Harry Potter and The Year of Discoveries

A/N: Well this has taken me forever to get a new chapter posted...Sorry to all of you who have been waiting for a conclusion to all those cliffies! I've been told that my A/N's are getting a bit long winded, so I'm going to try and cut back.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all other characters belong to the talented JKR. I am merely borrowing them for now and they will be returned to her when I am finished.

"Hello Ginny. Absolutely corking to see you," the Death Eater greeted the frightened girl. He sounded as though they were speaking about the latest news in Quidditch.

Ginny trembled and tried to back away. "How-?" she could not find it in herself to ask the question. She took a deep breath and spoke quickly, as though that would help her ask what she so desperately needed to know. "How could you do it? How could you betray our family, Percy?"

Percy Weasley knelt beside his baby sister, reaching out to stroke her cheek. Ginny backed away, snarling. "Don't. Touch. Me." she told him coldly; dangerously. "I don't know you anymore."

He stood up again, crossing his arms defensively over his chest. "You don't understand, Ginny. My Lord can offer more than we ever dreamed possible-"

"At what price, Percy? The torture and murder of your own family? I am disgusted by you."

Father and Mother can't give us what we need, he can! I did it for the good of the family."

Ginny looked at the man who used to be her brother with loathing and bewilderment. "You really believe that, don't you? We may not the richest family in the wizarding world, Lord Voldemort might have more power, but we are rich! We have a family who loves us. And that is more powerful than the Dark Lord or any magic you can possibly imagine." she turned away so that her back was facing the red-haired Death Eater, rocking herself to sleep.

Percy came towards her again. "Ginny, please," he pleaded with her. "Just tell us what we need to know about Harry Potter, and you can go. I promise."

She didn't even bother facing him. "A promise from you is worth nothing to me. I would sooner die than tell you anything about Harry." Ginny spat furiously. "I no longer recognize you as a member of my family."

"Then you will die." he turned away and walked quickly to the door. Upon reaching his Lord and Master, Percy bowed at his feet. "My Lord, she was most uncooperative. She would not say anything regarding the Potter boy."

"Not surprising in the least, my boy. I merely wanted to torture with the knowledge that you had joined me. Let her go."

"Yes, my Lord." he turned to go back to Ginny, but paused. "Sire? Am I to perform a Memory Charm on her?"

Voldemort pondered this for a moment. "No. But make sure that she does not reveal this information to anyone. No one is to know that you are working for me."

Percy bowed once more and went to go set the girl free. If she would not recognize him as family, he would treat her in the same regard. He kicked her viciously in the ribs, feeling a bit of glee at the groan that escaped her lips. "My Master says that you can go."

Ginny looked at him in surprise, hopeful that this was all an act.

"If you breathe a word to anyone about what happened here, I will see to it that everyone you have ever cared about is killed." Percy glared at her with contempt. "Now go."

Ginny scrambled to the door, the tears streaming down her face. She ran for what felt like hours, but was only a few minutes, and finally stopped in front of Honeyduke's. The sign read CLOSED. Ginny looked around for anyone who might be watching, then pulled a stray bobby pin from her hair. Upon concluding that no one was around, she began to pick the lock, just as her brothers had taught her.

She stepped inside, shutting the door quietly behind her. Ginny waited until her eyes focused in the darkness then began moving towards where she knew the entrance was to the secret passage. If she could get to Hogwarts, she would be safe from Voldemort and Percy. While making her away across the store, she bumped into some shelving, knocking hordes of candy onto the floor. "Oh, bloody hell!" She swore loudly, and then covering her mouth hoping the owners of the shop had not heard her. Ginny looked around wildly, and proceeded to move on to the entrance. She finally reached her destination without any other problems.

Ginny lifted the trapdoor and slowly made her way down into the dark cellar that led to the tunnel to Hogwarts, making sure the trapdoor didn't slam too loudly. "." A small light appeared at the tip of her wand, guiding Ginny through the tunnel to Hogwarts. She ran as quickly as her tired lungs and legs would allow.

Amazingly, Ginny reached the end of the tunnel in record time. She stopped briefly to catch her breath then entered the corridor in the school she had begun to think of as her only place of refuge. She stumbled in exhaustion, but summoned the strength to continue. She wouldn't be safe until she reached Professor Dumbledore's office. The only problem was, she didn't have any idea which way to go. Leaning against the wall in defeat, Ginny sank to the ground. Maybe someone would find her if she waited long enough. Ginny snorted at the thought.

With a start, Ginny remembered something her Grandma Weasley had taught her when she was nine years old. She sat back, breathing deeply, listening to the rhythm of her heartbeat, searching for that place within that would bring her the peace she needed. Ginny envisioned the whole of Hogwarts, allowing her mind travel freely along the hallways. Although she was in a state of complete serenity, Ginny made sure to pay attention to important landmarks in case she got lost. Finally, she could see Dumbledore's office in her mind's eye and opened her physical ones.

Sometime later, Ginny found herself in front of the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the Headmaster's office. She knew there had to be a password; Dumbledore may have been a 'barmy old codger', but he certainly wasn't stupid. But Ginny didn't have a clue where to start. "Um...Golden Snitch? Sorcerer's Stone? Chocolate Frog? Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans? Caramel Beetle?" Ginny gasped as the door finally opened. "Caramel Beetle? Gross!" She scrambled inside and headed toward the door to Dumbledore's office. Her hand was on the intricate door handle, and she was about to pull it open when she heard voices coming from inside.

(Inside Dumbledore's office)

"Holy Mother of God!" Sirius exclaimed for the fifth time.

"Yeah, Sirius. You said that all ready," James Potter teased his best friend.

"I know, I'm sorry." Sirius apologized. "It's just, I thought you were dead." he paused to clear his throat. When he looked up, James and Lily were shocked at the look of anger in Sirius' eyes. "For 14 years, I thought you were dead! And I was blamed for it! Did you know that I spent twelve years in Azkaban? And now I find out that it was all for nothing. You could have saved me!"

Lily knelt in front of Sirius, the tears streaming down her cheeks. She took his hands and looked into those tired, troubled eyes. "I would have given anything to set you free, Sirius. To go before the Ministry and tell them they had gotten the wrong man. But we couldn't do it. Not without revealing ourselves. We had it all worked out with Albus. If Voldemort thought we were dead, then the threat to Harry would be off."

Sirius shook his head. "But it wasn't. Voldemort has been coming after Harry since the day the boy entered the wizard world."

James spoke up, although softly. "It was something we had anticipated, but we hadn't counted on it. That's why we've come out of hiding. Harry needs to know where he comes from and who he is, and only Lily and I can tell him everything about his past." James stepped forward, extending his hand in friendship. "I am so sorry, for putting you through all of this. Truce?"

Sirius stood up and took the hand that was offered to him. "Truce," he replied, the tears threatening to fall. Rather than fight them, Sirius gave in to the wracking sobs as James pulled him into a tight hug.

Lily came over and joined the reunion of at least two of the Marauders. she mused quietly.

Suddenly, the door opened, startling the three reunited friends. There, in the shadows, stood Albus Dumbledore and Ginny Weasley. Sirius rushed forward as he recognized the smaller form, nodding to Albus as he did so. "Ginny? Oh my Lord. Are you alright?"

Ginny could barely nod; much less keep her eyes focused. The brief rest had allowed enough time for the exhaustion to set in. She let Sirius guide her to a nearby chair and collapsed soundlessly into it, paying no attention to the man and woman standing in the room.

Professor Dumbledore took the seat behind the desk and sat back, his arms folded in his lap. The usual twinkle in his blue eyes had been replaced by something, Ginny noticed. Defeat, perhaps? "Tell me, Miss Weasley," he began. "What brings you to Hogwarts?"