A Summer Without the Sun

Chapter 3: Tears like Blood

Ginny sighed and plopped tiredly into an armchair. 'What a day!' she exclaimed silently, 'I didn't realise fourth year was going to be so hard!' She looked up as the portrait hole opened and Ron clambered in, arguing loudly with Hermione.

"I don't care what Harry says. That slimy git has no right to be so mean! I'd love to just wipe the smirk off his face. And while I'm at it, why not disfigure Malfoy as well?" he exclaimed, punctuating his words by tossing his books on a nearby table and missing.

Hermione looked puzzled. "Why Malfoy?" she asked, "He hasn't done anything to you."

"Yet," Ron cut in. "But I shouldn't need a reason to do him in; just the fact that he lives and breathes is enough for me!"

Ginny watched, amused, as Hermione fought back her laughter to give Ron a stern look. "Well, what did Snape do now?" she asked Ron to prevent him from noticing this.

"He gave Harry two nights of detention for running out of lionfish spines," he replied disgustedly. He shook his head and pulled at his collar. "Harry says that it was his fault that he ran out, but I don't know. Maybe Snape took them somehow. Wouldn't put it past him." he muttered.

"I think Harry's right," Ginny said, "Snape wouldn't really do something like that." Ron shook his head again, grumbling. Ginny froze. She heard another voice grumbling louder than her brother's.

Oh no, an owl. I don't want to answer it. I won't. I don't even want to read it. Go away, go away...

Ginny jumped up and ran to her dormitory. She didn't want Ron to notice her strange behaviour. A few moments later, the voice continued bitterly:

That evil, evil man! How dare he speak to me that way? I've been faithful to him, followed his every order. I've tortured people who would otherwise be my friends on his sick fancy. I get neither thanks nor reward for what I do... Perhaps someday I'll poison his food and be rid of him...

Ginny gasped loudly. Her body was tense and rigid, her hands trembling wildly. The owner of the voice sounded so much like a Death Eater and a little familiar. 'Is he talking about You-Know-Who?' she wondered to herself. She quickly scanned the small list of thing she knew about the voice. It was most definitely male, but it was soft, almost weary, like a young person who has experienced far too many bad things for his age. He was the servant of an evil man and had spent the summer in a dark, cramped place. Ginny could not even begin to guess who it was.

~

"Oy, Harry, we'll be late if you don't hurry!"

Breakfast on Halloween morning was rushed for the Gryffindors. Fred and George had kept everyone up very late making plans for a spectacular prank on the Slytherins. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were now trying to down a quick meal before class. At Ron's words, Harry threw down his napkin. As they moved off to the dungeons, Fred and George winked at them. The fifth years' part in the prank was to occur in their first and most dangerous class: Potions. They headed off.

Ginny, who had watched this exchange, hurried off as well to Charms, very worried for the wellbeing of her sibling and friends. She supposed that each of them would be in detention for a very long time. The voice had been silent all morning until, in the middle of Charms, it cried:

No, don't punish them. You don't know that they did it... Please, give him a chance to speak! Then, almost sadly, He really didn't deserve that. Why did you do it? He really tries hard to please you and you never give him a chance. He really REALLY didn't deserve that.

The voice faded away sadly. For a long moment, Ginny sat, ashen faced, gripping the edge of her seat tightly. Was it really You-Know-Who? Was the voice one of his Death Eaters who didn't condone the killing of innocent people? Professor Flitwick continued to lecture, but she paid no attention. The voice continued, softer, tender:

I'm so sorry. I'm sure that he wasn't thinking. You really didn't deserve that... Please, don't be so down, it doesn't suit you. Go to your friends, they want to comfort you... Maybe there's something I can do.

~

The Great Hall was decorated twice as much as usual, it seemed. In addition to hundreds of jack-o-lanterns, a few bubbling cauldrons stood in corners, emitting intriguing aromas. Jars of sweets were also placed around the roon, out of which, when a hungry student went to take some, popped a menacing hand to protect its delicious treasures.

Ginny followed Hermione to the Gryffindor table quietly. Usually, the Halloween feast was one of the best of the year, with a complete menu of desserts and delicacies, but Ginny was too distraught over the voice's musings to enjoy it.

She glimpsed Harry as she reached her seat and a lightbulb flipped on. 'Harry!' she thought. 'Harry would know if You-Know-Who was causing trouble! Why didn't I think of it before?' But as she turned to ask him, the voice cut in:

What are you doing here? Go away, I don't want you near me...

It sounded extremely tense and angry. Ginny bit her lip in agitation. 'Be careful!' she silently warned the voice, thinking of the many awful spells You-Know-Who could perform.

Threats. You and your threats. I'm not afraid of you anymore, so don't ever think you can scare me. I'm older now, not a little, helpless boy now... I don't care what you say or who you'll get, I want you to leave. Now. I knew you had some evil reason for coming here. Why do you do this to me? Why can't you leave me alone?

By this time, Harry had noticed Ginny's pale, aghast face. "Ginny?" he questioned worriedly, "Ginny, what's wrong?" The voice's ravings covered up Harry's calls, which were soon joined by Ron's and Hermione's.

I can't see how doing this brings you pleasure. Beating on someone smaller than you shouldn't give you a sense of power...I hate you. But you know that, right? You always know everything... But you do realise that I am going to kill you. If I must lose sleep in order to learn Avada Kedavra, so be it. But just wait, Lucius Malfoy. I WILL kill you.

Ginny's eyes widened. Lucius Malfoy?! The very thought of him sent unpleasant cold-finger chills cascading down her spine. It was because of Lucius Malfoy that Tom had come into her life and nearly killed her. It was his face that haunted her nightmares. To Ginny, Lucius Malfoy was almost as bad as Voldemort himself.

Of course, I will forgive you. I'm too soft-hearted to---

The words were cut off abruptly. They had been heavy with emotion: pain and intense sorrow. Ginny's heart squeezed as she considered the reason for the sharp cutoff. She slowly became aware of Harry shaking her urgently. "H-he's hurt," she choked out finally.

"Who?" Harry asked, concern tracing his brilliant green eyes.

As Ginny moved her lips soundlessly, trying to force her vocal chords to move, Harry, Ron and Hermione leaned in closer.

"I don't know."