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SIYE Time:14:24 on 28th March 2024
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The Winding Road
By NotAWriter

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Category: Alternate Universe
Characters:None
Genres: Drama
Warnings: Violence
Story is Complete
Rating: PG-13
Reviews: 48
Summary: A Harry Never attended Hogwarts Story
Hitcount: Story Total: 16824; Chapter Total: 1065
Awards: View Trophy Room






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Chapter 7
Ginny staggered slightly as her and Harry appeared just outside the cottage that was his home. Ginny stood for a moment before realizing she was still clutching Harry’s arm.

Hating herself for the slight blush that came to her face, she quickly let go. Harry shot her a small smile that Ginny returned reflexively. Harry set off and Ginny trailed slightly behind. To her surprise, they headed not toward the clearing but instead towards the house itself.

Ginny paused at the doorway, suddenly nervous. In all the weeks that she had protected Harry, she had never actually been inside the house. Harry looked back at her; eyebrows raised. “Would you like something to drink?” He asked, jerking his head towards the interior of the house. Ginny nodded, stepping over the threshold.

It was bigger on the inside than she expected. More due to the sparse decoration than anything magical. A comfortable looking chair and a small bookshelf dominated one corner, and a small couch sat in front of a large fireplace that acted as the focal point of the room. A small kitchen could be seen through an open doorway off to the right, while a hallway immediately to the left of the door most likely led to the bedroom. There was very little adornment to the house. Books were scattered around, and there were few glass instruments that looked remarkably similar to some of the dark detectors that Robards had in his office. There were no pictures.

Ginny sat on the chair, nearly facing the far end of the couch. Harry entered just a moment later, carrying two cups of steaming tea. He handed one to Ginny before settling into the couch with a sigh. Ginny fiddled with her tea for a moment as they sat in an awkward silence. “Sorry,” Harry said quickly “did you want to sugar, or milk?” Ginny grimaced. “No, no, this is fine! I was just thinking about Luna. I’m so happy for her, that everything turned out okay. And also slightly traumatized. I can’t believe that my mom did that seven times.” Ginny said with a shake of her head.

Harry’s eyes widened. “Seven times? SEVEN times?? And people think I’m crazy!” Ginny smiled, but didn’t say anything, her thoughts drifting back to Charlie.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it, I just can’t imagine that many siblings. What was it like?” Harry added hurriedly, with more than a bit of jealousy in his voice.

“I loved it,” Ginny responded fervently. “Oh, it was hard sometimes. I mean, six older brothers is…well, it was a lot growing up with them. I don’t think I experienced true quiet till they all left for Hogwarts. But I knew they would always be there for me. And they were. Whenever I needed them.” Ginny swallowed heavily, unable to keep talking.

“You lost someone, didn’t you?” He seemed to already know the answer.

“My second oldest brother, Charlie. He died the day after the final battle.” The words seemed to come out easier than she had expected.

“I understand.” He responded simply. Ginny knew he did.

“Charlie was incredible. The easiest to get along with, the most sure of who he was and what he wanted to do. He was a rock. Someone I thought would always be there. And now he’s not. Doesn’t seem fair sometimes. Or ever, really.”

Ginny shook her head to dispel the forming tear and cast around looking for a way to change the subject. “ You know, I’ve got five brothers, most of whom are very much single bachelors, and I have to say I was expecting your house to be much…different.”

Harry let a startled laugh. There wasn’t much amusement behind it. “Yeah, I suppose it could be called clean.” He shook his head ruefully. “Honestly, I’m not a clean person. Not really. But growing up, I lived out of my trunk. Got used to keeping everything in there in case we needed to move quickly. Still haven’t broken the habit I guess.”

“You were raised by Sirius black, your godfather, right?” Ginny asked curiously. Harry nodded in response, looking down at his tea. “What…what was it like? Growing up with him.” Ginny knew she was pushing him. Knew it would make him uncomfortable. But she couldn’t help herself. So much of harry was wrapped up in his past, and Ginny wanted badly to understand.

Harry didn’t move, didn’t seem to breathe even. The silence stretched and Ginny was sure that Harry wouldn’t respond. She opened her mouth to say something when Harry took a deep breath “It was good. Really good.” He said, exhaling rapidly. “we… we moved around a lot. Sirius, well, he was a bit paranoid. I’m, um, not sure how much you know about my…past,” Ginny almost snorted at that. It was cute that the most famous person in the wizarding world thought people may not know nearly every detail of his life. “my parents were betrayed by one of their friends to Voldemort. Sirius never really recovered. So, the number of people that Sirius let into his circle of trust…well I could count it one hand. Two, maybe, by the end. Remus Lupin, Dumbledor, Nymphadora Tonks, a few others. But Sirius was great, a best friend, older brother and father figure all in one. Ha. And a pet. He was an animagus, a big black dog.” Harry said in explanation.

Harry began chuckling, reminiscing about Sirius. “He loved to scare people, especially bakers. He’d sneak into a town square and wait for someone carrying bread. He’d get in real close, usually by crawling along on his belly, then spring out barking like mad. Poor sods almost always had heart attacks. Bread would go flying and then boom. Pigeon cyclone. Funniest thing I’d ever seen. I…I still can’t believe he’s gone…” His chuckling trailed off as he looked out the window.
“In fact…they’re all gone. Dumbledore and Sirius a few months before the battle. Lupin, Tonks, Hagrid. All gone in the final battle. I…”

Ginny watched closely as Harry suddenly seemed to collapse in on himself. Tears began rolling down his cheeks. Ginny sat stunned, before standing quickly and moving to sit next to him. She put an arm around him and pulled him down to lean on her as his tears continued. They sat like that for what could have been an eternity or a minute, Harry leaning on her shoulder, Ginny softly running her hand through his long hair. The moment was broken when Harry sat back up suddenly, turning his face away from Ginny.

“I’m sorry” he muttered, his voice thick “I didn’t mean to cry on you. It just…sort of hit me….
They really are gone. I don’t think I ever cried for them before. I think that’s why I started on the pitch. Easier to do something than to think, ya know? Plus seeing Luna with her son…it was hard. Amazing but hard. Especially because of the date.”

Ginny could have slapped herself. Halloween was only a few days away. Halloween to Harry Potter meant something very different. Ginny reached out to rub his back. “You don’t have to apologize, Harry. I understand. I’ve been there. My first real boyfriend, Dean, he… well when Voldemort’s thugs began rounding up muggle borns, he ran for it. We never broke up, but he had been gone for nearly a year with no contact. I think I knew what had happened, even before knowing. They…they killed him. Just for being a muggle born. It was hard. Bloody hard. But I hated how people danced around the subject, like they were afraid to bring it up or that it would break me. I let myself mourn, then moved on. Ironically, it got better after…after Charlie…” Ginny closed her eyes, breathing through her nose. She opened them to find Harry looking at her intently.
“I haven’t really dated since. And I learned that grief will eat you from the inside out if you let it. And it sounds like you’ve been holding it in so tightly. Thank you for sharing with me.” They paused taking comfort in the presence of another person who understood and wouldn’t trivialize or patronize their pain.

Ginny bumped Harry’s shoulder with her own. “So why don’t you tell me more about Sirius. He sounds like a riot.”
Harry gave her a slightly watery smile before taking a breath and began speaking again.

Ginny walked away that night with a much better understanding of what made Harry, well, Harry. He’d suffered so much, it was a miracle that he had survived, let alone become the hero that he was.


She made sure to watch Harry more closely over the next few days. They had finally finished the pitch, but the weather had taken a turn and so they had taken shelter inside the house, spending most of their time talking, playing chess and teaching each other new games. Ginny told herself that she was just making sure that Harry was okay, as the anniversary of his parens' deaths drew closer. The funny thing was that it seemed that Harry’s eyes were already on her whenever she snuck those glances in.

It took all of Ginny’s willpower to spend that time with Harry. Ever since the night they had talked they seemed to be in constant physical contact. Every touch seemed to set her skin on fire, and every look sent goosebumps racing along her body. She wanted more. Needed more. But she held off. She was an auror. He was her charge. She couldn’t become involved, it was a basic and fundamental auror rule. So, she drew back every time they got close. Looked away every time his green eyes landed on her brown ones. And it seemed to her that Harry did the same, as eager, but unsure, almost the same as her.

But as it got closer to Halloween, it became easier to be around Harry. He withdrew, became sullen and reflective. Halloween day he barely spoke. As the time for the shift change came, Ginny was desperate to remain, but unsure how. She knew Harry would need her but couldn’t create a scenario that would require her presence, and so took the portkey from Ernie and watched as he and Harry trudged back to the house. Harry watched her over his shoulder.

Ginny decided not to go out that night. She knew her friends would be out celebrating Halloween, but Ginny couldn’t get the look on Harry’s face out of her mind. She worried herself sick but couldn’t think of a way to contact him that wouldn’t be both highly obvious and extremely inappropriate. Something was going to happen; Ginny knew it deep in her bones. Around midnight Ginny woke with a gasp, a dream at the edge of her memory. Uncertain why, Ginny got up and began getting dressed.

Robards patronus found her mostly ready, sitting on the edge of her bed. Ginny half thought it was all a dream until Robards voice came out of the mouth of a large silver bull. “Get to the ministry now. Get a portkey to Potter’s cottage. Do so immediately.” Ginny felt her stomach drop. His voice made it clear that this was a command, not a request, and Ginny shot off the bed, grabbed some shoes, and immediately disapparated. Agnes was waiting for her with a portkey ready, and Ginny grabbed it, ignoring everything that she said. Ginny couldn’t think straight. What if he had been attacked? What if he had been hurt? She was supposed to be there to protect him, damn it.

The portkey activated and Ginny felt the familiar tug behind her navel, landing with steady feet outside Potter’s house.
Robards was there, deep in conversation with Marzoc and a few other senior aurors. Ginny jogged up to Robards, who turned to her as she approached. “Good, you’re here Weasley. I’ll need you to join the other aurors on a search party, you may know Potter better than any person alive, so think about where he may be.”

Ginny felt an icy clutch around her heart. “He’s…gone?”

Robards nodded grimly. “I came by to drop something off for MacMillan. Found him unconscious on the floor. Potter gone. But no sign that the wards have been tampered with or come down, so at least there’s that.”

Ginny inhaled slowly, trying to calm her beating heart. She began to ask another question when Robards eyes shifted to something behind Ginny and his face turned hard. Ginny whirled to see Harry walking out from among the trees, apparently surprised to see an entire auror squad and then some outside his house.

“Potter!” Robards snarled. “What in the devil is going on! MacMillan unconscious, and unrevivable, you gone. You’d better have a bloody good explanation for this!” Robards stalked over to glare at Harry, who returned the look coolly.
“It’s good to see you’re so concerned for my health, Robards. I was just out taking a stroll. Isn’t night just lovely this time of year?” Harry said sarcastically.

“What happened to MacMillan?” Demanded Robards.

“I don’t know.” Replied Harry, rolling his eyes. “I couldn’t sleep, came out to find him out on the couch and decided he needed the sleep. So went for a walk by myself.”

“Then why can’t we revive him.” Asked Robards through ground teeth. Harry ponded the question exaggeratedly before answering. “Hmmm I don’t know Robards, have you tried finding a more…accomplished wizard?”

Robards paled. “If I find out you did something to him, if I find out you hurt one of my aurors…”

Harry snorted. “You’ll do what? Confine me to my house? Press charges? If I want to leave, Robards, not you nor any of your little thugs, nor anyone at the ministry will stop me. I’ve been content to let you imagine you have some semblance of control Robards. But Do. Not. Push It. I’ve seen what you ministry morons due with a bit of control.” He snarled, venom in his words.

“This is all for your own protection! We told you that you needed to move after the wards were breached last time but you refuse. This is the cost of your refusal.” Robards shouted back.

“Protection?” Harry scoffed. “This has never been about protection.”

Harry turned his back on Robards and began striding towards to the house, avoiding Ginny who was trying to catch his eye. Inside, there was a flash of light and then a dazed looking MacMillan was shoved out the front door.

Ginny could barely keep up with what had happened. Her relief at seeing Harry okay had quickly been overcome by her confusion about Robards reaction and hostility. And what had happened? Harry had rather easily dodged the questioning, but he hadn’t even denied doing something to MacMillan. Harry had also threatened Robards and the other aurors, implied some nefarious purpose for Ginny’s own presence and made it clear he did not trust or support the ministry. It was a side of Harry that she had never seen, and it unnerved her.

Ginny didn’t believe that Harry would ever hurt an innocent person. But then what had happened, and why wouldn’t Harry tell them? And why did Robards assume immediately that Harry had done something to Ernie? Ginny felt as if she was trying to finish a puzzle without all the pieces, and it was only making her more confused.

Robards stopped next to her, breathing deeply. “Go home, Weasley. Get some sleep. Tomorrow you’ll be taking over the night shift from MacMillan. Maybe you can keep a better eye on Potter. Marzoc!” Robards called out to another auror. “Have you seen Mills, I need to talk to her.”

Ginny nodded, not confident in her ability to speak, and departed with none of her questions answered.
----------------------------- ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- ----------------

Late the evening, hundreds of miles away in London, just outside the entrance to the ministry, a cloaked figure stepped into a small side alley. They reached into a bag and withdrew a small silver mirror. They tapped it softly with their wand and whispered “Sirius Black.”

The mirror changed and inside of showing the hood that covered their face, another image appeared. A woman, heavily lidded, with a pale, unhealthy look, as if she had not seen the sun or sleep for a long period of time.

“I trust you have good news?” Asked Bellatrix

“Yes” Responded the figure “I had another reason to visit his house tonight. I was able to rig the wards. Hit the right stone and the whole thing comes down. I’ve marked the stone with an engraving of the dark mark, but you’ll need a spell to reveal it. Lumos Mavros. But you only get one shot. As soon as the wards go down, they will know, and they will know it was me when they look at the magical signatures.”

“Good. Then watch him. Keep us informed. Tell us the right time and I will make sure that Potter gets the end he so richly deserves.” Purred Bellatrix.

“I will. Just make sure it actually happens this time.” The figure ended the conversation with another tap of the wand and walked out of the alleyway, almost getting knocked to the ground by a man coming from the opposite direction.

The man staggered for a moment before catching his balance and turning to see who he had run into. “Ah Marzoc” he called out “glad I caught you. I had a quick question.”

Marzoc swept back her hood, glancing to make sure the mirror had stayed in her pocket.
“Sure Robards, what can I do?”
“Were you able to check all the wards before we left Potter’s house tonight? I didn’t have the time.”
“Oh, yes, don’t worry.” Replied Marzoc with a smile. “They are all set up perfectly.”
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