The Forgotten 7th Year

The Next Part of Easter

Ginny's POV

I picked at my food. It felt tasteless, even though Mum could debatably cook better then the house-elves.

Dad and George were discussing something that bored me, and Mum was in the kitchen cleaning up. Fred was tinkering with some of the equipment for, Potterwatch, and getting it ready to move it over to Lee's where they'd be recording the next broadcast tomorrow. He looked focused, and had already shooed dad away twice from the Muggle Technology.

It felt like I was apart, as if I didn't really belong anymore.

The door opened, and I whirled, but it was only Mum. I bussed my plate, and ran upstairs, not bothering to say goodbye or goodnight.

I buried myself under the covers, and tried to close my eyes. My breathing was loud in this newfound silence. I tried to make myself tired. I was just drifting off into sleep, when I heard it.

A faint knock on the window made me sit up. With a sigh of annoyance, I clambered out of bed, and pushed aside the curtain.

Amycus was standing outside, I inhaled sharply, not comprehending anything that was happening.

"Oh, you didn't think you could get away that easily, did you, pretty?"

I screamed and jumped back, falling onto my bed. His expression was dark, and he looked me up and down very slowly. And suddenly he was inside where I'd just been standing. He'd just appeared as if the wall wasn't even there.

But we'd set up barriers and wards. How could he just... appear?

I tried to roll, to escape, but he pinned me down to the bed, and I couldn't shake him off. He reached for my waistband. I kicked and thrashed, but he just laughed softly at my efforts.

Where was Mum? And Dad, and Fred and George?

His finger had hooked around my waistband, and the smell of something long-since rotten made me gag.

I tried to scream, but my voice seemed to have turned off. He smiled maliciously at me, and I realized there was no escape.

"You know you're mine, pretty." He leered.

I woke in a cold sweat.

I was still curled in a ball under the covers, but the sun was peaking over the horizon. I could feel myself trembling. I tried to stop, but it turned into a violent, twitching shake.

Get control of yourself, Ginny! How old are you, five? It was just a nightmare, no need to go running to mummy.

Even though I hadn't woken up once though the night, it felt like I'd never even closed my eyes.

And suddenly I made a decision.

I, Ginny Weasley, am not scared. I'm not weak. And I'm going to prove it. I'm going to Hagrid's Party.

Neville's POV

Dear Hannah,

Are you ok, what's wrong?

Neville

It was hastily scrawled, and clumsy, but I honestly couldn't care less. I sent it back with Princess, then turned my attention to Errol.

He was lying in a heap of broken feathers, and barely stirring. His eyes looked at me reproachfully.

I probably shouldn't have dropped him.

I picked him up, and he made a small, sad hoot. A few more feathers fell out.

I scanned over Ginny's five page letter that could be summed up as, there is no way in hell, she was going to that party.

I could understand that, and I wrote her a letter saying so. I didn't want to send it yet, as Errol probably couldn't survive another flight.

A few tense hours passed, until I saw a golden shape on the horizon. Princess flew in though the window.

Neville,

I'm fine, nothing's wrong, everything's great. There's just been an event that made me change my mind about you coming. I'll see you at school.

Hannah

I scrabbled for pen and parchment, opening drawers with unnecessary force until I found one. I didn't even bother with a heading or a closing this time.

Is it your dad?

Time dragged, and her response seemed to take even longer to come then before, but her's was scribbled on the back of mine, and the penmanship was terrible as if she'd written it as fast as possible.

Neville,

No. I guess you're already so far into this, it's unfair to keep you in the dark. In case the owl gets nosy, I'll just say it involves a perky witch working tirelessly to ruin the lives of people like myself.

Come to my house at the time we decided upon.

Hannah