Bat-Bogey Hexers

38

The first thing Ginny became conscious of was how cold she was. She wondered if someone had left a dormitory window open. She would have to get up and close it.

She let out a tired moan as her exhausted body resisted any form of movement. She opened her eyes and found herself staring at a tall, green ceiling.

There was the sound of hurried footsteps. Ginny sat up and was completely confused by what she saw.

There was a humongous, dead snake lying on the ground. Harry's Potter standing by her, covered in blood as she looked down at him. And there, in his hand, was Tom Riddles diary.

Ginny took a deep, shuddering gasp and tears began to pour down her face. She couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Harry - oh, Harry," she sobbed. "I tried to tell you at b-breakfast, but I couldn't say it in front of Percy - it was me, Harry - but I - I s-swear I didn't mean to - R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over -and- how did you kill that - that thing? W-where's Riddle? The last thing I r-remember is him coming out of the diary -"

Harry looked slightly alarmed at the words spewing from her uncontrollably.

He held up Tom's diary. There was a large hole going through it.

"Riddle's finished. Look! Him and the basilisk. C'mon, Ginny, let's get out of here-"

Harry held out a hand to her. Still crying, she took it and Harry helped her awkwardly to her feet.

"I'm going to be expelled," Ginny wept. "I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since B-bill came and n-now I'll have to leave and - w-what'll Mum and Dad say?"

Ginny didn't say anything more as they approached the Chamber entrance. There was a red and gold bird hovering in the air but Ginny was too upset to give it any thought.

Harry motioned for Ginny to go forward, giving her a kind smile.

Ginny stepped over the the dead snake while wiping tears and snots off her face.

The doors behind them closed with a faint hiss.

They walked up a dark tunnel until there was the distant sound of moving rocks.

"Ron!" Harry yelled, speeding up. Ginny followed him. "Ginny's okay! I've got her!"

There was a distant strangled cry. They turned the next bend to see Ron's eager face staring through a sizable gap in a huge wall of fallen rocks.

Ginny didn't understand what was going on. She didn't know why her brother was here, but he cried "Ginny!" and  thrust out an arm to pull her through the the gap in the rocks. "You're alive! I don't believe it! What happened? How - what- where'd that bird come from?"

The bird had followed Ginny through the gap.

"He's Dumbledore's," said Harry, squeezing himself through.

Being in the presence of her brother reminded Ginny of how angry her parents would be, and she started to cry harder.

"How come you've got a sword?" said Ron gaping at Harry.