4. Mrs Weasley’s Grief

“Where. Have. You. BEEN?” Mrs Weasley’s shrill voice rang through the Entrance Hall. “I sent you to find your sister and bring her straight in to dinner, not take a leisurely walk in the grounds! You’ve been gone for ages! How was I supposed to know where you were? What if something had happened to you? Do you KNOW how long you’ve been GONE?”

“Now Molly, they are adults and quite capable of looking after themselves,” said Mr Weasley soothingly, coming up behind her as her children cowered in front of her, Harry doing a particularly good job of hiding behind Ginny.

“Are they, Arthur? Are they? You don’t know that! You don’t know what’s out there, lurking in the dark! And last time – last time I let them out of my sight – last time …”Mrs Weasley trailed off and began to cry.

“Last time Fred didn’t come back,” she whispered. George let out a quiet whimper and turned away and Harry saw Bill’s arm tighten around him. Mrs Weasley was crying in earnest now and wringing her hands. Mr Weasley caught up to his wife swiftly, trying to calm her.

“We’re sorry mum,” said Charlie softly. “We didn’t mean to make you worry.”

“You could say we got a little side tracked though,” muttered Ron and Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.

“Mother, our humble apologies for making you worry. I am afraid we did not realise the length of time we had taken while locating Ginevra,” Percy added.

“Not that Ginny was ever lost,” Ron snorted. “Not like she was in any danger, except of making me vomit.” Hermione turned on him and glared.

“Ronald Weasley, you have no tact whatsoever!” she hissed at him.

“Mum,” said Bill gently. “I’m sorry you were worried. We really will be more careful in the future.” Mrs Weasley turned to look at Bill, noticing George for the first time, who was still trapped by Bill’s strong arm tears streaming down his face, looking as if he might flee as soon as Bill released his grip,.

“Oh Georgie,” she whispered, reaching over and gathering him into her arms instead. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” She stood there, rocking her son while he cried in her arms and one by one her other children joined her, the Weasley family drawing strength from each other and supporting each other. Harry turned to Hermione who looked at him sadly.

“I wish my parents were here,” she whispered, looking mournful. Harry pulled her into a hug, reflecting that perhaps he was getting rather more used to crying females but wishing at the same time he’d gotten the experience another way. He whispered softly to her so as not to disturb the grieving family.

“We’ll go and bring them home soon Hermione, as soon as we possibly can,” he said. Hermione whispered her thanks into her shirt as she succumbed to tears and Harry stood with her in his arms, rubbing her back softly. He was startled when he heard Ron call out to him.

“Oi, Potter! Get your hands off my girl!” Hermione turned to glare at Ron but she must have seen Ron’s smile because she didn’t say anything. Harry thought he saw the ghost of a smile on her face and he playfully squeezed her tighter. The Weasleys all turned around at this exchange, George wiping his eyes and taking a quick look at his mother.

“Ho, ho ickle Ronniekins,” George began, “you’ve spilled it in front of mum now!” Mrs Weasley was looking from Ron to Hermione, who had pulled free of Harry’s grasp.

“When did this happen?” she asked with a rather watery smile.

“Right after Ron opened the Chamber of Secrets and right before we ran into Crabbe who tried to burn us alive,” said Harry rather matter of factly. Charlie looked Harry in amazement.

“You are hiding quite a bit there, Potter, aren’t you?” he said. “Full of secrets aren’t we?”

“Oh,” said Harry, “you have no idea, Charlie!”

“You’re right Harry,” broke in George. “It is going to be fun taking the mickey out of Ron; something to look forward to.” Hermione smiled at George as he suddenly burst into watery laughter at the disgruntled look on Ron’s face.

“Why can’t you pick on Harry?” he complained. “I don’t know why you can’t concentrate on embarrassing him for all eternity!” The Weasleys still stood with their arms draped around each other or linked together as Ron and George entered a good natured debate about the merits of mocking Ron about his new relationship and Harry marveled at their ability to carry each other from bad moments to good and be there when the next bad moment came. As his eyes roamed over the ones he knew as family they came to rest on Ginny who was looking decidedly pale and staring at Ron fixedly before her eyes briefly flickered to Harry’s and it was then he saw the deep pain reflected in them and the confusion.

“Ron, how did you open the Chamber?” she asked so softly Harry could barely hear her. Everybody froze. Harry held his breath, she looked so pained as though every bad memory she ever had was being dredged up. Ron sucked in his breath and glanced at Harry.

“He’s heard me speak Parseltongue loads of times, Ginny,” Harry volunteered, hoping this would be enough for now, hoping he wouldn’t have to explain further. Ginny turned her gaze on him but it was rapidly becoming one of frustration bordering on fury and Harry took a step back.

“Oh yes, you go around telling things to open in Parseltongue all the time!” she exclaimed. “You hate talking in Parseltongue. You never do it unless you have to. You avoid snakes, Harry! So yeah, sure Ron remembers ‘open’ from five years ago! How does he know? What happened to him?” Ron looked in horror at Ginny and then to Harry and Hermione. No one else seemed able to move and Harry took a deep breath.

“He really did learn it from hearing me do it, but no, not from five years ago. I had to open something with Parseltongue recently. Ron was there. Nothing’s happened to him Ginny. He’s safe. We’re all safe now,” he took a tentative step towards her. “He’s gone, he can’t hurt anyone else. No one is going to open the Chamber again.” Harry held his breath. Ginny seemed on the verge of hysteria now. Before anyone could react she suddenly took off out of the Entrance Hall and in the direction of the second floor, Harry tore after her and he could hear the Weasleys thundering after them.

Moments later Harry burst, gasping, into Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. Ginny stood in front of the open entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, shaking. Harry pulled her into an embrace, stroking her hair and whispering that it was going to be alright. The rest of the Weasleys and Hermione arrived, puffing, at the door to the bathroom.

“Close it, Harry,” Ginny begged, her voice shrill and hysterical. Harry told the entrance to close, but nothing happened.

“Er, mate,” said Ron, “that was English.” Harry tried again. Nothing happened.

“I can’t speak Parseltongue anymore,” he whispered. Harry was stunned, events began turning over in his brain and he saw Hermione looking at him. She was thinking.

“It was part of Voldemort,” she began, “he left, well, it, in you the first time he tried to kill you and the second time he used the Killing Curse on you he ripped it out again and it took the Parseltongue with it. The Parseltongue was part of it.” Mrs Weasley shrieked.

“Harry James Potter! What do you mean he used the Killing Curse on you?” Mrs Weasley looked livid with rage.

“Killing Curse?” whispered Ginny. He hadn’t mentioned that earlier, they had avoided talk of exactly how he died, trying to cope with their feelings about it. Harry held onto her as she began shaking, stroking her back.

“I’m okay, I promise,” he whispered in her ear.

“Has anyone checked you over? Have you been to see Poppy? Are you alright?” demanded Mrs Weasley as she darted over and began checking him over herself. Harry began to protest and George shook his head sadly.

“See, no possible way of mocking Harry. You don’t mock someone who’s survived the Killing Curse twice. You just can’t do that,” he said. “But we can, and we should, celebrate that. With fireworks!”

“Can we do that after dinner?” asked Ron. “Let’s go eat. McGonagall can come here later and seal that up some other way Ginny.” Ginny nodded, she was still pale and hadn’t completely stopped shaking so Harry kept his arm around her as they traipsed out into the hallway and towards the Great Hall, Mrs Weasley continuing to fuss over Harry.

“I’m fine, Mrs Weasley,” he protested in vain as she continued to poke and prod at him and ask him if this was tender or that was sore. “Really I’m just fine. I don’t need to go to the hospital wing. Mrs Weasley, really, Mrs Weasley – MUM! Stop!”She turned to stare at him.

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “I didn’t mean to shout.” Mrs Weasley looked tearfully up at him before gathering him in a bone crushing hug stopping the mini procession. He heard Ginny giggle as he struggled to breathe and was relieved that she was starting to feel better.

“Mum! Come on, let the man go, let’s eat!” called Ron. “Harry, do you think you can bond with her after dinner?” Mrs Weasley released her grip and patted Harry softly on the cheek.

“Come on, let’s go feed you up,” she said. “Have you been eating properly? You are looking awfully thin.”