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SIYE Time:10:17 on 29th March 2024
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Not From Others
By FloreatCastellum

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Category: Post-HBP, Post-DH/AB
Characters:Harry/Ginny, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom
Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, General
Warnings: Dark Fiction, Death, Extreme Language, Mild Sexual Situations, Negative Alcohol Use, Violence
Story is Complete
Rating: PG-13
Reviews: 348
Summary: She may not have been able to join Harry, Ron and Hermione, but Ginny refuses to go down without a fight. As war approaches, Ginny returns to Hogwarts to resurrect Dumbledore's Army and face the darkest year the wizarding world has ever seen.

DH from Ginny's POV. Canon.
Hitcount: Story Total: 108042; Chapter Total: 3511
Awards: View Trophy Room






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It was well known that as winter approached, Hogwarts became increasingly beautiful. The surrounding landscape would become crisp and dramatic with frost, fallen leaves were captured in the bracing air, and when there was little cloud cover the sky was a magnificently wintery deep blue. Over the years, Ginny had looked out at the scenery and felt Christmas excitement, but one cold morning in late-November, the beauty of the grounds seemed entwined with something terrible. Heavy mist had sunk, apparently from the mountains, into the grounds, and though the winter sun made it look soft and appealing, she felt unsettled, as though the land were hiding a deep and dark secret.

‘Zaha says she saw a Dementor out there yesterday,’ said Demelza, joining Ginny at the window. ‘Just at the edge of the forest.’

‘Good thing we’ve all been practising our Patronus charms then,’ replied Ginny, attempting an upbeat tone.

In truth, Ginny was finding it increasingly hard to stay resilient. She had not received post from her family in days, and the snippets of news she heard from other students were always of people vanishing, bodies being discovered and draconian new laws. The only anchor of hope she could cling onto was Potterwatch; one-by-one various members of the Order and her family had been speakers on it, and though much of the news was horribly depressing, it was not second-hand gossip from other students, which was oddly soothing in the confusing climate of chaos.
Arabella Figg had gone missing, there had been an instance of Muggle hunting reported in Thirsk, a family called the Cattermoles had escaped to France, and Seamus had burst into relieved tears when it was reported that Dean Thomas had met Ted Tonks and joined him on the run in the wilderness.

‘See?’ Neville had said reassuringly as Seamus sobbed. ‘He’s fine! Even managed to get a message to them to let us know he’s safe.’

‘He’s smart, Seamus,’ Lavender added. ‘I bet he knew just how worried you’d be and wanted you to know what’s happening. He knows you care.’

They had even been updated on Harry, Ron and Hermione. Lee’s voice had coolly announced that ‘while contact with Potter has not been made directly, we have received information from a close source that he and his companion are alive and well, working relentlessly against You-Know-Who, and can confirm that it was indeed Potter who infiltrated the Ministry in September.’

The announcement had made the D.A members erupt in cheering and applause, many students jumping up and down so vigorously that the Room of Requirement’s torches shook in their brackets. Lavender had started crying, Seamus punched the air in delight, and Neville had gripped Hannah Abbot in a fierce hug.

‘Isn’t it wonderful?’ exclaimed Pavarti. ‘What d’you think he’s doing?’

‘Something heroic, no doubt,’ said Romilda soppily.

‘I wonder who the close source is?’ said Ginny. ‘How do they know he’s all right if they haven’t made direct contact with him?’

‘It’s Harry! He always manages to be all right one way or the other,’ said Seamus.

But Ginny remained obsessed with finding out who the source was, lying awake hours into the night desperately running through Order members and people Harry trusted enough to speak to. There weren’t many.

Hearing about Harry was infuriating. It had at once filled her simultaneously with hope and with unease. Firstly, because she didn’t see how he could make contact with anyone safely, and, secondly, because it was still essentially rumour. Until she saw him living and breathing in front of her she would not be satisfied that he was safe.
Luna’s smuggled Quibbler magazines did not offer much more information on who the source could be, although it did suggest that Harry could be raising an army of Umgubular Slashkilters. Luna also promised her that they had big plans to write more about Harry. The temptation to write to her family and ask directly grew every day, so she threw her energy into the D.A in an effort to distract herself.

‘I was thinking of teaching everyone my Bat-Bogey jinx,’ she told Demelza as they made their way to Transfiguration.

‘But that’s your signature spell!’

‘Yes, but it would be nice to see it around a bit more. Preferably being tried out on some Slytherins.’

Demelza giggled, and they entered the Transfiguration classroom enthusiastically creating a list of targets they agreed were quite deserving of the jinx.

‘-And Malfoy, obviously,’ finished Ginny, settling down at their desk behind Colin.

‘Did you hear about him?’ asked Colin, turning so quickly in his seat that his ink pot went flying. ‘Him and Carrow?’

‘No?’

‘Carrow hit him! First Slytherin to be punished by them, I think.’

‘You’re joking?’ said Ginny. ‘What for? I’d have thought they’d be best mates.’

‘Seamus says that Amycus Carrow was trying to make them learn the Imperious curse, and he told Malfoy to demonstrate it on Pavarti, but then…’ He fell silent as McGonagall entered the room, marching in with her usual stern expression.

‘Robins, come and hand out these mice,’ she barked. Demelza pulled a face, but rose obediently. Colin turned back to face the front.

‘Then what?’ whispered Ginny urgently.

‘He refused,’ Colin whispered back over his shoulder.

‘What? Why?’

‘Dunno.’

Ginny could barely concentrate on vanishing her mouse. What on earth would make Malfoy suddenly gain a conscience?

‘Miss Weasley,’ said McGonagall. ‘If you could stay behind for a few moments after class, I need to speak to you about your essay.’

Her stomach plummeted. That really had been an appalling essay. Feeling slightly ashamed, she gave her mouse a sharp prod with her wand. Nothing happened, but the creature gave a very loud squeak.

‘Sorry,’ she muttered at it.

‘Did you struggle with that essay too?’ asked Demelza kindly. ‘I didn’t understand it at all, just copied from the textbook.’

‘I’m going to fail my N.E.W.Ts,’ said Ginny miserably. ‘I’ll end up working on the Knight Bus, or in Magical Maintenance or something.’

‘No, you won’t, you did really well on your O.W.Ls. Anyway, I thought you wanted to play Quidditch? You don’t need N.E.W.Ts for that. You may as well drop out at this point, you’d get on a team straight away.’

‘I don’t think my mother could live with the shame of a fourth child dropping out. She doesn’t think Quidditch is a good career path anyway,’ she added, wrinkling her nose.

‘What does she want you to do then?’

‘I don’t know, something respectable at the Ministry, I suppose.’ She wondered vaguely if her mother’s opinions would have changed now that joining the Ministry was effectively working for Death Eaters. Her father was still working there, of course, but she didn’t think it would be long before he’d have to leave.

She approached McGonagall’s desk with trepidation at the end of class, taking a deep breath. ‘Professor, I’m sorry about that essay, I know it wasn’t very good, but in my defence-’

‘Sit down, Miss Weasley,’ said McGonagall patiently, conjuring a chair opposite her desk. ‘Your essay was fine.’

‘Oh. Er…’ She sat, and McGonagall surveyed her carefully over her glasses.

‘I feel I must ask if you know who informed Potterwatch that Mr Potter, Mr Weasley and Miss Granger are all alive?’

Ginny’s heart sank. ‘The Order doesn’t know?’

McGonagall glanced to the door, raised her wand and quietly cast a charm over them. ‘All I know is that it has come from an Order member, I hoped that it was possibly a member of your family…?’

‘Oh… No... At least, nobody’s told me anything.’

‘I see. I apologise for asking. I am quite concerned, of course, and would appreciate hearing about them for myself.’

There was an awkward pause. Ginny was not sure she had ever seen the usually stern McGonagall quite like this before. The fierce protectiveness and anxiety over the welfare of her students was etched upon her face in stressed lines and exhausted eyes.

‘I didn’t realize you listened to Potterwatch, Professor,’ she said.

There was a trace of a smile. ‘Naturally. I’d quite happily speak on it as a guest if my voice was a little less recognizable. I hope I am correct in thinking it’s a Gryffindor favourite in the evenings?’

Ginny bit her lip. It was a risk, but she didn’t know another teacher that she trusted more. ‘Well… Sort of. We’ve… Do you remember the D.A?’

Now Professor McGonagall really did smile; a wry, unsurprised smile that immediately put Ginny at ease. ‘I assume this has something to do with the recent rise in revolutionary misdemeanors? I’ll ask no more.’

Ginny grinned back, but there was a heaviness on her chest. ‘Does this mean it’s still just a rumour that they’re all right then? If even you don’t know?’ To her embarrassment, her eyes were becoming hot with tears. A feeling like homesickness was making her heart ache, and she half-expected her mother to march through the door and hug her.

‘I suppose, though it’s certainly better than rumours of the opposite nature.’

‘I need to go home,’ said Ginny abruptly. ‘I need to see my family.’

‘You know you can’t,’ said McGonagall firmly. ‘I’m sorry, Miss Weasley-’

‘-Professor, please-’

‘-But we cannot arouse suspicions by allowing you to return home. The Christmas holiday is in just two weeks, and then you will be able to see your family. Our best chance of helping your brother, Potter and Miss Granger is keeping a low profile and persevering through the new regime… perhaps with a little disruption from yourself and other inclined students.’

Ginny nodded dully, hardly caring now that she was close to crying. ‘But they’re probably all right, you think? Ron and Hermione and…?’

‘As far as we know,’ said McGonagall. ‘I understand you have Herbology next? I have already spoken to Professor Sprout. She is happy to cover for you if you don’t feel able to go.’

‘No, I will,’ said Ginny. She could think of nothing worse than sitting in the common room and letting her imagination run away with her. ‘I’ll be fine. I’m doing quite well, you know, doing the D.A and helping Luna hide copies of The Quibbler round the castle, in library books and statues of armour and things…’ She was babbling, and revealing far more than she should. She trailed off and paused, before adding glumly, ‘I just worry about them. All the time. But I’ll go to class. I need to keep myself distracted.’

McGonagall nodded sympathetically. ‘If you’re sure, Miss Weasley. Do try to think of this as a positive development.’

But it wasn’t a positive development, Ginny thought as she made her way to the greenhouses. It was hardly a development, little more than hearsay, so secretive that even a senior member of the Order wasn’t aware of where it had come from. The only people on Potterwatch that week had been Lee, Lupin and Bill. She doubted Lee was quite close enough to Harry or Ron to be trusted to contact, and he barely knew Hermione at all. Bill would certainly have found a way to tell her or her family, he’d know how much it would mean to them. Lupin, however, had made contact with them once before since the wedding, and with a flutter of hope she recalled the twins telling her that he, Tonks and Mrs Tonks would be joining them for Christmas. She resolved to get the information out of him one way or the other, and felt safe in assuming that Tonks would be a useful ally. It had to be him. It had to be.

The next two weeks went by at the pace of a flobberworm, and Ginny spent much of it feeling viciously impatient. She was able to unleash some of her frustration on Crabbe and Goyle, who made the mistake of walking alone through the grounds beneath the Astronomy tower, where she had chosen to go and sulk. The bats that battered them round the heads cheered her up immensely. She had also been very satisfied with Neville and Hannah, who, apparently inspired by a recent Herbology lesson, sneakily levitated small amounts of Hippogriff manure into the robe hoods of the unaware Carrows.

At the last D.A session of term, she was able to catch up with Pavarti, who told her more about Draco’s unfortunate encounter with the Carrows.

‘It was really weird,’ she said. ‘He didn’t seem sure of what to do at all, he just looked embarrassed and awkward. Completely out of character.’

‘Huh,’ said Ginny, feeling rather clueless. They stood in silence for a few minutes, watching Seamus demonstrating the Levicorpus spell on a first year, who was squealing in delight. ‘It wasn’t a big gesture to show that he secretly likes you then?’

‘Oh, Merlin no,’ she said, laughing. ‘No, he did it in the end, once Carrow had slapped him round the head. He looked furious though, I don’t think he ever expected to be treated like the rest of us.’

‘What did he make you do? Are you all right?’

‘Nothing, really, just walk around the room a bit and stand on a chair. Carrow looked a bit disappointed, but I think he regretted hitting Malfoy, so he didn’t say anything.’

The other mystery that occupied Ginny’s thoughts was who had betrayed her and Luna to the Carrows. She had been very secretive around her dorm mates since then, but nobody had shown any signs of guilt and all three had continued to attend D.A meetings, apparently without tipping off any Death Eaters. She had begun to wonder if rather than an attempt to support the Carrows, it was something more personal against Luna. She had a tendency of making people feel rather uncomfortable, and Polly, Zaha and Demelza were all visibly irritated when Luna sat with them at meal times.
This was most evident just a few days before the end of term, when before Luna had fully sat on the long wooden bench, Polly burst out with, ‘you’ll get us all into trouble if you keep sitting here!’

Luna raised an eyebrow. ‘I just thought you’d all like to see the latest edition of The Quibbler.’

‘We would,’ said Ginny firmly, throwing a filthy look at Polly.

Luna reached into her bag and pulled out the glossy magazine. Harry’s face smiled from the front of it, under a bold red headline saying ‘SUPPORT HARRY POTTER’.

‘It’s a good one,’ she said proudly. ‘Daddy’s thrown all caution to the wind.’

‘Bloody hell, Luna,’ said Seamus, looking rather alarmed. ‘You might as well have written “arrest me” as the headline.’

Luna ignored him and flattened the magazine out on the table, opening it to the editor’s letter on the first page, where a small picture of Mr Lovegood’s head stared out at them with a, thoughtful, pondering expression. Everyone gathered round to read, craning their necks awkwardly.

Dear Readers,

It is the duty of every witch and wizard opposed to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to support Harry Potter, the Chosen One who will bring about the end to this violent conflict. We will no longer pander to the sensitivities and fears of the general public at the expense of justice. To stay silent and conform to Ministry law is to condone and support You-Know-Who himself. For years we have allowed You-Know-Who to advance and wreak havoc on our proud nation by willingly swallowing propaganda against Potter.

It was this magazine alone, dear readers, that in 1995 supported Potter and Dumbledore as they desperately tried to warn us of the horrors awaiting. It was this magazine alone that enabled Potter to reveal how he witnessed the return of You-Know-Who, free from cruel slander. It was this magazine alone that has unrelentingly supported the Boy-Who-Lived, never repeating the vicious and false accusations of mental instability and violent temperament.

This edition will therefore continue our support of Harry Potter, by republishing that same interview, and taking a closer look at the life of the Chosen One, from infancy to present mystery. The features that follow are not authorized biographies, but have been created in good faith from valued and trusted sources who have been appalled at the lies printed against him.

I urge you to read carefully and join me in open support.

Xenophilius Lovegood.


‘Fantastic, Luna,’ said Ginny. ‘How on earth are you getting these in? You’re brilliant.’

Luna beamed. ‘I’ll make plenty of copies and put them in books in the library; leaving them behind tapestries isn’t working anymore, I don’t think, they’re getting found by Filch. Spread the word, they’ll be in books about magical creatures.’

They spent a few more minutes flicking through the magazine, marveling at the pictures of Harry and the detailed accounts of his life. ‘How did you get this one, Luna?’ asked Ginny, pointing to a picture of the house at Privet Drive Harry had grown up in.

‘Daddy knew Mrs Figg. She sent us this about a week before she disappeared… Gave us lots of stories about the section on his childhood too. She’d been meaning to send it to us for ages, but there were Death Eaters watching his old house for months in case he came back.’

Seamus snorted. ‘Stupid prats. There’s no way Harry would hang around there, he hated it, we used to hear him moaning about it to Ron, didn’t we Nev?’

Neville nodded absentmindedly. ‘It looks so… ordinary. I always thought Harry would have grown up somewhere a bit more exciting.’

‘Carrows,’ said Polly sharply.

Neville seized the magazine and clumsily hid it up his shirt. Pavarti wrenched her Gryffindor tie off and hurriedly pushed it over Luna’s head, Demelza and Colin scooted along in an attempt to hide her from view, and Ginny set her face into one of complete innocence.

‘What’s going on?’ asked Alecto Carrow, glancing shiftily across the group. Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny saw Zaha silently slip away, unnoticed by the Carrows.

‘Nothing,’ said Neville. ‘We’re having dinner.’

‘Why were yeh all crowded round like that?’ asked Amycus. ‘All bunched up together. What was it yeh were all looking at?’

They were silent, some of them attempting confused shrugs.

‘Well, yeh not supposed to gather in groups of more than three anyway,’ said Alecto. ‘All student groups and societies-’

‘It’s dinner!’ exclaimed Seamus. ‘We’re not gathering, we’re having dinner.’

The Carrrows still looked suspicious and Alecto looked enraged at Seamus’ cheek, but as quickly as she had gone, Zaha had returned, trailing behind Professor McGonagall.

‘Is there a problem?’ asked McGonagall, looking at the Carrows with distaste.

There was a long pause. ‘Just keepin’ an eye on them,’ said Amycus.

‘Good,’ said McGonagall. ‘I need to speak with a few of them anyway, if you’ll give me a few moments?’

The Carrows reluctantly walked away, and Professor McGonagall began discussing their recent Transfiguration grades, glancing sideways at the retreating backs of the Death Eaters as she did.

‘Incidentally, Miss Lovegood, you ought to return to your own table. I think you should count yourself lucky that they didn’t notice you.’

‘Pavarti lent me her tie, so I wouldn’t stand out,’ said Luna. ‘It was very smart of her.’
‘Indeed, but all the same, let’s not push your luck any further… I believe Madam Pince will be in a meeting with me for the hour after dinner, if you need to get any homework done…’

Ginny could have sworn that she gave them a wink.

***

The last day of school arrived in a flurry of hail, stinging Ginny’s cheeks as she loaded her trunk into the carriage. That Dementors were roaming the grounds was no longer a rumour; they lingered at the edges of the lake, drifting back and forth between swirls of mist. They were far enough away not to pose a threat, but Ginny could still feel a creeping sadness at the edge of her mind, and she thought inexplicably of the sound of dripping water.

As soon as the carriage door was shut, however, warmth returned and her excitement grew as she thought of home. By the time they were clambering onto the crowded train, she was practically bouncing with excitement.

‘Any plans for Christmas?’ she asked them cheerfully, peering into the compartments. ‘Ah, I think this one’s free…’

‘Just family, I suppose,’ said Neville. ‘Gran keeps going on about how you never know what might happen so we all have to make the most of it.’

‘My mum’s the same, she’s invited some family friends apparently, I don’t know how we’ll all fit...’ The train shuddered into motion, and Hogwarts, barely visible through the grey hail and fog, began to crawl away from view. ‘Reckon anyone is staying?’

‘I think lots of Slytherins are,’ said Luna.

‘Makes sense,’ shrugged Neville. ‘How did distribution go, Luna?’

‘Oh, very well,’ she replied, looking pleased. ‘I checked this morning and all the magazines were gone, even the one I put in A Wizard’s Most Thorough Encyclopedia of Magical Snails. I think the next order will have to be much bigger.’

‘How are you smuggling them in?’ asked Ginny, curiously. ‘It’s been driving me mad trying to figure it out.’

‘Daddy’s been transfiguring them to look like Magda’s Magical Maxipads,’ replied Luna casually.

Neville blushed so deeply that Ginny couldn’t help but howl with laughter. ‘Are you serious? It’s that simple? They fell for that?’

‘Yes, well, it’s Filch and Amycus Carrow that check our post, isn’t it? They’re so squeamish about witches products that they barely hold them long enough to run the detectors over them, it’s a bit sad really. I just reverse the spell once I get them.’

‘That’s genius, Luna,’ said Ginny admiringly. ‘I should tell Fred and George. Poor Filch, I bet he’s been feeling really uncomfortable.’

Neville shook his head, dumbfounded. ‘That’s just… Bizarre.’

Ginny sniggered, but wasn’t able to tease Neville due to the arrival of Seamus, who looked rather serious. ‘Are you all right?’ she asked him. His face was pale, and his eyes watering slightly.

‘Yeah, I just… It’s stupid…’

‘Sit down,’ ordered Neville. ‘What’s happened?’

Seamus sat heavily, placing trembling fingers over his eyes. ‘Nothing’s happened. It’s just… I’m feeling a bit… Where will Dean be at Christmas, you know? I helped him put protective charms over his mum’s house, but he can’t go back and…’

‘He’ll be all right,’ said Ginny gently. ‘He’s with Ted Tonks and Dirk Cresswell, remember? I’ve never met Ted Tonks, but I know his daughter and she’s brilliant. I imagine Ted’s a top bloke.’

‘And Gran knows Dirk,’ added Neville. ‘He’s really nice, honest. They won’t have a great Christmas, but he won’t be on his own.’

‘I just miss him,’ said Seamus gruffly. ‘It was always me and him, y’know?’

‘I know,’ said Neville, quietly. For a moment, there seemed to be the trace of resentment in Neville’s face, but he seemed to shake it off quickly, giving Seamus a reassuring slap on the shoulder. ‘It’ll be all right,’ he said bracingly. ‘Things will be back to normal soon enough.’

The train began to slow. Ginny frowned. ‘This can’t be good…’

The hail and sleet was still hammering the train, splashing against the window with such ferocity that they were blinded to the outside world. She could hardly see if the shifting grey was water or the shadows of people.
The shouts and shrieks confirmed it.

‘Death Eaters again,’ said Seamus. ‘Bloody hell, they already searched for him when we were coming in, why would he be on the train going out?’

Neville pressed his face against the compartment door to look down the corridor, and swore quietly. ‘It’s that Lestrange bloke…’

‘Rodolphus?’ asked Ginny.

‘No, the other one, the one who got his head stuck in that jar and kept turning from a baby to an old man…’

Seamus, who had apparently not heard this story, looked utterly perplexed. Ginny furrowed her brow, deep in concentration.

‘I think Harry said his name was Robson? No… Rab… Rabastan!’

Neville swore again, this time much more loudly. ‘I think he saw me, he’s coming this way-’

The door slid open, and a thin, jittery-looking man appeared, two larger men flanking him and looking down at them menacingly. His eyes darted quickly around the room, and settled on Luna, who returned his piercing glare with a bright, wide-eyed contemplation.

‘Lovegood?’ he asked abruptly.

‘Yes?’

He launched forward. As he did, the two figures either side of him raised their wands, and Ginny felt invisible ropes pushing her back and binding her to the seat. She screamed and kicked against them, jerking her shoulders as she tried to reach her friend, but Lestrange had grabbed Luna roughly, one hand vice like on her upper arm and the other entangled in her hair.

Ginny’s wand had been on the seat next to her hand, and she managed to grab it and yell out a stunning spell, but she hadn’t been able to aim and so the jet of red light bounced off the wall opposite, above Lestrange’s head, and was lazily blocked by one of the Death Eaters still at the door.

‘Let go of her!’ roared Neville. ‘Leave her alone! Luna! LUNA!’ Ginny and Seamus joined him, screaming her name in a desperate, pleading prayer as they writhed against their magical constraints.

Luna made no sound as they hauled her from the train. They watched helplessly as she was pulled to her feet just outside the compartment. She gave a small, hopeful smile at them through the glass, before a black cloth bag was pushed roughly over her head, and she was dragged away.
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