So...this is my first attempt at writing a fanfic. Hooray for rabid plot bunnies that strike you out of nowhere :P Anyways, please be nice, and please review :) That being said, on to the real author's notes.
This is being written for the Marauders Map Challenge, even though the first chapter doesn't really look like it. Please be patient. I'll start getting into the important stuff next chapter. I just needed to set a few things up first.
Also, I lack a beta, so if anyone wants to volunteer, let me know. I pay in virtual cookies :)
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Redemption | ||||
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Category: The Marauders Map Challenge (2008-6) Characters:Albus Dumbledore, Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin, Ron Weasley, Severus Snape, Sirius Black Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama Warnings: Mild Language, Violence Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 12 Summary: *** The author has been reminded via the e-mail address on file that this story is listed as incomplete and has not been updated in over 2 years *** *** The author has been reminded via the e-mail address on file that this story is listed as incomplete and has not been updated in over 2 years *** It's Ginny's second year, and she's still feeling guilty about the events surrounding the Chamber of Secrets. This is the story of her quest for redemption, aided by a semi-sentient map, a large, cuddly black dog, and none other than Harry Potter. Hitcount: Story Total: 3304 Disclaimer: I don't own Harry or any other portion of the wizarding world. JKR does. Do I really need to say anything else? Author's Notes: |
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Chapter 1: Resolve Cold. It was so cold. Then he was there, as terrifying, as powerful as he always was. “Just give it to me, girl!” he spat, pointing his finger at her chest. His voice softened. “Then you’ll be free, you won’t have to hurt anyone ever again. Hand it over, and you’ll never see me again. Isn’t that what you want?” Her hand trembled. She reached, then stopped. No, I can’t do this. Think of what would happen. I have to be strong! And yet her hand trembled, inching inwards. “Please.” His tone became almost pleading. “I need it. I’ll die without it.” With that, her resolve snapped. She reached inside and pulled. It didn’t want to move, so she pulled harder, and oh Merlin it hurt! It felt like red hot needles were being dragged through her chest, but it was moving! She was getting it for him. It was coming out, she was… Biting back a scream, Ginny Weasley sat up. Her eyes widened in terror as she looked around at her pitch-black surroundings. No! It wasn’t a dream, I’m still in the Chamber, aren’t I? Please let it be a dream, oh please, please, please! An instant later, her shoulders slumped in relief as her eyes adjusted to the dark and she recognized the hangings of her bed in the second year Gryffindor girls’ dormitory. Even months after the event, she was still having terrible nightmares of her ordeal with Tom in the Chamber of Secrets. But in her dreams, unlike reality, Harry never came to rescue her. Instead, she stayed alone with Tom in the dark, listening to his pleas for her soul. However, before tonight she had never actually reached the point of surrender. Ginny’s stomach heaved as she realized what she had nearly done in the nightmare. Sweet Merlin, I was going to do it. I was really going to give it to him. How could I do something like that? How could I want to give that bastard my soul? Shuddering with fear and disgust, Ginny swung her legs out of bed and, donning a dressing gown and slippers, padded down to the common room. Throwing herself into her favorite overstuffed armchair, she let out a heavy sigh. “Can’t sleep?” For the second time that night, a scream of terror threatened to claw its way out of Ginny’s throat as she jumped to her feet, whirling around to identify the voice. “Merlin, Harry, don’t do that to me! You almost gave me a heart attack!” she gasped out, her pulse racing. “I’m sorry Ginny, I didn’t mean to scare you. I thought you saw me when you came down,” Harry said contritely, sitting down on one of the couches. “No, I didn’t see you. I was too busy thinking about…about…things.” Ginny joined him on the couch, sitting on the opposite end. “What sort of things?” Harry asked. “Never mind. Forget I said anything,” Ginny countered hastily. “So what are you doing down here this time of night, Harry?” “Can’t sleep,” he sighed. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing. I wouldn’t want to bother you with it.” “Is it about Sirius Black?” Like everyone else in the school, Ginny had learned over the summer that the notorious mass murderer Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban, the supposedly escape-proof wizarding prison, and was now on the run. Some said he was looking for Harry, to finish the job he had started by betraying Harry’s parents to Voldemort. The Ministry of Magic had posted dementors, the soul-sucking guards of Azkaban, at several important locations, including Hogwarts, in order to protect people from Black. As far as Ginny was concerned, the only thing that they did was make everyone depressed. She also suspected that they were behind the return of her nightmares, which she had nearly vanquished over the summer. Harry sighed. “Not really. I guess it’s related to him in a way, but no, I wasn’t thinking about him. I was thinking about my parents.” He paused, silence reigning for almost a minute. Then, in a quieter voice, he added, “How they died. I still remember it, you know. When the dementors get close I can hear my mum screaming at Voldemort, then there’s a green flash, and that’s it.” “Oh, I’m so sorry Harry,” Ginny said softly, sliding down the couch to give him a hug. A second later, she pulled back, blushing furiously. I hugged Harry Potter! I hugged him! I can’t believe I did that! Oh Merlin, I think I’m going to die! It was all Ginny could do to keep herself from fleeing back to her bed in embarrassment. “Thanks, Ginny. I really needed that.” Ginny blushed harder, silently thanking the darkness for hiding her cheeks. “So, what are you doing down here at,” Harry checked his watch, “four in the morning?” “I…well…I…I…,” Ginny realized there was no escape. “I had a nightmare,” she whispered. “A nightmare? About…oh. The Chamber?” Ginny buried her face in her hands and nodded. She didn’t think she could trust her voice right then. “Do you want to talk about it?” She shook her head. Why would he want to talk with me about it? How could he want to talk about what I did? I was a bloody monster! I almost killed people! I tried to kill people! “Just remember, if you ever want to talk to someone, I’ll always be ready to listen. Now I think I’m going to try to get at least a couple hours of sleep before dawn. Good night…err…morning, Ginny.” Ginny looked up in shock. “He just doesn’t get it,” she muttered. “There’s no way he, or anyone, can understand what I’ve been through, what I’ve seen. No, I have to get through his myself.” Her inner voice seemed to disagree with her though; it pointed out that Harry had already faced Voldemort three times now and he had been in the Chamber with her. Who better to understand her situation? Ginny ruthlessly silenced the voice, holding firm to her decision to face her fears alone. She stared at the doorway Harry had disappeared into for a long time before turning back to the fire. Ginny gazed into the flames, troubled thoughts running through her head, until she fell into an exhausted, dreamless slumber. |
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