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Harry and Ginny walked hand in hand back toward the castle as other students who had been run inside by the storm began to filter back out onto the grounds. Harry noticed that Parvati was standing on the steps to the castle along with a group of girls acting very much like they were gossiping. What concerned Harry was that they seemed to be doing so while gesturing in his direction. As he got nearer to them he heard one of them say “but he does have his broom.”

“Is there a reason why I shouldn’t have my broom with me,” Harry asked Parvati as he passed.

“I know that you think Professor Trelawney is a fraud, Harry,” Parvati said, making Harry stop and turn to listen to what she had to say, “but I feel like I should tell you anyway.”

“Not another death omen I hope,” Harry said with a smile, his earlier depression forgotten.

“No,” Parvati said. “It was really weird. We went up to see Professor Trelawney to ask her a question, and in the middle of answering it…”

“What?” Harry asked.

“Well,” Parvati continued nervously, “her eyes seemed to roll back into her head a little and then she started speaking in a strange voice.”

Seeming all too familiar, Harry said seriously, “Tell me what she said exactly.”

“Well,” Parvati said a little taken aback that Harry seemed anxious to hear what she said, “she said ‘Though a heavy price he will pay, Harry Potter must have his broom, a life is in his hands this day’.

“You’re sure that’s exactly what she said?” Harry pressed.

“Yes,” Pavarti said quickly, “yes, exactly that. Then she went on with the answer to our question as if nothing had happened.

“Thank you,” Harry said to her. He turned to look at Ginny and said, “We had better change and then tell Dumbledore.”

With that Harry and Ginny turned to go inside and began the climb that would take them first to their dormitories to change out of their wet clothes, and then to see Dumbledore about the prophecy.

Meanwhile Hermione was heading back to the common room after a trip to the library when, after reaching the next to last landing before she would reach the right floor in Gryffindor tower, a prickling sensation ran up her back that made her instinctively reach for her wand and begin a shield charm. As she turned to look down the passage behind her a green shaft of light jumped out and hit her in the middle of her chest. Her shield charm had come up in time to deflect a good portion of the spell, but enough of it got through to cause Hermione to lose consciousness and propel her backwards over the railing. There was nothing below but open space until the ground floor as she plummeted downwards.

Harry and Ginny had climbed about halfway up Gryffindor tower when they heard several screams above them. They looked up just in time to see Hermione fall past their level. Ginny screamed and Harry knew what he had to do.

Harry jumped over the railing and mounted his broom in one swift motion, willing all the speed he could get out of it as he raced to reach Hermione. The gap closed quickly, but so did their distance from the ground. He reached Hermione and held her tight to him, but his vast experience with it told him that this was one dive even he couldn’t pull out of. So, making a quick decision, he pulled his broom up to a hover position even as his built up momentum carried him still downward. At the last moment, slowed but still carrying far too much speed, Harry twisted his body around so that he was effectively laying with his back on his broomstick and pulled Hermione on top of him. Seconds later they hit the ground with a great crash that echoed throughout the tower as the wood splintered, bones smashed, and blood began oozing out in sickening pools.

Screams rang out as a crowd of people rushed to encircle the gruesome scene. There was every possible reaction to what they saw. Some people cried, some fainted, and some became ill. Professor Flitwick pushed his way through the crowd, and upon seeing the situation immediately put his wand to his throat and said, “Medical emergency at the base of Gryffindor tower.”

Immediately, a dozen house elves seemed to apparate to the spot, see the situation, place their hands on Harry and Hermione and then they all disappeared leaving only the pools of blood and the remnants of what was once Harry’s broom.

Other teachers began to arrive on the scene and began to attend to those who had fainted and trying to calm and reassure those who were distraught. Everyone in the hall, even those sobbing uncontrollably, stopped what they were doing and looked to the stairs and prayed that someone would stop her before she saw it.

Ginny’s pained voice rang out through the halls at the base of the tower as she screamed, “Harry!” over and over as she descended, her voice growing more desperate for an answer. Those nearest to her when she reached the bottom of the stairs stood shocked by the near mad look in her eyes, and did nothing to impede her progress toward the horrific center. Those toward the inside finally snapped to realize what was about to happen and tried to stand in her way, but she knocked through them with the ferocity of someone twice her size. She burst through to the center as she was falling and came face to face with the broken twisted remains of Harry’s glasses. She raised her head just as Professor McGonagal reached her and wrapped her in her arms, but not before she saw the large pools of blood mixed with splinters of wood.

“HAAARRRRRYYYYY, NOOOOOO!” Ginny screamed just before she fell limp in McGonagal’s arms.

Kafli 17
Ginny found herself standing in the all too familiar reception room of St. Mungo’s, having no clear memory of how she got there. Another thing that struck her as strange was the fact that she felt as if she were floating above the floor and looking at the reception area through someone else’s eyes. She found herself moving toward the fountain without any of her own will taking her in that direction. She came to a halt and looked down into the pool of water, and gasped silently at what she saw.

Instead of her own reflection, she was staring at a reflection of Harry’s face. Instantly, the memory of what she had seen at the bottom of Gryffindor tower flooded back to her. She cried out in her own mind, but no sound emitted from the reflection. There was something else about the reflection that disturbed her, as she noticed that she could also see the reflection of things behind him, as if he was there and yet not there at the same time.

“Don’t worry,” she heard herself say in Harry’s voice, “this is only temporary. I just wanted to tell you that I truly love you, and that I’ll need you as soon as they will allow you to come to me. Please don’t cry for me my love. The sacrifice was indeed great, but it was my choice. I will always be with you.”

The next thing Ginny was vaguely aware of was the muffled sound of voices somewhere nearby. After a few seconds, she became aware that she was in the hospital wing and Madame Pomfree was trying to quietly explain something to someone.

“…definantly the killing curse, Headmaster,” Pomfree said. “Lucky for her she managed to summon a shield charm to block most of the spells power, or it would have surely killed her on the spot. As it is, we should be able to have her up and about in a few days.”

“Was there no serious injury from the fall?” Dumbledore asked.

“Just a few severe scrapes and bruises,” she responded. “It would have been fatal though if it weren’t for Mr. Potter, to be sure.”

“What can you tell us about Harry’s condition before he was sent to St. Mungo’s?” Dumbledore asked.

“A natural born fighter I’ll give him that,” Pomfree responded. “At the time he was initially brought in by the house elves, I checked him myself and I swear as I’m standing here he died in that fall. His body was smashed and broken so badly I thought a troll had stepped him on. A lost cause if ever I had seen one. Then he suddenly took a small breath and whispered her name. Don’t ask me how he was able to do it, a miracle is all I can call it.”

“I never underestimate the power that love can have,” Dumbledore said with a grin.

“Poor child,” Professor McGonagall said. “She should never have seen what she did. It tore my heart out to hear the pain in her last scream before she passed out.”

It was at that moment that Ginny rolled over and looked at the group saying, “I’ll need to go to him as soon as possible, Professor Dumbledore.”

“I thought you would feel that way,” Dumbledore said, being the only one in the group not surprised to learn that she was awake, “but it will have to wait until the healers at St. Mungo’s clear him for visitors.”

“I understand,” Ginny said. “Harry said I would have to wait.”

“What do you mean?” McGonagall asked. “When would you have spoken to him?”

Ginny then related to them the experience she had just before waking up in every detail.

“Interesting,” Dumbledore said after hearing Ginny’s tale. “It would seem that Mr. Potter is still very much with us. Not that I would expect any less determination from a Gryffindor. I must say that I’m glad to see you taking all of this so much better than your brother.”

“Oh my goodness,” Ginny said, kicking herself for not thinking what recent events would mean to Ron, “he’ll hex first and ask questions later.”

“Fortunately,” Dumbledore said indicating the bed across from hers, “we were able to intercept Ron after he came up here to check on you and Hermione. We thought it would be best to keep him sedated until your parents arrive.”

“Do you know yet who it was that tried to kill Hermione?” Ginny asked.

“Not yet,” Dumbledore said. “Students are currently confined to their common rooms, and wands are being collected for testing to see if any of them dared to use that foul curse within these walls.”

“Yet anyone who would use it would also know that the wands would be tested,” Ginny said. “So, the person might have a second wand hidden or disposed of that will escape the testing.”

“There is that possibility,” Dumbledore confessed.

“I just hope Hermione got a look at whoever it was,” Ginny said. “That would be a bit harder to cover up.”

“Indeed,” Dumbledore agreed, “but for right now, just let us deal with that. You should get some rest.”

“Would you like a sedative to help you sleep, dear?” McGonagall asked.

“I think that would be helpful,” Ginny answered. “I think we should make it one that will inhibit dreams if possible as well.”
Kafli 18
Ginny stayed in the hospital wing for several days. Not that her physical condition demanded it, but psychologically she wasn’t ready to face the attention she would get from the rest of the students. At least not by herself, so she remained there watching over Hermione as she recovered from her attack.

Hermione had woken up the next morning after the attack, still extremely weak, but conscious and thankful for it. Ginny sat by her side and spoke to her when she wanted, and took charge of dosing out her medicine when it was needed. Unfortunately, Hermione never got a glimpse of her attacker, just a brief memory of green light coming out of the shadows.

Ginny tried to avoid telling Hermione about what happened after she fell, but as she regained her strength, she became aware that something was being kept from her. Ginny could not control her own tears as she comforted Hermione about what had happened to Harry, which she took very hard. So hard in fact, that Ginny became worried that it may seriously delay her recovery.

Ron was eventually released from the hospital after his parents had arrived. He remained so distraught and angry that Professor Flitwick had to administer a mood altering charm to him twice a day to keep him from attacking the whole of Slytherin House, who he believed to be responsible for the attack.

The wand examination had the power of the entire Ministry of Magic behind it as high-ranking officials swept in to oversee the proceedings and search for what clues might be found. In the end, they left knowing no more than what they did when they arrived.

There was another problem the Ministry had to deal with among the wizarding public though. There was nothing that could have stopped the rumor from spreading at Hogwarts that Harry was dead. Dumbledore had moved quickly to dispel the rumor among the students, but not before it had leaked to the outside world. The Daily Prophet had run a story taking up the entire front page with a bold headline that read, ‘Harry Potter Dead After Heroic Rescue’. Even the retraction printed the next day did not immediately calm the panic that had insued. People feared that, with Harry gone, there was nothing to stand in the way of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

It was one week to the day that Hermione was finally released from the hospital wing. She was still so stricken with what had happened, she didn’t even complain when all of her teachers declared that she was exempt from the work she had missed. Instead she used all of her time, along with Ginny, pestering the healers at St. Mungo’s with owls asking for constant updates on Harry’s condition. The only reply they ever received though was a statement that they could not release information to them about a patient they were not directly related to.

Finally, more than three weeks after the incident, Professor Dumbledore shared with them a message that he had received stating that short term visitation of family and friends was finally being allowed. It cautioned though that Harry was still unconscious and they were still unsure of his prognosis for recovery.

Later that day, Ginny, Hermione, Ron and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley emerged from the fireplace into the reception area of St. Mungo’s. Directly ahead of them they watched as a witch at he information desk, looking terribly frustrated, cast a shrinking charm on an enormous pile of mail and gifts that covered the top of the desk. Then she carefully placed the shrunken mass into a small box, where she had apparently placed several piles previously. They were all amused to see ‘Potter, H.’ written on the side of the box.

The witch started to mumble a curse on The Daily Prophet for ever revealing that Harry was being treated there when she looked up and noticed the group moving toward her. After composing herself and taking her seat once again, she asked, “Patient or visitor.”

“Visitor,” Mr. Weasley said, “here to see Harry Potter.”

The witch rolled her eyes slightly before saying, “Name.”

“Arthur Weasley,” he responded.

The witch picked up the list and scanned it quickly before raising an eyebrow and saying, “Well, what do you know, someone who is actually on the list. Mr. Potter is in room 2 ground floor. While you’re going, would you mind taking some of these cards and gifts back with you?”

“Certainly,” Mr. Weasley answered as he reached for the box she had put the pile into. As he did, the witch turned in her chair and bent over to retrieve seven more boxes of the same size from behind her desk.

Everyone carried at least one box as they proceeded in the direction the witch indicated where they would find room two. They entered a hallway that would take them to Harry’s room. Along the way, they passed two different wards where multiple patients were being treated, wondering why Harry was placed in a private room. As they got to the place where the hallway turned right, they got their answer.

Sitting in chairs flanking a door with a 2 on it were Mad-eye Moody and Tonks. The Order wasn’t taking any chances it would seem. They had to admit that it would be a perfect time for Voldemort to try and get to Harry.

Tonks and Moody stood up to greet the visitors and Tonks said, “Healer Snagprat is in checking on Harry right now, but I don’t think he’ll mind if you go on in.”

“How is Harry doing?” Molly asked. “Has there been any change?”

“No,” Tonks responded. “He’s still in a coma and his life signs are just barely holding steady. The healer could tell you more in detail, but right now they seem to be in a wait and see mode.”

“He’ll pull through though,” Moody said. “I don’t think he would have fought this long if he ever planned to give up.”

“He won’t do that,” Ginny said. “I won’t let him do that.”

“No,” Moody said with a grin, “I suspect you won’t.”

“Well, you had better get inside,” Tonks said, “before I start getting emotional about it all again. You can set the boxes inside with the others.”

Upon entering the room, they could see why the witch at the reception desk had been so frustrated. One entire side of the room was stacked from floor to ceiling with boxes exactly like the ones they were carrying. Harry, unlike what they had imagined was laying on his front with his face pointed through a hole in the bed toward the floor. There was a wide bandage that ran all the way up the center of his back and up his neck.

Healer Snagprat turned and saw them bringing more boxes into the room and said, “We really are going to need another room to keep those in if we get anymore. There won’t be any room left for Mr. Potter before long.”

“We’re hoping Harry won’t be here for much longer, Healer,” Hermione said.

“Believe me,” Snagprat said, “everyone here is praying for that as well. Although there will be plenty of questions to be answered if he does make a full recovery.”

“You don’t sound very hopeful,” Mrs. Weasley said.

“On the contrary,” Snagprat said, “we are extremely hopeful, just at a bit of a loss to explain how he is managing to survive. We see broom crashes all the time, but never anything as bad as Mr. Potter’s. There have been patients with injuries not nearly as severe as his that didn’t make it this long.”

“Harry is a Gryffindor though,” Ron said.

“I think it has more to do with it than that,” Snagprat said with a grin. “Actually it’s quite exciting. We only received word back from the Ministry of Magic today about something that had us all stumped. Of course you are all familiar with the appendix that everyone is born with. Well, in Mr. Potter we found that his appendix had recently been transfigured into something else that we could not identify. Now, although we still don’t know exactly what the function of it is, it has been identified as an organ found in a phoenix.”

“A phoenix?” Hermione asked. “Are you saying that you think Harry had the forethought to transfigure an organ that even the Ministry of Magic doesn’t know the function of before he hit the ground?”

“I doubt it,” Snagprat answered. “Actually, we question whether Harry had anything to do with it at all.”

“Then who?” Ron asked.

“What, actually,” Snagprat said getting excited. “I don’t want to disturb you all too much with the details of his condition when he arrived, but when he fell his broom shattered beneath him. Several wood splinters had to be removed, but that was not the only wood he had on him. He was also carrying his wand at the time of the accident. We found it broken among his robes when we were treating him. The parts of it that we removed from his robe were put aside on a tray, but the sections did not match up exactly. That told us that part of the wand had either dropped out at Hogwarts, or part of it had become lodged in Mr. Potter. During the hours of operation that followed a small sliver of wood was pulled from his side and identified as the missing piece. When that missing piece was placed on the tray with the other pieces something astounding happened. Well, let me show you."

With that he opened a drawer in the stand next to Harry’s bed and removed a wand that looked very much like Harry’s. The shocking thing was that it was in one piece.

“This wand contained a phoenix feather if I’m not mistaken,” Snagprat said.

“Are you telling me that Harry’s wand repaired itself after it was broken?” Ron asked.

“I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t been there to see it firsthand,” Snagprat said.

“What I wouldn’t have done for a wand like that,” Ron said shaking his head.

“So we suspect that the sliver of his wand that we took out of him somehow performed the transfiguration on its own,” Snagprat said.

“Amazing,” Mr. Weasley said.

“Absolutely unheard of as far as we know,” Snagprat beamed. “As we speak everything about this case is being carefully recorded and documented for future publication. This machine you see beside Harry’s bed is monitoring almost everything that can be monitored for any change in his condition. The one that really means the most is the green vile of fluid. The better his overall health, the higher the liquid in the vile will rise. The vile next to that one is monitoring for any physical movement, of which as you can see there has been none so far. If there is any it should show in red. The rest are for breathing and circulation which surprisingly, Mr. Potter has been able to do on his own since he arrived here, though at a level just adequate to keep him alive.”

Ginny walked over to Harry’s bedside and paused before sitting down and asked, “It won’t affect the monitors if I sit next to him, will it?”

“Not at all,” Snagprat said. “The monitor checks for muscle movement he initiates.”

With that, Ginny sat down next to Harry and gently took his hand in hers. Everyone was silent as they watched Ginny fighting to hold back tears. They were stunned into a longer silence when they saw the green fluid move upwards in the vile slightly.

“Oh, please tell me that everyone else just saw that,” Hermione said, close to tears herself.

“Harry?” Ginny said softly, her tears coming freely. “I’m here.”

They all watched the monitor and nearly yelled with joy as the red vile filled with a few drops of liquid. Looking down they could tell that Harry’s hand had closed around Ginny’s.

“Young lady,” Snagprat began, with excitement building up inside him, “I think we had better make arrangements for you to stay here for a while.”

Kafli 19
Ginny had gotten special permission from Professor Dumbledore to remain at Harry’s side for as long as the healers at St. Mungo’s felt that her presence was beneficial. She had insisted that her class work be sent to her, not wanting to be given any break over what was expected of other students.

So, she sat there, at his side day after day. One hand writing scroll after scroll of school work, and the other holding tightly to Harry. The healers were in a frenzy trying to explain how Ginny was affecting Harry’s recovery, but none of them could come up with any logical reason why it should. What they did know, was that the fluid levels in the viles never rose at any time other than when she was touching him.

Harry had several visitors who came to check on him. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came by on a daily basis to check on Ginny and bring her clean clothes and remind her that she would be of no use to Harry if she didn’t get more rest. Hagrid, Professor Dumbledore, and several of the other teachers came to visit occasionally, and Hermione and Ron spent the weekends there when there were no classes.

On the first weekend in December, Ron and Hermione were there as usual and Ron was pacing the floor as he vented a problem that he was facing. What none of them were aware of, was that someone else was listening to the conversation as well.

‘I tell you it’s going to be a disaster!” Ron exclaimed as he paced. “We get lucky enough to not have our first quidditch match until the last game before Christmas, and we still can’t field a decent team. None of the alternates has been able to catch the snitch even once. One of them could sort of fill in at your chaser position, but without a seeker we don’t have a chance of winning against Ravenclaw.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Ron,” Ginny said. “There isn’t anything I can do about it.”

“I know,” Ron said kicking his foot and leaving a black mark on the floor. “I just don’t see any way that we can actually win.”

“Ginny can be your seeker,” came a voice none of them had been expecting.

“Harry?” they all gasped at once.

“She did a great job as the seeker when she first started playing,” Harry said as he looked at the floor below him. “She’ll catch the snitch and have the game over before the alternate chaser can do too much damage.”

“I can’t leave you, Harry,” Ginny said.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Harry said with as much humor as he could muster. “You took care of me when I needed you, but there are other people who need you as well.”

“Harry…” Ginny began.

“When was the last time you got out of here to get some fresh air?” Harry asked. “I’m not asking you to leave for good. I desperately want you to come back when its over, but now that I’m back I can handle some of the healing myself.”

“So what took you so long to come back anyway?” Ron asked.

“It’s hard to explain, Ron,” Harry answered. “I was in kind of a limbo, neither alive or dead, but separated from my body. The longer you’re there, the more comfortable you get, and the less of an urge you feel to return to life. Death is on the other end trying to pull you in that direction, and the more comfortable you get the stronger the pull toward death.”

“It sounds awful,” Hermione said.

“It was really difficult,” Harry said, “trying to hold out until Ginny got here.”

“What did I have to do with it?” Ginny asked.

“You were the anchor that made me want to return,” Harry said. “The grip of death lost ground with every day that passed thanks to you.”

“Oh, Harry,” Harry heard Ginny say just before her tear streaked face appeared below him. "Any time you want to ask me, the answer will be yes.”

Ginny then raised up and planted a tender welcome kiss on Harry’s lips.

Several seconds later they both heard Ron clear his throat a bit too loudly as he asked, “Just what question would that be that you’re saying yes to?”

“Oh, Ron,” Hermione said through her own tears.

“Is there anything you need?” Ginny asked Harry as they finally parted.

“Actually there is,” Harry responded. “Could you ask the healers just how long I have to stare at the floor. I think the ceiling would be much more interesting.”

“Sure,” Ginny said with a smile. “I’ll go and do that right now.”

As she turned to walk out, Hermione said, “Ron, why don’t you go with her?”

Ron was just about to ask why when his new scense of ‘I don’t have to understand her reasons, I just have to do it’ kicked in and he silently turned and followed his sister.

“Harry, I…” Hermione began.

“You don’t have to, Hermione.” Harry interrupted.

“Yes I do, Harry,” Hermione said. “I can never repay you for what you did. I can’t help but think that things would have been better if you had just let me fall.”

“I hope you don’t really think that,” Harry said. “I certainly don’t.”

“But how are you supposed to fight Voldemort,” Hermione agrued, “and be the savior of the wizarding world if you’re dead. Just look at what happened after those articles in The Daily Prophet.”

“First of all I have no idea what they wrote in The Daily Prophet,” Harry said. “Second, I think we have established that I’m not dead. Third, the whole reason I’m preparing to fight Voldemort is so my friends can live long and happy lives. I’m not about to stand by and let one of those friends go so easily. If I had it to do over again, I would do exactly the same thing. I don’t want to hear any more talk about letting you fall. Besides, you would have done the same thing if I had been the one falling and you know it.”

Hermione thought about what Harry said for a while before saying, “Then I guess there is only one thing left for me to say. Thank you, Harry.”

Harry felt Hermione’s hand close around his as he said, “Any time.”
Kafli 20
Ginny arrived back at Hogwarts along with Ron and Hermione late enough to miss dinner, and all of the crowds that would have swarmed around them. Harry had insisted that Ginny return at the end of the weekend instead of just on the day of the quidditch match. She had argued against leaving him, but he had gotten the healers on his side saying there was no longer a pressing need for her to stay.

Ginny knew that it may have been late enough for the halls to be clear, but it wasn’t too late for the common rooms to still be crowded with those trying to cram in all of the work they had put off for the past two days. So, it was no surprise to her when she entered the common room to find that all of those present wouldn’t let her go to bed until they had personally welcomed her back and heard all about Harry’s recovery. The common room became nearly overfilled as word spread to those who were already in their rooms and the dormitories emptied.

Finally, having had her hand nearly shook off, Ginny was relieved when someone realized how late it was and they still hadn’t gotten their work done. Half of the common room was in a sudden panic. The rest started to thin out shortly after and Ginny was looking forward to finally going to bed, at least, that is, until Ron had to make the announcement to a group that Ginny had come back to be the Gryffindor seeker at Harry’s request.

That did it. Pandemonium erupted in the common room as those who were working decided that a celebration was more important than their grades. The party went so late, that it was still going on when Dobby the house-elf came in to clean. He started to make apologies and leave but someone explained what had happened and Dobby, overflowing with joy at Harry’s improved condition, danced along with them.

Fortunately for everyone in Gryffindor house, Hermione knew a handy little spell that would fool their body into thinking they had gotten a full nights sleep in the space of just a few hours. So, the next morning the Gryffindors awoke feeling quite refreshed, and walked a little taller with the knowledge that Harry was getting better and they suddenly had hope for their next quidditch match.

Ginny left the Common room to go down for breakfast along with a large group of Gryffindors that included most of the quidditch team. Just outside the Great Hall, the group, led by a smiling Ron, came into contact with a group of Slytherin headed by a smug looking Malfoy.

“What are you smiling about, Weasley?” Malfoy asked. “Did one of your alternates finally catch the snitch?”

“I admit we had to move a few people around,” Ron said not losing his grin, “but we have a seeker that will catch the snitch this weekend.”

“With those losers, you really think you can actually win?” Malfoy sneered.

“I do,” said a voice from the back of the group, causing the group to part down the middle until Ginny was visible to the Slytherins. “I’ll be the seeker this weekend, Malfoy. I’ve beaten a Ravenclaw seeker to the snitch before, and I can do it again.”

“Well, well,” Malfoy said mockingly, “the lost Weasley returns. Does this mean that Potter finally died.”

“Mr. Malfoy,” Professor McGonagall said having just emerged from the Great Hall. “We will not tolerate comments like that about another student. Fifty points from Slytherin House.”
Malfoy waited until she passed to walk up to Ginny and say, “Just watch your back Weasley. Potter won’t be here to save anyone this time.”

The words were barely out of his mouth before Ron’s fist connected with Malfoys face. Ron then stood looking at where Malfoy laid sprawled out on the floor with blood beginning to trickle out the corner of his mouth and said, “Don’t you worry, Malfoy. Her back is being watched.”

The Gryffindors then continued into the Great Hall feeling very satisfied with themselves.

Most of Ginny’s classes that day were pretty much the same. The professors found it difficult to keep the classes on task with their lessons because of the interest those from other houses showed in the same things she had to explain to the Gryffindors the previous evening about Harry’s recovery.

As the week wore on though, normalcy once again descended upon her life at Hogwarts as she trained daily with the team, catching the snitch over and over. She found that some habits were hard to break as she seemed to pick up as a seeker where she had left off two years earlier.
Other than filling the seeker position, Ginny also worked with Jason Law, the third year Gryffindor who had the task of trying to fill Ginny’s shoes as a chaser. By that Friday, surprising everyone, she had turned him into a passable chaser after all.

So, on a brisk December day, the Gryffindor team took to the skies over the frost covered quidditch pitch. They didn’t have to stay there long though. It was only four minutes into the game, with Gryffindor up two goals to none, when Ginny caught the snitch hiding behind the center Ravenclaw goal post.

Everyone quickly thawed out after the game in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room. Ginny was anxious to get changed and get back to St. Mungo’s. She had been away from Harry for an entire week, and it was almost more than she could take. All week she had reminded herself about the game and what she needed to do, and it had worked as long as she had a goal to shoot for. The game was over now though, and nothing was going to keep her from seeing Harry. That is, if she could find a way to sneak away from all of the ecstatic Gryffindors who kept wanting to congratulate her.
Kafli 21
Ginny returned to St. Mungo’s only a few hours after the quidditch match with Ravenclaw. As she walked down the hall toward Harry’s room she greeted several healers on the way. During the time she had spent there, she had come to know many of them quite well.

Ginny rounded the corner that would take her to room two, and found Remus Lupin sitting outside the door along with Tonks.

“Welcome back, Ginny,” Tonks said as she stood to greet her.

“Thanks,” Ginny said. “It’s good to see you again, Professor Lupin. What did you do to dislodge Moody from his chair out here?”

“Oh, he just had to take a letter over to the Ministry to be checked out,” Lupin said.

“Checked out?” Ginny asked. “Was there a problem with it?”

“Well…” Lupin said. “It’s nothing you need to worry about for now. There is someone who is very anxious to see you right now.”

“Funny thing,” Ginny said. “I happen to be anxious to see someone myself.”

“Ah, to be young and in love,” Tonks said with a glance at Lupin.

“Healer Snagprat is in with Harry now, but I think you can go on in,” Lupin said not daring to look at Tonks.

Ginny walked into the room just as Snagprat was saying, “…let you know if there is any further progress.”

“Ginny,” Harry said with a smile spreading across his face.

Ginny was almost at a loss for words as she looked at Harry. When she had left him he was still laying face down on the bed unable to move anything but his hands, and not being very happy about it. Now he was sitting up in the bed reaching his arms out to her for their first real hug in months. She quickly ran to him and wrapped her arms around him, feeling his arms envelope her gently as the feeling of joy washed through her.

“Oh, I missed you so much, Harry,” Ginny said.

“I missed you too, Gin,” Harry whispered in her ear.

“Well I’ll leave you two to catch up for now,” Snagprat said. “I’ll check in on you again later.”

When he had gone, Ginny asked, “Was that your progress he was talking about when I came in?”

“Oh, no,” Harry said. “Just something else we’ve been talking about.”

“Well, anyway,” Ginny said smiling, “your progress seems to be going quite well. Just look at you sitting up in bed, and looking as handsome as ever.”

“I was right you know,” Harry said. “I do like this view better than the one of the floor.”

Ginny smiled as she asked, “So how are you doing? You look like you could walk out of here today.”

“That’s still the problem, I’m afraid,” Harry said. “I still don’t have any felling in my legs. The healers say it could take quite a while before I’m able to walk again.”

“But they do think you’ll make a full recovery though?” Ginny asked, hopeful.

“I don’t want to keep anything from you, Ginny,” Harry said, deflating some of her hopes. “They actually say that there may have been too much spinal damage that they weren’t able to repair properly. There is always the chance that I won’t ever walk again.”

“Oh, Harry,” Ginny said. “I am so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Harry said. “After what I’ve been through, I’m happy just to be alive.”

Ginny was silent for a few seconds while she thought about how to say, “Harry. I want you to promise me that you won’t over do it on my account. I mean, I just don’t want you to push yourself to hard too fast just because you think I need you to be walking again. I’m going to love you no matter what, Harry.”

“I know, Gin,” Harry said lifting her chin so she was looking into his eyes. “I do have a confession to make to you before you say anything else though. I should have told you right after it happened, but I was so angry that I let it happen in the first place that I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“What is it, Harry?” Ginny asked, concerned.

“The day of the accident,” Harry began, “when you found me flying in the rainstorm, I was trying to fly out my guilt over something that happened when I was in the room of requirement with Cassidy.”

“Harry,” Ginny said cutting him off before he said any more. “You don’t have to tell me.”

“But I do,” Harry said. “I swear I didn’t want it to happen.”

“It’s all right, Harry,” Ginny said with a smile. “I already know everything that happened in that room.”

“But how?” Harry said just as a sudden memory came to him. “Wait a minute. I was in there giving Cassidy a lesson when I suddenly had a feeling like you were somewhere near. I was so sure of it that I even turned around to look and see if you were there, but I didn’t see anybody.”

Ginny couldn’t keep the knowing grin from spreading across her face as Harry suddenly realized what had happened.

“I guess I should have expected it,” Harry said. “You don’t grow up being the youngest in your family and not know how to sneak around when you want to. You were wearing my invisibility cloak weren’t you?”

“Please don’t be mad at me, Harry?” Ginny said. “I know I should have trusted you, but I was just so jealous of you spending time with Cassidy. I knew she would try to steal you away from me.”

“How long had you known that?” Harry asked.
“Since the first time she introduced herself to you,” Ginny answered.

“I wish I had noticed it before I did,” Harry said. “I guess I didn’t quite know it until a second after she started kissing me. Looking back on it I guess I should have picked up on it sooner. Maybe I could have avoided it if I had known.”

“Are you telling me that you didn’t enjoy it even a little?” Ginny asked.

“Of course not,” Harry said surprised. “It made me feel disgusting. Dirty somehow. I don’t want any lips touching mine other than yours.”

“I’m so glad to hear it,” Ginny said with a smile as she moved in and kissed him tenderly.

“Should I wait outside until you two are finished,” Moody said from the doorway, making Harry and Ginny separate to look at him.

“Come on in, Mr. Moody,” Harry said. “What can we do for you?”

“I just came from the Ministry of Magic,” Moody said, his magical eye focused on Harry. “They’ve cleared me to give you a letter that came for you this morning.”

“Why did the ministry have to clear it?” Ginny asked as Moody handed the letter to Harry. “Who is it from?”

Harry turned the envelope over and said, “Voldemort,” as he examined the wax stamp of the dark mark that had sealed the letter.”

“What?” Ginny asked quickly.

“Sorry we had to open it, Harry,” Moody said. “We had to make sure it wasn’t poisoned or have some spell attached to it.”

“I understand,” Harry said flatly, still staring at the wax mark. “Not exactly the person I expected to get a get well card from.”

Harry took the letter out of the envelope and read out loud:

Harry,

I’m glad to hear that you have not expired early. I am so looking forward to bringing your life to an end myself. But don’t let that worry you right now. Your constant door guards can go home. I have no intention of killing you until you are fully recovered. It would do me no good to defeat you while you are unable to defend yourself. I want you to be at your full strength for our battle. Then the world will know that there is no one who can stand against Lord Voldemort. Make your recovery a speedy one though. My patience will grow thin quickly. Before you leave Hogwarts, you and I will meet one last time. Until then, your friends will not enjoy my benevolence. The attack on the Grainger girl may not have been successful, but perhaps you will not be there to help the next one. I wouldn’t let little Ginny out of my sight if I were you, Harry. A nice girl isn’t an easy thing to replace.

Yours Temporarily,
Lord Voldemort

Harry laid the letter down in his lap and looked at Ginny as he said, “I don’t think it will be you that makes me speed my recovery, Ginny.”

“Don’t worry about any of us, Harry,” Ginny said. “He won’t be able to touch any of us at Hogwarts.”

“He almost managed to get to Hermione,” Harry said. “Tell everyone in the D.A. to watch their backs. Everyone needs to keep a shield charm up at all times.”

“Well,” Ginny said, “I’ll see what I can do. The D.A. as we knew it is almost gone. After your accident, Cassidy tried to take over teaching the classes. The only thing she succeeded in doing was to increase the numbers of Slytherin in the class. Most everyone else just stopped going. It just wasn’t the same as having you teach it apparently. Hermione tells me that the stuff she was trying to pass off as advanced magic to the sixth and seventh year classes was barely even up to the level that you started with when we started the D.A.”

“I’m not really surprised,” Harry said. “To tell you the truth, I don’t even know how she managed to defeat Hornquist in the first place. Her knowledge of magic seemed a bit average in the little time I actually spent with her in the classes.”

“I think you should know something then,” Ginny said. “After you left the Room of Requirement I heard her say something I didn’t expect. Harry, I think she came to Hogwarts to try and defeat Voldemort herself.”

“I hope you’re wrong about that, Ginny,” Harry said seriously. “She won’t stand a chance. Other than me, and perhaps Dumbledore, no one realizes just how powerful Voldemort really is. Ginny, I realize that you probably don’t like Cassidy very much, but as a favor to me, please try to stop her. She’ll never survive.”

“I’ll do what I can, Harry,” Ginny said. “I may not like her very much, but I don’t think anyone should go into a battle not knowing what they really face.”

“So,” Moody said, reminding them that he was still in the room, “you should know that the ministry is increasing security here at the hospital and sending as many guards as Dumbledore will allow to Hogwarts. Dumbledore has put the order on alert. Everything that can be done is being done to make sure no one is attacked.”

“What in the world would make Voldemort send you a letter like that now anyway?” Ginny asked.

“Maybe this had something to do with it,” Moody said as he pulled a newspaper from his pocket and handed it to Ginny.

Ginny opened the copy of The Daily Prophet and read the headline and the first part of the story that said, ‘THE BOY WHO LIVED, LIVES AGAIN. Once again the wizarding world learned never to count out Harry Potter. Mr. Potter is reported to have regained consciousness and be making a full recovery after a horrific fall months ago at Hogwarts. Oh, we of little faith. No fall could ever kill the person who even He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named failed to destroy.’

“It must have driven Voldemort crazy to read that,” Moody said with a wide grin of satisfaction..

“I think I should send an answer to him then,” Harry said, looking as mischievous as any Weasley ever had. “First, I need to write a note to Fred and George.”

Ginny looked at Harry questioningly until it dawned on her what he was planning, and she said, “You aren’t going to do what I think you are, are you?”

“Very likely,” Harry said with a grin as Moody handed him a piece of parchment and a quill. “I just need to have Fred and George set it to run automatically when he opens it and remove the password to turn it off.”

“Are you planning to send him one of those little models of the ministry of magic?” Moody asked.

“Yep, “ Harry said with a smile.

“Blasted fine idea,” Moody said. “I have two of the little gadgets myself.”

Kafli 22
Ginny had returned to Hogwarts, though reluctantly, the next evening. She wanted more than anything to stay with Harry, and monitor his recovery herself. Harry had insisted though, reminding her that it would be her last week to study before the end of term exams that began later in the week. Furthermore, he had absolutely forbid her to come and see him the next weekend. He wanted her to study over that weekend as much as possible since her potions exam would be on the following Monday, and he was sure that Snape would do what he could to make her exam more difficult than everyone else’s.

Ginny planned on spending her entire Christmas Holiday at Harry’s side, and the last few days before the students were officially released were some of the longest of her life. It didn’t make her time there any shorter when she had followed Harry’s wishes and tried to talk to Cassidy about not going after Voldemort. She had been a bit surprised that Ginny even knew about it, but was too concerned with finding out how Harry was doing to pay any attention to what Ginny was trying to tell her. When Ginny had explained his condition to her, she had just broken down in tears and run off back toward her common room. Since then, she had found out from Moaning Myrtle that Cassidy had spent several days crying in her bathroom, and Myrtle was none too happy about sharing the space.

Ginny didn’t have time to worry about any of that though. She had done what Harry had asked her to do, and if Cassidy didn’t want to hear it then it wasn’t her fault. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she felt a bit sorry for her though. She had spent years trying to get Harry’s attention, and knew how it felt to think he didn’t care. But it was at the back of her mind, and that was where she intended to keep it.

Finally, the evening of December 22nd came, and Ginny knew that the next morning she would be able to go to Harry once again. Ginny assembled, along with everyone else, in the Great Hall for the final feast of the term, and listened as Professor Dumbledore rose to give a final speech before he would make the food appear on the house tables.

“I know that you are all anxious to begin your holiday vacations,” Dumbledore said. “I would just like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your hard work during the entire first term. By my calculations, fewer house points had to be taken away during this term than during any term in a number of years. I can only hope that you will take that same behavior home with you and share it with your families, who I am sure that you have all remembered to buy presents for.”

There were mental notes made all over the Great Hall, as indeed many of those there had neglected to remember after all.

“So in this time as chocolate frogs dance in your heads,” Dumbledore began, “don’t forget that it is the season for sharing cheer and kindness with your fellow witches and wizards. Just as long as you don’t do so, too late. Remember that the Hogwarts express will leave promptly at ten o’clock tomorrow morning. So, now I believe it is time…”

Dumbledore never finished his sentence as the door to the Great Hall opened, causing everyone’s head to turn and see why. What they saw stunned them all into silence, and placed a wide grin on Dumbledore’s face.

Everyone strained for a better view as they saw Harry standing in the doorway. He began to walk forward slowly into the hall. They could see that it was a considerable effort for him as he leaned heavily on the cane in his left hand. Ginny wanted to run to help him, but, knowing that it was something he likely wanted to do on his own, she sat there and tried to stem the flow of the tears that began to roll down her face.

Harry stopped when he made it three quarters of the way up the center isle, which just happened to be right next to Ginny, and said, “I hope I’m not too late.”

“You’re just in time, Harry,” Dumbledore said with a smile. “You’re lucky enough to have missed my speech. Welcome back.”

“Thanks,” Harry responded with a smile.

Seamus, who was sitting next to Ginny at the time, turned to the people on the other side of him and motioned for them to move down. One quarter of the people on that side stood almost at once and moved down one seat, leaving the seat next to Ginny free for Harry to sit in.

“Thanks everybody,” Harry said as he moved closer to the bench. “Uh, could a couple of you help me out? I don’t know if I can support myself on this cane long enough to get my legs over the bench."

Seamus and Ron jumped up and moved to either side of Harry, practically picking him up and hoisting him over the bench, and supporting him until he was fully seated.

“Thanks guys,” Harry said.

“No problem,” Ron and Seamus said in unison.

“Now that we’re all here,” Dumbledore said, “let the feast begin.”

A plethora of food suddenly appeared on the tables, but Harry and Ginny never noticed as Ginny wrapped him in a hug she never wanted to release and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“I didn’t know until a few hours ago,” Harry responded. “Besides, I wanted to surprise you.”

“You did that,” Ginny said gripping him tighter. “You did that.”

Harry and Ginny stayed in their hug until Colin Creevey stood up at the end of the Gryffindor table and hit his mug with is knife to get everyone’s attention.

Colin raised his mug and said, “A toast, to Harry Potter, a true Gryffindor.”

To Harry’s surprise, the majority of the people in the Great Hall raised their own mugs and said in unison, “To Harry.”

After dinner, Harry left the Great Hall with a formidable entourage on his way to the Gryffindor common room. He made it as far as the bottom step before he stopped and looked up, and saw the full magnitude of the task before him. He needn’t have worried though. Hermione saw his dilemma right away and pulled out her wand, performed the correct charm, and began to levitate him up the stairs.

“I think this is the least I owe you,” Hermione said as Harry looked back at her.

If Harry had any illusions that he would be able to go straight to bed, he quickly found out that they would have been far from reality. For half of the night, he sat and talked with a large group of Gryffindors. They asked him every question they could think of, and told him almost every detail of what he had missed. By the time everyone was finally winding down, it had gotten so late that Hermione had to perform her charm on everyone once again so that they would be able to wake up feeling rested and refreshed.

The next morning, students were sure to wake up in plenty of time, to catch their train back to London. Thanks to Dumbledore’s warning, most of those who were leaving made sure that the first person to wake up would go around and make sure everyone else was awake as well. That held true everywhere except in one of the Gryffindor dorms. Ginny had given orders that no one in Harry’s room was to wake him, since he was staying at Hogwarts over the holidays anyway. Not wanting to incur her wrath, everyone in that dorm tread very lightly that morning.

By the time Harry finally rolled over and opened his eyes, he saw Ginny sitting at the foot of his bed watching him.

“Morning sleepyhead,” Ginny said as he reached for his glasses.

“Careful, Ginny,” Harry said with a smile spreading over his face. “A guy might just get used to waking up and seeing you looking at him.”

“Why, Harry Potter,” Ginny said as she blushed. “You shouldn’t tease a girl like that.”

“But you turn such lovely colors when I do,” Harry said with a chuckle.

“Would you like me to stay here while you change?” Ginny asked playfully. “Then we can see what color you might change.”

Harry thought about how to counter her, and finally said, “I can take it if you can.” Harry threw off the blanket that was covering him and began to unbutton his pajama top as seductively as he could.

“Ha,” Ginny laughed as she got up and started for the door. “You got me this time, Harry. I wouldn’t want to get too excited until you’re fully recovered. You might not survive it.”

Harry’s jaw dropped in disbelief as he said, “Why Ginerva Weasley!”

Ginny just smiled from the doorway and said, “Look who’s turning colors now.”

After he had dressed, Harry went down to the common room to find Ginny waiting there along with Hermione and Ron. Since they had all made plans to stay at St. Mungo’s with Harry, they were staying at Hogwarts for the holidays now that he was back. Hermione insisted once again on levitating him down the stairs. He tried to tell her that he was going to have to climb the stairs someday without her help, but she just told him that the day had not yet arrived.

As Harry walked up to the doors of the Great hall, being flanked by Ron and Ginny with Hermione guarding the rear, Cassidy walked out of the Great Hall and stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted Harry.

“Hi, Cassidy,” Harry said.

Harry watched as Cassidy’s face contorted as if trying to hold back tears. He thought she was about to say something when she placed her hand over her mouth and ran past him with tears beginning to flow from her eyes.

Malfoy walked out of the Great Hall and saw all of them standing there, and looked to see Cassidy running away from them as he said, “What did you say to her, Potter.”

“I just said hi,” Harry answered, still baffled by Cassidy’s reaction. “Then she just burst into tears and ran off.”

“I might have known you did that to her,” Malfoy said frowning.

“Did what?” Harry asked confused.

“That, Potter,” Malfoy said. “She’s been acting just like that ever since you got hurt. She used to sit in the common room and write letters to her friends every night just gushing about Harry Potter this and Harry Potter that. I don’t know if she’s finished even one letter that she’s started since then. She just bursts out in tears and runs back up to her dorm room.”

“I still don’t exactly see why all of it has to be my fault,” Harry said.

“Just stay away from her, Potter,” Malfoy said.

“What are you still doing here anyway, Malfoy?” Ron asked. “Why didn’t you get on the train?”

“I’m staying here for Christmas, Weasley,” Malfoy responded. “As if that’s any of your business.”

“I think it is my business if you’re going to be in the castle,” Ron said suppressing his flaring anger.

“I know you think I was the one who attacked Granger, Weasley,” Malfoy said.

“Didn’t you?” Ron asked.

“I must say that it didn’t distress me that much,” Malfoy said with a sneer, “but I wasn’t the one who did it. I was in the library at the time. Ginny can tell you that she saw me in there, and after she left I sat down with a book doing some research. I didn’t even find out about the attack until half an hour after it happened. I can come up with several people who can tell you I was in the library, and no, they aren’t all from Slytherin.”

Malfoy walked past them as he headed back to his common room. Ron and the rest of the group just stood there stunned. Malfoy had always been their most likely suspect, and now they were left wondering if he really could prove that he wasn’t there when it happened. If Malfoy didn’t do it, then there was someone who had been able to go unnoticed, and that prospect was more terrifying. An unknown enemy was always the most dangerous.

“You were coming back from the library when you were attacked, weren’t you Hermione?” Ron asked. “Did you see Malfoy in there?”

“I only went to the library to return a book,” Hermione said. “I was in and out so quick that I never really paid attention to who else might have been there.”

“He was there,” Harry said. “If he wasn’t, he never would have mentioned that he could produce witnesses from houses other than Slytherin. He knows that of all people, we are the ones that are likely to check on that as soon as possible. For once, I think he was actually telling the truth.”

After they had eaten breakfast, Harry surprised them all by telling them that he wanted to go into Hogsmeade to do some Christmas shopping. They had tried to argue that he wasn’t ready for a tip like that yet, but he told them that he had spent the last few months sitting in a hospital bed and thought some fresh air was just what he needed. So, not being able to change his mind, they informed Professor Dumbledore of what they had planned and set off for Hogsmeade.

It wasn’t easy for Harry to get his Christmas shopping done. It wasn’t so much his legs that bothered him, as his loyal friends. They all hung very close to him worrying that he would slip and fall on some ice, or just get overly tired and not be able to remain standing. The fact that they never wanted to leave his side made it a bit difficult to buy anything for them without their knowing it. Finally he explained his difficulties to them and made them resort to watching after him in shifts. That way, he could send one person away from the group while the other two helped him pick out their gift. Then he would take that person back and send another away. It was a time consuming process, but eventually Harry was able to proclaim an end to it.

The group finally made it back to the castle, and Ginny waited outside the Great Hall with Harry while Hermione took their gifts up to Harry’s dorm, and Ron loaded down several owls with Harry’s gifts to the people he wasn’t going to be seeing for Christmas. When they were done, they all walked into the Great Hall extremely ready for dinner.

As usual during the holidays, Professor Dumbledore had removed the house tables from the room and had them replaced with a single round table. There were usually very few people who remained behind over the holidays, and this year was no exception. There were only eleven students altogether, made up of four Gryffindors, two Hufflepuffs, three Ravenclaws, and two Slytherin. As dinner got started, Harry couldn’t help but notice that one of the eleven was absent.

“Professor Dumbledore,” Malfoy asked as he gave up on pushing the food around his plate that he had barely touched, “would it be alright if I took a plate of food back to my common room for Cassidy.”

“Of course, Draco,” Dumbledore responded. “I imagine she must be quite hungry by now, since she didn’t come for lunch either.”

“She didn’t come to lunch?” Harry asked.

“No, Harry,” Dumbledore said.

“Is she sick?” Harry asked Malfoy.

“I wouldn’t know, Potter,” Malfoy answered. “I’ve been in the common room all day, and she never came out of her dorm. I’m just going to leave this food in the common room for her in case she decides to come down sometime tonight.”

“Let me know if she doesn’t,” Dumbledore said. “If not, then I’ll send Professor McGonagall to check on her.”

Harry watched Malfoy leave the Great Hall, wondering what it could be that Cassidy was hiding from. He also wondered why it was that Malfoy was so thoughtful all of a sudden.

The next day was the sam