|
Fighting Harry | ||||||
|
Category: Post-OotP, Post-HBP Characters:All, All Genres: Drama Warnings: None Story is Complete Rating: PG Reviews: 112 Summary: When Harry decides the time is ripe to search for the remaining Horcruxes, Ginny demands to accompany him. Harry refuses, and leaves with Ron and Hermione the day after his seventeenth birthday. But Ginny's not the sort of girl to wait at home. She'll do anything to prove that she can survive without Harry...even join Voldemort. When Harry's turned away, what will save her from the Dark? And what will Harry do, when he realizes his mistake? Hitcount: Story Total: 59881; Chapter Total: 4706 Author's Notes: Ack! I'm really sorry it's taken me so long...I've been having a lazy time of it. Forgive me? |
Previous Next |
|
||||
|
Chapter Ten: Ginny's Letter Hermione watched as Ginny threw back the Draught with tears in her eyes. This was it. She saw her friend’s eyes cloud over, as a questioning look crossed her brow. Then Ginny started to fall. “Winguardium Leviosa!” she cried, and Ginny slumped over in the air. The glass cup fell from her hands, and shattered on the stone floor. ‘Evanesco,” Snape muttered, and the glass shards disappeared, as Hermione levitated Ginny up onto the table. He lifted the locket around Ginny’s neck, and nodded at Hermione. He looked rather paler than usual. But then, Hermione felt rather paler than usual, so it was not all that strange that he should look it. They had done it. They had killed Ginny. To save her life. There was no turning back now; they had to go on. Snape opened his books and ran a finger down the page. Hermione looked at the still, pale-as-death Ginny in fright. No breath lifted her chest, no heartbeat pounded at her wrist. Her large brown eyes were closed, as though she might only be sleeping. But they would be open again soon, only Ginny would not be behind them. Voldemort would. “His soul is stirring within her,” Snape said, placing a hand on Ginny’s forehead. Hermione nodded grimly, and pulled out her wand. No turning back. * * * * Harry paced. “What do you think’s taking her so long?” Ron rubbed his forehead from his slumped-over position at the table. “Dunno. Maybe she’s staying with Ginny, or something.” “We don’t know where Ginny’s staying, do we?” Harry asked, through gritted teeth. “No, we don’t.” Ron said. Harry sat down at the table. It was going to be a long night. * * * * When Hermione returned to the apartment, she was exhausted. Physically, because it was four in the morning. Mentally, because she’d had to really focus on the arcane Dark Magic that was so difficult for her. Magically, because she’d expended herself on all of the truly difficult and demanding spells. But most of all, she was exhausted emotionally. Because she’d killed her best friend. She was too tired for tears, but her heart was bleeding. How could things have turned out like this? How could– “Harry,” she said, surprised. “Ron.” The boys were sitting at the kitchen table. Ron was asleep, but he jerked awake when he heard her voice. “Wuzzgoin on?” “What are you doing back so soon?” she asked. Merlin, she couldn’t deal with this right now. Just seeing Harry was making her stomach clench with guilt. “Hermione,” Harry said, standing up. “We need to talk.” “Can it wait till the morning?” she pleaded desperately. “I’m so tired, I haven’t slept in–” “Hermione,” Harry said. “You and Ron and Ginny and everyone else have been keeping secrets again, and I’m sick of it. You sent Ron and me to Albania on a wild goose chase. I want to know what’s going on, and I want to know now.” Before she knew it, she was yelling. “You know what, Harry? I DON’T BLOODY CARE WHAT YOU WANT! I’M DOING THE BEST I CAN HERE!” “DON’T BOTHER TELLING ME, ANYTHING, I’M ONLY THE ‘CHOSEN ONE,’” Harry roared in return. “I’M ONLY THE ONE WHO HAS TO KILL HIM, I DON’T NEED TO KNOW ANYTHING. EVER SINCE WE LEFT YOU’VE BEEN KEEPING SECRETS FROM ME! NOW SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!” Tears sprang to her eyes, and she pulled the letter from Ginny out of her pocket. “You don’t want to know, Harry, but if you insist…” “I do,” he thundered. “I want to talk to Ginny, if you aren’t going to tell me anything.” “You do? Yeah, well, you can’t,” she shot back. Raw power crackled in the air between them. “And why not? Because you won’t take me to her?” “Because she’s not there!” Hermione cried. “Then FIND HER!” he roared. “She’s been haring off on her own long enough! If I’d known that she was going to cause this many problems…” “DON’T YOU DARE BLAME HER!” Hermione screamed. “You don’t know what she’s been through! She may never–” she cut the words off, fully conscious of what she had been about to say. “She may never what, Hermione?” Hermione didn’t answer. She only threw Ginny’s letter down on the table, and ran for her bedroom, fighting back a sob. Ron followed her before she could slam the door. “What’s wrong?” he asked, once inside, and when she couldn’t answer, he shut the door. She fell into his arms, sobbing. He held her. “Is my sister all right?” he asked, when she had a better hold of herself. She looked up at him miserably. “Ron, she’s–” and Hermione stopped, as the words died in her throat. “We had to…she’s not…dead, exactly. But we’re working on a way to…isolate Voldemort’s soul, so we can destroy it without destroying her…but…part of the plan…Ron, she’s going to join the Death Eaters.” It was very hard to lie at four in the morning, and Hermione knew she wasn’t being very convincing. She got a hold of herself. “I honestly don’t know if it’s going to work or not, but it was…horrible. Voldemort…he’s…Ginny’s…” “Is she all right?” Ron repeated. Hermione met his eyes. “I hope so,” she whispered. * * * * Harry stared at Hermione’s retreating figure, angrily. What the hell had gotten into her? These last few weeks she had been on tenterhooks, and now this? Perhaps some people just cracked under pressure. Hermione had never done well before exams, always fussing and worrying. But all of these secrets…and Ginny… But he couldn’t think about Ginny without pain. His girlfriend, who wouldn’t wait for him, who wouldn’t accept his apology, who wouldn’t tell him what she was up to. His eyes moved to the letter on the table. Curious, he picked it up, and saw that it was addressed to him–in Ginny Weasley’s writing. Immediately, he opened it, and began to read. Dear Harry, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. You’re probably wondering what I’m sorry for. You probably think that I’m angry, and that I don’t care. But I do. And so I’ve made a decision, and I hope you’ll forgive me for it, one day. I’m sorry that I never told you what I knew about the Horcruxes and the prophecy, and I’m also sorry that I let you walk away not knowing what I knew or how I felt about it. And I’m even sorrier that now it’s too late. There’re no more pleasant summer days at home to talk everything through. But I wish there were. I didn’t tell you what I was feeling at the Burrow because I was hurt, and tired of being left behind while the three of you go off having adventures. I could have helped–but you didn’t care. You didn’t trust me enough to even hint at what you were planning, much less ask me to wait for you. You never gave me a chance to prove myself. That hurt me more than anything. All my life, I’ve been used and manipulated. After the Chamber, I made a decision. I would let no one–not even the famous Harry Potter–dictate my life. So I decided that I would fight–away from the three of you. I kept in touch with Hermione, because she’s always seen me as a person, rather than Ron’s little sister, and after so many years of waiting for you to notice me, I value that. I trusted her enough to tell her what I was up to; please don’t be angry with her for not sharing, I asked her not to. And she’s withheld no information that would have helped your search. Trust is so important to me, and I know it’s going to be very hard on her soon–it is now, actually, so don’t judge her because she’s looked out for me. It’s hurt her more than you know. I’m angry at you, Harry, because you took it for granted that I would wait around–and I’ve spent half my life already waiting for you. I’m tired of it, and that you didn’t care enough to be at least partially honest with me, or to even ask me how I felt or keep in touch…that hurt me. I knew you and Ron would want to come after me when you found I was missing, and that was the last thing I wanted. I’m not a liability, Harry, any more than Ron and Hermione are. I’m a person, and I’m not the same helpless little girl you saved from Tom Riddle years ago. You can’t save me now, Harry, and that’s probably what the hardest thing is for me at the moment. No matter how noble or brave you are, no matter what spell you use, you can’t save me. And that’s why I look at everything I’ve written so far and think it means nothing. Because what is trust compared to life? Voldemort takes life, and so he has to go. There’s something I should have told you as soon as I found out about, but I didn’t. You weren’t ready to hear it, a few days back, and I wasn’t ready to tell you. But you need to know, and it needs to come from me. That’s why Hermione’s held back, because I made her promise. It’s been so hard on her, and I bet she’s bawling her eyes out as you read this. I would tell you in person, but when I came by, you were in Albania. And there was no time to wait around. If you’re reading this, then I’ve already gone ahead with the plan. I’m stalling, I know. But it’s because every time I try to think of words to tell you, I freeze. I love living, and I love you, and the idea that I might never see you again is incomprehensible. Harry, I’m a Horcrux. I, Ginny Weasley, am a Horcrux, a storehouse for Voldemort. And by the time you read this, I’ll already be in his service. Because I can’t fight for the good, when a part of me if forever sold to the Dark. I don’t deserve to be with you now, but I wish I were. But Voldemort has to be destroyed. Since I’m a part of him, I guess I have to go, too. I know what you’re thinking. You don’t believe me. You can’t believe me. You think it’s impossible. So did Hermione, so did Dumbledore, and so did Snape at first. But it’s true. Even Dumbledore admitted it, though he never told you. I didn’t know, until recently. He kept you so busy when we were dating–he didn’t want you to become too attached. Hermione has my memories, and she has her own. That’ll be the proof that you need. Voldemort foresaw what I would become to you, and he understood that you would never be able to destroy me, on the off chance that you did find out about the Horcruxes. So Snape, Hermione and I have done our best to save you from having to make that decision. Listen to Snape, he’s got it all worked out. He’ll help you. You need to work with him, Harry. I know you’ve never trusted him, and never forgiven him for his words to Sirius and actions against Dumbledore. But he’s never let me down, and I trust him with more than my life. If you’re to fight and win, you need his help. Dumbledore knew it, but you could never bring yourself to follow his advice. For my sake, Harry, make your peace with Snape. I’m going to try to get rid of Nagini, and then Snape has a plan for me. After that, you’ll be clear to go for Voldemort. If everything goes well, both of us will survive the final battle. After I heard the prophecy, my dream was to be able to stand and fight by your side when you destroy Voldemort. I won’t get that chance now. I’m going to join the Death Eaters, and I’ll fight for them up until Voldemort is destroyed. I won’t be free until then, but hopefully the part of him that lives inside of me will be demolished long before. If I see you again, I won’t know you, and I’ll be as like to curse you as not, so keep your wand up, and don’t go seeking me out. I’m serious, Harry. I’ll be twice as dangerous as any other Death Eater, because you’ll be vulnerable to me, and Voldemort will know that. I know this doesn’t make any sense, but you have to trust me. This is the way that things have to be for us to win the war. I’ve have my reasons, and they’re excellent. If I had time, I’d explain, but I only have a few more minutes. If we both make it through this, I’ll explain everything. I didn’t have time to explain it to Hermione, so she won’t be able to tell you, either. I’m so sorry. If I were anyone else, this wouldn’t be an issue. But then, if you were anyone else, I’d be at your side now as well. None of this is your fault, Harry. Neither of us can change what we are. I am a Horcrux, and you are the Boy-Who-Must-Destroy-the-Horcruxes. No words can fix that. But I’ve tried to take the responsibility of this Horcrux, at least, off of your shoulders. Even though we fight on different sides, we fight for the same cause. Never forget that, even when I’m not around to remind you. If anything happens to me, then know that I loved you. I still do, and I always will. Voldemort kills, Harry. He’s destroyed more lives than can be counted. It’s his turn, now. If I have to die for him to be mortal when you face him, then so be it. I’ll die gladly. Fight for me, when I'm not around. Fight for life and for living, so that somewhere, a young girl might be saved by a hero. You were born for this, Harry James Potter. You were born to destroy Voldemort. And I was born to love you. Forgive me. Ginny Harry crumpled the letter in his hand, his eyes burning. It was dawn before he moved again. * * * * When he moved, he was filled with a rage more intense than any emotion he had ever known. How dare she play games with him? Ginny Weasley, a Horcrux! It was more than absurd--it was impossible. He stalked into Hermione's room. The two of them had been working together this entire time. What fun they must be having! Let's screw with the mind of the hero, because he hurt Ginny’s feelings. "Hermio--" he began, and stopped, horrified. Hermione was lying on the bed, tangled up with Ron. They were fast asleep, both of them, and fully dressed as well. But Ron’s arm was around her waist, and the meaning was perfectly clear. Ron would stand with Hermione, because she had already convinced him, she and Ginny, that they were right, and he, Harry, was wrong. White-hot fire licked his stomach and made his eyes burn. Were they all under the Imperius? How could they be so cruel? Harry stormed from the room. Why was everyone against him? All he had wanted was to protect her. Surely Ron at least should have understood that! And Hermione–all this time, she hadn’t said a word! And now the both of them were in cahoots with Ginny, who was determined to be revenged on him for leaving her behind! A ‘pop’ indicated someone Apparating. Harry spun around. Severus Snape was standing in his kitchen. “You!” he said, drawing his wand. “Expelliarmus!” Snape cried. Harry stood there, smoldering. “You’re in on it too, are you?” he thundered. “Working for your pal Voldemort, leading Ginny around to do your dirty work?” Something like pity flickered in Snape’s eyes. “You’re going to have to work past your anger, Potter, if you’re going to be doing any dueling. Any third-rate wizard will take you if you’re too furious to see straight. Petrificus Totalus!” he added, as Harry launched himself at him. Harry fell, motionless, to the floor. “Listen, idiot boy. The world is not out to get you. The Dark Lord is, but your friends are not, and neither am I. We are, however, out to help you end the Dark Lord. Ginny included. She is indeed a Horcrux.” Snape placed Dumbledore’s Pensieve on the table. “Her memories prove it. You think she would invent something like that, to hurt you? Just how well do you know her? And Granger? Neither of them would ever do anything that would bring you pain if they could help it. It just so happens that they can’t.” “As you know, all of the Horcruxes must be destroyed before Voldemort may be. That includes Ms. Weasley. Ms. Granger and I have been working to do so, hoping to save you the pain of having to do so yourself. So far we have not succeeded. You Gryffindors and your stupid nobility complexes.” “Ms. Weasley has joined the Death Eaters. She has indulged a different part of her being for control, in hopes that, in being put forward, it may be more easily destroyed. This was done of her own free will, but her actions now are not of her choosing. I will continue to work to see Nagini, and Ginevra, finished. When you are done with being a fool, Ms. Granger will know how to find me.” He paused. “Your mother would be ashamed of us both,” he said. Then he murmured a counter curse, and Disapparated. * * * * Denial and anger filtered out of him like hot summer rain. It was true. It had to be true. Why else would Ron keep secrets from him? Ron knew. Why else would Hermione sneak around behind his back? She must have known for a while. And why else would Snape, who hated him, lift a Body-Bind when he could have handed him over to Voldemort? Why else would Ginny leave him? He had to find her, to tell her that it was going to be all right. She must have been so lonely and scared, knowing that a part of Voldemort was living inside her. He remembered how defiled he’d felt when he’d thought Voldemort was possessing him, over a year ago. What must it be like, to feel that way all the time? And especially after the Chamber… She’d said not to go seeking her out. Well, what other choice did he have? Ginny was going to go and do something stupid, like commit suicide. He had to get to her before that. There were ways to destroy a Horcrux without destroying its carrier. There had to be. He couldn’t leave Ginny to face this alone. |
| Reviews 112 |
Previous Next
|
