Chapter ten
Chapter ten
Hermione explained to Ron that she had contacted all their friends, explained what was going on and to keep an eye out for Ginny. But apart from the few places Ron already knew, Hermione could not come up with anywhere else Ginny might hide.
Ron stepped into the auror office, ‘Where’s Harry?’
‘Decided to fly around with Charlie, said he’ll be about an hour and you’re in charge,’ Seamus shrugged.
‘Okay, unless we can come up with some idea of where she is, there isn’t much we can do. Hermione contacted all our friends and explained what is going on; hopefully one of them will find her or at least see her.’
‘Damn,’ Cho said suddenly.
‘What?’ every auror asked.
‘The tunnel, from Aberforth’s pub to Hogwarts.’
‘Okay, Cho, Jessie, Seamus and Ernie head there now, check with Aberforth. Terry, Michael, Parvatti, we’ll head to Hogwarts. I’ll leave a note for Harry just in case he gets back before us,’ Ron sighed but quickly wrote a note and stuck it to Harry’s office door, ‘Let’s go.’
The group of aurors hurried from the office, separating down at the atrium’s apparition point.
Harry was in his back garden, he stripped off, handing his clothes to Charlie who put them in a bag, then changed into his dragon. He crouched down to allow Charlie to climb onto his back. Harry dragon let a low growl erupt as he looked back at Charlie.
‘I’m fine, got a good hold, let’s go Harry.’
Harry’s large head nodded then took off slowly and not to step until he ended up high in the sky. They couldn’t fly too low or the muggles would see them yet they couldn’t go too high or they wouldn’t see Ginny, if they saw her.
They flew towards Ottery St Catchpole first, scanned the orchard and the land around the Burrow. They saw Arthur and Molly gazing up at them, Harry shot fire down but kept it away from his surrogate parents and the house. After flying over Muriel’s home and the land around it, they headed back to Godric’s Hollow. Ginny knew Harry and Charlie lived in that town so it made sense she might be hiding somewhere until she could get to Charlie.
‘Harry, look, I saw a flash of red near that house,’ Charlie pointed, ‘It could be her.’
Harry dragon circled around then landed behind a large group of bushes at the back of the cemetery. Charlie climbed down then Harry quickly changed back and dressed.
‘That’s my parent’s house,’ Harry panted.
‘Why would she go there, if it’s her?’
‘I don’t know, but she won’t be able to get in, Dumbledore sealed it so only I could open it. I took a lot of their furniture and some pictures, then sealed it after. She was at Grimmauld place when I asked Dumbledore about the house.’
‘She might have forgotten, but let’s look.’
‘What if she does something to you Charlie?’
‘We’re strong together and we’ll sense it before she does anything. Trust our ability Harry, trust your instincts.’
Harry nodded, then took hold of Charlie’s hand, they walked cautiously towards the house but Harry could tell it was still sealed.
‘We’ll go around the back, there large glass doors that will let us see in. I don’t want to unseal it again, not if I don’t have to.’
Harry and Charlie quietly made their way around the side of the house, both peered into the house but could not see a sign of Ginny.
‘I never saw it Charlie, could it have been from something else?’
‘Normally I would say I wasn’t sure, but it was Weasley red, ginger hair, so it wasn’t from a flower or anything. What’s that down there, under those vines?’
Harry turned, ‘I don’t know, I never went down there.’
‘Let’s have a look,’ Charlie kept hold of Harry’s hand as they walked down through the overgrown garden, ‘It’s a shed, but look,’ Charlie pointed.
‘Some of the vines are broken. Please stay behind me Charlie.’
‘I will, but I’ll still be holding your hand.’
Harry pulled his wand and removed some of the vines still around the door. Charlie pulled the door hard thinking he would need more strength but it came open easily. Harry lit his wand as Charlie did the same thing, then they joined hands again. Harry stepped in first, they both glanced around before moving further into the shed.
‘What’s that?’ Harry pointed.
‘It’s red, is it old paint?’
‘There was nothing in the house painted red,’ Harry moved closer, ‘Shit, it’s Ginny,’ Harry quickly checked her pulse, ‘Nothing, I’ll get her to St Mungo’s quicker, bring her out,’ Harry raced outside, stripped his clothes and changed into his dragon. Charlie carried his sister’s unconscious body and placed her inside Harry’s open mouth.
‘I’ll go tell mum, go, hurry,’ Charlie watched as Harry flew off, picked up his discarded clothes then he turned, apparating away from the Potter home in Godric’s Hollow landing at the Burrow, ‘Mum, dad.’
‘Charlie, why are you alone?’
‘We found Ginny, Harry flew her to St Mungo’s.’
‘Explain when we get there,’ Arthur, Molly, Charlie and Percy instantly apparated away. The moment they arrived in the waiting area of St Mungo’s, Arthur quickly sent his patronus while Molly spoke with the welcome witch who showed them through the doors to the ward where Ginny had been taken. Harry was pacing the corridor wearing healers robes, ‘How is she?’
‘I haven’t heard, but I couldn’t feel a pulse,’ Harry looked up at Charlie.
‘She sliced her wrists opened.’
‘Oh Ginny,’ Molly’s eyes instantly watered as she wrapped her arms around her husband.
‘Where was she?’ Percy asked.
‘At my parents place, down in a shed,’ Harry put his head on Charlie’s chest, ‘I should let Ron and the others know.’
‘Dad sent a patronus to Ron, they’ll turn up soon,’ Charlie held Harry tight as he stared at the door, ‘Why would she do this?’
‘She realised what her life was going to be like, living with Muriel and no magic or Azkaban. I think it finally sunk in how serious all this was,’ Arthur said.
‘Mum, dad,’ Ron ran in with all the other aurors behind him along with Hermione, ‘What’s going on, dad just said get here.’
‘Ginny tried to kill herself, Harry flew her here,’ Arthur said sadly tightening his hold on his wife as she sobbed.
‘We looked in the tunnel from the Hogshead, so where did you find her?’ Ron asked.
‘Harry’s parents place, there was a shed down the back of the garden.’
‘Godric’s Hollow, but why there?’ Hermione asked.
‘I don’t know, she couldn’t get in the house, Dumbledore sealed it so only someone with my blood could get in. He did that after he took my parents bodies from the house.’
‘We were flying around, I saw a flash of red down near one of the houses,’ Charlie explained, ‘I didn’t know it was the Potter house, not until Harry changed back.’
Everyone either stood watching the door or pacing the corridor. Arthur kept hold of Molly, Charlie kept his arms around Harry, Ron had hold of Hermione. George, Bill and Fleur arrived, the three of them stood with Percy all holding each other, waiting to hear what had happened to their sister.
Two healers and a medi-witch stepped out of the room, ‘Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.’
‘Yes,’ Arthur said in a whisper.
‘We’re very sorry, she lost too much blood. We tried everything, but she was gone before she got here.’
Molly, Hermione, Cho, Parvati and Fleur broke into sobs, Arthur tightened his hold on his wife but he wiped tears from his own eyes. Harry buried his face in Charlie’s chest as they held each other. Charlie heard Harry sob, but he didn’t hold back either.
‘If you would like to go in, you can,’ the medi-witch said kindly then opened the door when the Weasley’s nodded.
‘We’ll wait here,’ Seamus said sadly then watched as all the Weasley’s, Harry and Hermione stepped into the room, closing the door behind them. None of the aurors spoke, but they all knew they would help the Weasley family through their grief any way they could.
It was about half an hour later when Harry stepped outside the room, ‘Um, Michael, you’re in charge for the next couple of days. Jessie, could you inform the minister what took place. Seamus, you and Parvati take my statement and Charlie’s statement. I can’t be involved since I found her and was personally involved, Ron can’t either.’
‘Do you want to do it here Harry or at your place?’ Seamus asked.
‘Um, I know it should be done at the office, but I’m taking Charlie to the Burrow. So come there after we’ve left. Terry, Ernie, Cho, you three head to my parents place, go around the left side of the house and down the back, you’ll see the shed. From now on though, Michael will take charge of this. I’ll be out in a few minutes.’
The aurors waited until Harry stepped back into the room, ‘Okay, well, you heard the boss, Jessie, go see the minister, Cho, Ernie and Terry, make sure you take pictures and collect all evidence that might be relevant. I’ll head down to speak with the healers before heading back to the office,’ Michael said but looked a little uncomfortable giving everyone orders, especially to the ones that had been close to Harry, closer than he was.
‘It’s fine Michael, if Harry didn’t think you could do it, he would have put someone else in charge,’ Cho said.
‘I just figured he would put Seamus in charge, they were close friends and in the same house or you Cho as you are his ex-girlfriend.’
‘I turned my back on Harry when he said Voldemort was back. We might be friends, but something like that makes Harry wary of people. So I’m fine with you taking over, we’ll take the statements and meet you back at the office,’ Seamus said.
‘Alright, let’s move then,’ Michael nodded to the aurors before heading down the corridor.
Bill and Arthur spoke with the medi-witch about organising Ginny for burial at Ottery St Catchpole before the family all headed to the Burrow, the two aurors following.
‘Charlie, you go with Parvati, I’ll sit with Seamus,’ Harry said softly as he stared into Charlie’s red eyes before he walked into the living room with Seamus, leaving Parvati and Charlie at the end of the kitchen.
‘Okay, I shouldn’t need to ask Harry, just talk, I’ll take it down,’ Seamus said sadly as he held a quill and clipboard.
‘Um, okay, well, Charlie was on my dragon back, we flew around here, the Burrow. When we saw no sign, we flew around the aunts place then headed to Godric’s Hollow. I never intended to fly over the house.’
‘You’re parent’s house or yours?’
‘My parents place, we were mainly checking around our house, but Charlie said he saw a flash of red and pointed. I landed at the back of the cemetery as there are a large group of bushes there, I didn’t want the muggles to see me as a dragon. I changed back then got dressed and we headed to the house. I told Charlie that Dumbledore sealed the house so I knew she couldn’t get in. But I asked Charlie if maybe he was mistaken, he said normally he might have been but he thought it was more Weasley red than normal red. At the back of the house are large glass doors, we looked in but I didn’t want to unseal it unless I had to. Charlie spotted the shed even though it was covered in vines, then we saw some of the vines were broken, freshly broken. Charlie and I had our wands, but kept our hands joined, he opened the door. Our wands were lit and we glanced around cautiously as there were a few bits of large furniture, then I spotted something red on the floor. Charlie asked if it might be red paint but I said there wasn’t anything painted red in the house. I moved closer, saw that it was blood, then I found Ginny. I couldn’t feel a pulse, so I said I could fly her to St Mungo’s faster. I went out and changed into the dragon, Charlie carried her out and placed her inside my mouth. I held her with my jaws, but loosely, just enough so she wouldn’t fall, then flew her to St Mungo’s. I let the healers take her from my jaws before I changed back, they gave me this robe,’ Harry glanced down at the blue robe of a healer he was wearing, ‘Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arrived with Charlie and Percy, then all of you, Bill, Fleur and George after, that’s it.’
‘Can you think of any reason why should would…do that at your parent’s home?’
‘Not really, that house means nothing to her, but like everybody, she does know the story of what took place. Maybe she wanted her…’ Harry hesitated, ‘I don’t know Seamus, doing it there could have meant something to her I just don’t know what.’
‘I hate having to ask this even though I know you wouldn’t, but when she was in your jaw, were you tempted to hurt her more, or even finish it so you would know Charlie was safe?’
‘Don’t be sorry, these are the types of questions we have to ask. But no, I never once thought of anything other than getting her to St Mungo’s. It’s why I wanted her bound to a place and not set to Azkaban. We know a lot of those people in there won’t last long.’
‘Harry, sorry,’ Bill said holding out a small bit of parchment, ‘I found this up on her bed.’
‘Give it to Seamus Bill,’ Harry said sadly, ‘Is your mum and dad okay?’
‘Not really, which is expected.’
Harry nodded then watched as Bill left, ‘She said that house represented you, where she first heard the story of what happened to you, the-boy-who-lived. Since she was going to die, she wanted it to happen there where you lost your parents and where she lost her heart,’ Seamus said sadly.
‘Is it signed?’
‘Her name is written not signed and from what I remember, it looks like her writing.’
‘Can I look; she used to write me notes all the time, when we were dating?’
Seamus handed Harry the note, ‘It looks straight forward and considering what was going to happen, seems as if she did this instead of being bound to her aunt’s place.’
‘Yeah, but this is her writing, you can check with Ron and Bill if you want, but I’m positive it’s hers.’
‘You would know. Okay, I’ll get this done and see you in a few days. But I have to ask as you are our boss, we all want to go to the funeral, will that be okay?’
‘Yes, check with Kingsley, but I don’t think he would mind. Jessie doesn’t know any of the Weasley’s apart from Ron, so I’m surprised she would want to.’
‘I think she wants to for Ron, you and Charlie. I’ll get this back to the office then head home since it’s after six.’
‘Yeah, thanks Seamus,’ Harry and Seamus left the living room, Charlie put his arms around Harry, ‘Talk to Kingsley, I’m sure it’ll be fine.’
‘Okay, we’re sorry for you loss,’ Seamus said sadly staring around at all the Weasley’s before leaving with Parvati.
‘Why there, why your parent’s home Harry?’ Arthur asked.
Harry looked at Bill, ‘She said that’s where she first heard about Harry, the-boy-who-lived,’ Bill said sadly, ‘She left a note on her bed, must have snuck here while we were all out.’
‘Seamus has it, it’s evidence, I’m sorry,’ Harry said, ‘If you want it after everything is finalised, I’ll make sure you get it.’
‘I never thought she was go this far,’ Ron sighed as he put his head on Hermione’s shoulder.
‘She realised the truth, what her life was going to be like and the fact that nothing she did would bring Harry back to her. I know now is not the time but Harry, being a pure Morphixen maybe with the help of a healer or someone they can work on a test that all children take before they turn ten or eleven,’ Hermione said sadly, but everyone realised why she mentioned this.
If Harry had known years ago then he never would have dated anyone until he met his mate and it might have saved Ginny’s life and the Weasley’s going through another loss. Everyone also knew that Harry and Charlie felt partially responsible even if they had no idea this could happen until they got together.
‘I’m putting the shop off, for now at least,’ Charlie said as he stared at Harry who understood what he wanted, ‘and our wedding, it wouldn’t be right.’
‘Oh wait,’ Hermione shouted then ran up the stairs with all eyes following her.
‘Ron?’ Bill raised his eyebrows.
‘I have no idea, just because she’s my girlfriend doesn’t mean I understand half of what she does or says.’
‘She does this quite often. She’ll get an idea or we will, she just runs off without telling us. Ron and I got used to waiting for her to explain, she always did,’ Harry lent against Charlie who tightened his arms around him.
‘I thought of this,’ Hermione held out a small dark blue book, ‘It’s Ginny’s diary, she hid it under a loose panel in her wardrobe. She got the idea from Harry who had a loose floor board under his bed at the Dursley’s,’ she looked at Mr. Weasley who nodded then took the diary.
‘I’ll just go to the last pages,’ Arthur sighed as flicked the pages, “If I can’t kill Charlie then I will make sure they can’t be together,” Arthur flicked to the next page, “They said if Charlie dies Harry does, so I know what I have to do, but this will make sure they won’t get married. Who would be so insensitive that they would get married right after the death of a family member. Maybe my death will cause them to break up, it will be worth it since I can’t kill him.”
Arthur sighed again then looked towards Charlie, ‘We’ll leave the decision up to you, let her death, which was planned stop you two marrying or show everyone that even through death you want to belong to each other in every way there is.’
Harry and Charlie stared at each other, ‘This has to be your decision Charlie.’
‘Okay, yes we could put it off and marry at a later date or we could show that even with how she planned this we don’t let her win and marry as we planned,’ Charlie kept staring at Harry then turned to his parents, ‘She was my sister yet she did want me dead and it seems she didn’t care how you would feel. I bet she didn’t even think about how you’ve been since Fred died. I know what I want to do but I want to hear what you think we should do.’
Everyone stared at Charlie, Molly or Arthur, they were waiting for the three of them to make the decision. Let Ginny have her way even in death or get married even though she took her own life to prevent the marriage.