The Return of the Griffin

Chapter Nine

"I TOLD her women can't be around brooding dragons. I told her!" Charlie cried out.

Harry's face turned whiter. "What happened?" he asked.

"The brooding dragon started cussing her out. Dunno what she said, but Ginny certainly did. Ginny tried to talk to her, to calm her down, but when she heard Ginny speak Wyrmtongue, the dragon just lost it. She went after Ginny, tossed her in the air. I heard the dragon shrieking, so I ran down just in time to see her try to use her tail as the club and Ginny was the bludger. Hit her pretty hard, but I managed to catch her. Flew like a banshee to Hogsmeade and apparated here."

Charlie was visibly shaking. Harry gulped. He couldn't lose Ginny. It would be okay. She wasn't bitten, and Hebridean Blacks didn't have poison in their systems. It would be okay. He quickly strode back to the information desk.

"Yes, Luv? Miss me already?" she cheeked.

"Actually, I just found out my wife was in an accident. Dragon--related." His knuckles whitened as the grip he had on the edge of the desk tightened.

The witch's entire demeanor changed. " Sweet Merlin! I'm sorry, Luv. What's ye'r wife's name?"

"Ginny. Virginia Weasley Potter."

"Ah. Yes," she replied after a moment. "Mediwizards are working on her now in the Rubeus Hagrid Memorial Wing. Fer those who seem to like their magical creatures too much, don'tcha know. Creature inflicted wounds. It's one floor up."

She handed him another badge and smiled sympathetically. Harry took it and pulled Charlie with him toward the lift.

Harry's heart raced as though he'd run full out for hours straight. Images of Ginny flying through the air like a rag doll flew through his head. He remembered how Fred died, so similarly. It scared him worse than any time he had faced Voldemort. He rushed through the lift doors, straight to the closest Healer.

"My wife, Ginny Potter, where is she?" he asked quickly, all in one breath.

"A team of Mediwizards is working on her, sir. She had numerous broken bones and some internal injuries, along with various contusions and abrasions."

The healer stopped herself, seeing how ashen Harry was turning. "She'll be fine, Mr. Potter. Why don't you take a seat in the waiting room? I'll have someone come out and bring you to her as soon as she is in a room."

She stopped for a moment, realizing what she said and looked curiously at him, but quickly resumed her professional pose. "The waiting room is at the end of this hall, straight ahead."

Harry trudged down the hall, trying to feel hopeful, but just wanting to see Ginny. Harry felt Charlie put his hand on his shoulder.

"She'll be okay, Harry."

They walked into the room, and sat down in the chairs provided. Harry barely noticed the chairs were actually quite comfortable, and the walls were painted a soothing blue, rather than the glaring white and green found in most of the hospital. Plants again filled the corner of the room, but he was too busy staring at his hands and trying to control the sudden nauseous feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"I don't know what I'd do without her, Charlie. I don't," he murmured with a catch in his voice.

Charlie nodded, "I never told you what happened after the fall, did I? The Romanian Government decided to round up all the vampires, since most of them went over to His side. They took Dimitri."

Harry looked up. "It was horrible. They were trying to decide what to do with them, and there was even talk that they might exterminate the whole lot of them. In the meantime, Dumbledore was after the ministry here to lean on the Romanians to release Dimitri for his efforts in the war. They did finally release him, but it was a good two months."

Charlie looked at him with hollowed eyes. "It was the longest two months of my life." They both sat there, their hands hanging loosely gripped between their knees, looking at the floor for some time.

" 'Arry?" a booming voice said incredulously. " 'Arry, is that you?" Harry looked around.

"Who is that?" he asked, though the voice sounded eerily familiar. There was no one else in the room. Then Harry looked around. Behind him was a large portrait of a largish man, with a large black boarhound next to him wagging his tail and realistically drooling.

"Hagrid??" Harry said, surprised.

" 'Arry. It is you." Harry looked at Charlie, who also perked up.

"How is it possible?"

"Well, ya see, they commissioned my portrait when the wing was rededicated. Never been so honored," Hagrid sniffed loudly.

"You deserved it Hagrid," Harry paused. "You, you don't have any way to check on Ginny, do you?" he looked up hopefully.

"That I don't, Harry. Didn't know why you were here, even. I was visitin' one of the other pictures." Hagrid looked down, "Charlie Weasley! Heard you're at 'Ogwarts. Bes' place in the world, 'Ogwarts." Charlie nodded numbly in response. Hagrid looked down to them, wondering why they still looked so glum.

"So what happened to Ginny, 'Arry?"

"Attacked by a brooding dragon," he muttered. "When is a healer going to come?" Harry stood up and began pacing.

"No portraits in the healing room, Harry. Can't get no news that way. Sorry 'bout that." He focused back on Charlie. "He's lookin' a mite upset there. I'm missin' somethin' ain't I?" he frowned, concentrating hard.

"Ginny and Harry are married, Hagrid. Have been for six years," Charlie answered in a low voice.

"Blimey, 'Arry. I didn't know. I'll see what I can do." Hagrid nodded to a pale-faced Harry, and disappeared from his portrait. Fang looked on, wagging his tail consolingly. Harry continued pacing, nervously wandering from one end of the room to the other.

Charlie sat back, twirling his wand between his fingers like a small baton while his eyes were focused on the door. The waiting was interminable, and the room was utterly still, except for the sound of Harry's pacing steps echoing on the stone floor.

"Charlie?"

"Yeah?" he said, looking up blearily at Harry.

"Would you go and tell the family? Mum must be wondering why she's had the children all day...or she's wigging out because she's seen where Ginny's clock hand is pointing."

"Yeah, mate. I know the family. I'll go get them. Just keep me posted too, all right?"

Harry nodded tersely and then Charlie apparated with a *pop*.

Just as Charlie apparated, a red-faced Hagrid panted his way back into his frame. "They're about to move 'er ta 'er room, 'Arry. The head healer will be down in a minute ta talk wit ya an' bring ya to 'er room."

"Thanks, Hagrid," Harry mumbled fervently. It wasn't quite the same as having the real Hagrid back...but the portrait did have a shadow of his character. Harry had just sat down again, when a wizard in healer green walked briskly into the room.

"Mr. Potter?" he asked.

Harry nodded. "I'm Healer Wiggish. Mrs. Potter will be fine. She had a number of broken bones, but we managed to repair them all fine. One of her ribs punctured her lung however and that is what took all the time. She's a bit groggy from the sleeping potion we gave her, but you should be able to talk with her."

Harry stood up jerkily, and followed the man quickly down the hall. He walked into a room, noting that Ginny was in a center bed. He wished he could conjure flowers for her, he felt so empty. She was very pale, her skin translucent, except where there were nasty yellowish purple blotches on the side of her face from the dragon attack. The hair on the side of her face still had a bit of blood stuck in it.

She wasn't meeting his gaze.

"Gin?" he called out to her, reaching for her hand. "Just tell me you're okay. Please." He whispered, reaching for her hand.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I'm sorry," she whimpered, fat tears squeezing out of her swollen eyelids.

"You silly prat," he teased, "Why? You didn't have to go," he said quietly as he held her hand, his thumb idly stroking her palm.

"I thought if I went...if I went, you wouldn't have to," she whispered. Harry stared at her dumbly, completely unsure how to take that information.

"Ginny. Nothing is worse than the thought of losing you. Nothing." He stopped himself. He felt the anger well up inside of him, how close he had actually come to losing her. He felt her watching him, as he focused on her hand.

"I've seen how this is hurting you, Harry. I feel it. I'm sorry I couldn't take it away," she sniffled.

Harry took a deep breath. "I've been a git. I apologize. And yes, I have been hurting over it. But I have to do this Gin. Maybe I never really grieved properly. I don't know." He leaned closer to her, his face inches from her own. "I love the thought. I love you. But I swear if you ever scare me like that again..."

Ginny smiled, "You'll what?"

Harry looked at her with a startled glance, yet seeing her smile he knew everything would be okay. "Well, I guess I'll just have to give you a spanking."

Ginny giggled. It was like a switch to Harry, and he suddenly felt all the tension he'd been holding leave his body.

* * *

Thank goodness for a large family, thought Harry as he looked around the room. Davey and Tory were playing with their cousins. Natalie was helping out. Molly, Arthur, Maggie and even Severus were visiting Ginny. Before Harry left, Healer Wiggish told them that Ginny would likely have to stay two days. Juliet, Bill and Angelina were in the kitchen making breakfast for everyone. Harry just sat, staring at the fire, emotionally drained. It had been a long night without Ginny in bed beside him. It had been at least a year since he'd had to sleep alone and that was just when she had attended a quidditch conference in Salem.

What made it worse was he was waiting for Charlie to pick him up so he could talk with the dragons again today. And he would have to make it up to Sandy as well. She had been left in Hogsmeade when Charlie apparated with Ginny. She had managed to find her way back to Hog's End and Eppy had cared for the scratches she had received.

"Oi! If you want to eat, better get your bottoms to the table!" Angelina hollered above the children's racket. The kids all squealed, and raced each other into the kitchen, while Natalie followed, holding Tory. Ron pulled himself up from the couch while George, who had remained remarkably silent, reached out his hand to Harry. Harry grasped it and pulled himself wearily up.

"Thanks, mate," Harry said. George gave him a half smile, and smacked him on his shoulder.

"Always said you were crazy, Harry. Marrying a Weasley just proved it." George looked at Harry as the walked toward the kitchen. "We always think first with our hearts. Maybe that's why we were all Gryffindors." Then George smirked. "Course, that's what makes us wild in bed," he laughed.

Ron blushed deeply. "I did NOT need that picture of Ginny in my head, George." He looked deeply disturbed and shuddered. Harry smiled wanly as he, too, took a seat at the table.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Ron murmured quietly. No one else could hear him over the din the rest of the family was making.

"I'm trying," he paused as he reached for some toast. "How can I be angry with her when she did it for me? Okay. Not the BRIGHTEST thing she could've done."

He took a bite of toast. He looked at the children. Davey was talking with Rina and eating some kippers. Tory was looking at Harry, staring with Ginny's brown eyes. He blinked, and she was once again finger painting with her porridge. "St. Mungo's looks much different," he commented to the table.

"Yes, isn't it wonderful? Many of the updates were paid from ministry confiscations of Death Eaters' properties. It's needed the attention for years," Angelina answered.

"You should see the long term wing! Regular little apartments. Neville had a bit to do with that, you know. Draco too. He donated a percentage of his book sales to the treatment of long term dark art injuries." Juliet offered.

"Never thought the git would actually become a human being," Ron muttered shaking his head. "It's weird to see him take such a low profile now though. The old Draco would've been sucking the fame for all it was worth."

"He still refuses to ask Mariah to marry him, huh?" Harry asked.

Juliet nodded, "Between you and me," she laughed a bit when she looked at how many faces watched avidly from around the table, "I think he's afraid to be too happy. He doesn't feel he deserves it."

Harry snorted. "Well, that isn't such a big secret. He was like that even before Voldemort fell," he paused. "I need to talk some sense into that man. Mariah isn't going to wait forever, and we all know he adores her, the stupid prat." The rest of the adults at the table nodded in agreement. He stood up, having finished his breakfast.

"Well, Charlie will be here any moment, so I'm just going to wait next to the fireplace. Thanks for helping out with the kids, guys. I really appreciate it."

Davey jumped out of his seat, and launched himself at Harry's knees. "Love you, Daddy!" he squealed, then ran back to his seat.

Harry chuckled, and blew a kiss to Tory, who was happily painting her highchair with her porridge. She looked up at him, and mimicked, kissing her hand. The next thing he knew, he had porridge slobber on his cheek.

"Well, I'll be," he chuckled. Angelina laughed outright, and got Harry a washcloth from the sink.

"First magic, huh? Nothing like sloppily blown kisses, huh?" she asked, still chuckling as he washed the gooey mess from his cheek.

"Love you too, Tory," he said loudly over the rest of the room's din. He walked into the living room just in time to see Charlie apparate in front of the fireplace.

"How is Ginny doing this morning?" was his first question.

"She's doing well. They took her off the blood replenishing potion first thing this morning. After I saw her yesterday, they placed a bubble head charm on her though, and made the air inside constantly oxygen rich. They said it would make her lungs not have to work so hard, so they could heal faster. But they took that off this morning too."

Charlie nodded. "I'll go see her after I drop you back here from seeing the dragons."

"Why don't I just go with you? Save us both a trip," Harry suggested.

Charlie nodded again, "Sure. We can do that. The kids all set?"

"Yeah, Angelina has hers here, and she'll stay with them today. If she has to run back, Natalie will stick around."

"Handy to have a primary teacher in the family, isn't it?" Charlie laughed. As he said this he plucked a pinch of floo powder.

"'Tis time, 'tis time," he muttered, and tossed it in the fire. He called out "Hog's End" once more and pushed Harry through the green flames.

A tinny voice greeted Harry as he popped through the flames. "Harry Potter, Harry Potter! I have your Sandy!" He smiled at Eppy, who was dwarfed by the snake. Sandy had wrapped herself around the small elf's waist, and then shoulders.

Sandy, however, did look a bit duller than usual and there were many places where you could see bright orange salve.

"I told her, Harry Potter. She knew this was not her quest. I could not stop her," hissed Sandy. "She is nearly as stubborn as you."

Harry laughed outright, getting odd looks from Charlie and Eppy both. "Sandy said Ginny is as stubborn as I am." Charlie grinned, as Eppy began the arduous process of unwinding Sandy from her small frame.

"You are feeling okay, Sandy?" Harry asked her as she was put in his hands.

"Yes. The elf did a wonderful job of taking care of my wounds. She found me as well. I did not know what to do when she left me."

"I'm sorry about that, Sandy," Harry replied, feeling a bit ashamed, then turned to Eppy. "Sandy says you did a wonderful job taking care of her."

Eppy beamed. "It was my pleasure, Sir."

They left the house quickly, heading back into the forest to the reserve. Harry stopped as he saw Mushussu.

"Did I miss something, Charlie?" Harry asked concerned.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, look at them, Charlie. They are looking better." And indeed, their coats, while not as lustrous as usual, did have a certain sheen that had previously been missing.

Charlie did a double take.

"Wow. Wonder what happened."

Harry slowly moved up to Mushussu. Before he could speak however, a large brooding female came shrieking from the air to land between Harry and Mushussu.

"It's your fault, you arrogant Two Legged! Letting that little strumpet come here! How DARE she talk to my Mushussu! Red-headed Tart! She's just lucky I didn't torch her sorry ass!"

Harry took a few steps back, as Sandy squeezed his arm tighter, yet the dragon continued on, her violet eyes beginning to pick up an orange hue.

"My poor baby eggs. You'll be okay with Mummy. She won't let that nasty Two-Legged take you away from me..." she cooed.

Harry's eyes widened at the huge mood swings as she wove her way back to her nest. Mushussu saw, and gave what must have been the equivalent of a draconian laugh; a bit like a cross between a bark and a snort.

"Welcome to my world, Harry Potter. And you thought your females were bad. Is your female well?"

Stunned, Harry walked up closer to the male dragon. "She is being healed, but she will be okay. Your concern honors me," he answered, realizing as he said it he sounded like a prat, so he changed the subject.

"You are looking better today, Mushussu."

"You did as you should. Yet you stopped. Why did you do that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. But your mother, Tiamat, has been talking to me in my dreams again." Harry looked into the flashing purple eyes. "She said you had answers for me. That somehow I'm at the center of all this...And I need to talk to her sister, Ereshkigal. Does that all sound right?"

"It is all truth. My Aunt Ereshkigal is the Goddess of the underworld. In order to speak to her, you must find someone whose feet stand in both worlds. Her words will release you, and heal us."

Harry thanked Mushussu, and wished him luck with his mate. Mushussu gave another draconian laugh as Harry returned to Charlie.

Charlie asked how it went, and Harry replied that he knew how to speak with Ereshkigal.

"I need a ghost."