Chapter Four: Home Again
Arthur moved swiftly through the hospital, with Remus and Tonks behind him, and Moody somewhere close by under an invisibility cloak. A few questions and a Confundus charm gave them the right ward and room, and after ascending several flights of stairs they emerged into a brightly lit hallway. Arthur froze at the sight of two men standing outside of what was supposed to be Harry’s room, one of them obviously a doctor, and the other obviously a poorly disguised Death Eater.
“If he has no memory and he’s blind and been shot, how could he have possibly vanished?” the Death Eater demanded angrily.
He got no more information, however, as he caught sight of Arthur and Arthur launched a series of unpleasant spells that were backed up by both Remus and Tonks. The Death Eater didn’t even try to fight and just Disapparated instantly instead. Arthur continued on to the doctor without pausing, while Tonks and Moody began modifying the memories of the few nurses and orderlies that had been present. After a long conversation with the doctor, Arthur modified his memory as well.
Lupin appeared to be beside himself with worry. “Is what we heard true?” he asked desperately.
Arthur’s face was unreadable. “The doctor confirmed it. Harry is blind, and he vanished earlier today, though no one saw him leave his room.”
“Could he have Apparated? Where would he have gone?”
Moody stumped up and joined the discussion. “Don’t worry, laddie,” he said slapping Remus on the back, “at least we know You-Know-Who doesn’t have him yet.”
Arthur responded in a whisper that only Moody could hear, “But he does know that Harry is blind.”
Tonks put a hand on Remus’ arm and tried to smile. “We’ll find him yet," she murmured softly; Remus seemed to take confidence from her words, and nodded.
“Let’s get back to headquarters,” Arthur said softly. “I don’t look forward to telling Ginny.”
Moody shuddered and responded, “I should think not! I don’t reckon I’ll be staying around for that battle.”
**********
Ginny was sitting at the kitchen table in Grimmauld Place, drinking tea, and waiting impatiently for her father to return. She had been furious when they wouldn’t let her go with them, but Moody wouldn’t budge on the matter. She had then spent a good deal of time brooding about this latest news, trying to convince herself that even if he had lost his memory she would be able to help him remember, or at least convince him to give them a chance at a relationship.
Ron and Hermione were still in the library, but had been wandering around the house at other times, and both appeared excited about something. Ginny was getting frustrated with their close-mouthed ways and was just getting ready to go yell at them on principle, when a huge burst of flame appeared in the middle of the kitchen. The flash was brief, and as it disappeared she saw a man she didn’t recognize lying on the floor. She screamed, pulling out her wand, and as she did the figure seemed to visibly sag with relief.
“Ginny?” the figure inquired tentatively, as he turned his face towards her. His eyes never seemed to find her, but she recognized his voice and those eyes.
“Harry!” she shrieked, and rushed to his side, taking him into her arms and kissing him gently on the lips. He knows who I am! she thought exultantly, as she pulled back to examine him. His head was wrapped in bandages and, from what she could see, his hair had been shaved off. He appeared battered and bruised, and there was a large bandage wrapped around his stomach. He appeared to be in a great deal of pain, and his eyes had still not found her.
“Harry, where have you been, what happened, are you alright…” she began.
“Ginny?” he asked again, interrupting her, before his eyes closed and his body sagged in her arms, and she felt blood begin to leak out of the bandage around his stomach.
“RON! HERMIONE! COME QUICK!” she screamed, as she held Harry’s broken body. They rushed into the room and both gasped in shock when they caught sight of him.
“Is that… Harry?” Hermione asked, in a tone both skeptical and frightened.
“It is, and I need your Portkey to Hogwarts, he needs to see Madame Pomfrey.”
Hermione nodded, and pulled out the Portkey. She appeared to want to activate it for all of them, but Ginny insisted one of them stay.
“Someone will need to tell Dad and the others where he is,” she reasoned. Her look dared them to suggest it be her, but neither of them was foolish enough to try it. Hermione decided to stay while Ron picked Harry up and disappeared with Ginny.
They appeared in the entry of the castle, and Ginny raced ahead of Ron towards the hospital wing, screaming for Madame Pomfrey. She was in her office and rushed Harry into a bed, muttering about Harry’s inability to stay out of trouble even over the holidays. Her expression became grim as she worked on Harry, but she made no comment. Ron put a comforting arm around Ginny and both of them settled in to wait.
**********
Harry opened his eyes again after another bout of flashing picture dreams, but the world was still dark. He could feel that he was in a warm bed again, but it was definitely not the Muggle hospital. He felt a hand touch his face, and flinched back in fear, before hearing a voice call his name.
“Harry, it’s me, Ginny.” He instantly relaxed into her touch, and remembered hearing her briefly before he had passed out. He heard other voices and movement, and tensed again.
“Where am I? Who else is here?” he demanded, frustrated that he couldn’t see for himself. He heard a chorus of people responding with their names, and ascertained that all of the Weasleys but Percy and Charlie were there, along with Remus, Tonks, Moody, Hermione, and Professor McGonagall.
“You are in the hospital wing again Mr. Potter,” came the familiar voice of Madame Pomfrey, “and you were in worse shape than is usual even for you. I don’t even want to begin discussing how much damage I had to fix from what those muggle doctors did to you. The only good that can be said about them is that they didn’t let you die and they didn’t kill you. Luckily, everything seems to be in order now.”
As she said this last bit, Ginny’s hand was replaced by Madame Pomfrey’s on his head, and he heard her wand swishing around above him. His head felt strange against her hand, and he suddenly groaned.
“My hair…” he whispered.
“Your hair will grow back, and we might even give you a hair-growing potion later if you so desire, but for now I decided to concentrate on what was the most urgent.”
“What about my eyes?” Harry said haltingly, distressed that everyone knew that he was blind but knowing that they would all know eventually anyway. Harry could hear the frown in Madame Pomfrey’s voice as she answered.
“We will have to start you on a series of potions for you eyes, and if it works it will take several months, maybe even a year, before your sight will be completely restored, though you should see some improvement before that.”
“If it works?” Harry asked, fearing the answer.
“Blindness has never been an easy thing to cure, and you have gone without magical treatment for some time after the injury was done. Still, it could be that your sight would return on its own even without the potions. Don’t worry, Mr. Potter. We’ll take care of everything we can, and the rest will work out.”
Harry had never heard such words of comfort from Madame Pomfrey before, and even though they were of little to no comfort, he was touched, and he nodded.
Ron could no longer hold his silence and said, “What the bloody hell happened, Harry?”
Several of the women in the room chided Ron for his language, but there were similar demands from others, so Harry sat back in his bed and told them almost everything he knew, leaving out what he knew about Fawkes, and ending with “I’m not sure how I got here after that, though I’m pretty sure I didn’t Apparate.”
Ginny told how she had found Harry in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place, mostly for Harry’s benefit as everyone else had already heard the story.
Arthur also told Harry what had transpired at the hospital, and while he was pleased that no one had been hurt, he was also deeply troubled by the fact that Voldemort knew he was blind and helpless.
“You really had us in a panic with that amnesia bit, Harry,” Arthur finished sternly, though the amusement was plain in his voice. The twins also thought this was hilarious, as Harry apologized sheepishly.
“I didn’t know what else to do,” he said quietly.
Everyone noticed that he was growing quieter as the conversation continued, and they all assumed he was tired and needed more rest, which opinion was greatly encouraged by Madame Pomfrey shooing everyone away from her patient. Still, McGonagall, Remus, Tonks, and Moody remained with Ginny, Ron, and Hermione.
Hermione was the first to speak after the doors shut, and Harry started at the sound of her voice, and demanded to know who was present again. After telling him, Hermione continued.
“Harry, after you were missing for a few days, Ron and I thought it was best for everyone here to know about the full contents of the prophecy. We’re sorry if you didn’t want that, but we thought it was the right thing to do.”
Hermione was expecting an outburst after this revelation, but Harry hardly reacted at all.
“That’s fine.” he said stoically, “I’m sure everyone here can keep what they know to themselves, and I trust you all.”
Ginny squeezed his hand as he said the last part, but he didn’t squeeze back.
“I really need some rest,” he told them. “Could you all give me some time alone?”
All of them except Ginny answered, but he felt her hand leave his. He maintained his calm expression until the footsteps had faded and the door closed, before slumping down in his bed.
***
Ginny watched as Harry’s face sagged in complete desperation, and began to grow nervous. He wouldn’t want her to witness this uncharacteristic show of helplessness. His eyes shone with unshed tears and stared blankly in random directions. That was still hard to come to terms with, but she could get used to it if it didn’t get better. This confrontation had to come sooner or later, and it may as well be sooner.
“Harry?” She asked tentatively, and saw him sit up quickly in surprise.
“Ginny! What are…? Please, just leave me alone,” he said desperately, swiping at the tears that had been dislodged by his sudden movement.
“I’m not going anywhere until we’ve had a chance to talk,” she said firmly.
“About what?” he whispered, barely loud enough to hear.
“About us! You suddenly decided that we couldn’t be together for my own protection, and you couldn’t even protect yourself. Now I’m wondering about your judgment in matters concerning people’s protection,” she stated, attempting to lighten the mood.
Harry’s mood obviously wasn’t lightened. His eyes were filled with anguish as they stared at some unknown point past her while he answered.
“I understand.”
“Understand what?” Ginny asked, confused.
“That you don’t want to be around me anymore. Everyone with any connection to me at all will never be safe until this is over, even if we’re just friends.”
“Harry, you daft prat, that’s not what I’m saying at all! I’m saying we’re back together no matter what you say. Maybe, since you think I can’t make take care of myself, and I know you can’t take care of yourself, we can take care of each other instead.”
His eyes opened wider in disbelief, and he could hear the smile in her voice, and what sounded like genuine affection, mixed in with the anger.
“How could you…? How could you mean that, knowing about the prophecy? I’m blind! I’m practically helpless, and I won’t likely live through any confrontation with Voldemort. I would only be a… burden on you for the short time I’m alive.” He finished hopelessly, certain that she would see reason and leave him.
“I don’t care if you’re blind, Harry. We’ll work that out, and we’ll figure something out with Voldemort too, even if I have to stand next to you and tell you where to point your wand. I was ready to take you back even if you didn’t remember who I am. You’ve made enough of my choices without giving me a chance to decide for myself, now I’m making a choice for you, and this is final.”
He could hear her voice soften as she whispered fiercely, “I love you, Harry.”
Harry was stunned. This couldn’t possibly be true, but he couldn’t think of any reason she would tease him about this. She wasn’t cruel, and she sounded sincere, but he just couldn’t reconcile her decision with his situation.
Thinking desperately that he needed some way to know if she was serious, he acted without knowing what he was doing. His eyes closed and he thought the word Legilemens!
Ginny watched the confusion and disbelief on his face, and was desperately trying to come up with a way to convince him of her love, when his eyes closed and his expression changed. Suddenly, images of Harry were flashing through her mind, her thoughts and feelings all brought to the surface, and she could feel Harry’s familiar presence among them all. She watched as his eyes snapped open in wonder and the presence faded from her mind. Tears were again building up in his eyes, but he appeared incapable of saying anything.
“Did you… just read my mind?” she asked shakily, unsure of what was happening.
He nodded slightly.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know what I was doing, I shouldn’t have…” he stammered, horrified he had intruded on her in that manner.
“So you know I’m serious,” she interrupted him.
He nodded again.
“Why?” he asked, once again in a barely audible whisper.
“Because I love you, Harry, and I think you’re worth it, even if you are an idiot who couldn’t see what’s right in front of him even if he could see.”
“I… love you too.” He said quietly.
That was the cue she had been waiting for and she threw herself onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him fiercely, and the kiss was returned with earnest as his arms wrapped around her waist. She held him and let him hold her for some time, before she pulled back enough to look at his face.
“How did you do that, Harry?”
“Do what?”
“Read my mind. Have you always been able to do that?” She was glad he couldn’t see her blushing.
“No! I really don’t know how I did it. I just needed to know that what you were saying was real and I just knew how to find out.”
“I’m glad you know I mean business, Harry,” she began, but continued grumpily, “I just don’t think it’s fair for you to read my mind when I can’t read yours.”
Harry pulled her close into his arms again, and closed his eyes once more. Again he thought the word Legilimens, but this time instead of putting himself into her mind he pulled her into his, allowing her to see his feelings for her. She gasped as she realized how terrified he had been upon learning he was blind, not that he could no longer see, but that he wouldn’t be able to find his way back to her, and that she would never take him back as he was. She was able to see that he cared as much for her as she did for him, and her heart swelled up as her eyes filled with tears.
“Thank you, Harry.” She whispered, as she sniffed and wiped her eyes. “Do you know how you did that?”
“I know how I did it, I just don’t know how I knew how to do it,” he responded.
“So, are we back together?” she demanded.
“I’m glad I don’t have a choice in the matter; you already made the right decision for me,” he answered, his voice heavy with emotion.
She was about to respond when the door opened again. She was about to pull away, not wanting to embarrass him, but he pulled her back.
“Who’s here?” he asked in a whisper, and she could hear his frustration at not knowing what was around him.
“Ron and Hermione,” she whispered back. “If anyone else comes in, I’ll let you know who it is.”
He nodded gratefully, and allowed her to pull away, but only far enough to stand comfortably next to him, and he kept an arm around her waist. He turned his face toward the sound of footsteps coming closer, and waited for one of his two best friends to speak.
Ron broke the silence first.
“It looks like you finally came to your senses about Ginny, mate.” Ron began jovially.
Harry grinned. “I didn’t have much of a choice, but at least I realized that before she had to hurt me.”
Ginny swatted his arm, but was pleased to hear him back in a good mood, and to see him smiling.
“Harry, we’re so glad you’re back safe,” Hermione started.
“And that I’ve learned my lesson about underestimating muggles,” Harry muttered.
“That too,” Hermione answered with a smile, before continuing. “Can Ron and I talk to you alone?”
Ginny started to move, but Harry pulled her tightly against his side.
“You may as well tell Ginny everything too. I can’t even keep my thoughts from her anymore, so she’d find out anyway.” Ginny’s heart soared with pleasure that Harry wouldn’t let her be excluded.
Hermione agreed hesitantly, but began to explain everything they knew about Horcruxes to Ginny.
“Hermione and I were helping with the search, but when we realized we couldn’t do much we decided to continue the research so that we could have information for you when you got back.” Ron added after Hermione was done.
“Harry, we think we’ve found one of the Horcruxes!” Hermione exclaimed, obviously proud of the pronouncement.
“Where is it?” Harry asked excitedly, “where is it located?”
“No, Harry,” Ron answered, “We have it.”