“Why did you do it?”
She sounded pleading, not angry. Perhaps she had realised herself that the potion was really Veritaserum. Right now, she was tired and just wanted answers. She didn’t even know who to believe anymore.
“I was captured by them,” Draco began, “the Death Eaters. About a week ago. They tried to force me to join them, but I wouldn’t. So they used the Cruciatus Curse on me. They used everything they could, until finally, they had no choice but to Imperiuse me. See, they were the ones who wanted to kidnap your baby, not me. They told me to get the baby, steal it, and bring it back to them. They had no use for it - it was only so that Harry would go after her with the Aurors so that they could corner them. But I overcame it. I tried to escape to warn you all, but Snape put the Body-Bind spell on me.”
Ginny felt suspicious. She knew he was telling the truth, Harry had made sure of that. But how could she just accept what he’d said, just like that?”
“Please,” Draco pleaded with them. “I know you don’t want to believe me, but you must. I never wanted to hurt your baby, or you. That’s why I came back here and…killed Severus Snape.”
He lowered his eyes to the back of Snape, lying face down in the ground, motionless. It seemed to only just sink in for Draco. Ginny looked directly at him. He looked…ashamed. He glanced away, knowing he had murdered.
Whether it was just in the heat of the moment, or whether it was just the fact that they were standing in the middle of a battlefield, Ginny didn’t know. But she suddenly felt very faint, and swayed to one side. Harry caught her arm.
“Ginny - what - ?”
Ginny couldn’t hear him. Her mind went black, and she fainted into Harry’s open arms. She didn’t remember any more.
“Mum! You’re awake finally!”
Ginny opened her bleary eyes. She was lying with her head against a soft, cream pillow. An equally soft duvet covered her. She sat up slowly and brought her eyes into focus. Lisle was sitting at the foot of the bed, bouncing excitedly as usual. Ginny rubbed her eyes. She was back in her and Harry’s room…but what about Malfoy and the Death Eaters? What had happened to the Aurors, and Hermione, Ron and the rest of them?
“Mum, are you listening Mum?”
Ginny turned to Lisle who had come to snuggle next to her. Ginny smiled and pulled her under the covers, so that Lisle was on her lap. She stroked her fine, dark hair softly. She was momentarily just glad to be back at home with her daughter.
“I am listening, my love,” she said in a quiet voice, “what were you saying?”
“I wanted to know where you were,” she said, “you and Daddy left last night, and I woke up and couldn’t sleep. Granny made me some hot chocolate, and I still couldn’t sleep, so do you know what I did?”
Lisle’s voice was eager, anticipation written all over her face. Ginny’s eyes widened. “What?” she asked, cautiously.
“I counted sheep,” Lisle said, matter-of-factly, “and then I came to sleep in your bed, and then I looked in Amy’s cot, and she was gone too! But then I fell asleep!”
Ginny laughed aloud. Lisle always told the most pointless stories, but in a strange way, they always interested her.
“Where were you then?” Lisle interjected, curiously. Ginny stroked her fringe out of her forehead. It was finally growing out, but it meant that she would no longer have to cut it.
Ginny looked down at Lisle’s eager face, and wondered, as she always did, whether the child was still too young to know about such things. After all, she was only seven.
“We went away for a bit,” Ginny said, cautiously. Lisle said nothing, as if expecting more, but was soon distracted as cries came from the cradle in the corner. Ginny jumped up and walked over, thankful for the diversion.
Amy was lying amongst the blankets, looking sleepy. She was beating her fists against the mattress. Ginny bent down and scooped her up. As she did, the door opened, and Harry came through, carrying a breakfast tray. He was wearing his pyjamas and dressing gown, and his hair was messier than normal.
“Morning,” he said, as Ginny began to feed Amy, curling up under the duvet again. He walked over and sat the tray down on the bed. There were three plates and glasses. Ginny noticed that Harry had used the best china. The tray was carrying a feast. Mounds of scrambled eggs on buttered white toast, a toast rack stuffed with toast, jams and butter, a large jug of fresh orange juice, an enormous plate of bacon, fried tomatoes, a plate of chocolate-chip waffles, a large bowl of assorted fruit, a pot of tea with milk and sugar on the side and finally, to top it all, the biggest stack of pancakes Ginny had ever seen, golden syrup oozing down all sides. Ginny’s mouth began to water.
“It looks delicious!” she gasped, handing out plates. “Come on all of you, under the covers!”
Lisle snuggled in between Harry and Ginny, and the three began to tuck into the food. Ginny took a piece of toast and buttered it. She picked grape-flavoured jam and ate it with hearty approval. She drank from her tall glass of fresh orange, closing her eyes. This was the only way to eat breakfast, surely.
After most of the food had been consumed, including the fruit (Ginny insisted Lisle eat some vitamins) Ginny snuggled down against the pillows, drinking hot tea. Harry was holding Amy, who was no longer crying, but awake. She was glancing around the room, and Ginny could swear that the infant was smiling. Lisle had started jittering and jumping about. The large breakfast had made her very excitable. The tray began to tip perilously, dark tea coming dangerously close to the cream white sheets.
“Careful, Lis,” Ginny said, holding the tray steady. “Anyway, why don’t you go downstairs, to the basement? You can watch TV.”
TV, as Ginny knew, was a Muggle thing, introduced to her by Harry and Hermione. Both had grown up watching a silver box, and Ginny didn’t know why, until Harry had purchased one, one day in a Muggle shop. He had also bought two long, slim silver boxes insisting one was a “video-player” and a “DVD player”. Ginny hadn’t a clue about it, until Harry had shown her. It was really rather simple now, and Ginny had to admit, for Muggles it wasn’t a bad idea. She actually liked it so much, that their collection of DVDs was extensive now.
Lisle hopped down from the bed and raced out of the room, singing a Celestina Warbeck song loudly. Ginny chuckled at the surprisingly good impression of the witch singer. Ginny had the Wireless Wizarding Network on the radio all the time, just to prove their were still a wizarding family.
“Now,” said Ginny, as Harry passed Amy back to her, “we’re rid of Lisle, you can tell me what happened.”
Ginny realised it had been nearly a whole hour since she had woken up. The alarm clock read nine-thirty.
“You passed out,” Harry said. “We didn’t know why, but some of the Aurors said it was probably because you were extremely tired, having had a baby recently and being in that field at that time of night anyway.”
Ginny nodded, and Harry continued.
“You were taken back here, by some Aurors. I stayed on for a bit, talking to Malfoy. He seems to be telling the truth, and there’s no way that Snape’s Veritaserum can’t work. It’s the strongest stuff you can get, really.”
“And it’s definitely Veritaserum, you say?”
Harry sighed. “Yes Gin. We’ve been through this…”
“I’m sorry. It’s just…you know.”
Harry gazed at her. “I know, I know. I’m sorry too. But he’s actually not lying this time. Obviously they’ve kept him back - he’s an ex-Death Eater, and any sort gets sent to Azkaban. Also, no matter what, he murdered Snape, using an Unforgivable as well.”
Ginny’s mind was racing. So really, Malfoy had saved Amy. He had saved them all, by killing Snape. But he was going to be sent to Azkaban.
As though he had read Ginny’s mind, Harry began to speak, “There is a chance…he might get someone to vouch for him. But Ginny, I know it’s difficult, but please don’t think about Malfoy right now. It is a tiring subject and you need rest.”
Ginny smiled wearily. “I know. To be perfectly honest, I want to put this whole kidnapping, this whole battle behind us.”
She looked into Amy’s clear green eyes, and knew it wasn’t quite possible yet. They were one big happy family again, as always, but there had been tension added. Too much had happened, and Ginny hated living on the edge like this, not knowing what was going to happen, or when. But for now, she just wanted to know everyone else was safe.
“They’re, miraculously all fine,” Harry said, as though reading her mind again, and Ginny realised he probably had. Legilimency was one of the skills he had perfected during Auror training, but Occlumency was still quite a challenge for him. “Hermione’s okay, she luckily escaped with a bad hex gone wrong; it could have done far more damage than it did. Ron and Charlie were taken to St. Mungos, but I believe they will be out in a few days, according to the Healers I spoke with last night. I visited St. Mungos while you were resting,” he added, when he saw her confused face. “Tonks is a bit hysterical. Remus…he didn’t make it Ginny.”
Ginny did not gasp, but a sudden void of blank filled her mind, and then the emotion came. Remus Lupin was…dead?She wouldn’t accept it, and yet her mind told her she had to. Suddenly, tears began to form in her eyes. Then, they spilled onto her cheeks and soaked the linen. Harry pulled her close.
“Was he…the only one?” Ginny asked, dreading the answer. Harry shook his head slowly.
“One of the Aurors in my department was killed,” he said softly, “a man named Peter Blake. He was in his late twenties, and he was an excellent Auror.”
Ginny couldn’t imagine what Tonks was going through. The pain and shock was the worst of it. She didn’t quite understand how Remus could be dead.
For a few minutes, Ginny sat, crying silently against Harry. She had known Remus better than Harry thought. It had been him, along with everyone else who had helped her so much in her first pregnancy. He had brought her ice-chips while she was in labour. He had helped her down the stairs whenever he came round in the third trimester of her pregnancy with Lisle. Then when Lisle was a tiny baby, he would come round and rock her to sleep while he and Ginny talked all night about careers, life and whatever she could think of. He had always given her wonderful advice about everything, and yet at the end of the day, he swept away, back to his own home, silently and swiftly as a phantom. But Ginny was grateful to him in many ways. He had died saving them all. Ginny played those words in her mind, knowing it sounded like something a grave, official person might say at a funeral, but this time she knew it was true.
“When is the…funeral?” Ginny forced herself to ask. Harry glanced down at her.
“A week from today,” he said. “November 14.”
Silence.
“Ginny, please don’t be too upset,” Harry said. “I know it’s the last thing he’d have wanted.”
Ginny smiled, weakly. “I know. On one hand, I’m so…shocked that he’s gone. But then I consider myself also to be very lucky. Lots more escaped death last night.”
“The funeral will be held at the Burrow,” Harry added. “We figured, since it’s the place everyone hung out at, once or twice at least. We’ll go down on the day before.”
Ginny nodded. She wanted to be with her family right now. As she looked down into Amy’s round, baby face she felt a tug of sadness, but yet she knew Remus wouldn’t have wanted them all to grieve.
The week had passed so quickly. Ginny found herself battling with mixed emotions. Some days she found everything too hard to take, and would cry privately in the bathroom or curled under the sheets. So much had happened, and even the Healers had said it was perfectly normal to be hormonal even after two months of giving birth. Ginny felt upset about Remus’s sudden death, but felt at peace with it.
November 14th arrived, the weather dismal. Ginny had woken up in her bed at the Burrow, finding Harry had gone out to Diagon Alley with her father, to pick up the flowers for the funeral. She had washed and gone downstairs to help her mother prepare the food for later. Lots of people were coming, and again, Molly was the one catering.
Ginny now stood over the sink, watching over some potatoes as they peeled themselves. Molly was decorating a very large cake with small sugared yellow and white roses made of icing. In two hours guests would be arriving, and everything had been set out outside; chairs and all. Lisle was watching her grandmother make the cake, while Amy slept in a makeshift playpen, tucked away in the corner of the kitchen. Ginny glanced at Lisle briefly. Her face was blank, almost confused at the dreariness of it all. The young girl didn’t understand funerals, or deaths. Ginny almost envied her ignorance. To be young and innocent, not to worry about people leaving forever, it had to be bliss. Yet in a way, Ginny wished Lisle could know the truth. She almost felt as though she was lying to her daughter, not being able to tell her about the battle or about Remus’s death.
But Ginny knew, somewhere in the back of her mind, that Lisle wouldn’t yet be able to cope with such matters. It would be too much for her mind. After all, seven years old was quite young. Ginny knew it was for the little girl’s own good.
“It’s finished,” Molly said quietly. Ginny looked round. The cake looked magnificent; delicious. It was a soft, buttery vanilla sponge underneath, with a layer of cream and jam. White icing covered it, along with the roses. Yet it almost depressed Ginny. It was so clearly a cake made for a sad occasion that it suddenly looked quite unappetizing.
“Why don’t you go upstairs and change, dear,” Molly said, her voice soft. “I’ll finish the potatoes and see to Lisle getting dressed.”
Ginny nodded, tearing her eyes away from the sugared roses. “Okay,” she said, her voice blank. “Thanks, Mum.”
White lilies. Dozens of them. A sea of people sitting, all wearing black. Dispiriting music played from a band at the front, as a line of people walked up the Weasley’s back garden, now an aisle. A long black coffin was hovering a few feet above the ground, moving with them.
Ginny watched as the coffin set itself down at the front. She was sitting on the second row, with all her family. Harry on one side, Ron on her other, then Hermione, George, Bill, Charlie, Percy, her mother, her father and finally Lisle sitting on Fred’s knee, sucking her thumb quietly. A man walked up to the front and began to speak.
“We are here today to celebrate the life of Remus Lupin…He will be remembered for his courage…generosity…selflessness…”
The words drifted over the trees, and Ginny found herself tuning out. She stared at the coffin, the impact of it’s presence startling her. It was really there. Remus Lupin really was gone.
Hermione was watery-eyed, holding a white handkerchief next to her cheek. Ron was looking glumly at his knees, as though the words were drifting over him as well. Ginny turned to glance at Harry. He was not crying, nor smiling. His eyebrows were contorted, as though someone had asked him a difficult question. Ginny knew he was sad, sadder than he let on. Remus had been something of a role model for Harry as he was growing up, and Ginny knew it. He had been like a second godfather after Sirius had died. Now, the last remaining link Harry had to his parents was gone.
Ginny felt tears creep up, but she did not let them fall. Instead she focused hard on the lilies. They were beautiful - but sorrowful at the same time. Ginny felt a tear break, and slide down her cheek.
“…And now, we shall have Nymphadora Tonks, Remus’s beloved wife and friend, speaking.”
Ginny looked up. Tonks stood up and strode towards the front, standing at the podium which the man had vacated. She glanced around, taking everyone in with her blue-green eyes. Her hair was long and black today; perhaps she decided pink didn’t go with black.
“I don’t have much more to add to the beautiful things that have just been said,” Tonks began. Her voice was quiet, and yet at the same time, it captivated everyone’s attention, “but I would like to say that I am so grateful to see so many of you here. Remus would have been happy to know he had fans.”
A few people smiled, but clearly the atmosphere was too miserable for any happiness or amusement. Tonks pressed on.
“Remus always seemed older than me in nearly every way,” she said. “Not just the fact that he was, but he always seemed more mature, more practical. He wouldn’t let me love him at first. He said I was too young, and that he was too dangerous, being a werewolf. He thought he knew what was best. But when you fall in love, it is almost impossible to let that person go completely. I couldn’t bring myself to the conclusion that we couldn’t be, just because of practicality and him being mature. When he let me in, I knew I was loved. It’s a feeling I’ve had ever since, and I knew I loved him. Nothing could stop us, so it didn’t. He died with someone loving him. And yes, he is not with us today. But as I said, once you fall in love, it is almost impossible to let that person go completely, and for that reason, Remus is not completely gone for me. I still have my love for him. And I will always have that love.”
She paused momentarily, looking up at the clouds. A few drops of rain had started to drizzle. Then she whispered in a soft voice.
“I will never, ever forget you, Remus Lupin.”
And with that, she squeezed her eyes shut. A few seconds later, her hair turned bright, luminous pink, short and spiky. Then she opened her eyes and smiled.
“I have one last thing for him,” she said, as the raindrops began to fall lightly. The clouds turned grey, but Tonks began to sing.
Long black limousine,
Shiniest car I’ve ever seen,
Back seat is nice and clean,
She rides as quiet as a dream
The band had started up, a soft melody on a guitar. The piano was faint in the background.
Someone dug a hole six long feet in the ground,
I said goodbye to you, and I threw my roses down,
Ain’t nothing left at all in the end of being proud,
With me riding in this car, and you flying through them clouds
The tune was light, acoustic. The lilies had droplets of water covering them, and the rain mingled with any tears being shed.
I’ve had some time to think about it,
And watch the sun sink like a stone,
I’ve had some time to think about you,
On the long ride home
Ginny looked round at Harry. His face was unreadable, and a tear was now sliding down his cheek. Ginny slipped her hand into his.
One day I took your tiny hand,
Put your finger in the wedding band,
Your daddy gave a piece of land,
We laid ourselves the best of plans,
Forty years go by with someone laying in your bed,
Forty years of things you say you wish you’d never said,
How hard would it have been to say some kinder words instead,
I wonder as I stare up at the sky turning red
It was raining rather steadily now. People were getting wet, but the band continued to play, and Tonks stood still, singing.
I’ve had some time to think about it,
And watch the sun sink like a stone,
I’ve had some time to think about you,
On the long ride home,
At last searching down the driveway,
The house is dark as it can be,
I go inside and all is silent,
It seems as empty as the inside of me
Some people were shuffling in their seats, covering themselves with hats, shawls or programmes. The rain was beginning to soak Ginny. Tonks was standing upright, drenched.
I’ve had some time to think about it,
And watch the sun sink like a stone,
I’ve had some time to think about you,
On the long, on the long,
On the long, on the long
Ride home
As the final chord had been strummed on the guitar, Tonks walked back to seat, placing a single red rose on the coffin as she did.
An hour and a half later, Ginny sat inside, watching the rain against the windowpane. She was sitting in an armchair in the living room, filled with people. The room was filled with the pattering of raindrops against glass and the low chatter of guests, eating cake.
“Hey.”
Ginny glanced up. Hermione was standing there, her eyes slightly red. She sat opposite Ginny, and held out a plate of cake. Ginny took it with a grateful smile.
“Some week, eh?” Hermione said softly. Ginny let out a chuckle.
“I know,” she said, taking a bite of cake. It was delicious, just as she had predicted. “I’ve been wondering if it’s all real or not. If it’s not just some crazy dream or something.”
Hermione sighed. “It’s real all right.”
The pair of them were silent for a while. Tonks sat a few chairs away, complimenting Molly on the cake. She was the most cheerful one in the room. Somehow, Ginny didn’t see how she could do it. If it had been herself, she would’ve isolated herself from the entire world.
“Hi.” A familiar voice came over.
Ginny looked up to see Ron and Harry standing there. Ron sat on the arm of Hermione’s chair, a bottle of Butterbeer in his hand. Harry sat next to Ginny. There was a long pause, while all of them sat, lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly Ron piped up.
“Wonder if it’ll ever be normal,” he said. Everyone looked round at him. He took a swig of his drink. “You know, no deaths, no Death Eaters or anything.”
Harry grimaced. “Something tells me that won’t ever happen.”
“The scary thing is though, what you describe as ‘not normal’ seems perfectly normal to me,” said Hermione sadly. “It’s pretty much what’s been happening since Hogwarts.”
Ginny smiled in irony. “Even if things never go back to ‘normal’ though, we still have today, don’t we? And tomorrow. And the next day. We’ve got the rest of our lives to live.”
They looked at her; Harry thoughtfully, Ron with an expression of half-dismay, half-happiness and Hermione with a small sad smile.
“It’ll take time to get over this,” Ginny said, voicing what she had been feeling for days. “But maybe we should just spend that time as happily as we can. After all, Tonks seems to be cheerful enough.”
The four of them surveyed each other, reflectively. In that moment, they were no longer just adults. They were just four friends, sitting round in the living room, as they had done at Hogwarts many evenings. Then, they began to chat quietly amongst themselves, gentle laughter finally filling the conversation.
A/N: There you go, Chapter 15, finally! Whew I’m glad that’s done. Now, for this chapter, I am exceedingly sorry to all you Remus fans, but one of them just had to go. It wouldn’t be a Harry Potter story if they didn’t. Anyway thank you for being patient, in case you didn’t know why I made you guys wait such an atrociously long time was because chapter 15 got deleted in the queue first time round so I had to re-write it. Thanks for reviewing though, and if you get a chance, please review this chapter to let me know what you think ;).
N.B. The song Tonks sings in this is called ’Long Ride Home’ by Patty Griffin. I don’t own the song, I’m just borrowing it. It’s also on the soundtrack in a film called Elizabethtown.
Oh and by the way, there will be more of Draco in later chapters, just not yet though.