Harry Potter and The Year of Discoveries

{She was flying above Hogsmeade at amazing speed. The girl held on tight to the Nimbus2000 that her brother had given her. But she was not steering. The broom went into a steep dive, plummeting to earth. The girl screamed as she hurtled to the ground, but the screaming stopped abruptly and was replaced by cold, cruel laughter.}

At the Burrow, Fred Weasley jolted out of a sound sleep. "What the-?" he muttered to himself, so as not to wake his twin. However, at the same moment, George also shot upright, looking around in fear and confusion. And they heard someone scream down the hall.

(Somewhere in Egypt)

Bill Weasley sat up in bed, fear consuming him. "Ginny!" he gasped before grabbing his wand and apparating to the Burrow.

(The Burrow)

"Ron!" the twins said in unison. Fred and George bolted out of bed and sprinted down the hall to their younger brother's room. They flung open the door and rushed to Ron's side.

(Somewhere in Romania)

Charlie Weasley tossed and turned on his cot, trying to wake up or trying to warn his sister. Both seemed impossible. He saw her crash and shot out of bed. "I've got to get home," he muttered to himself. "Ginny...I've got to tell someone!" He fumbled in the dark for his wand, talking to himself, trying to calm down. Upon finding the wand, Charlie apparated to the Burrow.

(The Burrow)

The youngest Weasley brother was gasping for breath, sweating profusely. "It was..."

"Ginny." they all said together. Fred, George and Ron all looked at each other with a look that was somewhat akin to fear, astonishment and yet, somehow, understanding. It made sense that Fred and George would have the same dream. They were twins after all. And Ron was the closest to Ginny out of the lot of them. What didn't make sense was that the twins had somehow managed to connect with Ginny as well.

"What did you see?" George asked quietly. It was the most subdued anyone had seen any of the boys in a long time.

"She was on the Nimbus2000 you gave her. I don't think she was the one controlling it though. I mean, why else would she have crashed into the ground?"

Fred and George nodded in agreement. "Right. So did anyone see anything, anything at all, that they recognized? I know she was over Hogsmeade; I saw Zonko's." Fred smiled slightly at his brothers.

Ron shook his head and chuckled. "Leave it to you to spot the joke shop. I didn't really notice anything. I was too busy trying to wake myself up before she crashed."

"So really, we're starting from ground zero. Wonderful."

Fred shook his head at his twin. "You know, for as clever as you are in thinking up new pranks, you certainly are a prat at times. She was flying over Hogsmeade! She crashed in Hogsmeade! How far could she have gotten?"

Ron's eyes lit up with hope as he thought about what his brother was saying. "Of course! Though, don't you think You-Know-Who would have found her by now? She could still be gone!"

"Not if she found someplace to hide. Think you guys! I know you've got the Weasley brains in there somewhere. What would be the only place in Hogsmeade that Ginny would go to? Someplace that no one would ever think to look." Fred looked at his brothers in frustration.

"The Shrieking Shack?" Ron ventured softly.

Fred nodded his head emphatically, patting his younger brother on the back. "Right-o, old boy! You finally got it!"

George looked on in confusion. He was still tired, and his brain was muddled with the cobwebs of sleep. Besides that, he was too worried about Ginny to think of what Fred and Ron were talking about. "Guys? What makes you think she's in the Shrieking Shack anyway? She knows it's haunted."

Fred and Ron exchanged glances and looked at their brother expectantly, waiting for him to understand. After a moment or two, when it was clear he wasn't getting it, Ron jumped in to explain. "We cleared that up the other night at supper, remember? I told you that was where Professor Lupin used to go to transform. The screams were from him, not some old ghost!"

"But Ginny wasn't there when you told us that, Ron. She had already been gone all day." George protested his brothers' logic. Ginny couldn't have known that the Shrieking Shack wasn't haunted.

Ron shook his head. "I know she wasn't there. But Harry, Hermione and I explained the situation on the train at the end of the school year. We kind of had to when Sirius apparated right in front of us." Ron smiled grimly at the memory.

POP! Fred, George and Ron all jumped in surprise as their older brother Bill suddenly apparated into Ron's room.

POP! They all jumped again as Charlie apparated as well, joining the gathering of the Weasley brothers. The only one missing, Charlie mused, was Percy.

They all nodded to each other, acknowledging that one thing had brought them all here. The dream.

(The Shrieking Shack)

Her brothers were right about one thing. Ginny Weasley was indeed in the Shrieking Shack. But she had not escaped. Lord Voldemort stood over the young girl, cackling madly. She was barely recognizable after all he had put her through. Her once fire-y red hair hung limply, singed; clumps of it on the floor. Her skin was pale; nearly translucent and she had lost much weight. But it was not these things that would shock those who knew Ginny. The most dramatic difference was in her eyes. Eyes that had been full of life and love now held the knowledge of defeat and despair. Blank eyes that stared hatefully at Voldemort, begging him to let her live, yet begging for him to kill her. To end the suffering.

"You know his secret, don't you girl?" he demanded of her. Ginny sobbed, shaking her head as she had done every time he asked this question.

"I know nothing," she choked out. "And even if I did, I would never tell you!" she spat at him, adrenaline taking the place of terror.

"SILENCE!" Voldemort screamed. "Crucio!" he pointed his wand at her and laughed as Ginny writhed in agony on the floor before him.

Ginny screamed as he hit her once again with the Cruciatus Curse. The pain hit her like a thousand bolts of lightening, sending shocks of white light behind her eyes. Ginny felt dizzy as Voldemort sustained the curse for longer than he ever had before. Just as she was about to pass out, the Dark Lord lifted the curse and stood back watching her tremble in fear.

"If you will not cooperate, I have someone who will. If he fails to tell me, the sight of him will cause you to confess." Ginny looked on in confusion as Voldemort closed his eyes and muttered a strange incantation. She couldn't understand the language the spell was in, but a strange coldness entered Ginny as he continued to chant. It wasn't a coldness that left her longing for her old blanket from home; it was a cold that emptied her soul, leaving a black pit of despair where her heart used to be.

The feeling passed though as soon as he was completed. Within moments someone had apparated into the Shrieking Shack. He was wearing a black cloak, the hood drawn up so that it would hide his face. If his identity were revealed before Voldemort commanded it of him, the Death Eater would face Avada Kedavra without question.

"Welcome, my son."

The man bowed at Voldemort's feet, kissing the hem of his robes. "My Lord, I came as quickly as I could."

Voldemort nodded. "Prompt as always, my young apprentice. I have some questions for you, regarding Harry Potter."

The Death Eater winced slightly at this request. He would do anything for his Lord, but he still had a fondness for the boy. he told himself. "Yes, my Lord?"

"Albus Dumbledore has made it clear that there will be more security added at Hogwarts this year. Our spy informed me of this at the meeting earlier this evening. From which, might I remind you, you were absent from."

The unknown man bowed deeply in apology. "My sincere regrets, Master. I was at a meeting that I simply could not get away from. I beg for your forgiveness, sir."

Voldemort considered this and nodded his acceptance. "Of course. You are forgiven, my son."

"Thank you sir. Besides which, you know how much of a git Cornelius Fudge can be," the man said with a chuckle.

From the floor, Ginny gasped as she heard Fudge's name mentioned. Ginny didn't say a word, didn't make a sound, as Tom Riddle and his servant stood right in front of her, conversing as though they were discussing the weather.

"I see you have the girl," the young man observed. "Have you been able to get anything out of her?"

Voldemort shook his head. "Not as of yet. That is the reason for my summons. I thought perhaps if she saw you, she would be tempted to reveal something that might help our cause."

The hidden Death Eater nodded with understanding. "Of course." He stepped forward, into the light. She could have sworn she saw a shock of bright red hair underneath that hood. Ginny could only look up at him, a mixture of confusion and fear resting on her once beautiful features. Slowly, he removed the hood and Ginny screamed in terror and betrayal as the Death Eater finally revealed his face.

(Back on Privet Drive)

Jaron found him passed out in the yard, the summer sun clearly affecting the malnourished teenager. Young Harry Potter was as white as a ghost, his scar standing out on his forehead even more. Jaron gently rolled him over, facing the sky. What he saw worried and alarmed him even further.

What he had originally thought to be a case of heatstroke turned out to be the result of a severe thrashing. Jaron didn't know which of the Dursley's had done this, but by the looks of things, it was either Vernon or Dudley. Two large bruises covered the majority of Harry's face. At second glance, it looked as though the scar had split and was now bleeding, but on closer inspection, Jaron saw that it was actually a severe cut right at his hairline. Jaron checked Harry over even further and found that his left arm was bent at an alarmingly awkward angle. His ankles were twisted and looked as though it might be mangled beyond repair. It was all Jaron could do to hold back the flood of tears that threatened him.

He gently scooped Harry into his arms, cradling him against his chest. Slowly he walked to his house next door, being extra careful to not jar Harry's battered body. Harry groaned but did not awaken. Suddenly, he shuddered violently and began thrashing in Jaron's arms. Not knowing what to do, Jaron dropped to one knee and placed Harry on the ground. He crouched at Harry's side, feeling completely helpless as he watched the boy go into convulsions.

"Vo-Vo-" Harry sputtered something but the words would not come. He was gagging on his tongue.

Jaron was looking around for anything to keep Harry from swallowing his tongue when the convulsions suddenly stopped. Once again, he simply lay there, unconscious and battered. Jaron picked him up and went into the house.

"Liz! Come quick! It's Harry...he's hurt," Jaron called upstairs. He quickly took Harry into the den and gently placed him on the old sofa.

Moments later Liz came hurrying into the room, her eyes wide with fear. When she saw Harry, it was all she could do to stay standing. "Oh, Jay. Did...did they do this to him?"

Jaron nodded sadly. "I'm afraid so. We have to get him out of there, Liz! I know Albus put up all those protections, but how can he be protected with people who beat him?"

"I don't know, Jaron. Albus always has reasons for his actions, but I think we can get him to change his mind based on the circumstances." Liz looked at Harry, so small and pale, lying on their couch. She reached out with her right hand, and gently stroked his cheek. Softly, she sang an old lullaby her mother had taught her; one she had sung to Harry when he was an infant.

[When I no more behold thee, Think on me,

By all thine eyes have told me, Think on me.

When hearts are lightest,

When eyes are brightest, Think on me.

In all thine hours of gladness, Think on me,

If e'er I soothed thy sadness, Think on me.

When foes are by thee, when woes are nigh thee, when friends all fly thee, Think on me.

When thou hast none to cheer thee, Think on me,

When no found heart is near thee, Think on me.

When lonely sighing,

O'er pleasure flying, when hope is dying, Think on me.]

Tears streamed down Liz's face as she continued to stroke Harry's face. She looked up at Jaron, seeing unshed tears pooled in his brown eyes and reached for him. He knelt by her side, resting his hand on her shoulder, offering the support and comfort that she needed.

"This has to stop," Liz whispered to Jaron. "Let's go to Dumbledore now."

"Shall we prepare to apparate, then?" Jaron took hold of her hand when Liz nodded.

"We just need to get Harry there safely. What do you suggest?"

"If we can position him between us, I think we'll be ok. I'll conjure a stretcher when we get to Hogsmeade."

Jaron and Liz positioned themselves so that they could hold Harry firmly between them. They closed their eyes, concentrating on the closest apparition point outside of Hogwarts and held tight to Harry as Jaron muttered the incantation.

Upon opening her eyes, Liz saw that they had indeed arrived safely, and more importantly, that Harry had not sustained further injury during the jump. They gently laid him on the ground and Jaron quickly conjured a stretcher. "Wingardium Leviosa!" The stretcher rose off the ground after Jaron had made sure Harry wouldn't fall off. He kept it at waist level as they made their way to Hogwarts.

After what seemed like days, they found themselves at the entrance of their old school. Tears of nostalgia filled Liz's eyes as she remembered all the wonderful times she had had at Hogwarts. She approached the door and hesitantly pushed on the huge double doors. she thought to herself as the interior was revealed. Not much had changed since she and Jaron had gone here.

"Come on," Liz said, her voice soft and urgent, beckoning Jaron to come in. "We need to get to Dumbledore as quickly as possible."

Jaron merely nodded as he walked into Hogwarts, Harry's stretcher floating beside him. "Do you remember which way?"

Liz bit her lip in concentration as she tried to recall where the Headmaster's office was located. "I think so. Follow me."

" 'Follow me,' she says. Last time I listened to that, we ended up in Bangkok." Jaron muttered absently to himself. "Funny how our destination was Barcelona."

To their surprise, Liz found the office within twenty minutes. They stood outside the door, guarded by the stone gargoyle. Now they just had to figure out the password.

"Lemon drops!"

"Chocolate frog!"

"Cockroach cluster!"

"Peppermint Imp!"

"Caramel Beetle!" To their great astonishment, the door slowly swung open, revealing the small corridor to Dumbledore's office. "I can't believe that worked," Jaron said softly to Liz. She nodded in agreement, also surprised by the Headmaster's choice of a password. Then again, for Albus Dumbledore, it made sense. He certainly did have a fondness for sweets, muggle and wizard alike.

Before they could knock, the door to his office swung open and Albus stood there, eyes twinkling knowingly. He smiled at the two former students, but when he saw Harry, that trademark grin seemed to melt off his face. "Liz, Jaron...how wonderful to see you. I'll get Madam Pomfrey here immediately. Why don't you come in and make yourselves comfortable? There's someone here who you might be happy to see after all this time." With that, Dumbledore smiled again, but this time the smile did not reach his eyes. The Headmaster quickly strode down the corridor to the Hospital Wing, Harry now floating ahead of him.

Liz and Jaron walked through the door, and stopped dead in their tracks when they saw whom Professor Dumbledore had been talking about. Sirius Black looked up from a piece of parchment and his mouth dropped open in shock. "Holy mother of God!"