Sincerely, Harry James Potter

Chapter 4

For a week now Harry had been going for walks in muggle London. To his amazement he found he really enjoyed them. He breathed deeply of the urban air, so fresh after so many years in Grimmauld Place. His walks carried him far and wide throughout the city and by the end of the week he'd found himself eagerly anticipating them.

Harry always made sure to be home before Ron and Hermione. It wasn't that he didn't want to share this change in his daily life with them it was really that he just wasn't ready. He knew they'd be excited and happy that he was getting out but, for now, the outings were a simple joy for Harry that would become more complicated when his friends learned of them. He also didn't want to return to the wizarding world just yet and once they knew he was getting out of the house he feared they would pressure him into doing more than he felt he could handle. Small steps, he kept telling himself, small steps.

The following week he was out for another walk and his feet carried him to an old department store. He stopped in front of it and stared at the window mannequins in their outdated clothes. He was thoughtful for a couple of moments before turning away. The next day he walked a different route but wound up in the same place. It was another week before he could bring himself to enter St. Mungo's.

Once inside he didn't bother with the bored reception witch; he knew where he was going. On the fourth floor he hesitated. Was he doing the right thing? He took a few steps and paused outside the closed ward. Peering trough the window he saw Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom. Harry wondered if they even realized their son hadn't been to see them for six years. He figured that maybe it was better they might not know. On the other hand, though, they would have been proud of Neville.

Harry continued down the hall. She wasn't in a ward. Harry had felt the least he could do was pay for her to be in a private room. At the end of the hall he stopped and looked through the window in the door. Ginny Weasley had been placed in a chair near the outside window by one of her caretakers. There she sat, staring into space and rocking back and forth silently. Harry briefly wondered what she saw.

He hadn't witnessed what had happened to Ginny the night of the final battle. No one had even really told Harry about it. He had heard it afterwards while those who had survived unhurt stood in the hospital halls waiting for news. Ron had painfully telling Hermione and family what had happened and Harry had overheard from around the corner.

The final battle had been well under way with Harry and Voldemort facing off for the final, and most crucial, time. The Death Eaters had been under orders to kill everyone associated with Harry and the Order. Harry's friends had scattered, partly as a tactic to keep the Death Eaters from observing Harry and Voldemort and coming to Voldemort's aid. Also they had felt that in ones and twos more of them were likely to survive. In the chaos Ron and Hermione had been separated. Ron had managed to unintentionally outwit his Death Eater. He'd been hit by an Impediment Curse but where he'd fallen had been well hidden from the Death Eater who ran off in another direction looking for Ron or anyone else to curse. While the Death Eater had been unable to see Ron, he was positioned in a way that allowed him to see all of what happened to his sister.

Ginny and Neville had taken off together when everyone dispersed. Their affection for each other had deepened greatly earlier in the year and it was only natural that they would fight side by side when the time came. Two Death Eaters, one of whom had removed her hood, her evil eyes awash with the pleasure of the fight, had pursued them.

Bellatrix Lestrange toyed with her opponents while her companion laughed. Ginny and Neville, who had personal reasons for wanting to destroy his opponent, had fought hard and well greatly diminishing Bellatrix's good humour. When Ginny had scored a direct hit with a stunning spell, Bellatrix had screamed, "kill her!" to the other Death Eater.

Obediently he'd raised his wand and shouted, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Before Ginny could react she heard a strangled yell of "NO!" and Neville had jumped in front of her just as the jet of green light was about to hit her.

"Neville!" Ginny screamed. Neville fell to the ground and in the background Bellatrix laughed maniacally. Dropping to her knees Ginny had tried to wake Neville, which made Bellatrix laugh even harder.

"Look at her! Look at her trying to wake him!" In her mirth she grabbed the black robes of her companion, knocking his hood askew.

Ginny looked up. Still cradling Neville's head in her lap she pointed her wand at Bellatrix. "What?" Bellatrix cried. "Are you going to try and kill me, little girl? It won't work. You may know the words but you lack the strength to do it. Not even your Harry Potter could kill me, the one time he had the opportunity." Both Death Eaters laughed, sure in their triumph.

Over the years a lot of people had underestimated Ginny Weasley and with fierce determination she had proven them all wrong. Even Fred and George had come to admit that not only was she a decent Quidditch player, she was almost as clever as they were and that was quite a compliment coming from them. While the Death Eaters gloated, Ginny's eyes had narrowed. Not only was she filled with hatred and anger but an overpowering desire to kill Bellatrix. A whisper was all Ginny needed. "Avada Kedavra." There was a flash of green light that hit Bellatrix dead on and, with an expression of surprise on her face that matched that on her cousin's face when she'd killed him two years ago, she crumpled to the ground.

The other Death Eater stopped laughing. Apparently Bellatrix had underestimated this girl. He knew she would kill him next so before she could utter the words, he removed his hood to reveal bright red hair that matched Ginny's own.

"Percy."

"Yes. And I know you won't do it, Ginny. Not to me, I'm your brother after all. Haven't I always looked out for you?" There was something cocky in Percy's tone. "I know you won't kill me. I know you can't."

Ginny hesitated a brief second and that was all it took. Percy pointed his own wand at her and sneered. "You silly girl. None of you were ever smart enough to understand the power. You lot were always so noble it was sickening. Well, little sister, it ends here."

Percy had just opened his mouth when there was yet another flash of green light and he fell to the ground. Behind him stood Ron holding his wand out in front of him, the Impediment Curse having finally worn off.

Ron had been inconsolable after he'd finished telling Hermione what had happened. Percy had still been his brother and he had killed him. It was the only way he could save Ginny. Another tragedy I've brought about, Harry remembered thinking at the time. Unable to stay and listen to Ron's grief, Harry had walked away.

Now Harry stood outside Ginny's room, gathering up the courage to go in. Cautiously and wondering for the thousandth time if he was doing the right thing, Harry pushed open the door and stepped into the room. Nothing about Ginny changed. Her eyes remained unfocused and she continued to rock.

"Ginny," Harry said quietly. "Ginny, it's Harry. Can you hear me?"

There was no response and Harry had to admit he hadn't expected one.

Slowly he made his way across the room and sat down in the chair opposite her. Her eyes were vacant and this disturbed Harry a great deal. For six years Ginny had been like this. Wishing there was some way he could help her yet feeling completely powerless, Harry gently took Ginny's hand in his. Sitting thus, Harry began to talk. At first he spoke in slow disjointed sentences. He didn't know what to say but he felt a need to fill the silence that pervaded the room.

After awhile Harry decided he should go. He told Ginny he was leaving, kissed her gently on the cheek and left.