Losing Harry Chapter 23
Story: Losing Harry
Chapter: Twenty-Three
Word Count: 2,276 (chapter only)
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: mild language; occasional and/or eventual mild violence, strong language and scenes of a sexual nature
Characters: Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Draco, Albus, Scorpius, Lorcan, Lysander, James, Lily, etc.
Genre: Mystery, Drama, Romance
Summary: A wizard has disappeared, and the Ministry is refusing to investigate; Albus Potter is in the Hogwarts Infirmary, and Ginny and Hermione are arguing over Harry's peculiar behavior. All is not as it should be. HPDH+Epilogue compliant.
Notes: Written in British English. Thanks to cymonie for her beta-work. Also thanks to cathyyy and Siri for their Swedish betaing. (o:
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Previous Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
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Harry Potter Involved in St Mungo’s Disturbance
Famous Head Auror, Harry Potter, though previously believed to be dead by some Ministry officials, turned up in St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries late last night. Potter’s former partner confirmed that it was indeed Harry Potter, along with a second person he appeared to be carrying with him. The Ministry makes no comment regarding his activities and claims they have no knowledge of his intents, purposes, or present whereabouts.
A brief struggle occurred at the hospital, injuring two Healers, as four unknown wizards chased Potter through the hospital. Aurors appeared in time to diffuse the situation, but were unable to apprehend Potter. They did capture one of the four assailants, but the Ministry refuses to release any information on the case. Interim Head Auror Hazel assures everyone that they have their best men on this case and will see that it comes to a clean and just end.
Ginny stared at the Daily Prophet, numb as she scanned the article for the fifth time. On the front page, along with the headline, was a large photo a bystander had snapped during the scuffle at the hospital. She could see the backs of three masked wizards running down a corridor, and far in the distance was half of Harry’s face - just enough for his wife to know undoubtedly and undeniably that it was him. Alive, well, and on the run.
“Ginny!” Hermione’s voice came through the Floo. When Ginny didn’t answer, she suddenly found her kitchen occupied by Hermione, Ron, and George, each dusting ashes from their clothes in a noisy and disruptive scuffle.
“What…?” Ginny asked, slowly tearing her gaze away from the paper.
“You saw it,” Ron said. “I told you, he’s alive!” Ron cheered, a hand on George’s shoulder as he squeezed with excitement.
Ginny stared at the wall behind her brothers.
“This is good news,” Hermione said slowly, taking a step toward her.
“But…if he’s alive, why hasn’t he written?” Ginny countered, brow furrowed. “What is he doing? Where has he gone? Why are people hunting him?!” Ginny continued, her speech coming quicker and more anxious.
Hermione and George moved to sit on either side of Ginny.
“He’s up to something, all right,” George said. “My guess is, whatever it is, he thinks he has to do it alone.” Ginny caught her brother glancing quickly to Ron and Hermione, neither of whom appeared to appreciate it.
“Alone? Why?” Ginny asked, ignoring the subtext she was missing. “He never has to do anything alone. I’m here. We’re all here!” she argued. “And why was he carrying someone? Were they injured or killed? Why did they say it that way?”
She twisted a napkin in her hand, her peaceful late morning tea ruined by her questions, doubts, and fears.
“Love,” Hermione began softly, setting a hand to Ginny’s shoulder, “we know nothing more than you do. But we’d like to go to the Ministry and see if we can dig up anything new.”
“Yeah, it’s time we see our letters already. It won’t hurt anything in the case to let Harry’s wife and best mates see the letters. Hermione’s a Law Enforcement Officer and I’m an ex-Auror, honorably retired from the job. It’s time we see our letters!” Ron said with determination, as if addressing the Ministry right there in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place.
Speaking of letters, Ginny heard the flapping of tiny wings, and just afterward a small brown owl appeared, hopping at the end of the table with a miniscule note attached to its foot. The bird jumped tiredly toward Hermione, who took the note and frowned. The bird, once relieved of its message, moved quietly to the end of the table again, apparently having no energy left to begin its journey back to where it came from.
“I think it’s from Albus,” Hermione said.
Ginny straightened in her chair. “My Al?” She gazed intently at the letter in her sister-in-law’s hands, and was thankful when Hermione read it aloud.
Dear Aunt Hermione,
I saw the article in the Daily Prophet’s evening edition last night. Is it true? Was Dad really seen at St Mungo’s? Scorpius and I are all right. We’ve got a new plan. And now we wonder if Dad’s still in England. I know you want me back at school, but I’m not going until Dad is found. So if you want me home, please tell me anything that might help us find him. I know we’re not Aurors. I know we shouldn’t be doing this. But it’s my Dad, and I have to. Same goes for Scorpius.
Love from,
Al
“Why is he writing you?” Ginny asked, a mixture of confusion and resentment in her voice as Hermione set the parchment down on the table. Ron stepped up behind his wife, hands going to both of Hermione’s shoulders.
“He said he’s been writing you too,” Hermione told her gently, gaze waiting for a confirmation.
“Well…yes,” Ginny acknowledged, “but -”
“Have you been writing him back?” Hermione returned.
“I…I haven’t had time. I’ve had a lot on my mind,” Ginny said defensively, staring from Hermione to Ron and back again. Before her eyes, Hermione seemed to snap.
“Your fourteen year old son runs away from school, Merlin knows where, but it must be somewhere far from the way the owls look so tired when they deliver his letters, and you have more important things to do than to talk to your son?!” Hermione shouted. Ron’s hand tightened on Hermione’s shoulder, trying to hold her back while Ginny glanced nervously at her brothers. Her eyes began to sting and she looked away.
“Ginny, what’s going on?” George asked softly, his hand touching her arm. “We know this has all been very hard on you, but you know you can talk to us. We’re your family. We love you. And we miss Harry just as much as you do. We’re doing everything we can to help Harry and Albus…but we don’t know how to help you. Let us,” George said.
Ginny slowly tugged her arm from his grip.
“You all mean well, but you don’t understand,” she said quietly. “Harry’s living a life without me, whatever this is that he’s gone to do. And…I think it’s what he wants.”
George blinked and Ron said, “What?”
“It’s been half a year,” Ginny tried to explain. “No word from Harry at all -”
“The Ministry confiscated -” Hermione cut in.
“One letter!” Ginny argued, voice rising. “They confiscated one letter Harry wrote to me. One to each of the children, and finally one to you and Ron. That doesn’t tell me shite, Hermione!”
Hermione blinked at her, and Ginny could see her pulling away, putting space between them. Hermione didn’t get it. She couldn’t. This wasn’t just about being a worried and distraught wife of an Auror. This was more personal. Hermione had Ron, and they were happy. Life was perfect. Their best friend was missing, but it was probably another great adventure - like the good old days. But they had not been good old days for Ginny. She had spent the majority her school days staring after Harry, dreaming of the day when he would be hers.
She still felt as though she were dreaming of that day.
“I think it’s our fault,” Ron spoke up, sliding a quick glance across the table to George. Ginny pulled out of her own thoughts to try and follow what her brother was saying. “I mean,” Ron went on, “if Harry went after Malfoy, he must remember how Hermione and I always doubted his instincts about Malfoy in school, and how our family despises their-”
“MALFOY!” Ginny screamed angrily. “Why is it always Malfoy?”
“I’ll tell you why we’re talking about Malfoy!” Hermione countered quickly, her own voice raised as if she were trying to match Ginny’s. “There were enough traces of the Dark magic left on the clock in Malfoy’s home that if we had another sample for comparison, we could positively, or negatively, identify a match. It turns out that the Dark spell cast on Albus’s Quinstar 500 was cast by the same wand or wizard that cast the Dark spell leaving the traces behind on Malfoy’s clock.”
Hermione stared coldly at Ginny, who could do nothing but blink back at her.
“You better reconcile your issues with Malfoy fast, because he’s our key to finding Harry right now. And for all we know, it could bring more trouble upon your son,” Hermione threatened.
Ginny felt her leg shaking and was glad she was seated. She reached for her tea, but it was cold already and tasted bitter in her mouth.
“Look, why don’t we all go down to the Ministry together -” George began.
“I appreciate your support and comfort,” Ginny interrupted him, “really, I do, but don’t you guys have work to do? A shop to run?”
She didn’t want to think about this now, to deal with what Hermione was saying - not with all of them there, not with an audience. The answers never came closer; the situation just grew more complicated. Her son now seemed even more deeply involved in Harry’s misadventure, and she couldn’t help wondering where she had gone wrong in her life, in her family.
She couldn’t think for the other people in the room.
“I…I took off from work,” Hermione said, looking around at Ron and George as if asking them a question without words.
“We closed the shop for a few hours. Wanted to check on you and see what more we could find out from the Ministry,” George said, eyeing Ginny with a look that made her distinctly uncomfortable.
Ginny straightened in her seat, closing her eyes and opening them again until the world looked more aligned than it had the moment before. She took a deep breath, feeling all eyes focused on her.
“Well, I’d rather be alone, thank you,” Ginny said evenly.
..:..
A few days later Hermione was in Ginny’s kitchen again, kindly filling her in on the news she’d acquired, despite the way Ginny had treated them before. She apologised, but Hermione seemed to take no note of it.
“Whatever your problems are with Harry, or whatever you think he’s done, or is doing, or will do, I can only say that I love him dearly and I’m going to find him and find the truth about what’s going on. I can include you in on everything I find, or I can let you alone,” Hermione said, staring at Ginny over the kitchen table. Her gaze was strong and unrelenting, and Ginny ducked her head in shame.
“Please, tell me.”
“I spoke with Morgan from Forensics. The staff down there is investigating the tea kettle and clock -”
“From Malfoy’s?” Ginny interrupted. “I…I thought we were talking about Harry.” She was careful to keep her voice controlled this time. She knew her family was having trouble dealing with her moods and outbursts. She was having trouble, too.
“Who do you think Harry was dragging through St Mungo’s with him?” Hermione asked. “A dead body? A new girlfriend? For the love of Merlin, Ginny, open your eyes! It fits!”
Ginny sighed.
“As I was saying,” Hermione went on harshly. “I had the Forensics team reconstruct the situation, using the photos they had from the crime scene. They believe that a duel took place in Malfoy’s home, as there was evidence of opposing spells being shot from two different directions. They don’t think the teakettle with the blood on it was used as a weapon, but rather that it was a casualty of the duel that took place. For example, Malfoy could have fallen on it, perhaps. The Dark magic traces -”
“The ones you matched to Albus’s broom?” Ginny checked.
“Yes,” Hermione said. “I had them run some different tests. This time they discovered that whatever Dark spells were done, at least one of them was performed improperly. We’re dealing with someone who attacked Malfoy, was brave enough to use Dark spells, but was either unskilled, unpracticed, or faltered in using the spell and cast it incorrectly. Who knows what the result was,” Hermione finished.
Ginny swallowed nervously. She did not like the sounds of a wizard using Dark spells but performing them incorrectly. She felt markedly gratefully that nothing worse than a fall happened to Albus.
“You really think Harry’s with Malfoy?” Ginny asked doubtfully.
“I know you don’t give any credit to our Malfoy theory, but this might actually be good news,” Hermione insisted.
“But I can’t work out why Harry would leave us to go on a wild owl chase after Malfoy,” Ginny admitted uncomfortably.
“He must think it’s important. An injustice the Ministry is letting happen,” Hermione said.
“To Malfoy,” Ginny emphasised.
“He is a person.”
“He’s a git.”
Hermione gave her a look that greatly displeased Ginny. “What do you expect me to say?” Ginny responded in her own defense. “Whatever’s going on with Malfoy, why does it mean Harry’s family should be living without him? It’s all rubbish! And this is all granted that your hunch is right!”
“Well, my hunches about Harry usually are,” Hermione argued with even severity.
“Oh, yes, Harry’s best friend, the woman who knows his every move. How silly of me, his wife, to dare question what you think he might be doing.” Ginny crossed her arms and glared across the table at her sister-in-law.
“Look,” Hermione said fiercely, “we are getting closer to finding out what happened to Malfoy, which should lead us straight to Harry and restore two families in the process. I know Albus, at least, would certainly be interested.”
Ginny could not mistake the way the last line had been throw at her.
“Now you start in with my son?” Ginny lashed out. “Oh, get off it, Hermione. What two families are you going to repair? Astoria’s found a new husband, and if Harry intends to abandon his family, I might as well, too!”
Astoria hadn’t exactly found herself a new husband, but Ginny had heard around London that the former Mrs Malfoy was looking good for an engagement in the near future. She had certainly moved past her husband’s unexplained disappearance, leaving Ginny to wonder if the same was expected of her.
Hermione closed her eyes, as if willing herself to muster self-control. “I don’t believe Harry ever intended to abandon his family. He loves us all. He found an important cause he had to fight for, and the Harry we know and love would not stop until he’s won.”
“At what cost?” Ginny asked bitterly.
Hermione shook her head, clearly tired of arguing. They had been family long enough for Ginny to recognise that, at least.
“There’s just a bit more and then I’ll leave you to your peace,” Hermione said. “Hogwarts notified Forensics about further information regarding Al’s Quinstar 500.”
Ginny sat up then, her interest piquing again.
“They don’t know who cast the spell,” Hermione went on, “but they know the curse was intended to hurt the rider, most likely by sending him straight for the ground. The burn mark on Albus’s hand was a binding element the curse held. It was meant to prevent Albus from jumping off the broom. So long as he remained attached to the broom, the curse could continue to control him.”
Ginny swore and set a hand to her face. Her poor Albus.
“Who would do this?” she asked quietly.
“Someone who wanted Harry to stop what he was doing,” Hermione answered. “My guess is they hoped Harry would get word of his son’s accident and would abandon what he was doing to protect his son.”
“And there were no clues at all about the sender?” Ginny asked, hoping the answer would be different this time.
“No, but they’re trying to go back and track down which owl delivered the broom, and any effects it might have included - such as mailing paper, an attaching ribbon, any note Al might have kept or not told us about…”
Ginny nodded, racking her brain for anything Albus might have mentioned about the broom.
“And also,” Hermione continued. “George wanted me to tell you that he’s very sorry, but he can’t get his gadget working like he intended, yet. You remember, the one he mentioned that could potentially track Harry down…? He’s not given up, but he can’t get it to yield correct results yet.”
Ginny sighed and ran her hands over her face. Somehow, as clever as her brother was, she wasn’t surprised. She honestly didn’t expect anything to bring Harry home until Harry himself had decided it. For once, no one else was pulling the strings.
“How are James and Lily? Have you heard from them recently?” Hermione asked, making an attempt to bridge the gap of tension extended between them.
Ginny shrugged. “James wrote to tell me he needed a new school book because a friend of his destroyed it. And Lily writes almost every week. She always asks about Harry and Albus. I think she’s been badgering Luna’s boys. And she’s been going down to Hagrid’s a lot.”
“Hagrid’s? Really?” Hermione asked, sounding interested.
“Yes, she wanted advice from him about her dad and brother. She’s always been fond of him, even from a distance. Hagrid wrote to tell us about her visits.”
Hermione smiled. “We used to always go down to Hagrid’s. I remember his dog, and his terrible biscuits…and that dragon.” She closed her eyes, appearing to recall the memories in her mind’s eye, leaving Grimmauld Place and re-visiting Hagrid’s hut instead.
“You lot used to go to Hagrid’s,” Ginny amended, picking at her fingernails. “I didn’t.”
Hermione opened her eyes, surveying her for a moment.
“Yes, well, Hagrid’s is a fine place for Lily to be. Anyway, I’ll have our Rose check on Lily. Maybe together those girls could get something out of the Scamander twins. But, for now, I must be off,” Hermione said, standing from the table.
“Thanks, er, for coming by,” Ginny said. “I know I’m probably acting like a twat. But I don’t know how I’m supposed to be acting.” She furrowed her eyebrows. Was she meant to be the strong woman, confident in her husband’s return, or the worried wife, going to the Ministry every day? Should she be fierce and follow Harry’s trail herself? Or take her broom and find her son? Or…should she let it play out, as things always did with Harry, regardless of whatever Ginny did or didn’t do, because he was Harry Potter and there was always something bigger happening with him. Never just her boyfriend, just her husband, just a man. He was always something more.
Ginny was still sitting alone in her kitchen thinking, an hour later, her tea having gone cold, when a familiar face appeared in the Floo, drawing her out of her thoughts and troubles.
“How are ju’ holding up today?” Lennart asked in his sing-song accent as he brushed the Floo dust from his arms and then crossed the kitchen. He was almost to the table when Ginny stood to meet him, letting him wrap her up in a strong and comforting hug.
“It’s…I…I dunno,” she said into his shoulder. He smelled like soap and his favourite Bruno Banani cologne. Ginny could pick the scent out anywhere.
Lennart held her for several minutes, and Ginny found it difficult to speak as the information from the last few days washed over her. It was complicated by the feelings of contentment that accompanied Lennart’s embrace. It should feel wrong, but it felt right.
Ginny swallowed nervously, trying to sort out her thoughts and put them into words.
“I…I don’t know if Harry has gotten himself into this,” Ginny said, the words spilling out as if they needed to be out. “Or if it’s happened to him…but I never believed he would let it involve his children in any way, and put their lives at risk. And if someone is after Albus…! Oh, criminy, Lennart!”
“It’s all right, älskling,” Lennart said, his hand rubbing her back as he guided her back to the kitchen table. “It’ll be all right.”
But Ginny wasn’t sure about that. She watched as Lennart began to make fresh tea, pouring the cold down the sink, and finding teacups in Ginny and Harry’s kitchen. Her life was an utter and complete mess. She should be ecstatic that her reportedly dead husband was in fact alive and well. And yet she…wasn’t. She felt a great many and complicated things, but ecstatic was not among them.
Worse yet was the nagging in her mind about the body Harry had been carrying through the hospital. If she believed Hermione, then that second person had been Malfoy. But that didn’t make the situation any more understandable.
Lennart placed his hand on hers as he sat at the table with her.
“Look, I’ll go wit ju’ to the Ministry this week, if ju’ wan’ to inquire about Harry and your son,” Lennart offered. There were less of the singing tones in his voice, as it lowered to convey his sincerity.
Ginny shifted uncomfortably, eyes going around the room before she gazed up into Lennart’s blue eyes. “Why do you want to help me with Harry?” she asked seriously.
“Because I know ju’ care abou’ him,” he said. “And ju’ won’ be free again until you know he’s okej.”
She looked at him for some time and then scooted her chair closer to his so she was able to lean against him.
“He’s my husband,” Ginny said quietly.
Lennart nodded. “With this reecen’ news, I feel myself hoping that once ju’ find him, it’ll be fair then for ju’ to make jour choice,” Lennart said with genuine care in his voice.
Ginny stared down at her hand covered by his. She had never intended for there to be a choice. Lennart was…someone special. And Harry…was gone. She knew that was not the whole of it. Things were complicated.
“I…he’s the father of my children,” she said. She looked up at him apologetically, but he did not seem especially bothered. He was very understanding, and instead gave her shoulder a squeeze.
“I know, älskling.” Lennart nodded. “Look, there is no reesson to figure it out now. However, my offer stands. I’ll go wit ju’ to the Ministry, if ju’ like.”
“Yes, yes, that would be nice,” Ginny said, nodding as she considered it. She would feel better having someone there with her. Of course she could go at any time with Ron or Hermione, but… They didn’t get it. They weren’t really there for her. They were there for Harry. They always had been. She loved them and appreciated them. But she couldn’t help feeling that she had let herself become a mere extension to Harry Potter, and nothing more. And that was often all she felt she was when with Ron and Hermione.
And then there was Lennart.
He was a good man, and had been a strong support for her ever since Harry’s disappearance. He seemed to understand her all too well. Her own family didn’t really get it. But Lennart saw. And Lennart…well, she thought maybe he loved her.
It was a nice feeling.
Next: Chapter 24
Chapter: Twenty-Three
Word Count: 2,276 (chapter only)
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: mild language; occasional and/or eventual mild violence, strong language and scenes of a sexual nature
Characters: Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Draco, Albus, Scorpius, Lorcan, Lysander, James, Lily, etc.
Genre: Mystery, Drama, Romance
Summary: A wizard has disappeared, and the Ministry is refusing to investigate; Albus Potter is in the Hogwarts Infirmary, and Ginny and Hermione are arguing over Harry's peculiar behavior. All is not as it should be. HPDH+Epilogue compliant.
Notes: Written in British English. Thanks to cymonie for her beta-work. Also thanks to cathyyy and Siri for their Swedish betaing. (o:
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Previous Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
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Harry Potter Involved in St Mungo’s Disturbance
Famous Head Auror, Harry Potter, though previously believed to be dead by some Ministry officials, turned up in St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries late last night. Potter’s former partner confirmed that it was indeed Harry Potter, along with a second person he appeared to be carrying with him. The Ministry makes no comment regarding his activities and claims they have no knowledge of his intents, purposes, or present whereabouts.
A brief struggle occurred at the hospital, injuring two Healers, as four unknown wizards chased Potter through the hospital. Aurors appeared in time to diffuse the situation, but were unable to apprehend Potter. They did capture one of the four assailants, but the Ministry refuses to release any information on the case. Interim Head Auror Hazel assures everyone that they have their best men on this case and will see that it comes to a clean and just end.
Ginny stared at the Daily Prophet, numb as she scanned the article for the fifth time. On the front page, along with the headline, was a large photo a bystander had snapped during the scuffle at the hospital. She could see the backs of three masked wizards running down a corridor, and far in the distance was half of Harry’s face - just enough for his wife to know undoubtedly and undeniably that it was him. Alive, well, and on the run.
“Ginny!” Hermione’s voice came through the Floo. When Ginny didn’t answer, she suddenly found her kitchen occupied by Hermione, Ron, and George, each dusting ashes from their clothes in a noisy and disruptive scuffle.
“What…?” Ginny asked, slowly tearing her gaze away from the paper.
“You saw it,” Ron said. “I told you, he’s alive!” Ron cheered, a hand on George’s shoulder as he squeezed with excitement.
Ginny stared at the wall behind her brothers.
“This is good news,” Hermione said slowly, taking a step toward her.
“But…if he’s alive, why hasn’t he written?” Ginny countered, brow furrowed. “What is he doing? Where has he gone? Why are people hunting him?!” Ginny continued, her speech coming quicker and more anxious.
Hermione and George moved to sit on either side of Ginny.
“He’s up to something, all right,” George said. “My guess is, whatever it is, he thinks he has to do it alone.” Ginny caught her brother glancing quickly to Ron and Hermione, neither of whom appeared to appreciate it.
“Alone? Why?” Ginny asked, ignoring the subtext she was missing. “He never has to do anything alone. I’m here. We’re all here!” she argued. “And why was he carrying someone? Were they injured or killed? Why did they say it that way?”
She twisted a napkin in her hand, her peaceful late morning tea ruined by her questions, doubts, and fears.
“Love,” Hermione began softly, setting a hand to Ginny’s shoulder, “we know nothing more than you do. But we’d like to go to the Ministry and see if we can dig up anything new.”
“Yeah, it’s time we see our letters already. It won’t hurt anything in the case to let Harry’s wife and best mates see the letters. Hermione’s a Law Enforcement Officer and I’m an ex-Auror, honorably retired from the job. It’s time we see our letters!” Ron said with determination, as if addressing the Ministry right there in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place.
Speaking of letters, Ginny heard the flapping of tiny wings, and just afterward a small brown owl appeared, hopping at the end of the table with a miniscule note attached to its foot. The bird jumped tiredly toward Hermione, who took the note and frowned. The bird, once relieved of its message, moved quietly to the end of the table again, apparently having no energy left to begin its journey back to where it came from.
“I think it’s from Albus,” Hermione said.
Ginny straightened in her chair. “My Al?” She gazed intently at the letter in her sister-in-law’s hands, and was thankful when Hermione read it aloud.
Dear Aunt Hermione,
I saw the article in the Daily Prophet’s evening edition last night. Is it true? Was Dad really seen at St Mungo’s? Scorpius and I are all right. We’ve got a new plan. And now we wonder if Dad’s still in England. I know you want me back at school, but I’m not going until Dad is found. So if you want me home, please tell me anything that might help us find him. I know we’re not Aurors. I know we shouldn’t be doing this. But it’s my Dad, and I have to. Same goes for Scorpius.
Love from,
Al
“Why is he writing you?” Ginny asked, a mixture of confusion and resentment in her voice as Hermione set the parchment down on the table. Ron stepped up behind his wife, hands going to both of Hermione’s shoulders.
“He said he’s been writing you too,” Hermione told her gently, gaze waiting for a confirmation.
“Well…yes,” Ginny acknowledged, “but -”
“Have you been writing him back?” Hermione returned.
“I…I haven’t had time. I’ve had a lot on my mind,” Ginny said defensively, staring from Hermione to Ron and back again. Before her eyes, Hermione seemed to snap.
“Your fourteen year old son runs away from school, Merlin knows where, but it must be somewhere far from the way the owls look so tired when they deliver his letters, and you have more important things to do than to talk to your son?!” Hermione shouted. Ron’s hand tightened on Hermione’s shoulder, trying to hold her back while Ginny glanced nervously at her brothers. Her eyes began to sting and she looked away.
“Ginny, what’s going on?” George asked softly, his hand touching her arm. “We know this has all been very hard on you, but you know you can talk to us. We’re your family. We love you. And we miss Harry just as much as you do. We’re doing everything we can to help Harry and Albus…but we don’t know how to help you. Let us,” George said.
Ginny slowly tugged her arm from his grip.
“You all mean well, but you don’t understand,” she said quietly. “Harry’s living a life without me, whatever this is that he’s gone to do. And…I think it’s what he wants.”
George blinked and Ron said, “What?”
“It’s been half a year,” Ginny tried to explain. “No word from Harry at all -”
“The Ministry confiscated -” Hermione cut in.
“One letter!” Ginny argued, voice rising. “They confiscated one letter Harry wrote to me. One to each of the children, and finally one to you and Ron. That doesn’t tell me shite, Hermione!”
Hermione blinked at her, and Ginny could see her pulling away, putting space between them. Hermione didn’t get it. She couldn’t. This wasn’t just about being a worried and distraught wife of an Auror. This was more personal. Hermione had Ron, and they were happy. Life was perfect. Their best friend was missing, but it was probably another great adventure - like the good old days. But they had not been good old days for Ginny. She had spent the majority her school days staring after Harry, dreaming of the day when he would be hers.
She still felt as though she were dreaming of that day.
“I think it’s our fault,” Ron spoke up, sliding a quick glance across the table to George. Ginny pulled out of her own thoughts to try and follow what her brother was saying. “I mean,” Ron went on, “if Harry went after Malfoy, he must remember how Hermione and I always doubted his instincts about Malfoy in school, and how our family despises their-”
“MALFOY!” Ginny screamed angrily. “Why is it always Malfoy?”
“I’ll tell you why we’re talking about Malfoy!” Hermione countered quickly, her own voice raised as if she were trying to match Ginny’s. “There were enough traces of the Dark magic left on the clock in Malfoy’s home that if we had another sample for comparison, we could positively, or negatively, identify a match. It turns out that the Dark spell cast on Albus’s Quinstar 500 was cast by the same wand or wizard that cast the Dark spell leaving the traces behind on Malfoy’s clock.”
Hermione stared coldly at Ginny, who could do nothing but blink back at her.
“You better reconcile your issues with Malfoy fast, because he’s our key to finding Harry right now. And for all we know, it could bring more trouble upon your son,” Hermione threatened.
Ginny felt her leg shaking and was glad she was seated. She reached for her tea, but it was cold already and tasted bitter in her mouth.
“Look, why don’t we all go down to the Ministry together -” George began.
“I appreciate your support and comfort,” Ginny interrupted him, “really, I do, but don’t you guys have work to do? A shop to run?”
She didn’t want to think about this now, to deal with what Hermione was saying - not with all of them there, not with an audience. The answers never came closer; the situation just grew more complicated. Her son now seemed even more deeply involved in Harry’s misadventure, and she couldn’t help wondering where she had gone wrong in her life, in her family.
She couldn’t think for the other people in the room.
“I…I took off from work,” Hermione said, looking around at Ron and George as if asking them a question without words.
“We closed the shop for a few hours. Wanted to check on you and see what more we could find out from the Ministry,” George said, eyeing Ginny with a look that made her distinctly uncomfortable.
Ginny straightened in her seat, closing her eyes and opening them again until the world looked more aligned than it had the moment before. She took a deep breath, feeling all eyes focused on her.
“Well, I’d rather be alone, thank you,” Ginny said evenly.
..:..
A few days later Hermione was in Ginny’s kitchen again, kindly filling her in on the news she’d acquired, despite the way Ginny had treated them before. She apologised, but Hermione seemed to take no note of it.
“Whatever your problems are with Harry, or whatever you think he’s done, or is doing, or will do, I can only say that I love him dearly and I’m going to find him and find the truth about what’s going on. I can include you in on everything I find, or I can let you alone,” Hermione said, staring at Ginny over the kitchen table. Her gaze was strong and unrelenting, and Ginny ducked her head in shame.
“Please, tell me.”
“I spoke with Morgan from Forensics. The staff down there is investigating the tea kettle and clock -”
“From Malfoy’s?” Ginny interrupted. “I…I thought we were talking about Harry.” She was careful to keep her voice controlled this time. She knew her family was having trouble dealing with her moods and outbursts. She was having trouble, too.
“Who do you think Harry was dragging through St Mungo’s with him?” Hermione asked. “A dead body? A new girlfriend? For the love of Merlin, Ginny, open your eyes! It fits!”
Ginny sighed.
“As I was saying,” Hermione went on harshly. “I had the Forensics team reconstruct the situation, using the photos they had from the crime scene. They believe that a duel took place in Malfoy’s home, as there was evidence of opposing spells being shot from two different directions. They don’t think the teakettle with the blood on it was used as a weapon, but rather that it was a casualty of the duel that took place. For example, Malfoy could have fallen on it, perhaps. The Dark magic traces -”
“The ones you matched to Albus’s broom?” Ginny checked.
“Yes,” Hermione said. “I had them run some different tests. This time they discovered that whatever Dark spells were done, at least one of them was performed improperly. We’re dealing with someone who attacked Malfoy, was brave enough to use Dark spells, but was either unskilled, unpracticed, or faltered in using the spell and cast it incorrectly. Who knows what the result was,” Hermione finished.
Ginny swallowed nervously. She did not like the sounds of a wizard using Dark spells but performing them incorrectly. She felt markedly gratefully that nothing worse than a fall happened to Albus.
“You really think Harry’s with Malfoy?” Ginny asked doubtfully.
“I know you don’t give any credit to our Malfoy theory, but this might actually be good news,” Hermione insisted.
“But I can’t work out why Harry would leave us to go on a wild owl chase after Malfoy,” Ginny admitted uncomfortably.
“He must think it’s important. An injustice the Ministry is letting happen,” Hermione said.
“To Malfoy,” Ginny emphasised.
“He is a person.”
“He’s a git.”
Hermione gave her a look that greatly displeased Ginny. “What do you expect me to say?” Ginny responded in her own defense. “Whatever’s going on with Malfoy, why does it mean Harry’s family should be living without him? It’s all rubbish! And this is all granted that your hunch is right!”
“Well, my hunches about Harry usually are,” Hermione argued with even severity.
“Oh, yes, Harry’s best friend, the woman who knows his every move. How silly of me, his wife, to dare question what you think he might be doing.” Ginny crossed her arms and glared across the table at her sister-in-law.
“Look,” Hermione said fiercely, “we are getting closer to finding out what happened to Malfoy, which should lead us straight to Harry and restore two families in the process. I know Albus, at least, would certainly be interested.”
Ginny could not mistake the way the last line had been throw at her.
“Now you start in with my son?” Ginny lashed out. “Oh, get off it, Hermione. What two families are you going to repair? Astoria’s found a new husband, and if Harry intends to abandon his family, I might as well, too!”
Astoria hadn’t exactly found herself a new husband, but Ginny had heard around London that the former Mrs Malfoy was looking good for an engagement in the near future. She had certainly moved past her husband’s unexplained disappearance, leaving Ginny to wonder if the same was expected of her.
Hermione closed her eyes, as if willing herself to muster self-control. “I don’t believe Harry ever intended to abandon his family. He loves us all. He found an important cause he had to fight for, and the Harry we know and love would not stop until he’s won.”
“At what cost?” Ginny asked bitterly.
Hermione shook her head, clearly tired of arguing. They had been family long enough for Ginny to recognise that, at least.
“There’s just a bit more and then I’ll leave you to your peace,” Hermione said. “Hogwarts notified Forensics about further information regarding Al’s Quinstar 500.”
Ginny sat up then, her interest piquing again.
“They don’t know who cast the spell,” Hermione went on, “but they know the curse was intended to hurt the rider, most likely by sending him straight for the ground. The burn mark on Albus’s hand was a binding element the curse held. It was meant to prevent Albus from jumping off the broom. So long as he remained attached to the broom, the curse could continue to control him.”
Ginny swore and set a hand to her face. Her poor Albus.
“Who would do this?” she asked quietly.
“Someone who wanted Harry to stop what he was doing,” Hermione answered. “My guess is they hoped Harry would get word of his son’s accident and would abandon what he was doing to protect his son.”
“And there were no clues at all about the sender?” Ginny asked, hoping the answer would be different this time.
“No, but they’re trying to go back and track down which owl delivered the broom, and any effects it might have included - such as mailing paper, an attaching ribbon, any note Al might have kept or not told us about…”
Ginny nodded, racking her brain for anything Albus might have mentioned about the broom.
“And also,” Hermione continued. “George wanted me to tell you that he’s very sorry, but he can’t get his gadget working like he intended, yet. You remember, the one he mentioned that could potentially track Harry down…? He’s not given up, but he can’t get it to yield correct results yet.”
Ginny sighed and ran her hands over her face. Somehow, as clever as her brother was, she wasn’t surprised. She honestly didn’t expect anything to bring Harry home until Harry himself had decided it. For once, no one else was pulling the strings.
“How are James and Lily? Have you heard from them recently?” Hermione asked, making an attempt to bridge the gap of tension extended between them.
Ginny shrugged. “James wrote to tell me he needed a new school book because a friend of his destroyed it. And Lily writes almost every week. She always asks about Harry and Albus. I think she’s been badgering Luna’s boys. And she’s been going down to Hagrid’s a lot.”
“Hagrid’s? Really?” Hermione asked, sounding interested.
“Yes, she wanted advice from him about her dad and brother. She’s always been fond of him, even from a distance. Hagrid wrote to tell us about her visits.”
Hermione smiled. “We used to always go down to Hagrid’s. I remember his dog, and his terrible biscuits…and that dragon.” She closed her eyes, appearing to recall the memories in her mind’s eye, leaving Grimmauld Place and re-visiting Hagrid’s hut instead.
“You lot used to go to Hagrid’s,” Ginny amended, picking at her fingernails. “I didn’t.”
Hermione opened her eyes, surveying her for a moment.
“Yes, well, Hagrid’s is a fine place for Lily to be. Anyway, I’ll have our Rose check on Lily. Maybe together those girls could get something out of the Scamander twins. But, for now, I must be off,” Hermione said, standing from the table.
“Thanks, er, for coming by,” Ginny said. “I know I’m probably acting like a twat. But I don’t know how I’m supposed to be acting.” She furrowed her eyebrows. Was she meant to be the strong woman, confident in her husband’s return, or the worried wife, going to the Ministry every day? Should she be fierce and follow Harry’s trail herself? Or take her broom and find her son? Or…should she let it play out, as things always did with Harry, regardless of whatever Ginny did or didn’t do, because he was Harry Potter and there was always something bigger happening with him. Never just her boyfriend, just her husband, just a man. He was always something more.
Ginny was still sitting alone in her kitchen thinking, an hour later, her tea having gone cold, when a familiar face appeared in the Floo, drawing her out of her thoughts and troubles.
“How are ju’ holding up today?” Lennart asked in his sing-song accent as he brushed the Floo dust from his arms and then crossed the kitchen. He was almost to the table when Ginny stood to meet him, letting him wrap her up in a strong and comforting hug.
“It’s…I…I dunno,” she said into his shoulder. He smelled like soap and his favourite Bruno Banani cologne. Ginny could pick the scent out anywhere.
Lennart held her for several minutes, and Ginny found it difficult to speak as the information from the last few days washed over her. It was complicated by the feelings of contentment that accompanied Lennart’s embrace. It should feel wrong, but it felt right.
Ginny swallowed nervously, trying to sort out her thoughts and put them into words.
“I…I don’t know if Harry has gotten himself into this,” Ginny said, the words spilling out as if they needed to be out. “Or if it’s happened to him…but I never believed he would let it involve his children in any way, and put their lives at risk. And if someone is after Albus…! Oh, criminy, Lennart!”
“It’s all right, älskling,” Lennart said, his hand rubbing her back as he guided her back to the kitchen table. “It’ll be all right.”
But Ginny wasn’t sure about that. She watched as Lennart began to make fresh tea, pouring the cold down the sink, and finding teacups in Ginny and Harry’s kitchen. Her life was an utter and complete mess. She should be ecstatic that her reportedly dead husband was in fact alive and well. And yet she…wasn’t. She felt a great many and complicated things, but ecstatic was not among them.
Worse yet was the nagging in her mind about the body Harry had been carrying through the hospital. If she believed Hermione, then that second person had been Malfoy. But that didn’t make the situation any more understandable.
Lennart placed his hand on hers as he sat at the table with her.
“Look, I’ll go wit ju’ to the Ministry this week, if ju’ wan’ to inquire about Harry and your son,” Lennart offered. There were less of the singing tones in his voice, as it lowered to convey his sincerity.
Ginny shifted uncomfortably, eyes going around the room before she gazed up into Lennart’s blue eyes. “Why do you want to help me with Harry?” she asked seriously.
“Because I know ju’ care abou’ him,” he said. “And ju’ won’ be free again until you know he’s okej.”
She looked at him for some time and then scooted her chair closer to his so she was able to lean against him.
“He’s my husband,” Ginny said quietly.
Lennart nodded. “With this reecen’ news, I feel myself hoping that once ju’ find him, it’ll be fair then for ju’ to make jour choice,” Lennart said with genuine care in his voice.
Ginny stared down at her hand covered by his. She had never intended for there to be a choice. Lennart was…someone special. And Harry…was gone. She knew that was not the whole of it. Things were complicated.
“I…he’s the father of my children,” she said. She looked up at him apologetically, but he did not seem especially bothered. He was very understanding, and instead gave her shoulder a squeeze.
“I know, älskling.” Lennart nodded. “Look, there is no reesson to figure it out now. However, my offer stands. I’ll go wit ju’ to the Ministry, if ju’ like.”
“Yes, yes, that would be nice,” Ginny said, nodding as she considered it. She would feel better having someone there with her. Of course she could go at any time with Ron or Hermione, but… They didn’t get it. They weren’t really there for her. They were there for Harry. They always had been. She loved them and appreciated them. But she couldn’t help feeling that she had let herself become a mere extension to Harry Potter, and nothing more. And that was often all she felt she was when with Ron and Hermione.
And then there was Lennart.
He was a good man, and had been a strong support for her ever since Harry’s disappearance. He seemed to understand her all too well. Her own family didn’t really get it. But Lennart saw. And Lennart…well, she thought maybe he loved her.
It was a nice feeling.
Next: Chapter 24