This chapter has been partially revised.
Since last night’s scare, Harry and Ginny had not closed their eyes for a second in case unsuspected traps were plotted nearby. Both parents were lost in their own thoughts. Plans swirled through their minds as they watched James dozing noiselessly.
“What if we put the Fidelius Charm on our house? Ron or Hermione could be secret keeper. Then, you and James could be safe inside the house, and I can go and finally defeat Bellatrix,” stated Harry.
“What do you mean you will go fight Bellatrix? You alone will go fight Bellatrix?” asked Ginny suspiciously.
“You and James are not coming with me if that is what you mean,” warned Harry.
“Harry James Potter! You know perfectly well that I won’t sit around while you go fight Bellatrix. You tried to keep me protected once by breaking up with me. Remember? We can’t be together. Voldemort uses people his enemies are close to. * That is what you said to me! I didn’t care what happened then, and I DEFINITELY do not care now!”
“We have to think about what’s best for James”” began Harry.
“Do not bring James into this! You just don’t want me to come because you think I would be in trouble! Well guess what Harry; you are not the only one who has feelings. I don’t want to lose you either! All those times when you could have died have been flashing through my mind right as we speak! I am coming with you whether you like it or not!” glared Ginny. Her temper, matching her fiery red hair, was in full blast.
“Ginny, you would be a main target! What would we do with James? I would be worrying about too many things once we caught up with Bellatrix. There are too many problems if you come with me!” declared Harry in an exasperated voice.
“HARRY! You’re just not getting it! I would not be anymore of a target than you would. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not eleven years old anymore. I’ve met Voldemort and his Death Eaters just like you have! Remember the Chamber of Secrets? Remember the Department of Mysteries? I have dueled with Death Eaters just like you. I WAS THERE DURING THE LAST BATTLE!” Ginny’s voice suddenly shouted. She took a deep breath before continuing. “Harry, get it through your head! I am not going to sit around worrying about you. James will suffer because he won’t be seeing his dad. He will suffer because I am going to be pulling my hair out in worry the entire time! So if you are trying to avoid suffering then it won’t work,” Ginny cried with angry tears in her eyes.
“Ginny, I don’t want James to have to go through what I did. In case something happens where Bellatrix gets the best of us, I don’t want James to be an orphan,” whispered Harry in a defeated voice.
“Harry,” said Ginny her voice softer now. “I want James to be happy, too. But, Harry, it all comes down to love and trust. It is because of Love that you are alive today. Love is what has kept you safe and what will keep us safe. Love is what brought us together. The power of Love defeated Voldemort that day, and Love will conquer Bellatrix Lestrange. Love is what will reside in us and in James forever. So, Harry, do you love and trust me enough to bring me along for our newest battle?”
Harry was quiet for a moment thinking hard. Finally he whispered, “Ginny, I love you. I know that we both need to protect James and fight for him. Besides, with a temper like yours James will probably be in just as much danger. I know he loves to test your temper daily!” Harry tried to joke. He smiled slightly, thinking of the time James had not wanted to go in his broom car seat. He had been struggling with his mother the entire time until he was so fed up that he had blown the whole contraption up. It was harder to say who had been screaming louder that day, James in protesting argument or Ginny in unbelievable anger.
Ginny grinned weakly, and then replied. “I love you too Harry.” Ginny pecked Harry on the cheek. She turned around as she heard James’ baby talk. “James loves you too.”
Harry laughed, reached down, and snatched James up, spinning him around. James started giggling as he was thrown into the air by his father. Harry then spotted the look on Ginny’s face each time James was thrown into the air. After she glared at him once more, Harry quickly set James on his blanket, keeping a close eye on him nonetheless. James gurgled some more as he rolled around on the blanket. After James was bored of his rolling game, he started to stand up. Though he was wobbling a bit, he managed to take some small steps. Harry laughed as James then tried to run over to his toy broom that was sitting on the ground. The one year old failed miserably as he kept falling, not yet having the coordination to run. James finally abandoned his walking task and set off towards the broom at a crawl.
“He’s going to be a Quidditch player just like his dad,” Harry laughed.
“And his mom,” Ginny added with a smile. Both proud parents watched as their little boy tried to figure out how to climb onto the toy broom.
“We need to start packing!” Ginny called out.
“Wait, we still have one problem”” Harry exclaimed.
“Harry I am going””Ginny growled.
“No, I don’t mean that,” Harry interrupted quickly, “What are we going to do with James? He is not coming with us. As much as I don’t want to let him out of my sight, it is way too dangerous for him. I won’t have our son in the line of fire.”
“I know, I agree,” said Ginny sadly. “I know where he can go though. The Burrow would be perfect for him. He hasn’t seen his grandparents in forever, and Ron and Hermione’s twins, Myra and Jason, might also be there.”
Harry agreed, smiling at the prospect of going back to one of his favorite places on earth.
“Ginny go grab the invisibility cloak that is hidden under James’ mattress. We are going to need to use it at one time or another,” informed Harry.
“Fine by me,” Ginny answered. The mother walked inside the nursery, shuddering at the Dark Mark still engraved on the door. Though the night was over, she was still terrified of what could have happened to James. Bellatrix had sneaked inside their house right under their noses! Ginny trembled as thoughts of Bellatrix crossed her mind. Finally clearing the events from her mind, Ginny walked over to the cradle. Lifting up the mattress, she felt underneath it for Harry’s cloak. Her fingers felt nothing but air. Ginny lifted the entire mattress up still looking for the cloak. Nothing was there. Alarm flew into her mind as she pieced together who could have taken the cloak.
“Harry! The cloak is not there! Grab James quick!” she screamed.
Harry felt goose bumps run across his arms. Quickly, he snatched James from the floor and ran toward his wife. She was still searching for the cloak.
“Harry, we have to get out of here. What if Bellatrix is under that cloak? She could have heard our plans! She could be sneaking up on us right now!” sobbed Ginny hysterically.
“Ginny get control of yourself! We need a clear head, and we can’t let James know our distress,” commanded Harry. “We don’t have time to pack. Let’s just take some Floo powder and go to the Burrow. We’ll be fine. Bellatrix probably would have cursed us by now if she was hiding under the cloak. Most likely, she just grabbed the cloak so that she could use it later on.”
Ginny nodded, calming down just enough to think. She watched as Harry held James with one arm and held his wand tightly with the other. He must be more worried than he lets on. Ginny thought. Ginny walked towards the cabinet reaching for the pocket of Floo powder inside of it.
“Let’s go Harry,” Ginny said nervously.
Harry nodded watching for any suspicious movement. He handed James to Ginny and grabbed his own amount of Floo powder.
“You go first,” Harry said, his eyes warning her to not argue.
After a moment’s hesitation, Ginny agreed. She watched as Harry left the room going towards their own bedroom. Turning back towards the fireplace, Ginny tossed the powder, ready to hop into the green flames. Instead of reaching the flames though, the powder fell short of the fireplace. It seemed as if it had even bounced off of something. Perplexed, Ginny tried again. Once more the Floo powder did not enter the fireplace. Ginny set James down, taking out her wand as she went. She inched nearer to the fire finally reaching out her wand hand to see what was causing the powder to come to a halt. An invisible barrier met her hand as soon as she touched it. Pain erupted up her arm and then throughout her body.
“AHHHH!” Ginny screamed. It felt as if her hand was being eaten up. Pain beyond pain was penetrating all of her body.
Harry heard the sound and scrambled back to the family room. He watched in horror as Ginny started shuddering in pain, holding her wand arm.
“GINNY!” Harry yelled.
Ginny watched as things got dizzier and dizzier. Struggling for breath, Ginny managed to whisper one word, “Fire”. Then the white hot knives inside of her body became too much to handle, and Ginny collapsed.
Harry fell at Ginny’s side seeing her withering body. Harry couldn’t think. Shock, confusion, and fear were racing inside of his body. He knew he had to something, but time seemed to be in slow motion. It looked like the work of the Cruciatus Curse, but somehow it seemed different. Then suddenly, Ginny’s trembling body stopped and she lie rather still. Horror rushed through Harry.
“Rennervate! Rennervate! RENNERVATE!” Harry yelled as he realized that Ginny was in mortal danger. Tears started to run down his cheeks as Ginny’s body stayed limp. Memories of saying that exact spell to save Dumbledore flashed through Harry’s mind, but he quickly erased the thought. Harry knew that Ginny had to get to St. Mungo’s or even to the Burrow fast. Harry grabbed a handful of Floo powder about to throw it into the fireplace when he suddenly remembered Ginny saying something about the fire.
Harry held up his wand making swishing movements and muttering incomprehensible words. There was a flash, and the invisible barrier appeared twinkling at him innocently. Now realizing that the barrier had done something terrible to Ginny, Harry knew that Floo powder would not be their transportation route. All he knew was that the barrier was made by dark magic. Quickly, Harry grabbed James with one arm and touched Ginny with his other hand. Harry focused on the Burrow. Thinking the three D’s, Destination, Determination, and Deliberation, Harry started to Apparate. Only it didn’t come. He tried harder, for once wanting to feel as if he was being forced into a tube. James started to make a fuss and struggled against Harry. That is when everything clicked. The cloak, the fireplace, and now not being able to Apparate. They were definitely the work of Bellatrix. Harry started to panic as he realized that he couldn’t hold both his wife and child and just walk out of the door. Besides, Bellatrix could be waiting for him to do just that. He couldn’t risk it.
“Boom! Me want Boom!” James started to scream.
Boom? What does he mean boom? I don’t have time for this! Harry thought as James continued to scream. Oh Broom! He means his toy broom! That is how we can escape, by flying! Harry felt relief as he sprinted toward the closet where the brooms were kept. He opened the door hastily, reaching in for his Firebolt. Harry felt nothing but air. He looked inside seeing that the closet was full of broken pieces of wood. Ginny’s and his broom were beyond repair. Harry’s panic reached a new intensity as he realized that once more transportation was impossible. He looked over to where Ginny was lying and where James, still oblivious to the danger, was playing with his broomstick. Suddenly, Harry felt a chill run up his spine that was not related to his panic. The air seemed to drop forty degrees in temperature, and the lights began to flicker.
Not here! How could they have entered? I thought they were all under tight control! Harry desperately thought. James started to whimper, and Harry realizing his dilemma, darted over to him before the lights went totally out. Just as he picked James up, the house was filled with darkness so thick that Harry couldn’t see his own hand. At the same time, it seemed as if an icy blanket had been placed over him. James started to scream in terror just as memories started to flash through Harry’s mind. Mad-Eye on the ground dead, Cedric’s open, blank staring eyes, screams of help and flashes of green light, Ginny’s screams of mercy as the Cruciatus Curse hit her in the last battle, and Ginny’s limp body in their house now. As James’ screams reached a new pitch Harry was jerked out of his nightmares.
“EXPECTO PATRONUM!” bellowed Harry. Nothing happened. Harry couldn’t get the picture of Ginny out of his head. He just couldn’t seem focus on a happy thought. We need to escape. How can we escape? Oh God help us! Harry thought as he realized that the dementors were reaching for James. Harry tried spinning out of the rotted hand’s grasp. It was still coming after them. Knowing he couldn’t leave Ginny, Harry’s head was spinning from trying to think. Transportation…Transportation…Ginny shrieking in pain…Transportation…Green light... Dumbledore taking the potion and his screams of Kill Me…Taking a Portkey to number twelve Grimmauld Place knowing that Mr. Weasley could be dead…Portkey….PORTKEY!
Harry realized that the dementor had lowered its hood and was taking a big breath sucking up any remaining happiness. Harry felt something beside of him tremor. Then a rotted hand reached out and grabbed his wrist. Harry fell to the ground, still holding James, and tried to cover both their faces.
“Accio toy broom!” Harry managed to gasp out. Ginny’s face screeching in torture rushed to his mind as Harry continued to struggle with the dementor. James started to screech as another dementor tried to grab his flailing arms. Harry rolled over unhinging both dementors from James’ and his wrists. Harry squinted to see where the dementors were now. He saw that one was continuing to glide towards him.
“PORTUS!” Harry once again gasped while pointing his wand at the broom. The dementor once more locked his hand on Harry’s wrist. Harry kicked at the dementor, making it recoil back and giving him just enough time to locate Ginny’s hand. With horror, he saw that the second dementor was leaning toward his wife ready to administer its fatal kiss. With Harry’s last strength he seized the portkey and grabbed Ginny’s hand that was almost out of reach. Just as he felt the dementor leaning in for that fatal kiss, he felt the sensation of a hook being jerked behind his naval.
A/N: *Quote from Half Blood Prince (page 646)
A Death Eater’s Revenge by Phenioxsong22
Chapter Notes: Disclaimer: This world belongs to JK Rowling, not me.