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SIYE Time:12:44 on 28th March 2024
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The Lost Year
By _kb_

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Category: Post-OotP, Alternate Universe
Characters:Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Ron Weasley
Genres: General
Warnings: None
Story is Complete
Rating: PG-13
Reviews: 94
Summary: After the battle in the Department of Mysteries, Ginny seems different and more confident; she also inspires Harry to change. How did that happen? (gray H/G)
Hitcount: Story Total: 20096; Chapter Total: 1745
Awards: View Trophy Room




Author's Notes:
Bonus chapter since I had extra time recently. :)




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Chapter 4

Croaker and Betty joined Ginny a little after six with dinner. A conjured table and chairs would have to do. Betty also had a box that had ‘GWC’ on the side.

Croaker had also done something to her window and the view changed to show a corridor, one she remembered from a year ago. It was all quiet so far.

They ate mostly in companionable silence, although Ginny would occasionally ask a question she thought might be on her OWLs and they’d answer, although it was usually Betty.

It was Betty who noticed the change first. “There,” she said and pointed at the “window”. A small group in dark cloaks but without masks crept through the corridor.

“Of course, Rookwood is how they got in,” Croaker said quietly and intently. “I think he and I will be having a conversation later tonight.”

“Which one is Rookwood?” asked Ginny. “The one in front?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t remember what happened to him,” Ginny said.

“I have to let it play through to when you used the Time Turner. After that,” Croaker smiled almost evilly, “things can change.”

It was another two’ish hours before they saw Harry and his group, including a younger looking Ginny, on the monitor. Betty studied the image closely.

“You look older now, but still close enough most shouldn’t notice,” Betty said before she reached for the box and handed it to Ginny. “Go change in your bathroom area; it’ll be time soon.”

Ginny nodded and took the box to the bathroom and closed the curtain. She changed or tried too. “These slacks don’t fit too well now,” she complained.

Betty chuckled and said, “Hand them out and try on your blouse.”

Ginny thrust the slacks through a crack in the curtain. “It’s a little small too.” She handed the blouse out and her slacks were handed back.

“I’ve transfigured them larger instead of using the Enlarging charm,” Betty told her. “That should let them stay that size long enough for you get back to school. You’ll have to figure something out then, maybe borrow something from an older girl.” She handed the blouse back in too.

“All right,” Ginny answered, not sure how to handle this wrinkle. She dressed quickly and then pulled her special item out of the pocket of her other slacks and transferred it to her current slacks. Pulling her shirt down she didn’t see any bulge and smiled.

Leaving the bathroom area, Betty looked her over and then held up a photo. “Close. Sorry dearie, but your hair needs to lose nearly six inches.”

Ginny grabbed it and pulled it around to look at the end. “Really? I like it like this.”

“I’m sorry,” Betty said before she conjured some scissors and then handed the photo to Ginny.

Looking at the photo of herself from a year ago as she was lying on the bed she’d eventually wake up in, she could see what the woman meant, but she still hated to lose the length. She knew Harry liked girls with long hair. She sighed and promised herself she’d grow it out to her waist again.

Betty snipped the hair off and then vanished it.

They all watched the action, some of which caused Ginny to wince. She also realized, now that she could watch more objectively, that the Death Eaters hadn’t really tried all that hard to win, at least most of the time. She did remember the spell Hermione had been hit with though; Dolohov had not been playing nice then. Well, maybe she could change some of that.

Eventually, the battle seemed to move on and the corridor was quiet again. Ginny noticed it was about one-forty by her clock.

“Betty,” Ginny said quietly.

“Yes.”

“Thank you for everything this past year. I’ve learned so much and … I wished you were my aunt or something,” Ginny told her, meaning every word.

The woman stretched out an arm and gave the girl a hug from the side. “It’s been a good year for me too and you’re a big part of that. I’d be happy to be your aunt; but I’m sorry, I’m not related to you at all.”

Ginny nodded. “Thank you, Mr Croaker, for allowing this year. I’m really sorry about using the Time Turner, but I think it’s been good for me.”

He spared her a glance and gave her a smile. “I’m glad you see it that way. I do hope you’ve learned a valuable lesson though about picking up things you know nothing about.”

“I have.”

“Then I suppose it has worked out. Look,” he pointed at the monitor and they all saw Ginny crawling by herself.

Croaker did a spell and the white line near the door disappeared. “Let’s go and be absolutely quiet.” He opened the door and led them out.

As they neared an intersection Croaker held them there until they all saw a bright flash of light from their left. “You’re gone,” Croaker whispered, “hurry.”

Walking quickly around the corner and down a short corridor, Ginny saw they were in the Time Room.

“I’ll take these now.” Croaker summoned the remaining Time Turners and put them in his pocket.

“On the floor on your stomach,” Betty commanded her. “Do you remember your stories you’ve worked up?”

“Yes,” Ginny told her as she lay down.

“Good. I’m sorry to have do this,” Betty told her.

Ginny started to ask what when a flash of red light came and she slumped.

– – –

“I really don’t like this, but we must be consistent,” Betty said before she did one more spell.

“It had to be done to preserve the timeline,” Croaker agreed. “Now, let find Rookwood. I’d like a conversation with him. I think he might be this way.” They head off on their hunt.

– – –

Ginny woke and found herself alone. Betty had stunned her. She mostly understood. Moving to get up sent fire up her leg. “Crap!” she cursed quietly at the pain in her ankle. “Really Betty, did you have to?” She cast a numbing charm and a localized petrification on her ankle. That would help for a little while. She also conjured a cane.

Getting to her feet, she put the cane in her left hand and held her wand out. Time for her own little hunt.

The second room she visited, she found Dolohov and another who had a baby head but seemed to have knocked himself out. Moving over, she found the two were both still alive. Reaching into her pocket, she pull out a small bottle and thanked Merlin Betty hadn’t found it and confiscated it.

Taking the top off, she held it over the man’s mouth, pulled his jaw open, and squeezed the little bulb on top to squirt out a dose. Because it was Dolohov, she gave him a second dose. She had twenty doses in the bottle. The other Death Eater received a single dose. Her work done here she returned to her search, doing her best not to think about what she was really doing.

Two rooms later, she still hadn’t found her friends yet, but she found the remaining parts of the Order and about half of the Death Eaters who were lying on the floor and most were tied up.

Ginny managed to hobble down the stairs into a room with a stone arch and a veil hanging from the arch. As she reached the floor, it was Remus Lupin who saw her first -- all of the others were sitting or lying and trying to catch their breath, most were waiting for medical help. None of those seemed to be aware she was even there.

“Ginny, are you all right? Are you hurt?” Lupin asked her softly.

“My ankle has been better but I’ll live. Where are the rest?” she asked, looking over the six Death Eaters.

“Don’t know,” he answered. “You should sit down; help will be here soon.”

“All right, but I want to make sure they’re not going anywhere. We had to fight a few of them multiple times.” Now she hid the small bottle in her left hand as she leaned over whoever was in front of her and checked the ropes around this one.

“He’s not going anywhere,” Lupin told her.

She moved so her body was between the Death Eaters’s head and Lupin and gave this one a dose. “I think you’re right, but it makes me feel better to check.”

“You sound like Moody,” Lupin told her with a hint of humor as she crawled on her knees to the next one.

“Where is he?” she asked as checked this one too, also checking none of the others were looking at what she was doing. Moody could probably see what she was doing with his magical eye, though she wonder if he’d stop her or not. This one received a dose.

“Upstairs getting help. Don’t know how he managed to be able to walk away,” he said.

Ginny moved on. This one had a cut so she pushed the end of the bottle into the wound and squeezed a dose in since that was easy to hide. That was three and there were three more.

She crawled over and found this one wasn’t tied up. She put a dose in his mouth and then conjured ropes. “You forgot one,” she told him as he sat against the wall behind her.

“He looked too battered to go anywhere.”

“I still don’t trust him,” as she crawled over to the fifth. Another dose in a cut.

Finally the last and the one she’d purposefully saved for last. Lucius Malfoy was petrified and watching her. She whispered so only he could hear her. “You’re going to pay for giving me that diary, you bastard.” To avoid issues, she stunned him before she used her wand to make a small cut on his arm and pushed the end of the bottle in the cut.

“Ginny, he’s not going anywhere,” Lupin said as he got up and shuffled over.

Ginny squeezed the bottle a total of three times to make sure it took. Sliding the bottle back into a pocket as she stood, she moved a little further away so Lupin couldn’t stop her. Rising shakily to her feet, she balanced herself carefully with her cane before she stomped hard, twice before he got there.

“Damn it, Ginny, you can’t injure him more now that’s he captured; it isn’t right. And to kick him between the legs, at least he can’t even feel it now. Come sit.” Lupin pulled her over to the nearest wall. “Why did you do it?”

“You don’t know what he did to me?” Ginny growled, causing the man to look at her sharply for making a noise like that. At his blank look, she added, “He was the one who gave me the diary in my first year that possessed me. I had Tom Riddle … You-Know-Who … in my head for most of a year because of him.”

“I’m really sorry,” he told her. “I understand your anger but I can’t let you do that again or you might get into trouble.”

“It still felt good to get that out of my system though and I bet he feels it when he wakes.” She looked at him and they both started to chuckle then laugh.

Lupin stopped first. “Ginny, are you good friends with Harry?”

“Good enough, I suppose,” she replied while hoping to improve that.

“Help him as much as you can then. He, uh…” Lupin struggled and then stopped.

“What? Tell me he’s still alive?” she asked almost in a panic. “I saw him jump over me not long ago and he was alive then.”

“Sirius was killed tonight,” Lupin said quietly as he looked across the room at the arch, causing Ginny to look at him in horror. “Bella hit him with a spell and he flew backward into the Veil, the Veil of Death.”

Ginny looked at the arch of stone a little differently now and even felt like she wanted to move further from it. “Oh no,” she finally got out in a hoarse whisper.

“He’s going to need his friends,” Lupin said.

Ginny sat there in shock for a couple of minutes, which was just long enough for help to arrive in the form of Aurors and a healer to do triage.

It seemed to take forever, but Ginny was finally helped up when it was found she could walk even if it was slowly. Heading up, she found a bathroom and went inside. Quickly, she pulled the bottle of poison with its squeeze applicator and vanished it all before washing her hands and then leaving the room to head up to where the rest of the healers where. Eventually, she was sent back to Hogwarts by the Floo and Madam Pomfrey fixed her up, as she’d done for Luna and Neville.

“Where’s Ron and Hermione and Harry?” she asked.

“Your brother and Ms Granger are at St Mungo’s,” the medi-witch answered. “As for Mr Potter, I don’t know but I’d guess he’s with the Headmaster. Make yourself comfortable dear, you’ll be here overnight.”

Ginny nodded and tried to do as she was told. However, she had trouble getting to sleep despite how late it was and how tired she was. Thoughts of wondering if Harry was all right and what she’d done to eight Death Eaters as well as continually justifying her actions to herself kept her awake for some time.




Ginny woke up late the next day, at least late for what she was used to during the last year. Looking around she saw Neville eating a brunch and Luna just sitting on her bed staring into space. She was still a little tired but determined to not go back to sleep.

“Are you two all right?” she asked.

Neville stop eating. “I’m good now. Pomfrey fixed my nose before I went to sleep. How are you?”

Ginny wiggled her foot and found her ankle was just fine, though maybe a little stiff. “I’m good now. Luna?”

The blonde turned slowly to look at her. “I’m perfectly fine, thank you for asking.”

The conversation had apparently been enough to attract the attention of the school nurse as she came bustling out. “Oh good, you’re awake. How are you feeling Ms Lovegood and Ms Weasley?”

Each replied they were good and a quick diagnostic spell confirmed that before she left as quickly as she’d come with a hurried, “I’ll send for breakfast” over her shoulder.

Ginny had no idea why the woman was in such a hurry but it was obvious she felt she was needed elsewhere. Dreading this moment yet not wanting to put it off, Ginny arose, found a gown at the end of her bed, put it on, and then went over and sat on Luna’s bed very close to her. “Can we talk?” she asked quietly.

Luna cocked her head and looked at her. Just as quietly she said, “You’ve changed.” Reaching up she put a hand on Ginny’s forehead, which shocked the redhead. “No,” the blonde said as she pulled her hand back, “it’s not from the Heliopaths.”

Ginny blinked and then did her best to ignore that statement and instead focused on her planned conversation. “Luna, I really can’t tell you so please don’t ask.”

“You’re not allowed to, all right,” Luna said getting straight to the point in her unusual way and with acceptance.

That made Ginny a little happier. “Listen, they give the OWLs at the Ministry in two weeks for those who don’t go to Hogwarts. Have you ever considered taking them early to skip a grade? I’ve been thinking about it and preparing, but I’d like you to join me if you feel you can do it. You’re a Ravenclaw and so smart, so if anyone could do it I know it’d be you. But if you’re not ready, then you shouldn’t.” She stopped there, aware she was starting to ramble a little.

Luna blink at her for a moment. “It’s strange. I received a letter a little after Christmas that wasn’t signed. It suggested I study for the OWLs and maybe take them early. I mentioned that to you and you scoffed and yet here you are asking me.”

Ginny stared blankly trying to remember what would have been a year and half ago for her. Slowly the conversation on taking their OWLs early returned and she felt bad for not remembering. Ginny looked down for a moment. “It was too much at the time and I didn’t think you were serious; I’m sorry.” She hated to do this but she was going to have to stretch the truth. “Maybe you influenced me anyway without me realizing it.”

Luna looked at her carefully. “I don’t think that’s the whole truth, but I sense you can’t tell me this either. I’d be concerned about Wrackspurts but I don’t see those about you. I suppose the real question is if you can take them.”

“I’m ready now. The problem is,” Ginny sighed, “I haven’t asked my parents yet. I think Dad will let me so I plan to ask him.”

Luna nodded. “I’ve already asked Daddy and he’s said yes. He tried to sign me up and found that my name along with yours is already on the list. Isn’t that strange?”

“Yes,” Ginny agreed with a smile, “but convenient.”

“I suppose.”

Looking around, she noticed that their breakfasts were waiting on them, being delivered by a silent house-elf she imagined. She also saw that Neville had finished eating and was doing a poor job of acting like he wasn’t trying to listen in.

“Neville, you won’t say anything, will you?” asked Ginny. “I want it to be a surprise.”

The boy turned slowly and looked at them. “You don’t know what you’re getting into. They’re hard.”

“Neville, you’re my friend,” Ginny said as she turned to face him and give him her full attention, “but not a word to anyone or my Bat-Boogey hex will be least thing I do.”

He nodded vigorously.

As the trays were identical, Ginny grabbed one and handed it to Luna before taking one for herself. “Let’s eat and then go since we’re all feeling fine.”

“All right,” Luna answered airily before she started to eat.

Neville just looked at her, a little fear showing, amusing Ginny. It was just like when she had to deal with Ron sometimes.

Madam Pomfrey was still gone when they finished breakfast so the two girls changed into their normal clothes before the three left without being stopped.

Ginny gave Luna a hug when they parted and then she and Neville continued on to Gryffindor Tower.

“You can be scary at times,” Neville said quietly as they walked.

Ginny smiled again. “I have six brothers so I like to think I’ve learn a thing or two about dealing with boys.”

It was quiet for a long moment before Neville added, “I pity your first serious boyfriend.”

A laugh escaped Ginny, she couldn’t help it. Michael had never been serious, but a serious boyfriend? “He’ll do just fine if he wants to or he wouldn’t be a serious boyfriend.”

“You’ve changed,” he told her as the approached the Tower.

“Last night changed a lot of things,” she said, her standard answer for a lot of question she knew she’d receive over the coming weeks.

After a shower to clean up, Ginny returned to the common room and walked over to Neville. “Is Harry upstairs?”

“Yes, but go easy on him. He looks like crap and he’s moody.”

Ginny nodded. “He has a really good reason for that.”

As she left for the boys’ staircase, she heard Neville say, “I really don’t think you want to go.” She didn’t respond and kept going. This was going to be either the hardest or easiest conversation for the next two weeks. Perhaps Luck was smiling on her and it’d be easy for the conversation with Luna had been easier than expected.

Ginny pushed open the door to the fifth year boys room since it was partially open and blinked. There was Harry in only a towel walking out of the bathroom.

“Wow,” she said as coolly as she could manage given the circumstance that made her feel warm, “I could sell tickets for this but I get a free show.”

He blushed but returned, “Do you mind giving a bloke a little privacy? It’s not like I can walk in on you.”

“I don’t think I’d mind,” she smirked and watched his previous blush deepen, “but I understand your point. We need to talk about a few things, but I’ll wait.”

She reached for the doorknob but stopped when he said a little demandingly, “What?” His normal disposition was not present, showing Neville’s comment to be true.

“Several things,” she repeated and closed the door before taking a seat on nearest step. Maybe this wasn’t going to be so easy, but she was going to do it because she’d promised herself in addition to her promise to Lupin.

Lee Jordan came down the steps from above and saw her, stopped, and grinned. “There’s rumors going around the school about the six of you. Also, Umbridge is gone; so good job on that. Then there’s you sitting here and I know Ron’s not in there. Are tickets available because I can sense something fun coming?”

She’d always like Lee because he fit in so well with her twin brothers. She smiled at him. “Hard to say on that and I don’t have any tickets, but you’re welcome on Umbridge though that was really Harry’s and Hermione’s doing.”

“I’ll thank them later.” The door opened and there stood Harry. “It’s about time,” Lee said before he continued down the stairs.

Harry watched Lee Jordan leave and then looked at Ginny. “What was that about?”

“You know Lee,” she shrugged and stood, “friendly banter.”

“I’m not going to like this conversation, am I?” he asked with a frown.

“That’s hard to say, but it should probably be private,” she answered. She watched him debate it with himself and she thought he’d probably determined he wasn’t going to be able to get out of this, which was true if she could help it.

“Let’s go then, I need to be outside.” He started down the stairs and she followed.

“It seemed to be pleasant when I walked by the window in our dorm room,” she replied easily as she considered what she was going to say.

Harry walked thru the common room with barely a pause, garnering looks from everyone who was there. She caught a few looking at her as she followed closely behind Harry. Once they were out of the Tower she sped up to walk beside him.

“In a hurry?” she asked casually.

He looked at her then slowed down a little. “Sorry, I’m just … not at my best. This really may not be the best time to talk about whatever you’re thinking about.”

“What do you think I’m thinking about?” she returned with a hint of amusement and watched him.

It took a long moment but he finally said, “Last night.”

They continued walking. “I have several topics, some much more pleasant than that,” she said vaguely.

He looked at her but kept going in silence until they walked out the front door. There were a few others out but they were all in the distance. They walked towards the lake and stopped under a large tree that gave shade from the mid-day sun but it was obvious no one else was around.

Harry looked at her expectantly but didn’t say anything.

“Fine,” she told him, “let’s get the big one out of the way first.” Slowly, she reached forward with one hand and placed it on his upper arm, something he watched with a slight frown. “I didn’t see it, but Remus told me what happened.”

He stiffened.

“I’m so sorry, Harry. I know you’ll miss Sirius most of all, but the rest of us who knew him will miss him too.” She watched him struggle for a second. “He was fun and silly at times, even occasionally immature, but he loved you; he told me so that first summer before you got there.”

His head dropped and he started to turn away.

Ginny grabbed his other arm and pull him to her, wrapping him in a gentle but firm hug. “He was like a favorite uncle to me so I can only imagine how you feel right now.”

His arms grabbed her and his head went to her shoulder so his face was in her hair. She could feel him shaking even if he wasn’t making a sound.

“It’s all right,” she soothed softly and patted and rubbed his back. “Let it out anyway you want. We can scream and shout about it together also if you want.”

Harry snorted and shook a little more but kept his face in her hair. She smiled to herself and continued to hold him as he let a little of his grief out.

It was several minutes before he sniffled and then pulled back a little to pull his glasses off and wipe his eyes. She let him move only a little, still holding him loosely and he either didn’t notice or didn’t seem to care.

“I know it’ll take time, but is it a little better now?” she asked.

He put his glasses back on and nodded. “A little, thanks.”

“Anytime.” She noticed his hands went naturally to her sides and he held her loosely as well.

“You’ve changed,” he told her. “I’ve seen glimpses during the year, but now...”

“Big events do that,” she told him. “I have a different perspective on a few things now; don’t you?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Do you want to know a secret? I think you’ll like this one,” she teased him with the news.

“Sure.”

“It took me longer than I’d like to admit, but I realized this isn’t...” She had to pause. “I don’t know how to explain it, but this wasn’t just arguing. This is really war.”

Harry nodded slowly. “Yeah, people are … dying.”

Ginny nodded back not wanting to mention Sirius again just yet. “I started to wonder why it’s just us, you know, the good guys getting hurt. Good is supposed to win over evil but it doesn’t feel like it far too often.”

He nodded again. “I know.”

“I did something to help you, to help all of us,” she whispered.

Harry looked at her sharply, his look demanding to know what.

She pulled him close into a light hug and whispered in his ear. “Some of them aren’t going get out of jail or prison.” Ginny leaned back and looked into his eyes and she could see hope. “I also kicked Lucius Malfoy where it counts — twice.”

Harry’s looked turned to one of incredulity before he started laughing a deep and almost hysterical laugh.

When he calmed down and was only smiling broadly, she added, “Sadly, he was stunned at the time, but I bet he wasn’t happy when he woke.” If he woke, she added to herself.

Harry was still grinning when he said, “I’m sure. Merlin I’d have liked to have seen that and when he woke.” After a moment, he sobered up. “What did you do to them?”

Ginny wasn’t sure how much she wanted to admit nor how she could explain how she so conveniently had a poison on her, so she finally said, “Let’s say that Tom will have fewer Death Eaters to help him out in a day or maybe two at most, plus I got revenge on Malfoy for the diary, and leave it at that. Please?”

He considered it for a long moment. “All right, we all have our secrets.”

If you only knew she thought. “Can I ask you about two more things?”

He shrugged, “I suppose,” before he grinned and added, “I might even answer.”

She smiled at him and looked into his green eyes as well as enjoyed their embrace that he seemed to have either forgotten about or enjoyed too. “Did you find your OWLs hard?”

He blinked, not expecting that topic obviously. “The written parts, the practicals were pretty easy though.”

“Good. I was thinking about taking them this summer and then joining you in sixth year. Would that be all right with you?” She asked innocently and almost laughed at his shocked look.

“Seriously?!”

“Yes, if I can convince my parents and I think I can.” She watched him.

“Sure, if you think you can,” he told her with amusement. “I hope I’m around when you tell Ron though.”

Ginny giggled. “That will be epic, but I’d also ask you keep this a secret for a few weeks. For me please?”

“Sure, as long as you tell me what happens if I’m not there.”

“I can do that.” Here it goes, she thought. “I’d like to spend more time with you … like this even.” She watched him think about that for a long moment before she saw the proverbial sudden understanding look and it was comical.

When he started to squirm, she popped him lightly on the back with one hand and he stilled. “We’ve been holding each over almost the entire time we’ve been out here,” she pointed out. “Has it been bad?” She gave him the look daring him to disagree.

“No,” he said finally.

“Just no?” she pressed.

He finally shook his head. “No, it’s been … pleasant actually.”

“I won’t demand more of an answer for now, but I’d like you to think about this. Promise me?” she almost pleaded.

He looked into her eyes and finally nodded. “Maybe we can write?”

“I’d like that,” she smiled at him. “We can talk too when we get together.” She frowned at a thought. “Where are you staying this summer?”

Harry looked down. “Probably have to go back to the Dursleys like usual.”

Ginny worked through a few thoughts. “Why?”

“I’m supposed to, it’s where I grew up.” He looked very uncomfortable saying that.

“But you don’t like it ... at all, do you?” She ventured.

“No.”

She considered that some more. “You could go stay at Sirius’s house, but my guess is that wouldn’t be a good idea right now, would it?”

He shook his head.

“Come to my house; you’re always welcome there, you know,” she reminded him.

He snorted and smiled. “That’d be brilliant but Dumbledore won’t let me.”

“I’m sorry to keep repeating myself, but why?” She pressed. “He’s not your guardian, or does Sirius’s will say Dumbledore gets custody of you?”

Harry looked at her in surprise. “Dumbledore says it’s the safest place for me. I have no idea what Sirius wanted, but he did tell me once that I was his heir.”

“Maybe write Lupin and ask him where Sirius’s will is … or ask Tonks, she’s family too,” Ginny suggested. “I’d tell you just stay at Hogwarts but I don’t know how you’d do that and not get caught.”

Harry looked at her and then cocked his head for a moment before he started to laugh.

“What?” She asked with a smile, his laughter infectious and she was happy he was out of his earlier moodiness.

“The Room of Requirement,” was all he said.

She grinned wider and then started laughing too. “Ask Lupin about Sirius’s will first and if you can’t get an answer or don’t like the answer then you can do that. I’ll even help.”

“Really?”

“Really, although,” she paused and looked at him mischievously, “it might come at a small price like...” She smiled coyly at him, “...a kiss, and I mean a real one not some peck on the cheek.”

He looked taken aback.

“Would that be so bad?” she pushed him to answer.

He blushed slightly and had trouble maintaining eye contact, but he answer, “No, no it wouldn’t.”

“Write Lupin and ask,” she advised. “It’s your life, Harry. You’re about to turn sixteen and I think it’s time you thought about taking control of your life. Maybe a little at a time, maybe all at once, but it’s your life, Harry.” It seemed like she could see the wheels turning in his mind, as the saying went.

Harry looked at her again. “You really have changed.”

“Do you like the new me?” she asked innocently.

“The old you was nice, but I might like this Ginny a little more,” he teased her.

“Growing up isn’t always easy,” she said as she loosened the embrace finally and gestured at the front door.

“No it’s not,” he agreed as he dropped his arms and turned.

They walked back slowly side-by-side in companionable silence and with Harry in a much better frame of mind. She was amused when she noticed him giving her glances.

As they entered the front door, they saw Neville hurrying their way. “There you are,” he cried. “Come on, Ron and Hermione are back.” They picked up Luna on the way to the hospital wing as well.

Everyone grinned to see the others, the greetings loud enough to bring Madam Pomfrey out of her office. “Be quiet or you four can leave,” she huffed. After they all agreed to tone it down, the nurse shook her head and returned to her office.

Ginny hurried over to Ron and hugged him hard. “I’m so glad you’re all right,” she told him softly. She held in sniffles that were threatening to appear, glad she could see and hug him again after a year, something she couldn’t tell him.

“Are you all right?” Harry asked first, looking at the two in their own bed.

“I’m fine now, it wasn’t too bad,” Ron said easily as Ginny let him go and looked for a seat.

“I’m better too,” Hermione said, though Harry noticed she seemed to be moving carefully as she sat up straighter on the bed. “We’re in a special edition of the Prophet,” she announced, as Harry and Ginny took a seat together on Ron’s bed, Luna sat on Hermione’s, and Neville pull a chair over to sit between the beds.

As Luna pulled out the latest edition of The Quibbler, Hermione began tell them what was in the Prophet. “It says You-Know-Who was seen in the Ministry of Magic by Aurors and even the Minister, and that was after a battle where ten Death Eaters were caught.”

“Err, wait,” Harry stopped her. “I’m sure there were twelve and I saw Bellatrix go with Voldemort, so where’s the missing Death Eater?”

Hermione skimmed further. “They say there does appear to be one missing as the other Death Eaters claimed someone named Augustus Rookwood was there but he hasn’t been found, so they assume he escaped somehow.”

Ginny guessed he hadn’t escaped but Croaker had found him. She kept silent on her guess.

“It says Harry Potter and five other students were there, as were some other witches and wizards that helped capture them, plus Albus Dumbledore who was also there. It says there was a big battle in the Atrium between Dumbledore and You-Know-Who.” Hermione stopped and looked at Harry.

“It’s true, I watched it,” Harry told them. “He wouldn’t let me help either,” he said a littler bitterly.

When no one else said anything, Ginny said, “I’m sure you’ll have a chance later if you want as he’s not going away on his own.”

Harry nodded.

Hermione returned to the article. “The Ministry is trying to figure out what to do while cleanup is happening. Oh, it lists the Death Eaters with a late update that Lucius Malfoy and...” Hermione looked up in surprise. “...Antonin Dolohov never woke up and died from their injuries.”

Neville reached over and patted Hermione’s shoulder. “You don’t have to worry about him now.”

Harry looked at Ginny who gave him the barest of smiles that no one else noticed. She could tell he wanted to ask if that was her doing but knew better than to ask at the moment, for which she was grateful.

“Are each of you,” Harry looked at the two in the beds, “going to be all right, you know, fully healed.”

“Sure, mate,” Ron told him cheerfully.

“In a couple of days we’ll be fine,” said Hermione a little more somberly. “Don’t worry about us, Harry. We’re always with you.”

“Yeah, mate,” Ron echoed as did Neville. Luna looked up and nodded, proving she had been paying attention after all. Ginny placed a hand on his back and nodded too.

“Thank you,” he said softly before he cleared his throat. “If you haven’t heard, Sirius died last night; got knocked into the Veil of Death by Bellatrix.”

Hermione and Ron gasped while Luna looked at him sharply. Neville looked down, apparently already knowing like Ginny did. They talked for a bit about the man, those that knew him said how much they liked him. Ginny kept her hand on Harry’s back and rubbed lightly to hopefully soothe him a little.

After they talked a little about going home on Friday and what they might do this summer, Harry stood and said, “I need to go write a letter and I’ll come back later. Ginny, would you come too and give me a hand?”

“Sure, Harry.” She joined him but heard whisperings behind her as they left, making her smile.

When they were alone, Harry looked at her for a moment as they walked. “Did you, uh, you know?”

Ginny smiled bravely but answered somberly. “I didn’t sleep well last night because of it, but there should be eight less at the end. I’ll also guess the missing one won’t be returning. I believe some old friends of his in the Ministry might have found him before the Aurors. Sorry, but that’s all I’ll say.”

They walked on towards Gryffindor Tower for a few minutes more. “Thank you,” Harry said quietly. “It’s only what we’ve all wanted to do but weren’t able.”

“Sometimes the good guys get lucky. For example, all of us lived,” she reminded him. “I’m not sure if they took it easy on us because we were kids, because most of us were not Muggle-born — I’m sure you noticed Hermione was hurt the worst — or if there was some other reason. You were spared because you had the prophecy; but if you remember, Malfoy said they could kill the others if necessary. One of them hit me in the face with a Stunning spell; if it has been a Cutting curse we wouldn’t be talking right now.”

“I’m sorry I dragged you along and--”

“Stop right there!” she demanded and pushed him to the wall and got into his face. “We went because we’re your friends and we cared about Sirius too. It’s not your fault, Harry.” She was upset with him for saying that.

He looked at her for a moment. “Maybe you’re right,” he allowed, earning a raised eyebrow from her. “He possessed me in the Atrium; it hurt a lot.”

Ginny took a half-step back and gasped. “I’m sorry; no one should have that done to them, I know.”

“Something else we have in common, I suppose, though not something to brag about,” he said with self-deprecation.

“No it’s not.” She took another step back and then a step towards the Tower and he joined her. They didn’t talk the rest of the way, each lost in their own thoughts.

Harry wrote a quick letter to Remus and let her read it for her approval before they went to the owlery to send it off with Hedwig with instruction to wait for a reply.

They returned to the hospital wing to rejoin their friends, who gave them strange glances but no one said anything about them going off together.

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