right now.” “Oh.” After a few steps, Harry spoke again. “I'm not telling her the personal stuff.” “Yes, you are, Harry. She needs to know. Trust me, she'll understand. She can help. She certainly helped me.” Harry looked at Ginny, in shock. “You talked to her? About us?” “I talked to her about me, yes. What she said made me feel a lot better.” Harry fell silent, thinking about Ginny's advice, as they made their way into the main building and to Miss Lena's office. Harry collapsed into one of the chairs, suddenly embarrassed to be there. Miss Lena quietly waved her wand, gently closing the door. A few wand flicks later, and she set it back onto her desk. “Now, we won't be disturbed or overheard. What's on your mind?” With some persistent prodding from Ginny, Harry spilled his secrets again. “I'm so tired. I don't know what to do.” “Harry, you should have come to me in the beginning,” Miss Lena gently chided. “We could have been working on a way to help you. I can't help if you don't let me know something's wrong.” Miss Lena stood, walked to her fireplace, threw in a bit of Floo powder, and stuck her head in the green flames. Several moments passed before she pulled back and returned to her desk. “I have asked Miss Ward and Mr. Eresse, our Divination teacher, to join us. I'm sure, between the three of us, we can figure out a way to help you get the sleep you need. As for the other, we'll talk more about that later.” Minutes later, the two teachers walked into Miss Lena's office. Miss Ward's gaze landed on Harry, then moved to Miss Lena. “What's going on?” “I've asked you both here to help solve an urgent problem. Harry has informed me that he's been visited in his dreams by Marinette.” “What?” Miss Ward asked, her shocked gaze darting between the Headmistress and Harry. “There's wards placed to prevent her from calling to any lycan here.” “Who's Marinette?” Ginny asked. Miss Lena explained. “She's a spirit that likes to inhabit this area. In one form, she can be cruel but helpful. She's considered to be a protector to lycans. Many people believe she could deliver her followers from bondage, though the road to freedom could be wrought with loss. In her less than pleasant form, she's pure evil, possessing lycans for her own pleasure, influencing them, and controlling them.” “That's what she kept saying,” Harry murmured. “She said she had power over me, and she did. I had absolutely no control at all.” “But how could she get through the wards?” Miss Ward asked. “She's drawn to lycans, obviously, but especially to lycans who are very strong magically, or those who are strong in character. They present a challenge, one she can't seem to resist. I'm sorry, Harry. If I had known, I would have protected you better.” “It's not your fault. I don't really see myself as that strong, though.” Miss Lena kindly smiled at Harry. “You must be for her to break through the protective wards.” To Miss Ward, she asked, “Harry isn't able to sleep. How can we help him?” “I could strengthen the wards around the school, but there's no guarantee that will work.” Mr. Eresse looked thoughtful a moment, then suggested, “Would it be possible to put the wards on him?” Miss Ward's eyes narrowed as she thought about it. “It very well could. Using a protective rune in such a way should give him a powerful protection.” She turned to her companion. “Where would be the best place to put it?” Now, it was Mr. Eresse's turn to consider the possibilities. “As we're dealing with dreams and the mind, or the third eye, I'd say the forehead.” Harry gave the man a horrified look, which made the man chuckle. “Don't worry, Harry. I think I know of another place that will work just as well.” He stepped over to Harry and motioned for him to stand. Tilting Harry's head back a little to expose his neck, the Divination teacher said, “I think the side of the throat would do nicely.” He went on to explain about the seven chakras in the body. “Now, our wonderful nurse doesn't believe in chakras, but I don't discount them.” “So, you think on the throat would work, then?” Harry asked, feeling a bit nervous about it all, though very hopeful that he could get some good rest really soon. Mr. Eresse nodded. “I think it will do nicely. The rune wouldn't need to be big, either. An inch, maybe. If we're invoking the throat chakra, the ink we use would need to be blue. Even better if the ink was made of lapis, which coincidentally, I already have some of that ink.” “Excellent,” Miss Lena said. “Go and get it. Miss Ward, are you comfortable applying the runes to Harry?” “I'm quite familiar with runic wards, obviously, but I've never applied them to people. I'm not so sure I'm the best choice to do it.” Miss Lena nodded, not appearing to be surprised at Miss Ward's response. Again, she went to her fireplace. “Let me get Miss Raido here,” she said those gathered. “With her specialty being runes, she'll know which to use and how to apply them.” Within a couple of minutes, the Ancient Runes teacher walked into Miss Lena's office. She didn't spare any time for niceties, just dove right into the subject at hand. “Okay, I think we should use two separate runes, 'Security' and 'Guardian', one on each side of Harry's throat. Double the protection. 'Security' wards off negative forces and protects from enemies, while 'Guardian' — also known as the Runic Cross — protects from evil in whatever form it takes.” She requested a quill and parchment to draw out the runes. “This is what they look like, Harry. What do you think? Are you okay with this?” “At this point, I'll do anything for some sleep.” Mr. Eresse returned with his ink and what Harry thought looked like a small diameter paintbrush. He handed the bottle of ink to Miss Raido. Without speaking, Miss Raido transfigured one of the cushy chairs into a bar stool, albeit a short one to put her at eye level with his neck. “Okay, Harry,” she began as she uncorked the ink and dipped in the brush, “I need you to be as still as possible. If you need to move, let me know. Now, tilt your head to the right a bit.” Harry complied. He must have tilted his head too much for she reached out and corrected the angle. “I just need a little space. Tilt your head too far, and it stretches the skin, which will distort the rune, making it ineffective.” “Sorry.” “No need to be sorry. Okay, let's begin. We'll do 'Security' first.” She began chanting softly. Harry had no clue what she said and didn't really care as long as this worked. He flinched a bit at the touch of the brush, mostly because the ink was cold, but also because the bristles tickled. He looked down at the runes she had drawn on the parchment. 'Security' was made up of two perpendicular lines, with the horizontal line intersecting through the middle of the vertical one. Just before the four ends were C shapes, the bowls pointing outward. Moving inward from the C shapes, were short lines, one on each of the four main lines. Farther inward, slightly longer lines formed an open square around the midpoint. The entire process didn't take as long as Harry had expected it to take. Miss Raido chanted a bit more, waved her wand, then declared that one finished. She switched sides and prepared to begin the other rune. “Ready, Harry?” “Yeah, sure. That didn't take very long at all.” “This one will take even less time as it's less complicated. Now, move your head a bit.” He did so, and she began. Harry studied the rune she'd called 'Guardian'. It had one long vertical line. A short, horizontal I-shape crossed the top of the line. A longer horizontal I-shape intersected the vertical line at the halfway point between the middle and top. Just before the bottom end of the vertical line, a horizontal line the same length of the I-shape at the top was drawn, with two short vertical lines starting at the tips and stopping when they were even with the bottom of the initial vertical line. That bottom shape sort of looked to Harry like a squarish C. In short order, Miss Raido had finished chanting and waved her wand. “There you go. That should help. If for some reason it doesn't, be sure to let me know.” “Yeah, okay. Thanks for the help.” Harry barely contained a yawn. “Alright, to bed with you,” Miss Lena declared. “You're, of course, excused from classes this afternoon. Ginny, why don't you help Harry over to the Infirmary? Mrs. Cole can keep an eye on him, just in case.” For a split second, Harry thought about protesting going to the Infirmary, but he was so tired, he wasn't entirely certain he'd make it to his room. Again, Ginny shouldered their book bags and helped him walk the short distance to the Infirmary. He was well aware of the looks some of the students were throwing their way, but he didn't have the energy to care. Upon entering, Ginny helped him to the nearest bed. Mrs. Cole greeted them, and Ginny explained what had just been done. “Alright, then, Harry, under the covers. I'll let you sleep until dinner. We don't want your internal clock messed up any more than it likely already is. Ginny, you can stay until he's asleep, then you need to get to class.” “Yes, Mrs. Cole. Thanks.” She decided not to mention being excused by Miss Lena. Harry nearly moaned in pleasure at lying down on the soft mattress. He barely remembered to remove his glasses and set his wand on the bedside table. Curling up on his side, facing Ginny, he began to relax. Her hand gently running through his hair soothed him even more. In less than fifteen seconds, he was sleeping more soundly than he had in quite some time. “So, how is he doing?” Lena asked Amelia Cole softly, watching Harry sleep. The school's nurse smiled and waved Lena into her office. Motioning for Lena to take one of the chairs, Amelia took the one opposite. “However unlikely it may be, I didn't want to chance waking him.” She glanced towards Harry's bed again before saying, “Poor kid, he's completely exhausted. He hasn't moved from that position since he fell asleep two hours ago, not a single twitch. To be honest, I'm surprised he hasn't collapsed before now.” “That's good to hear. Our method has worked, then. I imagine he's been surviving on sheer force of will. It's quite impressive. After all, it's what allowed Marinette to get through the school's wards to begin with. I have a feeling that strength of character — his moral fiber, if you will — will serve him well in the future.” Amelia opened her mouth to say something, closed it, then opened it again. “It's not really my place to ask this, but I'm going to anyway. I've noticed there's been tension between Harry and Ginny. I've witnessed some fairly wild arguments. Is everything okay, there?” Lena quickly reassured her friend. “Of course it's your place. Your concern is the students' health, and that includes their emotional health.” Lena's smile slipped a bit as she hesitated. Obviously, as someone working in the medical field, Amelia knew the challenges that often faced lycans, especially young ones. Lena simply didn't feel as if she should reveal too much, since she'd made a point to her students that when they talked, one on one, the conversations were private. Perhaps a carefully worded answer would suffice. “Every relationship has its rocky patches. We see it all the time with these kids. Hormones,” and Lena stressed that word a tiny bit, “run so rampant, they're bound to cause issues. As I said, Harry has an incredible moral fiber.” Lena waited to see if her friend would catch the secondary meaning, and was rewarded after a moment when Amelia's brows rose as she glanced sympathetically towards Harry's sleeping form again. “Oh. I see. That certainly explains things. It also puts us all in an awkward position.” “It does,” Lena agreed carefully, “but we'll handle it as we've always done. I think the main problem was exacerbated by Harry's lack of sleep — and by his not talking to Ginny.” “She didn't know?” Amelia asked, shocked. “Well, no wonder there was so much venom in their arguments. I mean, I figured she had a temper, red hair and all that, but now I understand. What a mess. Please tell me Ginny is aware of things now.” “Not to worry. She's been informed. Things should be less … verbal … now. Once Harry wakes, they'll sort things out. We just need to be in the background, until time for that next step.” “Hopefully, that next step doesn't come until much later. I've seen this happen in older kids, but not in anyone this age. I'm not so certain these two are equipped to handle it.” Lena smiled, almost mischievously. “Oh, I have no doubt that they can. They're more mature than a lot of the older students we currently have. I think they'll surprise you. But yes, the longer it takes for that next step to come, the better, though I won't be surprised if it's sooner rather than later.” “What of Ginny's parents? Are they aware of this? I mean, I know what's going on, now, with the abductions, but were they aware this could happen? Most parents aren't, and are a little upset over it when they do find out.” “To be honest, I don't know. Probably, they are unaware. However, seeing as Sirius is currently Ginny's legal guardian, it won't be as big of an issue for us.” Lena chuckled. “We'll let him deal with any parental wrath that may come later.” “Mrs. Cole?” Lena turned to see one of her sixth-year students standing just outside Amelia's door. The girl looked pale, and if Lena remembered correctly, was prone to terrible headaches. Quickly, Lena stood and helped the girl to a bed, while Amelia went to her potions cabinet for what she needed. In short order, Amelia was back and handing the potion to the girl. “Amelia, you're busy. I'm going to go. We'll talk more later.” Lena didn't wait for a response, which was just as well since she didn't receive one. She took a moment to watch Harry, to satisfy herself that their little “trick” had worked for him, before returning to her office. Harry groaned and tried to burrow down into the blanket covering him, but the hand returned to shake his shoulder. A muffled voice called his name. He whined a bit. He wanted to sleep! Unfortunately, his mind opened his eyes to stare blearily at the person hovering over him “Well, hello, there. Mrs. Cole tells me you had a solid four and a half hours of sleep. That's good news.” Harry rubbed at his eyes, recognizing the voice as belonging to Miss Raido. Suppressing a yawn, he fumbled for his glasses and put them on. His eyes felt swollen. “Yeah. No dreams at all,” he affirmed, his voice raspy. “Would really like some more.” He was so groggy, it was as if he'd been overdosed on Dreamless Sleep Potion, then awakened a mere hour into its effects. “I know, and I'm sorry for waking you. I'll have an elf bring you some dinner. Ginny popped in after class. She should be back soon. Get up for a little while, then you can go back to bed.” Nodding, Harry yawned. “Yeah, okay. I guess I am a bit hungry.” “Good. I'll just go notify an elf.” Harry watched his Ancient Runes teacher walk away, wondering about her concern over him. He would have expected the concern from Mrs. Cole or Miss Lena, but definitely not from one of the teachers. She'd acted more like a Healer than a teacher. Well, sounded like it, at any rate. “Oh, good, she did manage to wake you. How are you feeling, Harry?” Harry looked up at the smiling face of Mrs. Cole. “Yes, she did, unfortunately. I feel like I could sleep for a week.” “Yes, I'm sure you do. Now that you're getting the rest you need, you'll start feeling better. While you can't get back the sleep you lost, the solid hours of sleep you get in the next few days will certainly help counteract that deficiency.” The Infirmary door opened to admit Ginny carrying a dinner tray and Chris, still carrying his book bag. Mrs. Cole stepped away, telling Harry that he could leave once he'd finished eating. Ginny propped herself on Harry's bed, leaving Chris to take the chair. She handed over the dinner tray, studying him closely. It made Harry want to squirm. The food smelled delicious. He dug into his roast beef hungrily. “Thanks for bringing this, Ginny,” he said in between bites of roast beef, green beans, and carrots. “It's no problem, Harry, but you might want to slow down a bit,” Ginny said, chuckling. “Your stomach might not agree with being inundated with all that food.” Harry laughed sheepishly, then countered with, “Ron doesn't seem to have a problem.” Ginny snorted. “That would be because he's eaten like a pig since he could use a fork.” Halfway through his meal, Harry carefully set down his fork, took a breath, then looked up at his friend. “Chris, I want to apologize for the way I've acted. I've been a git and -” “Don't worry about it, Harry. A chronic lack of sleep is enough to make anyone ill-tempered. I'm just glad something's been done for you. You were looking close to collapsing.” Chris rifled through his book bag for parchment, quill, and ink. Quickly writing something down, he handed the parchment to Harry. “Potions and Transfiguration assignments. Mr. Philter wants you to set up a time with him to brew the Girding Potion. Here's a tip. Don't do it after you eat because that one reeks.” Harry wrinkled his nose at the thought of brewing something so foul. “Yeah, thanks, for the tip. What does it do?” “It increases your endurance for a few weeks. It's a handy little potion, but I don't think I could ever get past the stink. I don't even want to imagine how it tastes.” Harry didn't want to imagine it, either, though it had to be better than the Wolfsbane Potion. He looked at his Transfiguration assignment. “The Draconifors Spell?” “Yeah, that will change an object into a dragon, which you can control. The bigger the object you use, the bigger the dragon will be, and the harder it will be to control.” “You better not teach that one to Hagrid, then,” Ginny quipped. Familiar with Hagrid's penchant towards the larger, more dangerous creatures, Harry laughed and agreed. For Chris, he explained. “Hagrid is the Care of Magical Creatures professor at Hogwarts. He's the kindest person you could ever hope to meet, but he likes the dangerous creatures a little too much.” Ginny nodded. “Yeah, he once tried to keep a baby dragon in his house. Needless to say, that didn't last long.” Chris shook his head and laughed. “I can't even imagine that.” After a moment of silence, he stood. “Well, I know you two need to talk. I just wanted to bring you the assignments you missed. I'll talk to you later.” “Yeah, later. And thanks for bringing that by.” Chris waved and left. Harry finished his dinner, then set the tray aside. He knew he should start the conversation he needed to have with Ginny, but he didn't really know how to start. Despite the few hours of sleep he had been able to get, he still felt too weary for a discussion as important as the one that now needed to take place. “Harry?” Ginny hesitantly asked. “We need to talk. You know, about what you said earlier.” Harry focused on his lap, unable to meet Ginny's gaze, and nodded. “I know.” “Harry, we're not going to be able to do this right if you can't look at me.” Fighting his embarrassment, Harry slowly lifted his gaze to meet Ginny's. “I've already told you everything. There's really not anything more to be said.” “Well, how about telling me why you never said anything to me about what was going on?” Harry inwardly winced. Though she hadn't said it in a way that was condemning, he still felt the sting of her words. “It's just … personal … and embarrassing. We're so young still, younger than most who mean it when they say I love you.” He picked at the edge of his bed sheet. “I guess I didn't want to scare you or worry you. I didn't want you to ...” “Didn't want me to what, Harry?” Ginny asked, once it was clear Harry wasn't going to say anything more. “I didn't want you to get tired of all my issues and leave,” Harry said so softly it was hard to hear him. He actually flinched in surprise when a hand on his chin forced him to look into her eyes. What he saw there nearly had him weeping. “Harry, I will never leave you. I can't. I've told you that before, and I'll keep telling you that until it sinks in. As for the other, yes, we're young, but as was told to me, we can't judge our lives by other people's ideals. We have to live our own lives. If we're happy with how we're living, then what does the rest matter?” Ginny paused a moment before continuing. “Now that I know what's been happening, I can better handle it. Whenever you need to, just go. I won't think anything about it. If it helps for you to go, then go. It won't hurt my feelings a bit. Okay?” “Okay,” Harry whispered, barely getting the sound past the lump in his throat. “I've got the best girlfriend ever.” “Yes, you do,” Ginny quipped. “But then, it only is fitting, since I have the best boyfriend ever.” Harry pulled Ginny close so that their foreheads touched. “Je t'aime mon ange.” Ginny leaned away and beamed down at him, making Harry feel giddy, despite having stumbled over the foreign words and pronunciations. “It's true. I do love you, and you are an angel to me. You've been so incredibly understanding about everything.” “Thanks, Harry. I love hearing you say that. So I suppose I'll respond in kind. Je t'aime mon loup.” Harry smiled. Her wolf. Yes, he was definitely that. Always. He contemplated kissing her, right there in the Infirmary, but the sound of the door opening halted that train of thought. Miss Lena walked in, looking happy to see them. “Well, hello. It's good to see you together again. You're looking a little better already, Harry, though I think it'll be several days before you completely lose the insomniac look.” Harry chuckled. “Yeah, I could definitely sleep for the entire next week.” “Well, that, naturally, can't be allowed to happen, but you'll get there.” Miss Lena focused on Ginny. “Do you mind if I take up some of Harry's waking hours this evening? There's something he and I need to discuss.” Harry instantly flushed with embarrassment. He was fairly certain what the topic of conversation would be. He didn't know which would be worse — having the conversation with his Headmistress or having the conversation with Ginny's parents. On second thought, he figured talking about things with Miss Lena would be infinitely less mortifying than discussing them with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. “Of course, Miss Lena.” Ginny leaned over to give Harry quick but sincere kiss. “I'll see you later or in the morning, whichever comes first.” Harry watched Ginny leave, then forced himself to meet Miss Lena's gaze. “I've told her. Everything.” “Oh, I figured as much when she didn't look shocked in my office. I'm glad you came clean about that. Honesty in a relationship is very important.” “I know. It's just … as Ginny and I grew closer, all I've ever heard is to be careful, to not get carried away and do something we shouldn't. And now ...” “And now, sometimes that's all you can think about. I understand. Believe me, I do. Tell me, how often does it happen? How strong is it?” Harry shrugged, the color that had faded from his cheeks returning. “It comes and goes. Sometimes I have a bit of warning, other times it hits me suddenly. There's times when I have no trouble ignoring it, and other times when I feel the best course of action is to run before I actually do something.” “To be honest, I'm not that surprised. While you're technically the equivalent of a one year old wolf, and wolves don't technically become ready for a mate until about the age of two or three, you're still a fourteen-year-old boy with all the hormones that go with being that age. The DNAs mix and it gives you the volatile stage you now find yourself in. It's just much stronger than 'normal'. It's nothing to be embarrassed about. As in all troubling things, they get worse before they get better.” Harry groaned, not liking that at all. “I don't know if I can handle worse.” “You can. I'm certain of it. There will come a time when you'll have to address the issue. You'll know when that time is. Let me tell you what can help.” Harry listened with wide eyes, certain he would spontaneously combust at any moment from the heat of his mortification. One half of his brain adamantly argued that he was never doing anything like what Miss Lena described with Ginny, while the other half of his brain was highly intrigued. It almost whispered that he should just go ahead if it would help like Miss Lena claimed. Furthermore, Miss Lena was giving him permission to do this! In private, of course, but still … Harry began rubbing his forehead, on information overload. “And on that note, I'll leave you be,” his Headmistress concluded. “I'm sure I've given you quite a bit to think about. One thing's for sure, you need to talk to Ginny about what I've told you.” Harry looked at his Headmistress as if she'd just sprouted tentacles. “What?” “Honesty, Harry. Remember what I said. This involves her, so she has a right to know.” Harry had to admit, she was right. Reluctantly, he nodded. “Yeah, okay. Just, I can't right now. Please?” He received a comforting pat on the hand. “It doesn't have to be right this moment, but you should talk to her soon.” “I will.” Wanting to change the subject, Harry quickly asked, “Have you heard from Sirius? Has there been any progress?” “No, Harry, I haven't, but I haven't expected to. Investigations take time. I know it's difficult, especially for Ginny, but her mother and brothers will be found.” With that, Miss Lena left him alone. Throwing aside the bed covers, Harry put on his shoes, grabbed his book bag, and the parchment with his missed assignments. With an admonition from Mrs. Cole not to stay up too late, Harry left the Infirmary to get to work on his homework. Harry snorted, then stifled a yawn. As if he could stay up late. He had a feeling he was going to be next to worthless the next few days, but promised himself to work diligently to get caught up in classes when he was more like himself. It was late, that much he could tell by the stars in the patch of sky visible through the single window near the ceiling in the room in which he currently occupied. Tied with magical ropes to a chair as he was, he hadn't been able to rest much. He had no idea how many days he'd been there now, having lost count after the first two. His muscles ached from his last beating, something that happened way too frequently. His captors apparently thought he'd give up some information on Harry, something they could use to beat him. They were out of luck; they just didn't know it yet. He winced as the abrasive ropes cut deeper into his already raw and bleeding wrists. The door opened. Ding! Ding! Ding! Time for round …one thousand? “So, decided to talk yet?” one of the captors, a beefy man who went by the name of Coleman asked. The man in the chair sat proudly, silent. He knew saying anything would only get him tortured again, not that that wasn't already inevitable. If he could delay it, though, all the better. He was backhanded for his defiance. That was the thing about Coleman, he loved physical brutality just as much as he loved magical violence. Coleman leaned close. “Still not talking? That's a shame.” The bound man's head yanked backward. His torturer sneered. “Maybe I should get rid of this long hair. In the process, I could accidentally cut you. What do you say to that? Don't know why you like it like that anyway. It looks undignified.” “Does Lucius know you think that? Maybe you should tell him.” He was rewarded with a punch to his jaw. Blood squirted into his mouth where he'd bitten the inside of his cheek. Coleman cracked his knuckles. “I'm going to have fun breaking you. Tell me about Potter. What are his weaknesses?” “You're never going to get your hands on him. You know that, don't you?” “Oh, we have our ways, rest assured.” “Do those ways cross an ocean?” Coleman narrowed his eyes. “What are you talking about?” “You don't know?” the beaten man asked with a laugh. “I can't believe you don't know. It's only been in the Daily Prophet for the entire month of September. Harry's not at Hogwarts. He's not going to be entering the Tournament. Therefore, you're not going to get him.” Coleman leaned close. “He'd better find a way. For your sake, and for that of your family.” Coleman stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Bill sighed. “No, he'd really better not.” Molly very clearly heard the conversation going on in the next room. Their captors had made certain of it by somehow sending all the sounds from the boys' rooms into hers. For days, she'd had to listen helplessly as skin contacted skin, as curse upon curse was thrown at them. Through it all, her boys had stayed strong, not giving in. She was immensely proud of her sons for it, especially Charlie. Molly wasn't blind. She knew he'd had a hard time accepting Harry and Ginny's relationship as it had deepened. Even so, Charlie often responded to the torture with taunts of his own. It never ended well, but he never let anything slip about Harry, protecting the boy as he would any of his other brothers. Molly feared for Harry. If she knew that boy, and she was fairly certain she did, he would do whatever it took for him to get into that ruddy Tournament, just so that she, Bill, and Charlie would survive. Harry had a big heart, too big in this instance. Just because he entered, there was no guarantee she, or Bill, or Charlie would survive. Molly knew this all too well, but she feared Harry wouldn't take a moment to think logically about it. She shook her head ruefully. She loved Harry dearly, but he had a noble streak a mile wide. She feared what this Tournament would do to him. For all he'd been through, he had a tender soul, and something as harrowing and deadly as this Tournament was known to be could have a very negative impact on someone so sensitive. And then there were these men. What did they want with Harry? Nothing good, that was for certain. “Please,” Molly whispered into the night, “let us be found before Harry finds his way into that competition.” Charlie's shoulders ached from hanging by his bleeding wrists for so long, bearing the brunt of his weight as his toes barely skimmed the floor. In actuality, it wasn't just his shoulders that ached; his entire body screamed in agony at the physical abuse that had been heaped upon it. Exhausted beyond belief, he still refused to give his captors the information they wanted, not like he had a lot to tell them anyway. He simply didn't know Harry as well as the others in his family did. As he hung there, awaiting the next sparring match with his captors, Charlie's thoughts, again, turned to Harry and, subsequently, Ginny. Looking back on his behavior towards Harry, Charlie was ashamed of himself. When he'd first met Harry, he'd been delighted at the positive impact he'd had on Ginny. Even Harry's werewolf status hadn't changed his opinion, despite learning of it the way he had. Then, the next time he saw them, they were claiming to love each other, and that had taken him by complete surprise. Not only that, but Mum and Dad were letting Ginny go off to some place far away with Harry and Sirius! It just hadn't seemed right and he'd let his opinions blind him to what was right in front of him. Looking back at things, Charlie could admit to how wrong he'd been. Reviewing the memories he had of Harry and Ginny's interactions, he could easily see that there was something more than mere infatuation between them. It was obvious in how they spoke to each other, the gentle teasing, the soft voices they used. It was in the way they touched, a gentle caress, a soothing hand on a shoulder or back. Just the simple fact that one hand always seemed to seek out the hand of the other, consciously or subconsciously. With a single look, they seemed capable of having an entire conversation, something Charlie had seen between his parents. He heard footsteps coming down the hall. It could only mean one thing. Preparing himself mentally, he vowed that when, not if, he got out of there, he'd be sure to beg Harry and Ginny's forgiveness He just hoped Harry didn't actually enter the Tournament in order for his release to happen, though Charlie wasn't sure how Harry could even accomplish that. He had no doubt, however, that Harry would find a way if he believed it would earn Charlie, his brother, and his mother's releases. His door swung open. Well, here they went again. Charlie inhaled as deeply as he could. If Harry could take what he went through every month of his life, then Charlie felt he could endure some more pain because surely it wasn't nearly as bad as Harry's. |
| Reviews 118 |
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