Harry Potter and the Loss of Innocence

Chapter Forty: Rock Bottom

I kept up with the prophecy you spoke.
I kept up with the message inside.
Lost sight of the irony
Of twisted faith.
~ Creed: Unforgiven

"Nooooooooooooooo!" Ginny screamed with all her might. Harry couldn't be gone. He hadn't just left her. He would reappear and say that it was just a huge joke. The ultimate practical joke. Any moment. Any second now.

But he never came. Now, a day later, she lay in a bed in the hospital wing completely dejected and depressed. Harry had never reappeared. Just moments after Harry had disappeared, Aurors apparated all around them. They found the two groups completely stunned. The Death Eaters weren't sure what Voldemort wanted and they didn't know who was in charge.

Ginny, and those surrounding her, had stared at the last spot where Harry had been. He was gone. He walked over and left with Voldemort. Granted, he didn't go without bargaining for their lives. Granted, Voldemort had tortured Harry right in front of them. But he had walked over and left with Voldemort. With Voldemort! When she got her hands on Harry, she was going to strangle the boy!

No you're not, a voice inside her head said. You're going to wrap your arms around his waist and never let go!

So what if she did? Ginny knew Harry would need loving care when he got back from wherever he'd gone with Voldemort. Why did he go with Voldemort? What was the point? Just to save their lives? They weren't so important that they were worth Harry's life.

Great! Now she was doubting the one thing about Harry that she loved more than anything, his selflessness. Of course, to him their lives were worth his. He'd have traded places with some stranger, if it meant that that stranger would be spared some amount of pain.

She started to play with the ring he had given her at Christmas. He told her that he couldn't give her any promises. But why could he not? Did he really believe that he might not survive? But if he didn't believe that he would survive, why did he leave with Voldemort?

Hogsmeade was a mess. The battle that occurred moments after the Aurors' arrival tore the village apart. Harry's guard had portkeyed as many students out as they could. A bunch of Aurors helped with that. Ginny had left without Prongs, as she had named her stuffed animal. Just a few hours ago, George had shown up with it.

George wouldn't tell her something though. Something important. Harry couldn't be dead already! He just couldn't! No, it wasn't Harry. It was something else. Something more important than Harry. Or maybe it was just more real.

There were times that Ginny would wake up and she knew Harry would be right next to her bed. But he never was. He never came. She'd find out what happened if it took her all to do it.

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"Welcome to my humble abode," Voldemort spat at Harry's prone form. Harry moaned in response. He had never felt so bad in his life. Well, physically, he had felt worse, but he had just abandoned Ginny. His guilt was overwhelming him. "Do you miss your sweet red-headed whore already?"

"Don't you dare say that about Ginny!" Harry yelled at Voldemort. Harry's anger gave him strength. He stood and swayed slightly. Voldemort only laughed.

"She's not your whore then?" Voldemort scoffed. "Then what exactly did you bargain your life for? No, never mind I already know. You love playing the hero. You are a fool, Potter. A common Gryffindor fool. Crucio!"

Harry fell back to the ground, twitching. His nerves screamed in agony. He just wanted the pain to stop. His heart was already broken, why did Voldemort need to break his body? Let the pain stop! Please, let the pain stop!

Voldemort lifted the curse, and Harry felt his body relax as the pain subsided. "Now, Potter, we're going to have a good time while you're here visiting. I should show you to your rooms." Voldemort lifted Harry with a spell and threw him against a wall. With another flick of Voldemort's wrist, Harry flew down a hallway. Another flick, and Harry rounded the corner. And so it went until Harry was tossed into a cell. He slumped to the floor and laid his head against the cool stone floor.

"I hope you find these accommodations acceptable, Potter," Voldemort mocked Harry. "If not, I'll try and find worse." Voldemort shut the heavy metal door and walked back up the stairs, laughing. Harry closed his eyes, praying that he'd wake up and find out that the day had only been a dream.

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Screams surrounded the Aurors. Tonks rushed among them, looking for Remus. She'd find him. She had to. She searched frantically, looking at each face for only a split second. There he was, fighting with Wormtail, the bloody traitor. Remus was forcing Wormtail's silver hand way from his body.

Silver! It was poison to Remus! Tonks hurried closer, took aim, and sent a stunner right at Wormtail. The rat fell to the ground, unconscious. Tonks rushed to Remus' side and gave him a quick look over.

"Did he touch you?" she asked him worriedly. Remus nodded. Tonks took out a portkey and gave it to Remus. "See you in a bit, my love." Remus smiled and disappeared. Tonks glanced around. Where was she needed the most? She saw Shacklebolt fighting off two Death Eaters, but they had him backed into a corner. At any moment one of them would kill him.

Tonks ran toward him, stunning a completely different Death Eater as she went. When she was in range, she blinded one Death Eater and then stunned him. Shacklebolt quickly finished off the other Death Eater and then smiled at her gratefully. The two parted ways and helped with other fights in the battle.

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Thia fought through the dust from the collapsed building that used to be the Three Broomsticks. She coughed. Where was everyone? She heard some yelling from the rubble and knew people were trapped within the building. Should she help? The battle had moved away from the area. Should she go fight in the battle or help those stranded? When she heard the voice of one of her students call from the rubble, she made up her mind.

The voice belonged to Cassandra, a fourth year Gryffindor. Thia searched the rubble carefully, listening to where her cries come from. Soon, Thia located the girl and started to move the rubble away from her carefully. After a few tense moments, Thia had the girl out of the remains of the pub. Thia quickly made a portkey and got Cassandra out of the village.

Thia searched the debris carefully, sending any living victims to the infirmary at Hogwarts. She finished searching the pub and then moved on to the next house. She had been positive that she had heard a baby's cry come from there.

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There had to be something seriously wrong. Neither her mother nor her father had visited her in the hospital wing. That was so strange for those two. Sure, her father didn't come often when she was hurt, but he'd come at least once. And with Harry...

Ginny brushed fiercely at the tears that were threatening to run down her cheeks. She would not cry again for Harry. She was all cried out at the moment, and it only made the stay in this horrible hall even worse. But Ginny did hug Prongs to her, thanking Harry (wherever he was) for buying him for her.

Something had to be wrong. That was the only thing Ginny could think of to make her parents' disappearance make sense. They wouldn't just ignore her without a viable reason. And it would be bad, to keep them away for so long.

Someone groaned as whoever it was shifted positions. The hospital wing was packed. Madam Pomfrey had told Ginny that she could leave tomorrow after one last check up. All that was wrong now was her emotions. But other than that she was fine. Her scalp had healed already and her broken bones had been taken care of.

All that remained was her depression and feelings of loss. She needed her mum. No, what she really needed was her daddy.

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Bill fought like a mad man. He wasn't a redhead for nothing. And they had threatened his littlest brother, nearly pulled out his baby sister's hair, made the best thing in her life leave, and then nearly killed his girlfriend. Well, they had better get out of his way. The Egyptians had same nasty curses, and he knew most of them. Where did Melissa get to now?

He saw her ten or so feet away. She was fighting a Death Eater and keeping her own. He sent a curse at the Death Eater that was threatening one of his little brothers. It looked like Fred from where he stood. Bill scanned the battle. Where was George? Those two always stuck together in a fight. Bill rushed over to ask, but a curse made him drop to the ground.

He located the spell's caster and sent a disfiguring spell at the Death Eater. Bill didn't watch as the spell went to work. Yes, those Egyptians knew their curses well. He got back up and finished the sprint to Fred. "Where's George?" he panted out.

"He went to go get a gift Harry gave Ginny," Fred answered. "Ginny'll be devastated if she loses it. Not that she won't be devastated without Harry, but, you know," he finished lamely. And Bill did know. They parted company, Bill to help Charlie and Fred to go make sure George was alright.

If anything happened to any of his little brothers, he, Bill Weasley, would curse the Death Eaters responsible in such a way that even the Egyptians would be impressed.

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"Molly, duck!" Arthur yelled at his wife. She ducked and sent a Severing charm at the offending Death Eater. Arthur heard the Death Eater grunt in pain.

"Where are the boys?" Molly yelled at him. He pointed out Charlie, who was being aided by Bill at the moment. Fred and George just appeared around a corner, George with a stuffed animal's head sticking out of his shirt.

"Ginny and Ron are at Hogwarts and Percy never showed up to begin with," he shouted over to her. Molly nodded and returned her undivided attention to a Death Eater who was threatening Melissa. How he loved this woman! She was worth her temper completely. The couple turned their attention back to the fight at hand. Molly sent a stunner at the Death Eaters who were threatening Melissa. Arthur sent a Silencing charm at another nearby Death Eater. He had learnt last year that a Silencing charm could save lives: Hermione was living proof to that.

"Arg!" Fred yelled, grabbing one of his legs. Every Weasley turned, hearing one of their own in pain. George stunned the Death Eater that caused it, and Althea Cayrs hurried over to Fred and healed his leg. Arthur turned around and found a wand pointing right between his eyes.

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Something bad had happened. Ginny knew that for sure when both Fred and George walked into the hospital wing that second morning, a Monday. Something had happened and they wouldn't tell her! She was about ready to burst!

"What's the matter?" she asked once again. The twins took one look at her and fled the infirmary. What had happened that the twins would run from her? What had happened that had kept her parents from seeing her?

It couldn't be Harry. They'd tell her if it was Harry, wouldn't they?

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"My master wishes to see you, Potter," the oily voice of a Death Eater said. Harry shook his head, trying to remember where he was and why he was here. It all came flooding back, and Harry nearly fell over with the guilt that assaulted him. He had left Ginny. What had he been thinking? "My master wants to see you now, Potter!" Harry nodded and followed the Death Eater back up the stairs and through the maze of hallways until they reached ornately carved doors. The doors opened on their own accord and Harry entered the room with some prodding form the Death Eater.

"Ah, good to see you, Potter," Voldemort told the boy. "I was wondering how you found your rooms?" Voldemort seemed to be in a jolly mood, and Harry found Dark Wizards to be extremely scary when they're jolly.

"They were acceptable," Harry told the monster defiantly. Voldemort laughed at the boy's spunk. "The company could be better though." Every Death Eater in the room took a menacing step forward, but Voldemort waved them off.

"No, I suppose you'd rather have the company of your whore of a girl," Voldemort said with a cruel smile. Harry felt his temper rise, but he kept it in check this time. He wouldn't bring Voldemort amusement. "Not defending her honor today, Potter? Maybe it is the truth then. We shall find out soon enough. Crucio!"

Harry fell to his knees, the pain overwhelming all other thoughts. He tried not to scream, but it was soon impossible. The pain became too much, and Harry felt his face hit the ground. Still the pain did not go away. Let it stop. Please, let it stop. But the pain didn't. It went on and on. Harry felt every nerve in his body come close to bursting. Just when he thought death was blissfully near, the pain resided.

"That, Potter, is true pain," Voldemort told the boy. "Though I'm told Gryffindors feel a different type of pain. Should I tell you my good news? No, I think I'll make you wait. It will be good for your patience if you wait."

"How long have I been here?" Harry asked, his voice breaking several times. Voldemort laughed.

"Been here too long already?" Voldemort asked viciously. "It is only Sunday. You've been here exactly one day, Potter. Are you so sure you got the better end of the bargain?"

"Yes," was Harry's simple answer.

"Bella," Voldemort commanded. Bellatrix crawled forward and looked up at her lord. "I want you to take the boy to his cell and show him a good time." Bellatrix smiled evilly and took Harry back to his cell in the same manner as Voldemort had the day before.

Only one day!

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Althea said the healing charm quickly and helped Fred to his feet. George pointed at something in horror, and both she and Fred turned to look where he pointed. Arthur Weasley was standing with a Death Eater's wand between the eyes.

"No!" the Weasley sons yelled together. Molly watched in silence.

"Avada Kedavra!" the oily voice of Lucius Malfoy sneered. Arthur Weasley fell, dead before he hit the ground. Dead before anyone could blink. Dead.

Fred turned to her, pleading with his eyes. "Fix him," George begged. She shook her head.

"I can't," she said heavily, with the guilt that only a healer can feel. "I can't bring the dead back."

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She was released later that same day. Still Monday. Harry had been gone for two days, but it seemed like an eternity. None of her brothers would look her in the face. Not once had she seen her parents since she had arrived at Hogwarts by portkey. Her mother should have been at her side immediately.

Something had happened. She knew that the moment she stepped into the Gryffindor Common Room. But it could have been any one of a number of things. The dementors had kissed two Gryffindors. Voldemort had kidnapped Harry. Several people had lost friends and family in the ensuing battle.

Yet somehow, she didn't know how, she knew it was none of these reasons that caused the silence that had descended on the common room as she entered. She quickly saw Ron's tearful face, Hermione's sob wracked body, the silent twins, and the hundreds of eyes upon her.

Something was wrong, and by God, she'd find out if it'd kill her. And in a way it would.

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Bill and Charlie entered the common room just a few moments after Ginny. She still hadn't moved from where she was standing. They gathered her into a huge hug. Then they swept her out of the common room and down the hall. They entered an unused classroom and waited. After several long minutes, Fred, George, Ron, and Hermione joined them.

"Ginny, we need to talk to you," Bill said quietly.

"The hell you do!" Ginny yelled at them angrily. "What do you all know that I don't?" Bill recoiled from her as if she had struck him. How was he supposed to tell her? "Don't you bloody well run from me, William Arthur Weasley!" Bill flinched again at the use of their father's name, even if it was unintentional.

It was a testimony to the respect the Weasley boys had learnt to show Ginny that she didn't know what they all already knew. They were terrified of her. And with good reason, she had one hell of a bat-bogey hex. Only two women commanded the same amount of respect as each of the brothers showed Ginny: their mother and Professor McGonagall. And now they had to face the one with the most violent temper and tell her the secret.

"Ginny," Bill said trying to placate her. "Sit down, please." Ginny stared at him and then followed his directions. "Ginny, we're sorry we didn't tell you right away, but we all wanted to be with you when we told you what we are going to tell you."

"I was just released from St. Mungo's," Charlie explained to her. "And we were hoping mum would be able to come, but she's not talking to anyone at the moment." There was a palpable silence that descended in the room.

"What?" Ginny tried to ask in a small voice. She waited a bit and then tried again. "What about daddy?" she asked in the same small voice. Her voice reminded Bill of a time when he had told the four year old Ginny that the gnomes from the garden had torn apart her favorite stuffed teddy bear.

"Dad was..." Ron tried to say. They had drawn straws and Ron had gotten the short one. He would have to say it. Even though they all knew Ginny knew now. "Lucius Malfoy killed Dad," Ron finished. "Mum hit Lucius with a stunner and he's in Azkaban again."

"Dad's... gone?" she asked. It couldn't be. It was a bad dream. She'd wake up and today would be Saturday and she'd spend it with Harry again. Or she'd wake up in his lap up on the mountainside, kissing him senseless. Either way, the past few days would only be a nightmare.

"Yes," Bill said, pulling his sister into a hug. She burst into tears, clutching Prongs to her body along with her eldest brother.

It almost killed each and every Weasley; even the one hundreds of miles away.

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Harry woke up sore. He couldn't figure out why he was so sore. He hadn't done anything in the last week or two that should warrant this stiffness. Slowly, he realized his predicament, understanding flooding his mind. He was a captive and Voldemort was making sure he enjoyed his stay.

Harry sat up carefully. Every muscle in his body screamed in agony as he stretched them. His stomach growled loudly and he looked around for something to eat. There was a moldy piece of bread and some water next to the door. Slowly and cautiously, Harry crawled to the plate and ate the food, despite the mold.

Harry figured that it was only Monday. Even with Bellatrix's torture, Harry's stomach told him that it hadn't been filled in a few days. It was Monday, or maybe Tuesday. It didn't really matter. One way or the other, Harry was still stuck wherever he was. What had he gotten himself into this time?

"Good, you're awake, Potter," Bellatrix's voice came from the other side of the door. The door opened, and Bellatrix and Wormtail entered the room. With a quick flick of Bella's wand, Harry flew into the wall opposite the door. With a hurried spell, the skin on Harry's arm burst into boils, very painful boils that stung and oozed pus. Wormtail laughed, his voice filled with spite.

"Our Lord wants you to enjoy your time here completely," Peter said, as a spell he had cast hit Harry. Harry watched his other arm burst into un-quenchable fire that slowly burned his skin away. He was too shocked to react. The pain reached his brain and he couldn't think of anything else. Bella laughed.

She removed the boils and countered the flames. Harry felt relief at first, but then he remembered the day before. She was just healing him to torture him further. With a quick spell Harry lost all sight. Things started to hit him, small at first, but slowly the size increased. A larger object hit Harry's right temple and he blacked out.

"No, no, Potter," Bella's mockingly sweet voice said. "You cannot leave the party yet. You're the guest of honor. Crucio!" Harry keeled over and puked as the Cruciatus ripped his body apart.

"Stop that, Bella," Peter whined. "Master does not want us using the Unforgivables on him." Harry hoped fervently that Bellatrix would listen to the scumbag. But she didn't. She kept the curse on Harry until he felt himself reach the brink between sanity and insanity. That's when the pain subsided.

When his vision cleared, he saw a new Death Eater speaking with Bella. He was rather angry, but Bella seemed unperturbed. Slowly, the words they were speaking started to make sense and Harry understood their conversation.

"You still shouldn't have," the voice said to Bellatrix.

"I don't care. The master will never know. Now what do you want?"

"Our Lord wishes to speak with Potter," the voice answered.

"Get up, Potter," Bellatrix commanded the bruised boy. Harry stood on shaky knees. He almost fell face forward, but he caught himself in time. He followed them out of the room and through the maze of hallways. Harry tried to memorize the route, but there were too many turns.

Bellatrix pushed Harry into the room and Harry fell flat on his face. Voldemort laughed. "I have good news for you, Potter," Voldemort said. "I have decided to share my secret with you. Do you wish to know it?"

Harry thought about that. Of course he wanted to know, but after he found out what it was, would he still want to know? He had a feeling that the answer was no, but Harry nodded anyways. Nothing could be worse than the guilt of leaving Ginny behind.

"My most faithful servant, Lucius, has managed to kill the blood traitor that goes by the name of Arthur Weasley," Voldemort finally said. Just moments before, hundreds of miles away, Ginny had found out the same news and Harry felt her pain engulf him. This would devastate her! He wouldn't be there to help her through it. This was entirely his fault.

Slowly, Harry remembered the false vision of Sirius being tortured. That had been a mind game that Voldemort had played. Maybe this was one as well. "I don't believe you!" Harry finally said. Voldemort laughed.

"Of course you don't," he replied. "Come here!" Harry wouldn't budge. "Come here or I'll make you!" Harry stayed rooted to his spot. "Very well." Harry first flew into the door (I think that pop was a rib, he mused to himself.) and then he slid to Voldemort's feet. Voldemort levitated Harry's head until it was level with his own and then said, "Legilimens!"

Harry fought for control of his mind. It was his last sanctuary and Voldemort wasn't going to violate it. Harry felt his shields withstand Voldemort's attacks. He'd get through this. He wouldn't let Voldemort in. Then, slowly at first, but with increasing speed after that, the shields crumbled. Harry felt his mind open to the Dark Lord.

Harry watched himself walking towards his friends. They were sitting next to the lake, talking quietly amongst themselves. Harry approached them and he heard them beg to hear the Prophecy. Harry watched as he led them to the Room of Requirement. They sat there quietly, waiting for Harry to speak. "The one with the power to vanquish..."

No! Harry yelled at the force that was Voldemort. You are not finding out about that. With that, Harry shoved Voldemort from his mind. Voldemort looked at the shaking form that was Harry Potter.

"Take him away!" Voldemort commanded. "And weaken him." Harry stifled a groan. This wasn't going to be fun.

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Harry hated extremes. This was the simple conclusion he had come to during the torture he had endured. He groaned as he stretched his battered and bruised muscles. He had endured scorching heat and freezing cold; dehydration and drowning; hung by his wrists and by his ankles; deafening silence and deafening noise; encroaching darkness and blinding light; not to mention all the spells that just caused pain.

However, Harry also looked forward to these times of pain. It served as a distraction from his guilt. He had just abandoned Ginny, and now she was facing the grief of losing her father. He wasn't at her side, helping her through this difficulty as she had helped him so often in the past. He had turned his back and left her. She didn't deserve to be treated like that!

Overhearing a conversation, Harry had found out that Lucius had been sent to Azkaban for the murder of Mr. Weasley. The courts had added yet another life sentence to his long list of life sentences. Harry was glad he hadn't seen the man while he was here, wherever here was. Lucius could stay locked up in Azkaban until the dust of his bones had rotted away for all Harry cared, and it still wouldn't be enough.

Harry glanced about the room. He hurried over to the door and grabbed the rotten bread from the ground. He couldn't say much about the food that they served him here. But at least he did get something to eat and drink, even if it was disgusting. What Harry would give for a decent meal prepared by Dobby or Mrs. Weasley.

Harry knew that his time alone was limited. Any moment now, a Death Eater would visit and make their presence felt. Harry only knew a few of his torturers by name, but he had them pegged by favorite spells and their voices. He had others named by physical features. Still others by certain tendencies, like biting their nails or picking their noses. Nose Picker was the second worst torturer; Bellatrix was the obvious first.

Today was Thursday, because Bellatrix had told him that yesterday was Wednesday. Harry had planned to be throwing a party for the D.A. members on this day. Yesterday, he was going to play a pick up game of Quidditch with the Slytherins. But in reality, he had spent and would spend both days in torture. What had he been thinking? Not only had he left Ginny when she most needed him, but he had put himself in a hopeless situation.

Harry heard a key turn in the door. Scarface entered the small cell and looked at Harry, who was now lying on the ground. Harry called him Scarface because a ragged scar ran from his left temple, through his lips and down the right side of his throat. "Our master wishes to see you," he commanded Harry.

"Voldemort isn't my master," Harry responded cheekily. The man flicked his wand and sent Harry into the far wall.

"Don't you dare use our master's name," the man responded. "As long as you're here, you will call him your master. Now, get on your feet or I'll take you to him by force!"

Harry stood and followed Scarface out of the cell. Wormtail was waiting outside and the two Death Eaters walked Harry through the hallways and up to Voldemort's throne room. Harry worked at remembering the way through the twisting corridors. He was slowly remembering more and more. He knew that soon he'd be able to get to Voldemort's throne room without anyone's help.

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"Ginny!"

Ginny turned to see who had called her name. It was Cho. The Ravenclaw was waving for her to come over to their table. Ginny excused herself, grabbed her bag, and walked slowly over to their table.

Life had been hard since Monday. Life had been really hard. The Slytherin vs. Gryffindor game had been cancelled, much to Ginny's annoyance. She needed something to distract her, even if it was as silly as Quidditch. A game was something that required her undivided attention. Something that would let her forget her worries, her grief for a few short hours. But it had been cancelled. Maybe this was the reason for her late night decision to hold the D.A. party.

"Yes, Cho," Ginny answered, having arrived at the table.

"Why is there a meeting tonight?" Cho asked for all the Ravenclaws surrounding her.

"Because Harry wanted one," Ginny replied. "Do any of you have a problem with that?"

"Don't you think it's a little..." Michael paused, thinking for the right word, "Pretentious, having a meeting while the leader is captured?"

"I think it's exactly what Harry would have wanted," Ginny replied, her voice icy cold. "He always said that we shouldn't let Voldemort ruin our lives. We need to live. Even if Harry's..." Ginny stopped. I'm not going to cry! She thought angrily to herself. "Even if Harry is captured. Now, I've got to go. See you tonight." Ginny left the Great Hall slowly, with her head held high. She wasn't going to cry with everyone watching.

She made her slow way to the Room of Requirement and paced in front of it three times. The ornately carved wooden door that she had come to love so much appeared. She stepped through into her and Harry's spot. The storm that raged on the cliff blasted her as she left the castle behind.

Ginny looked around hopelessly. Where was Harry when she needed him? Where was her dad when she needed him? Both were unable to help her right now. In fact, her dad would never help her again. He wouldn't sit at the table, proudly congratulating her on her O.W.L. scores. He wouldn't sit proudly in the crowd as she graduated from Hogwarts. He wouldn't walk her down the aisle, and he wouldn't kiss her goodbye as he gave her to that lucky man. He wouldn't hold her children. He wouldn't help her through anything any longer.

Ginny sat at the edge of the cliff and pulled Prongs from her bag. She hugged her knees to her chest along with the stuffed animal Harry had given her only five days before. She bent her head down in the soft fabric of the animal's head and cried.

A hand rested softly on her shoulder and someone sat down next to her. Whoever it was (she didn't care who) pulled her into a hug and Ginny leaned into it, needing the support and comfort. She didn't know how long she cried into this unknown person's shoulder, but the stranger didn't complain.

"You alright, Ginny?" Ron's concerned voice finally asked, as her crying came to an end. Ginny nodded. She had such great brothers. A girl shouldn't, no, couldn't complain about loving prats like her brothers. "You sure you want to continue with the party?" Ginny nodded again.

"Harry will be mad if we don't," Ginny answered. "But, let's just celebrate life. Not the end of the year or something like that. Just being thankful that we're alive and safe." Ron nodded, completely agreeing with her. They sat in complete silence, taking comfort in the presence of the other.

"I miss them," Ginny said softly. "I miss them both."

"So do I," Ron answered, hugging her closer. "So do I."

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"Get up boy," Voldemort spat at the pathetic figure that was Harry Potter. "We've only just begun." Harry groaned. His head was pounding, his scar was bleeding, his body was burning, and his Occlumency shields were very, very weak. Voldemort would be able to break them completely and irrevocably today.

Harry got to his knees, still trembling from the last Cruciatus Curse that had torn through his body. He would do his best not to let Voldemort see his weakness. As he got to his feet, Harry tried to reinforce his shields, trying to strengthen them, so that they could withstand one more day of battering. He couldn't let Voldemort know anything. The monster would use that to hurt Harry worse.

"Draco says that your whore isn't doing so well without you," Voldemort mocked. The Death Eaters laughed. Harry put a blank mask on his face, but inside he was raging. How dare Voldemort mock her! He felt his mask slip away, to be replaced by a look of the utmost hate and rage. But all Voldemort did was laugh.

"Don't laugh!" Harry screamed. "Don't you dare--"

"Legilimens!"

Harry cursed himself as he realized that he had left his shields unprotected. Voldemort now had free reign of his mind and Harry was terrified. What would Voldemort learn?

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Harry watched as each of the Weasleys, Hermione, Tonks, Remus, Thia, Dumbledore, and Shacklebolt circled his dream self. It was like viewing a memory in a Pensieve, he was there, but he couldn't interact with what was going on. He groaned. He did not want Voldemort seeing this old dream.

The limping form of Bill passed Harry once again speaking this time. "He killed us, Harry. He killed each of us slowly, because we were close to you. And only because we were close to you."

Harry felt the presence that was Voldemort in his head smile. Harry's scar burst into absolute pain, worse than anything from before. The presence became happier and giddier as each person accused Harry. Charlie burnt to a crisp. Shacklebolt had a hole through his stomach. The twins were torn in a sick rendition of Siamese twins. Tonks tortured to death and Remus having to watch that happen.

Mrs. Weasley, twisted and deformed from spell damage, turned to speak to him next. "The pain I went through as He twisted my body," Mrs. Weasley said in a slow voice, "fades in comparison to the pain I went through as I was told about the deaths of my sons. I was dead before He started to kill me."

Voldemort was absolutely beside himself with enjoyment. Harry's forehead felt as if it had ripped open along his scar. Ron and Mr. Weasley passed by, both killed with the Cruciatus Curse. Dumbledore killed in battle, an old and wizened man. Thia, Hermione, and Ginny were all broken emotionally.

"He let them... You let them..." Ginny's voice cracked, and she broke into sobs. Harry watched his dream self fall to the ground. "How could you let this happen, luv?" she asked, her voice filled with a sense of betrayal.

'What did you let us do, Harry?' Voldemort asked before Bill and Ron could answer.

"You let Him rape my sister!" Bill accused Harry. "You let Him allow his Death Eaters to rape her!"

"They raped Hermione!" Ron screamed from Harry's left. "You let them rape the two most important girls in my life!"

Voldemort's laughter rang through Harry's head. It made Harry's real body keel over in complete pain. Blood flowed freely and quickly from Harry's scar. A Death Eater, who had been given orders to keep Harry alive, moved forward and stemmed the flow. Harry, though, was oblivious to all of that. He was completely immersed in the nightmare, the guilt overwhelming him.

"I'm sorry," he stated from the ground.

"That's not good enough!" Bill yelled back. "It won't bring any of us back!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry gasped in pain as Voldemort left his mind. He lay, panting, trying to recover from the traumatic experience. He could hear Voldemort's cruel laugh. He could sense the questioning glares from the Death Eaters. He looked up at Voldemort carefully, trying to move his head as little as possible. The monster had an evil smile on his smug, serpentine face. Harry shuddered. That could not be good.

Harry rolled over onto his back. Blood from his scar dripped into his eyes, blurring his vision. He rubbed it away, but it was quickly replaced by more blood. The Death Eater healed it again, but he didn't heal it completely. A small amount of blood dripped out of the top of the scar and weaved its way down his forehead and into his hair.

Harry tried to take a deep, calming breath, but instead he started to cough on the blood in his mouth. He turned back onto his stomach and tried to cough the blood out of his lungs. It wasn't working. The cough only hurt his bruised and broken ribs. He tried to stop coughing, but now that he had started coughing, he couldn't stop.

"Heal him!" Voldemort yelled at the man that was supposed to. "I don't want him to die yet; I'm not through with him." Harry groaned mentally, but it came out as a loud cough. The Death Eater cast a spell and the coughs went away. Another spell, and the ribs knitted back into place. With yet another spell, Harry felt his lungs heal and clear of all blood. He coughed once more, and the blood came flowing out.

"Crucio!" Voldemort cried, but Harry wasn't the target. The Death Eater fell to the ground and Harry felt a small amount of gratitude at not being the one writhing in agony. This made him feel even guiltier, but he didn't think his body could take much more at the moment. "You had orders to keep the boy alive! Why did you stand there, watching him cough to death?"

"I'm sorry, my Lord," the Death Eater groveled. Voldemort waved his hand at the man impatiently, and the man crawled back to the other Death Eaters. Harry couldn't help but wonder once more why the Death Eaters wanted to serve Voldemort. It just didn't make sense to him.

"Potter," Voldemort said, turning his attention back to Harry. Harry turned his head slightly, so that he could see Voldemort better. "That was the most interesting dream I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. I had never thought about tearing the blood traitor twins in half like that. You should really look into a career as an evil wizard."

Harry slowly propped his head on his arms. It took quite a bit of effort on his part and the Death Eaters watched him curiously. They weren't sure what he was up to. Harry knew exactly what though. He wasn't going to let Voldemort get away with any of that without some retaliation.

"What are you up to, boy?" Voldemort asked, amused. Harry looked up at the monster and spat at him. No spit actually hit Voldemort, but he got the message. "I see." Harry stared into his eyes and then had to look away because Harry could feel Voldemort starting to search his mind. "Well, in that case, Crucio!"

All Harry had time to think was, I'm so glad I'm passing out right now.