A Summer Without the Sun

Ginny was too upset to eat anything. Excusing herself quietly, she left the Great Hall and wandered the school aimlessly. As she walked, she wrung her hands and wondered aloud to herself.

"Who could it be?" she asked for the hundredth time. She now knew that Lucius Malfoy was somehow involved, and not in a good way. "Who is he hurting now?"

She paused by a large mirror near the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom. The Ginny in the mirror was much paler than normal, making her vibrant hair and myriad freckles stand out startingly. Her usually warm brown eyes were wide and frightened. The mirror said nothing, much to her relief. As she stood gazing blankly at her reflection, she glimpsed a black shadow passing behind her. Spooked, she whipped around. There was no one there. The corridor spread on each side of her, quiet and empty. Puzzled, Ginny looked behind a suit of armour. No one there, either.

"It couldn't possibly have gone into the classroom. I didn't hear a door open," she said in disbelief. She briefly considered finding Harry or even Ron to come and help figure out this mystery. But by then, she reasoned, the thing, whatever it was, could have left. Then she would feel very stupid indeed. Finally, she the corridor, wary of running in the shadow at every corner. Strangely, the Voice had been silent for quite some time now and she began to worry.

A distant murmur now caught her attention. It was not the Voice. She had unknowingly reached the Hospital Wing. Curious, Ginny crept behind a statue to watch.

"Watch his head at the corner now," warned Madam Pomfrey, who had just appeared. She and Professor Snape were carrying the still form of a student. Ginny's eyes widened at the sight of blood soaking through the boy's torn robes and dripping onto the stone floor. Snape's hands and robes were likewise stained red.

Professor McGonagall came hurrying up. "My goodness, what has happened here?" she exclaimed softly.

"I found him in the far storage dungeon," Snape explained. "He was mumbling something and convulsing. After he passed out, I summoned Poppy." He seemed to steel himself. "Whoever did this was not a student. The presence of Dark Magic was very strong around him. I think the Cruciatus Curse was used as well." The other two teacher drew back in shock.

"I- I'll get Dumbledore," McGonagall said faintly.

As Snape and Madam Pomfrey started carefully up the steps with their patient, Ginny got a better look. He was slight and pale and very cut and bruised. His silver-blond hair was encrusted in blood and sweat. His head and hands hung down limply, nearly touching the floor. She turned from the sight, sickened. After making sure the teachers had gone through the door, she dashed up to Gryffindor tower, careful to avoid the large red puddle in the middle of the floor.

~

Harry looked up as Ginny leaped white-faced through the portrait hole. Pausing only to looked around, she spotted him and went to his side.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

Panting and gesturing wildly, Ginny related her story of the Voice up to seeing the shadow in the hall. Harry listened in shock until she finished. "You don't think its Vol- er, You-Know-Who, do you?" he whispered, agitated.

Ginny shook her head violently. "No, I just saw him! They were bringing him to the Hospital Wing. He was dripping blood and Snape he mumbled and---"

Harry cut off her rambling. "Who is it then?"

"It's Draco Malfoy."