The Long Wait

Chapter 1:

"Harry, I really wish you didn't have to go," Ginny said, looking across their bedroom at him.

"I know, Ginny, but Minister Scrimgeour trusts me to find Snape," Harry said, opening his suitcase to pack

"I thought they'd given up on searching for him. I mean, it's been five years since the war ended, and nobody's seen him since."

"Well, the Minister did plan on giving up, but he started getting Howlers because everyone still hates Snape for killing Dumbledore. And we just got a tip that he's hiding somewhere in Dresden, Germany."

"So why can't I come with you? I'm just as good an Auror as you are."

"Ginny, you heard the Healers; you shouldn't Floo or Apparate for a few months after having the baby to prevent complications, and it's only been a month."

"I know, I know. But I have this feeling something bad is going to happen. I think it might be Alroy."

"Nothing is wrong with the baby! Listen, everything will be fine. Your mother, Ron, and Hermione already promised to check in on you every day and to owl me if something happens, which it won't." Harry closed his suitcase and crossed the room to give a quick kiss to his wife and another to his sleeping son before he left.

~Five days later~

Ginny walked down a street in a Muggle town, on her way to meet Luna at a diner. The streets were getting crowded and Ginny was getting close to the diner when she spotted an alley way. The alley was small, but dark as she walked past it.

I'm glad I brought my wand, Ginny thought.

Just then she felt a cold hand grab her arm and her wand being pulled from her side pocket. A minute later Ginny was standing in the alley, facing a man dressed all in black including a mask that covered his whole face. The man had a wand pointed at her while he tucked hers in his pocket.

Ginny tried to scream, but the man had used Silencio. "I wouldn't try anything, Mrs. Potter, or I'll do more harm to your son than I'm going to do to you," said a familiar voice. Thin ropes then shot out of his wand and wrapped themselves around Ginny. After grabbing hold of her arm again, the man Apparated them both out of the dark alley.

~Five Hours Later~

"What happened?"

"Some Muggles found her a couple of hours ago in an old warehouse. All we know is that she's unconscious," Hermione said, sitting down next to Harry and patting his back sympathetically.

They were sitting in the corridor of the fourth floor in St. Mungo's. 'Spell Damage' was posted on the door beside them and the entire Weasley family was crammed into the tiny corridor.

A Healer came out of the door. "Mr. Potter?"

"Yes, is Ginny all right?" Harry asked.

"Mrs. Potter was hit with many hexes and curses--" the Healer said.

"Yes or no?"

"Combined they can be very dangerous," the Healer continued. "I'm sorry to say that Mrs. Potter has been sent into a coma."

"What?!" cried Harry. "What about the baby?"

"I have him," Mrs. Weasley said, stepping out from the crowd with the baby in her arms. "Ginny wanted me to baby-sit today."

"You can go in now. It might help if you talk to her," the Healer said.

Harry looked back at his in-laws.

"I'll keep them out for you," Hermione whispered with a small smile.

Harry gave her a grateful look before getting up and walking into the room.

Ginny was lying on the bed; her long hair was dirty and ruffled, and she was wearing a St. Mungo's nightgown underneath the blankets. Harry looked at her beautiful face; her right eye was black.

He went over to her and sat in the chair beside the bed, picking up her hand and kissing it softly. Harry sat there, crying, while thoughts and emotions ran through his head. He knew this was his fault. He knew he should've stayed with her. He also knew that there was no magic that could wake a person from a coma; all he could do was wait.

After twenty minutes, Harry was able to calm himself down.

I can't do this, he thought to himself. I have a son to raise and in-laws to console. I can't grieve. And it's not like I'll never see her again; she could wake up next week for all I know. But it'll be a lonely week without her.

Harry then made a silent vow that no matter what happened he would find the person who had done this to his wife and send him to Azkaban. Harry then stood and walked to the door. He looked in the mirror beside it to make sure that no one could tell he'd been crying, took one last look at Ginny, and left.

All the Weasleys were still in the corridor, and the Healer was now long gone. Hermione, now holding the baby, stood up. "You can all go in," Harry said. "I'll take the baby."

Everyone went into the room except Ron and Hermione. "Harry, while you were in there we were all talking," Ron said, "and if you ever need something you can ask any of us."

"We'd understand if you wanted us to take the baby for a while," Hermione said carefully.

"Thanks, but he's my responsibility, and you two have enough trouble with Rona."

"We can manage--" Hermione continued.

"You two go in and see Ginny. We'll be waiting for you out here."

"Are you sure?"

"He's my son, Hermione." And so Ron and Hermione went into the room, leaving Harry and the baby alone in the corridor.

The twins soon came out and sat on either side of him. "So, Harry . . ." said Fred.

". . . Did you catch Snape?" finished George.

"Yeah, he's in Azkaban," Harry said, suddenly realizing that it was Snape's fault that Ginny had gotten hurt. Putting the blame on an enemy he'd had for twelve years made Harry feel slightly better about himself.

~One week before Alroy's eighth birthday~

"Al? Al, are you up yet? It's Sunday!" Harry called up the stairs of the small house he owned. When he heard no reply, he climbed the stairs to the second floor. He could hear light snoring coming from the second door on the right. Al's room.

Harry opened the door slowly, pulling out his wand as he did so. He looked at the soundly sleeping seven-year-old boy; Harry pointed his wand at the alarm clock on the nightstand, whispered a few words, and ran down the stairs so he wouldn't be caught by his son.

A minute later the clock crowed like a rooster, and Alroy Potter woke with a jolt, his red hair ruffled and his green eyes still tired. He slid out of bed and turned off the alarm.

He looked around the average-sized room that was crowded with gifts from his rather big family, his eyes finally landing on a small picture of his mother on his nightstand.

Alroy got dressed quickly and ran down the stairs toward the smell of eggs, bacon and burnt toast. He walked into the kitchen to find his father toasting bread with his wand while four more pieces sat in the garbage.

"Oh, good morning, Al. I didn't hear you get up," Harry said as he turned around to throw away more toast.

"Morning, Dad. Did you charm my clock again?"

"Why, I'm shocked that you would think that was me! I already told you that it's a badly made clock. I promise to get you a new one next week."

"That's what you said last week."

"But I didn't promise, did I? Now come and eat your breakfast. We have a busy day ahead of us."

"Are we still going to St. Mungo's today?" Al asked, sitting down.

"Of course, every Sunday, and I thought you might want to visit your cousin Rona."

"Why?"

"Well, I have a lot of shopping to do today."

"Birthday shopping?" Al asked excitedly.

"Actually, I meant grocery shopping, but I suppose I should start on your presents as well. Your birthday is next month, right?"

"It's next week! And don't forget my list."

"How could I? It took me five hours just to read!" Harry laughed as he ate the last bit of his eggs and cleared the table with his wand.

Fifteen minutes later Harry and Al were standing on the ground floor of St. Mungo's, having just Flooed in.

"Hello, Mr. Potter. A little early for you to be in, isn't it?" asked the Welcome Witch.

"I have a lot to do today, Casey. Can we go straight up?" Harry said.

"Sure. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are also visiting today."

"Which ones?" Harry asked.

"Let's see," Casey said, as she flipped a few pages on her sign-in sheet. "Mr. R. and Mrs. H. Weasley. Was it all right to let them through, sir?"

"Of course."

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

Harry and Al walked halfway up the stairs and stopped on the second floor to catch their breath. Al sat down on the stairs, looking thoughtful.

"Is something wrong?" Harry asked, sitting down beside him.

"No, I was just wondering . . . how come Mum never wakes up?"

Harry was startled by the question. He had never really planned on explaining Ginny's coma to Alroy. Frankly, he'd thought she'd be out of it long before now, and that Al would never know it had happened. He considered the question for a moment, and carefully answered.

"Al, do you remember how I told you that my and your mother's jobs were to catch evil witches and wizards?"

"Yes."

"Well, the person that did this to your mother didn't like what we were doing, so he tried to hurt us. That's why she can't wake up, but she will one day. And she'll come and live in the house with us, which means no more burnt toast and no more climbing four flights of stairs to see her!" Harry said, thinking right after: I hope I'm right.'.

The two then walked up the rest of the stairs and down the corridor. Harry opened the door to the room and heard Ron and Hermione's voices mixed with someone else's. Harry walked inside and let Al run over to the bed to see his mother. Harry glanced at Ginny before going to talk to the others.

Ginny's hair was still long and straight, and her nails were manicured. Both were thanks to Molly and Hermione. She looked as though she were just sleeping now.

Ron called Harry out of his 'Sunday Trance'. "Harry, this is Healer Slater," he said, pointing to the older, kind-looking wizard standing across from them.

"Mr. Potter, it's such an honor to meet you." The Healer put out his hand and Harry shook it.

"Hello, does this concern my wife?" Harry asked him.

"I'm happy to say it does. You see, a team of Healers in America believe they may have discovered a form of magic that can shake people from their comas no matter what caused it!" There was a knock at the door. "Ah! That must be the head Healer on the team."

The Healer opened the door and a woman around Harry's age walked in. She was holding a clipboard and she looked nervous and her eyes wandered over to Ginny.

"Mr. Potter, this is Healer Dawson."

She walked across the room to them. "It's so nice to meet you, sir," she said.

"Do you really think you can save my wife?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I do. My team has performed this magical procedure on four people in the last year."

"Were there any complications from the procedure?" Hermione asked.

"Only a little confusion from being in a coma for so long, but it always passes after a month or so. However, there is still a chance of Mrs. Potter becoming paralyzed when she wakes up; this hasn't actually happened yet, but it is possible." The Healer then handed a few papers to Harry. "These will explain the procedure and its possible side-effects."

Harry took the papers from her outstretched hand. "I'll think about it," was all he said before he excused himself to sit with Al.

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

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Al left fifteen minutes later and went to the Burrow where Molly and Arthur were babysitting Rona and Colleen, Ron and Hermione's nine-year-old and five-year-old, respectively. The four appeared through the fireplace in the kitchen, and when all three children had gone to play in the backyard, Harry told the others what Healer Dawson had said.

"We can't make this decision for you, Harry. She's your wife," Arthur said when Harry finished.

"I know, but she's your family too. And I don't want to make a decision Ginny or I will regret later."

"Harry," Ron said, "for almost eight years now you've moped around praying that Ginny would come back, and we've all done the same. You have always known what is best for Al and you've always done your best to raise him on your own."

"So?" Harry said.

"So now your prayers have been answered. You know it would be best for Al if he had a mother, and this is your chance to give her to him."

"Ron!" Hermione cried.

"No, Hermione," Harry said, "he's right. I'll tell Healer Dawson to go ahead tomorrow. I should probably get going to Diagon Alley."

And with that Harry said his goodbyes and left.