If the Fates Allow

Chapter 5

Ginny's memories

All I want

is freedom,

a world with

no more night . . .

and you

always beside me

to hold me

and to hide me . .

(Phantom of the Opera)

August 2003, 12 Grimmauld Place

"So, you have a child from that impostor," Ginny said.

"Yes, I do," Harry nodded, gazing out onto the street below.

"That was what you were hiding from me in your last Hogwarts year."

"Yes, that was it," he replied distractedly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered.

Now he turned away from the street and looked at her.

"Would you have remained my girlfriend if I had told you?"

"Of course I would have!" she spluttered, looking hurt.

"I'm not sure of it, Ginny," he shook his head. "At least I wasn't sure back then. I was full of doubt, I was desperate... I was a father at seventeen, Ginny, and I just didn't know how to handle it... and to tell you the truth, I still don't know how to handle it."

"But... you... you said that you wanted Daphne so much because you didn't want to lose her, too... didn't that other one die?"

"Oh... You think it's the child's death that I can't handle... no... that other one is alive... but she's still lost to me."

"Have you ever seen her?"

"Not in person. Just in photos," Harry replied grimly. "In the first year I got photos of her every month. Now I get them yearly, on her birthday... they are sent to me to tease me, to annoy me, to make my heart ache..." in thought he added: and to remind me not to do anything stupid.

"But... why would someone treat you like that?" she breathed. "As her father, you have the right to see her!"

He looked away, as though afraid that she'd see something in his eyes that he'd rather keep a secret.

"Have you found out at least who the mother is?"

"Yes, I know who she was."

"Was?"

"Dead. Died in childbirth. Her name was Linda."

"Oh... I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm not sorry for her," he grunted.

"But... but Harry!" she looked scandalised.

"Don't look daggers at me, Ginny," he replied calmly. "You know nothing about her. She deserved it."

She shook her head in disbelief. "What is it I should know in order to not feel sorry for her?"

"Nothing," he drew back from the window that closed with a snap.

She knew that the discussion was over - she must have touched such delicate points that Harry simply refused to carry on talking about the topic.

"All right," she nodded, "then just tell me: why isn't the kid with you - her father? It would be only natural to send a child to its dad if its mum died..."

"Enough of the questions, Ginny. I've told you enough already, now it's your turn."

She cringed, remembering their agreement: if he told her about the Circle and Daffy, she'd have to tell him about the forced marriage.

"Okay," she nodded. "But I'd rather not tell with words." When he raised an eyebrow with a questioning expression, she added: "You can look into my memories, if you like. But I don't think I could tell you. You know how to do Legilimency, don't you?"

"I do, seen Snape do it enough times, and I've been taught about it in the Circle as well," Harry murmured. "But are you sure? Once I'm in your mind, I can see all sorts of things... even those you'd rather keep a secret."

"Besides my marriage, I have no other secrets, Harry. Unless you fear that I might glimpse something in your mind that you don't want me to see..."

"Not likely, over the last five years I've learnt how to keep my thoughts to myself. You won't see anything from my memories, but I'll see yours... so, may I proceed?"

"Yeah, go on."

He nodded and pointed his wand at her. "Legilimens."

In the next instant he was in Ginny's mind, Ginny's memories.

"Your father is in my father's possession, Weasley," Draco grinned at Ginny. "And if I'm not much mistaken, he's suffering... terribly."

Ginny's eyes narrowed. "Why are you gloating to me about it, eh? Want to see me broken?"

"No, I want to see you playing the little heroine and save your father."

"What's the price?" she gulped. "You know that we don't have much money..."

Draco let out a shrill laugh. "Money??? Oh my, the Malfoys have more of it than you could possibly imagine!"

"Then? What do you want in exchange for my father's freedom?"

Draco stepped closer, regarding her with a devilish smirk. "You."

"Hereby, in accordance with the power bestowed upon me, I pronounce you husband and wife," said Vicar Diggle, beaming at the new couple in the Burrow's garden. "You may kiss the bride."

Ginny resolutely pressed her lips together, to make it impossible for Draco to give her a proper kiss.

After his lips touched hers, she quickly turned away from him, and the first thing that caught her eyes was Harry standing half-hidden behind a bush, looking thunderstruck. His hair was more dishevelled than ever, one of the lenses of his glasses was broken, cuts and scratches covered his dirty face, but his deep green eyes were ablaze, radiating such shock, hatred and disgust even through the broken lens, that Ginny felt a frosty hand clench at her heart.

She wanted to shout 'it's not real love, I've been forced!' and run up to him, but Draco's firm grip on her arm held her back. She cast a quick glance around on her mother and siblings, to see whether they had also noticed Harry, but it seemed that they hadn't. She looked back at the spot where she had seen Harry, but he had vanished. She wondered whether he had really been there or had it been just an illusion, had her overwrought mind been playing with her, tricking her?

The 'wedding party' was still in full swing at the Burrow (that meant Molly unwillingly serving Draco and Lucius meals and the Weasley brothers exchanging 'I'll kill them I swear' glances), when Amos Diggory's head appeared in the kitchen fire.

"Amos?" Mrs Weasley almost dropped the ladle in fright.

"Molly, where's Arthur?" asked the head.

"He's... I don't know," Mrs Weasley lied, blocking the Malfoys from Diggory's view, so Amos had no idea that he was giving Molly information that perhaps he shouldn't. Everyone in the Ministry was in the belief that Arthur was on holiday - at least Molly had spread this tale, not wanting to risk Arthur's life as long as he was in the Malfoys' hands.

"Then find him, Molly, as quick as possible. The Ministry has need of every single of its workers now."

"Why, what's happened?"

"There's been a battle with He Who Must Not Be Named," came the answer.

Lucius and Draco exchanged anxious glances.

"Harry Potter was involved, so we heard. Most of the Death Eaters captured by our Aurors, already on their way to Azkaban. However, Fudge is dead... and so is Dumbledore."

"Dead?" Molly breathed, clutching at her heart.

Lucius Malfoy started to fidget rather uncomfortably behind her back. He had, after all, talked himself out of Azkaban by fooling Fudge... if the Minister was dead, he might be sent back to prison now... not to mention that if the Dark Lord was still alive, he'd punish him for not being there to help him against Potter.

"Yes. Dumbledore died fighting. As for Fudge... apparently he was at the wrong place at the wrong time... now we have no Minister, and the Wizengamot is about to start their Minister-appointing meeting in a couple of minutes. Since your husband has become a member of it, he has to be present and give his vote."

"I'm sorry, Amos, I... I don't know where Arthur is," Molly stammered. "What... what about You-Know-Who? And Harry?"

"Both disappeared. We know nothing of them."

"I hope Harry's all right," Mrs Weasley whispered.

"Well, Molly, should you see Arthur, tell him to Apparate to the Ministry immediately."

"I'll tell him," she nodded nervously and Diggory's head disappeared from the fire.

When Mrs Weasley turned around, Lucius was already on his feet.

"Well, thank you for the enjoyable dinner, Molly," he said coldly. "I'd better go now. Draco, Ginny, I wish you all the happiness in the world," he added in a derisive tone and Apparated away.

"I wonder whether the Wizengamot managed to choose a new Minister without your father," Draco said mockingly as he guided Ginny into the 'bridal suite' of the most elegant hotel in Diagon Alley.

"When are you going to set my father free?" she demanded. "I fulfilled our agreement, married you, so it's your turn to fulfil your part of the agreement. Set dad free."

"I will. Tomorrow. After our wedding night," he grinned and she felt a wave of nausea wash over her.

"All right, then," she took a deep breath. "Let's get it over with."

"With pleasure," he reached out for her, his pupils dilated with desire.

Ginny shuddered in his embrace, then willed her thoughts to wander away from reality, away from what he was doing to her...

Harry stiffened and his eyes met Ginny's. "I think that's something I'd rather not watch."

"I'd rather not remember it, either," she nodded.

"May I carry on?"

"Of course."

Ginny woke up next morning to find her husband next to her in the bed, deeply immersed in reading the Daily Prophet.

She shut her eyes, trying not to recall the events of the previous night, but the soreness she felt made it impossible for her. She tried to remember the dream she had had before she woke up, and suddenly realised that she had been dreaming about Harry. However, the Harry she had seen in her dream hadn't been the Harry she had loved so much - it had been the Harry she had seen in the bushes, staring at her with an accusatory expression, an expression sending her the silent message: 'Ginny, you've betrayed me!'

"Awake, are you?" Draco spoke up.

"Yes, but I wish I had died in my sleep," she murmured back.

"Why? No reason to feel miserable, dear. The Daily Prophet writes that Malfoy Manor has been raided overnight by Aurors. It seems the Wizengamot managed to elect a new Minister even without your dad, and apparently His Ministership Kingsley Shacklebolt, isn't too trusting towards my family."

"And isn't he right?" Ginny asked sarcastically.

"Anyway, they found your dad in the dungeons. He's at St. Mungo's right now."

Ginny instinctively gripped his arm. "How is he?"

"Don't worry, he survives."

"And he's free at last," she slumped back onto her pillow with a satisfied sigh.

"Yeah, free..." his voice trailed off. "Just to avoid misunderstandings, dear, you aren't expecting me to set you free too, are you?"

"I... what do you mean?" she felt a lump in her throat.

"I mean I think you expected to get divorced from me as soon as possible... oh yes, your expression reveals that I was right... but don't get your hopes up. You're my wife and will remain my wife as long as you live."

"What makes you so sure of it?" she sat up, folding her arms. "My dad's free, I can go to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and tell them that you blackmailed me into this marriage!"

"Wishful thinking, dear, yes," Draco smirked. "Sorry to disappoint you, but that will not happen."

"What do you mean?" Ginny knitted her eyebrows.

"Have you ever heard of The Fates?"

"Yes, of course, I have. They spin and cut the thread of life in Greek mythology."

"Exactly as you say. But I presume you haven't heard of The Fates Charm yet..."

Starting to be nervous, she shook her head.

"Well," Draco put down the Daily Prophet and sprawled on his pillows lazily, "it means that if you get a hair from someone and cast this charm on it, then you hold the person's life in your hand. If you cut it, the person dies."

Seeing Ginny's appalled expression, he carried on with a very satisfied smirk. "And guess whose hair is in my possession with this evil little charm on it?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if it were mine," she gave him a patronising stare. "Last night when you were so pathetically playing the tiger, you pulled out several of my hairs. Do you do this to all your lovers? Make them bald?"

Draco, however, didn't look hurt by her belittling remark on his abilities in bed. He was still grinning.

"What makes you think I took your hair? I know that you don't value your life that much, Virginia... oops, have I said Virginia?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Get to the point, Malfoy."

"Right. So, I thought you didn't value your life enough and would perhaps risk dying... but I bet you value your father's life more..."

Ginny paled. "You don't mean... you didn't...?"

"I can assure you I did. Correction: my father did it, he put the charm on one of Arthur Weasley's pulled-out hairs, since I didn't know how to... a very rare Dark Art, you know, only a select few know about it... and, unfortunately, it has no counter curse. Like it or not, your father's life is in my hands, and if you want him to live, you've got to be an obedient little wife, Mrs Malfoy."

Harry gulped and looked at Ginny. "Why haven't you told anyone? Perhaps someone could have helped... Someone from the Order..."

She shook her head. "You haven't seen everything yet."

"Oh... and before you get the idea of talking about The Fates Charm to people, let me tell you about another excellent little curse I put on you while you were sleeping..."

"What?" Ginny asked irritably. She was at the end of her tether, and this asshole here was still taunting her... "Will I sprout radishes out of my ears if I tell it to anyone? Or get 'I LOVE SCREWTS' written all over my face?

"No. If the words 'The Fates Charm' leave your mouth, your tongue will get ripped out, making sure it was the last thing you ever said. In case you try and write it down, your hand will shrivel, and it'll be the last thing you ever write."

"Wonderful how much you LOVE me, my dear husband," she grimaced, trying to look like as though she didn't care, but her heart was hammering in her throat.

"Also, I believe that the Ministry will question me about the dungeons, and you will testify in my favour. You will also convince your parents and brothers to say that I had nothing to do with the kidnapping. I'm totally innocent, understood?"

She nodded blankly.

"I'm innocent or your father is dead."

"I understand, Draco."

"So that's why you didn't tell anyone..." Harry said quietly.

"Yeah. And that's why I asked you to see my memories instead of telling you. No one else I know can do Legilimency, except Snape, but I didn't trust him to let him see things like that..."

"Wonder why?" Harry allowed himself a faint grin. "Say, have you ever tried to look for that cursed hair?"

"Of course I did," she sighed. "But never succeeded. Draco must've hidden it well."

"If at all..."

"What do you mean by that?" she knitted her eyebrows.

"I mean, it could be a bluff. And Malfoys have always been good at lying..."

"It has occurred to me too, but... I don't think it's just a bluff. I wish it were, though..."

He looked contemplative. "So, let's assume that this Fates Charm is real... It sounds really nasty, you know... but I can't imagine that there's no counter curse... there has to be a way to end its effect..."

"But where could it be found?" she asked dejectedly.

"Where? In Greece, I suppose."

"Greece?"

"Why, the charm originates from ancient Greek mythology, doesn't it? I say we've got to go back to the roots."

"We?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Of course we, Ginny. You aren't allowed to utter the charm's name or you'll be cursed... unless Malfoy was bluffing, but I wouldn't take chances with him... So, since I'm the only one who knows about this, I'm the only one who can help. And I know Greece."

"Won't it be risky?"

"My life has never been anything else but risky. I'm not afraid of anything... well, almost anything, besides, nothing would make me happier than to annoy Malfoy."

Ginny grinned at him. "Thanks, Harry."

"All right, then it seems we're going to Greece... be sure to pack summer clothes, sun hats, suntan lotion and sunglasses. By the way, can you Apparate?"

"Er... no, not really," she shook her head.

"Why not?"

Ginny turned away from him embarrassedly. "By the time I turned seventeen, I was already Draco's wife and he didn't want me to learn to Apparate. Actually I didn't even finish school."

"What?" he gasped. "Why?"

"Why, why, because he wanted me at home, as an obedient little wife... when I protested that I wanted to finish my studies, he hired me a private teacher, but... it wasn't the same. I wasn't taught Defence Against the Dark Arts or Charms or Transfiguration. Only History of Magic and Ancient Runes... I think Draco feared that if I reached an advanced enough level in defence, I might start to fight him, even with that terrible charm endangering Dad's life... or if I learnt Charms or Transfiguration, I might get the idea to turn him into a cockroach..."

"Would serve him right," he remarked.

"... and I wasn't allowed to study Potions, in case I tried to poison him... Draco's become pretty paranoid, you know... always orders a house-elf to taste his meals and drinks before he does."

"Paranoid Malfoy..." Harry seemed contemplative. "I wish I could use that against him, to pay him back for all the sorrows he's given you."

A sad little smile spread on her face and she took his hands. "Thank you for your understanding, Harry."

"Not at all, Ginny. I'm just returning the favour. In my sixth year you were the only one who understood me. Now it seems I'm destined to be the only one to understand you. We've been both through a lot, and no one understood us... we need each other."

"No, Harry, now it's just me needing you. Why would you need me?"

"Because you're the only one who ever understood me... and for the time being what I need most is to be understood."

"Then you can count on me," she said gently. "But if you want me to fully understand you, then you'll have to open up fully, stop hiding things..."

He looked down at their intertwined hands. "That might also happen one day, Ginny. I'm just not ready yet."

"I'll be patient," she replied quietly, getting up from her armchair and sitting down next to him. Now they were sitting pressed up to each other, each feeling the warmth of the other's body, feeling the other's heartbeat...

Suddenly Harry stood up as though sensing/seeing something, and sure enough, in the next instant the door flung open to admit three red-headed men, followed by a pink-haired figure. Two less colourful figures brought up the rear.

"You weren't expecting us to let you have Harry all to yourself, little sister?" Fred said cheerfully.

"Hasn't Mum held you back?" Ginny asked.

"Tried. But we convinced her to calm down," replied Ron.

"Yeah, she's lying down a bit..." added George.

"...in a full-body bind..." grinned Fred.

"Honestly, doing something like that to your mother," Hermione tutted. "Welcome back, Harry."

"Yeah, welcome back, mate," Ron nodded.

"Wotcher, Harry," added Tonks. "Lucky that Remy and I were just visiting Hermione when the boys came and said you were back."

"We wouldn't have missed the opportunity to see you," Lupin added, beaming. Harry didn't remember when he had seen this man so happy before... perhaps never. Then he spotted something glinting on the werewolf's ring finger, and also on Tonks'.

"Are you two married?"

Remus and Tonks nodded. "Two weeks already!"

"Congratulations!" Harry gave the Lupins each a big hug.

"Hey, we don't get one?" the Weasley twins shouted.

"'Course you do," Harry hugged them too, finally getting to his two best friends.

Ron was grinning at him in a 'nice-to-see-you-again-but-where-the-hell-have-you-been?' sort of way, and Hermione had tears in her eyes.

Harry pulled them to himself, the three of them meeting in a tight embrace. When they parted, Hermione was openly sobbing, and Ron was grinning even more stupidly.

"Good to see you again, mate."

"Good to see you, too. Hermione, don't cry!"

"Don't cry?" she sounded hysterical. "You left five years ago without a single word, Harry! We didn't know whether you were dead or alive! And then you just turn up out of the blue and expect me not to cry!"

"Oh, Herm," Harry pulled her into a new hug and she sobbed into his shoulder.

"Hey, okay, enough of this!" Ron gently peeled his girlfriend's arms off their friend.

"Jealous, Ron?" Harry smirked.

"Noooo," Ron waved embarrassedly.

"But of course he is," Hermione replied, sniffing. "Jealousy is something he hasn't managed to grow out of yet."

"Not when you're still exchanging novel-length letters with Vicky and hugging Harry like that!" Ron snapped.

Harry rolled his eyes, but he seemed to be enjoying the fight between his two best friends. Just like in the old times...

"Really," he turned to the Lupins," What's your name now that you're married, Tonks?"

"It's still Tonks, got used to it too much to part with it," the woman shrugged.

At this moment a loud squeak came from the corridor, a squeak that Harry found rather familiar.

"Buckbeak? Have you brought him, too?"

"Yeah," Remus nodded. "You know, ever since my old friend died, I've been taking care of him. We simply couldn't find it in our hearts to leave him at home. Also, we thought you'd be happy to see him."

"Of course, I'm letting him in," replied Harry and was just about to open the door for the Hippogriff when George's voice rent the air:

"Attention, please!"

All of them turned in the twins' direction to see a huge box in their hands (it was so big that all their four hands were needed to carry it - Harry had no idea how they had brought it here without him noticing). The package had a huge red ribbon tied around it.

"What's this?" asked Harry.

"It's a Welcome-Back-and-also-Happy-Belated-Birthday-Present from us," Fred said with a wide grin. "I hope you don't mind getting only one present instead of two?"

"I'm not Dudley," Harry replied as the twins placed the huge box on the table.

"Harry, no..." Hermione whispered, but Ron hushed her, his eyes glinting in a mischievous way.

Ginny, knowing the twins, cast an anxious glance at Harry, but he didn't seem to notice and also seemed to have forgotten not to trust Gred and Forge.

Harry bent down, examining a box. "It's ticking," he perceived. "Let me guess: a bomb?"

The twins glanced at each other sourly, then back at Harry. "You're no fun, mate. We wanted to surprise you."

"Well, you've managed to. I've never got a bomb for my birthday. Thanks." And with that, he proceeded to open the package.

"Harry, don't..." Hermione breathed.

In the next instant the box exploded, covering all of them, the furniture, the walls and the window with some lurid pink goo.

For seconds no one spoke - Harry took off his glasses, his face also pink, only two oval patches around his eyes were goo-free. He licked one of his fingers.

"Hey, that's an éclair!" he grinned, his teeth shining in the middle of the pink mass.

"'Course, it's our latest development, Enormous Exploding Éclair," explained George. "We produce them in small boxes and the buyer just has to cast a simple engorgement charm on them before surprising the victim. A fine birthday present for those with a bit of a sense of humour."

"Brilliant. And delicious," Harry started licking his whole left hand.

"Not to mention that it looks great," added Tonks, examining her éclair-cream-covered image in a small pocket-mirror. "What do you think, Remy, is this my colour? I think it's definitely becoming. Better than violet and bubblegum pink... this is just between those two shades."

"I love you in all colours, Tonks," Remus smiled gently at his wife and bent down to kiss her. "... and in all flavours, too."

"You hear that? Now I'm Remus Lupin's All-Flavour Tonks," she remarked with a lopsided grin.

Harry didn't remember when he had laughed so heartily for the last time... it must have been when Daphne had still been alive...

He shook his head (a huge amount of éclair dripping from his locks), chasing the sad thoughts away, at least for today.

"You know, you deserved to have an éclair explode into your face," Ron said, licking pink goo from the sleeve of this robes.

"Well, having an éclair explode in my face is much better than having Mimbulus mimbletonia doing the same," Harry shrugged.

"Anyway, you deserved it. You disappeared, just like that, without a single word, Harry!" Ron said in a slightly reproachful tone.

"I know and I'm sorry."

"I do hope you're sorry!" Hermione said, trying to look serious, but covered in éclair-cream from head to toe she didn't manage. "And I hope you are going to explain yourself."

Heaving a sigh, Harry wiped his face, pink dollops dripping onto the floor.

"H... harry!" Hermione pointed at his forehead. "Your scar's gone!"

"Not gone, just concealed," Harry responded, squinting at Ginny, who knew how hard it had been for him to tell her about these things, and suspected that he wasn't in the mood to relive it again for the others.

Suddenly, she looked around to see the others looking petrified, all of them standing in the position they had been when... when... when what had happened?

"Don't worry, I just froze them in time," Harry said.

"You did what?" Ginny breathed.

"I made time stop for them. See?" he pointed at Remus and Tonks who were cuddling in the background, pursing up their lips, ready for a kiss. "Aren't they lovely?"

"But... but they look like some statues! As though they were petrified!"

"That's how they're supposed to look when you freeze them in time."

"Why... did you do that?

"Because they were asking too much. Also, we don't have time to answer them, we've got to go."

"Yes, but... how did you do it?" she gulped, frightened. "Your skills really scare me, Harry... you seem to have become extremely powerful."

"Am not," he waved indignantly. "All the weird things you've seen from me - shutting up Mrs Black, seeing through the back of my head and the armchair, stopping time for people - are things I've learned in the Circle. Actually, my special vision isn't even a learnt skill, just a complex charm cast on my glasses that can now function as a rear-view mirror as well. I'm not special, Ginny. Never have been."

"How can you say such a thing? You've always been special."

"Just because of my damn scar and my mother's sacrifice. Perhaps the only special thing about me is that I'm allegedly destined to do away with Voldemort or get killed by him... but I don't think it'll ever happen..."

"What? You killing him or he killing you?"

"Me killing him."

She furrowed her brow, sizing him up in a bewildered way. "I'm getting hopelessly confused, Harry. You don't mean he has a greater chance to kill you than you to kill him?"

"That's exactly what I mean," he replied, giving her a 'don't-ask' stare. So she didn't ask.

For a minute neither of them spoke, the only noise was the éclair-goo flowing down their robes, hitting the floor in quiet splashes.

"What we were talking about when they arrived..." he spoke up in the awkward silence, "I'm going to help you, Ginny. Or... at least I'll try."

"I can't Apparate to Greece, you know," she reminded him.

"I know," with a swish of his wand, he woke up the Lupins.

As though nothing had happened, as though they hadn't been frozen in time at all, their lips met in a smacking kiss, and they only stopped snogging when Harry loudly cleared his throat.

"Wha...?" Remus reluctantly abandoned his wife's inviting lips and looked around. "What happened here?"

"Don't worry, they'll be all right," Harry replied, jerking his head in the direction of the Weasley boys' and Hermione' statue. "I'd like to ask a favour from you, Remus."

"Fire away, Harry," Tonks grinned, clearly enjoying her sugar-coated appearance.

"I'd like to borrow Buckbeak."

"Er... of course. But may I ask why?" Lupin enquired.

"Well... I'd rather not reveal it just now... but trust me, nothing devious."

"All right, you can borrow him, but bring him back in one piece!"

Tonks rolled her eyes. "Remy loves that Hippogriff as though it were his son."

"I can't help being such good father-material," her husband said.

"What are you hinting at, eh?" she nudged him playfully.

"Nooothing," he smiled innocently.

"Well then, thank you, Remus," Harry said and flicked his wand once more. The Lupins froze again. "We have a transport, milady. Are you ready for the journey?"

"I haven't brought anything with me," Ginny protested. "No summer clothes, no suntan lotion..."

"We'll buy them all at Athens. I know a lovely little shopping street that opens at the foot of the Acropolis."

With that he was already ushering her out of the room full of pink, petrified people.

"But how are they going to...?"

"...wake up? Don't worry, I used the temporary version of the time-freezing charm. They'll wake up in about half an hour. Hi, Beaky."

The Hippogriff standing in the corridor gave them a questioning stare.

"Oh, yeah," Harry bowed slightly. Now Buckbeak seemed to have recognised him and also bent his head a bit. "Would you mind taking us to Greece, old boy?"

* * * * *

"So Harry, I'm awaiting your expl..." Hermione said, waking up from her statue-state. "Harry?"

"Where is he?" Ron looked around. "And where's Ginny?"

"Heh, bet she's eloped with him!" Fred clasped his hands together. "The little tyke!"

"Oh, come on, Fred, what makes you think they eloped?" frowned Hermione, pointing her want at herself: "Scourgify!"

"Well, they disappeared together, haven't they?" smirked George.

"Yes... and I believe they've taken Buckbeak with them," Remus added.

"But when?" Hermione knitted her eyebrows. "Just a second ago they were here, and now they're gone... when did they leave?"

Everyone exchanged 'who knows?' glances as the door burst open.

"You know, Harry, it's really..." a black-haired woman appeared but stopped in the doorframe. "Who the hell are you?"

"Who the hell are you?" asked the twins in unison.

"I'm Harry's wife."

"Harry's what??????"

"Uh-oh... this is getting more and more confusing," Hermione muttered.

"And how," Ron added with a grimace.