The Forgotten 7th Year

The Love of Family

I personally don't really like this chapter, or the title.

Ginny's POV

It was four days after Christmas, and something felt off. I kept glancing over the hill at Luna's house, and felt a bizarre urge to sprint over there. It was uncanny and pointless. Luna wasn't even over there. Just poor Xenophilius all alone.

I hoped he was coping. Maybe we should bring him cookies or something.

But I knew it wasn't empathy that drew my gaze. I had a tingling feeling that I hadn't felt since Bill and Fleur's wedding.

Hours went by in a daze. I found it difficult to focus on even the simplest of tasks. After dropping, bumping into, and breaking numerous objects, Fred and George began to call me Tonks.

They'd created a radio station called Potterwatch with the help of Kingsley, Lupin, and a few others.

Suddenly, I heard a crash of something breaking. Mum gasped, and Fred said a few words that should have made mum go ballistic, but she barely blinked at his language.

She'd been washing dishes, and had happened to glance out the opposite window. I followed her fixed stare, I saw what made her freeze.

Three people on broomsticks appeared on the horizon. They were wearing Death Eater robes and straight for us.

"Fred, George, get downstairs. Protect your sister." Dad had come to stand beside Mum. His voice was composed, and his jaw was set, but his eyes held a fear I hoped never to see again. "Kids, we love you. Just... whatever happens, be safe."

The twins nodded. I wrenched my gaze away, and followed them into the basement. The last thing I saw before George slammed the door, was mum bringing dad into a kiss and whispering,

"I love you, Arthur."

The door banged closed, and we descended into the basement.

My heart was pounding in my ears, and adrenaline was coursing though me. I could picture in my mind what was happening. The brooms landing. The door flying off it's hinges.

How did they find out? How did they know we were with the Order?

I helped Fred and George barricade the door, and we stepped back and drew our wands. All we could do was wait.

"We're all going to die? Aren't we?" I asked. My voice was surprisingly steely.

George hugged me, and said nothing.

Suddenly, mixed laughing and crying emanated from above us. Mum called down.

"It's, it's alright. It's alright. You can come upstairs, they, they passed us. We weren't the target." Her voice broke mid sentence.

Fred walked carefully to the door, and began dismantling the barricade. He was almost done, when a thought struck me.

"What if it's a trick?"

"Honestly, if the Death Eaters have landed, entered the house, and Imperiused our parents without making a sound, they're so good, we're dead anyways."

That seemed to convince George, who picked up a chair, and placed it out of the way. I grudgingly joined them.

When the doorway was clear, mum and dad were waiting for us. I threw myself into mum's arms, and just stayed there for a moment.

"I thought I'd never be able to do this again." I mumbled.

"Where were they going?" George asked. "The Death Eaters?"

"It looked like over to Xeno's. Does anyone know if he's stopped printing that stuff about Harry?" Dad still seemed to be recovering.

"I'm not sure. I can't imagine him jeopardizing Luna like that though."

"I hope he's ok."

But I couldn't help feeling glad that it wasn't us the Death Eaters were hunting.

I wondered if that made me a terrible person.

Luna's POV

Upstairs, Bellatrix was raging again.

"Are you telling me Potter escaped? Again Bring me Selwyn, Travers, and that other one, I forget her name. They need to learn the consequences of carelessness.

And when crazy old Xeno told us Potter had come to see him, I felt sure he was within our grasp."

My mind froze. Daddy, Daddy had... no. He wouldn't.

Daddy would have helped Harry. He wouldn't sell out the only hope our world had, not even for...

Not even for me?

He clearly didn't have the money to pay the ransom, so was he planning on trading Harry for me? I knew he loved me, but he didn't, he couldn't, he wouldn't have...

My mind was in free fall. Spiraling out of control. If Harry hadn't escaped, I would have been responsible for his death. I would have caused the end of, well, everything. All happiness and light. Everything good in the world.

I sunk into a sitting position, and just stayed there for awhile. I didn't have the energy to get up, but strangely, my eyes stayed dry.

The shock didn't leave room for tears.

Daddy knew I was friends with Harry. And Hermione, even though she was closed minded. And sort of Ron.

And what would've happened to Ginny? A blood traitor who's brother is traveling with the chosen one? And Neville, who's Grandmother is in the Order. Rolf's grandfather had written some very pro Muggle things, what about him?

A tear broke free, and trickled down my cheek. I began to play with the pendant again. The noise was comforting.

Who else was Daddy willing to sacrifice for me. I didn't think he would have done something like this. And then the question came unbidden to my mind.

Did I really know him at all?