A New Beginning (Sequel to A Different Beginning)

Chapter Fifteen - Home at Last

Ron didn't speak as he watched his mother and his girlfriend fuss over him. Madam Pomfrey worked on the stab wounds, making clucking noises in her throat. He closed his eyes and tried not to wince at the pain. It hurt badly and even though he had gotten used to the pain, it didn't make it any easier. He was trying to act somewhat cool about it, as if he wasn't affected by the pain. He wasn't sure if this was to make the people around him more comfortable or because he was in some kind of shock. He figured it was probably a mixture of both.

It didn't feel real. None of it did really. He had been held prisoner by Voldemort and lived to tell the tale, not too many people could claim that one. He had survived all of the torture and all of the questions and he may have come out of it but he was still scathed, physically and emotionally.

"The wounds aren't too deep," Madam Pomfrey murmured, bringing him out of his stupor. "You were very lucky, Mr. Weasley. It seems as if your torturer was careful. These were done with hot pokers, were they not?"

Hermione gasped and Molly's hand flew to her mouth as Ron nodded. Hot pokers had been the least of his problems, though they had definitely hurt like hell. There had also been a spiked whip, drowning, knife wounds, beatings, a hammer, and not to mention the Cruciatus. "Mostly. It was a lot of different things. I don't remember it all."

Madam Pomfrey seemed to look at him as if she knew he was lying before she continued to search over him, prodding him with her wand from time to time.

Ron had no intention of telling the school nurse what had been done to him, at least not with his mother and girlfriend in the room. They would be horrified and he wasn't sure if he could look them in the eye. How was he supposed to explain to them that Death Eaters had held his head under water when Voldemort got tired of asking questions? Or that Voldemort himself used hot pokers to beat and stab him when he kept silent or had a smart comment? Or that he was beaten and stabbed and whipped every time they got tired of other torture methods? Or that he had been under the Cruciatus Curse countless times?

Ron didn't think he could stand the looks of pity that they would give him. For the first time in his life he understood what it was like to be Harry, and he hated himself for it. For so many years he had been jealous of the constant attention that had been drawn to his best mate. He understood that his friend was famous and he was alright with that. He knew that his friend was famous for surviving the killing curse so long ago and he could live with that. But for the first time, he understood what it must have been like for Harry all these years. People wanted to know intimate details about his life, about the time Voldemort supposedly killed his mother; or when he had been tortured and seen Cedric die. For the first time in his life, Ron understood and for the first time he realized how full of crap the world was.

The world had no idea what it was like to have evilest wizard in the world be after you. They had no idea what it was like to know that you alone would be the one to have to kill him and that the information those around you possessed was dangerous. Ron had thought that he had truly lost his innocence that day when he had followed Harry down into the Chamber of Secrets to save Ginny, and had watched the two of them walk through the rubble towards him. But now he knew that the innocence lost between Harry and Ginny had been a lot more. Ron was no longer a child and he desperately wished he was.

"There's a slight bruising here, under the ribs," Molly pointed out, tears in her eyes as she looked at her son. His eyes met his mother's and he gave her a small smile. "Are they broken?"

Madam Pomfrey inspected him a bit closer. "He has one or two broken ones in there, nothing too serious. You are a very lucky man, Mr. Weasley. Other than the broken ribs, the stab wounds missed all the vital organs. I would guess it was quite intentional to get you to live longer and to try to get more information. Am I right?"

Ron nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"Hmm," she murmured. "Molly, Miss Granger, may I have a few minutes alone with my patient?"

Molly looked like she was about to protest but then she closed her mouth. "Alright, come on, Hermione."

Molly tugged Hermione along with her. Hermione had barely said a word since Ron had returned. When they opened the door, Harry was standing there ready to knock.

"Er, hi."

Madam Pomfrey nodded at him. "Mr. Potter, you may come in. You might be able to help me. Molly, you and Miss Granger head on downstairs now."

Harry closed the door behind him as he stepped inside and did a quick silencing charm. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."

Ron shook his head and gestured Harry forward. "No, come in. Is Mira alright?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, she's good. King and Leila are with her now. They're going to adopt her."

"Her eyes?"

"Ginny and I managed to bring them back. Emma is the one who mentioned it because it was a ritual so her eyes weren't destroyed. She's going to be partially blind though, maybe even permanently. There was nothing we could do about it."

Ron nodded, closing his eyes and wincing as Madam Pomfrey hit a sensitive spot. "As long as she's alright. I promised her that I wouldn't let anything happen to her. Some phoenix I turned out to be."

"Ron, it's not your fault for what happened to her. You were a prisoner yourself, and you didn't even have a wand. I'm sure you did what you could but no one blames you for what happened."

"No, I'm betting you blame yourself for it."

Harry shrugged. "Not directly I don't, but it all comes back to me, doesn't it?" Harry ignored Ron's glare and turned his attention to the nurse. "Madam Pomfrey, how he is?"

"He's going to be fine, Harry. But now that his mother and girlfriend are out of the room I would like to hear exactly what he went through. Don't leave anything out, Mr. Weasley. I need to know! How can I treat you if I don't know what happened?"

Ron sighed as he met the nurse's hard gaze. "Hot pokers, which you already learned on your own."

"And what else, Mr. Weasley?" Madam Pomfrey demanded. "I don't have time to wait for you."

Ron groaned and he looked down at his hands as he spoke. "Drowning, beatings, whippings, stabbings, I think there was a hammer in there somewhere ... I don't remember it all."

"Did you suffer the Cruciatus?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll check your brain and make sure everything is in working order. I need to make sure I know everything, Mr. Weasley, it's for your own well-being."

Ron nodded. "I swear, that's all I remember."

She seemed satisfied with his because she began to use her wand to examine his head. When she was finished she backed away and nodded. "Everything looks alright. I'll leave you and Mr. Potter alone for a little bit while I make up your potions. Stay in the bed."

When she closed the door behind her, Harry turned to Ron. "Hell, Ron, I'm so sorry."

Ron shook his head. "I thought we already went through this. It's hardly your fault. I slipped up. That stupid rat got me from behind and the next thing I knew I was waking up chained to the wall in some dusty old dungeon." He closed his eyes. "How long was I gone?"

Harry sighed. "Too damn long. Christmas is in a week."

"Almost two months? How did you find me?"

"You told me."

"I knew you had heard me."

Harry nodded. "That's what I was wondering about actually, how? I mean, you've never really had any mind power before, and then suddenly you could communicate with me mentally."

Ron shrugged. "I don't know. It was pretty odd. I blocked my mind from Voldemort, too. He was so angry and so pissed off that he couldn't read me, couldn't penetrate my mind. It's one of the reasons why I was beaten and tortured so much. He was furious. I had no idea how I was doing it either until a few days ago he brought Mira into my cell."

"Why would he bring her there?"

"I have no idea. He said something about needing the room. She was so sweet, Harry. He had hurt her so much. She was kept in a cage of fire and beaten. She told me that he wanted to know the details of the prophecies she gave but she didn't know. Half the time she didn't even remember giving them or realize the importance of her words. Voldemort didn't give a shit obviously and ... she gave a prophecy while she was with me."

Harry took a seat on the edge of Ron's bed now. "Really? Do you remember what she said? Do you know what it meant?"

Ron shook his head. "No clue. I remember it though. The phoenix rises with the Flame, the Conqueror holds him dear to name. To see it end they both must fight, but only after the phoenix takes flight."

"Well, the Flame is Ginny and I'm the Conqueror, but who's the phoenix?"

"Mira seems to think I am. She told me I have all of this untapped power and that I'm important in the final battle. She doesn't know any more than that. I have no idea what this untapped power would be. I don't feel any different than before."

Harry nodded. "Well, I think your definitely getting more powerful. I mean, you communicated with me mentally over hundreds of kilometres and you blocked your mind from Voldemort. That's the start of something. To call you the phoenix though ... a phoenix has powers of flaming places, healing powers, and to be re-born. Did Mira say anything else?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah, she told me that the power is inside of me, that my mind is part of it, that I must undergo some sort of transformation. I didn't understand what it meant."

"Well, maybe Mira can help you figure it out."

"Yeah, hopefully."

"Listen, Ron ... Hermione has been a complete wreck ever since you disappeared. She had a serious nervous breakdown when we thought you had died and knowing you were missing hasn't done much for her."

Ron looked concerned now. "Is she alright? She's barely spoken at all since I got home."

Harry nodded. "I think she is. But I just want you to be prepared for another breakdown. I've been there for her as much as I could be. The first couple of nights she just collapsed, sobbing into my arms. She's been sleeping in your bed and I've held her whenever I could, but it's not me she's wanted. It doesn't help that her parents are ... hell, they don't care, not in the way she needs them to. She's been solemn and quiet. She hasn't been taking notes in class, barely doing her homework. She's not sleeping or eating properly. I don't know how many times Ginny and I have forced food down her throat. I've never in my entire life seen her life this. Mione was always the one we went to, and it was quite reversed. I know she's happy to have you home but ... look at how Molly tugged her out of the room. Her eyes were on you but she didn't speak, question, or complain. Does that sound like our Mione?"

Ron shook his head. "No, it doesn't. I'll get her back, don't worry."

"Good. I missed you mate."

Ron grinned. "I missed you too. Look I ... I know this probably is going to sound corny and stupid, but when I walked into this house and I was rushed up here and questioned by Dumbledore, fussed over my Madam Pomfrey and everything. The only thing that kept running through my mind was that for the first time in my life, I understand what its like to be you ... and it sucks."

Harry laughed. "That it does."

"No, I mean ... that didn't come out right. I meant, you being famous and me being a stupid git and jealous over it. You've been through hell, mate, and I know it! Now, I understand it to a degree I never thought I would. I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for anything I might have said or done before when I didn't understand it."

Harry grinned. "No problem." He reached over to pat his friend's arm and thought, to hell with it, and pulled Ron close for a hug. Ron's arms came around him too and they patted each other's backs. When Harry pulled back, he grinned. "I really thought I'd never see you again. The only thing that kept coming through my mind was that because you were my best friend, Voldemort was doing Merlin knows what to you."

"It was hell. I'm not going to lie. I don't want to talk about. I don't want to relive the things I went through, or to remember the feel of the things I suffered through. But I'd do it again in a minute, if I had to." He replied as he grinned at his friend. "I wasn't about to tell him anything he wanted to know about you or Ginny, especially not about the prophecies. He has no idea what it's about, Harry, and the things he does know ... he's entirely unsure of. When you take him down, I'm going to help you, every fucking inch of the way."

He nodded. "Good. There's no one else I want standing there with me in the end."

Ron grinned. "I'll be there, Harry. It's much harder to get rid of me."

Harry laughed. "So I'm told." He stood up and grinned down at his friend. "Well, I'll let you rest a bit before Madam Pomfrey comes back. I'll go find Hermione. She needs you more than she realizes, and I think it scares her."

Ron grinned. "Good. I'm glad she needs me that much ... I sure as hell need her."

Harry grinned. "I'll go find her."

Ron watched him leave and when the door closed behind him he grinned. He was so glad to be home.

********

Ginny looked up from the book she was reading when Harry walked into the guestroom. She had slipped into the room, when he had gone up to find Ron, for some solitude. She smiled warmly at him. "Hey, how's he doing?"

Harry shrugged as he closed the door behind him and came to sit next to her on the bed. "He's alright. Ron's been through hell, Gin! I just ... I was there in the room when he told Madam Pomfrey everything that had happened, everything that ... all of these extreme torture methods that Voldemort and the Death Eaters used on him. He's definitely going to have a few scars, mental and physical."

She nodded. "I would imagine so. But he's alright otherwise? I mean, no serious damage?"

Harry shook his head. "No, he'll be fine. Madam Pomfrey gave him the okay."

They both looked up when the door opened and Bill grinned at them. "Hey, Firefly, I figured I'd find you up here."

Ginny grinned. "Here I am. What's up?"

"Have you two seen Ron yet?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah. Ginny only saw him for a moment though. He's doing alright."

Bill nodded. "Good. I was just in there. Poppy is busy shoving healing potions down his throat as Mum tells him not to complain."

Ginny laughed. "That's good, that he's complaining. It was long past the time that we needed Ron back."

"Yeah it was. Hey Firefly, want to come with me for a bit? I need to talk to you."

"Of course. Where are we going?"

Bill shrugged. "My and Fleur's flat, I guess. You don't mind, eh, Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "No, go ahead. I'll see you later, Gin." He leaned over to kiss her softly before she got up and headed out of the room with Bill.

Once they were outside and in the shiny new mustang convertible, Ginny turned to her brother. "When did you get this car?"

He grinned. "Last week. Fleur's been bugging me about getting one, since I'm always using her BMW. But now she doesn't approve, and says it's not appropriate. I think it's classy."

Ginny laughed. "Leave it to you. So are you going to tell me what's up, or are you just going to make me worry?"

"There's nothing to worry about. I just need to talk to you, alone, away from prying eyes called Mum and Dad. You're my best friend, you know."

She smiled. "I know. Ron's really okay, Bill. Hermione is probably anxiously waiting to go in there and see him. She's what he needs and he's the one who can bring her back. Ron's really going to need her, and some time to get over what happened, if he ever can get over it. I know better than anyone else does how hard this will be to get over, to move past. He spent two months chained in a dungeon being tortured. I wouldn't even know where to begin. How long it takes will really be up to Ron."

Bill reached over and squeezed her hand gently. "He can do it. We'll be here for him when he needs us. That's all we can do." He turned her hand over and grinned. "Now, I know the feel of a man's ring when I feel one and looking down at it I see that it's on your middle finger and is a Gryffindor class ring of 1998. Firefly?"

Ginny blushed. "What's your point, Bill?"

Bill grinned. "Did Harry propose to you? Do you have it on this finger because no one knows?"

Ginny bit her bottom lip softly and nodded, "Yes."

Bill pulled the car into the lot of his building and turned to grin at her. "He did? Really? When?"

She laughed, "About three weeks ago. I said yes, but he hasn't gotten me a ring yet. We didn't want to tell anyone because Ron was missing. We thought it was better to wait until he was home to announce it."

Bill pulled her into his arms and kissed her cheeks. "Babe, that's amazing! I had a feeling that the two of you would be engaged before the summer. He loves you so much."

"I know. I love him, too."

"So what kind of rock is he getting you? 'Cause with the money he has it better be a damn good one."

Ginny laughed. "Bill! I hardly care what the ring looks like."

Her brother smirked at her. "Right! That's the biggest lie I've ever heard."

"I'm not lying! I'll take whatever he wants to give me."

Bill grinned. "You're an easy girl to please and you're marrying one hell of a rich guy."

Ginny shrugged. "He's not that rich."

"Right. Come on Gin, by marrying Harry you're going to have so much money, a title and not to mention the status and the social functions that you're going to be forced into going to. It's a whole new life. I mean, once you marry Harry, you won't just be little Ginny Weasley but Lady Ginevra Potter, Duchess of Draíochta. I mean, I don't know if you'll live in Glasgow Hall or anything, but the title will be there."

Ginny nodded. She hadn't even remembered that marrying Harry would mean having a title. "It doesn't matter, Bill. I love him and the title doesn't mean anything. So we'll get to go to some famous parties and things. As Duchess of magic and enchantment, I might be able to do some good. Give to charities and thing, for example. Draíochta is not a burden but a wonderful thing."

Bill grinned. "Good. I just wanted to make sure that you realized that. I'm really happy that the two of you are engaged, especially because of what I have to tell you."

"What?"

Bill sighed. "Well, we just hired a new teller at Gringotts. Ever since she got there, all she's been able to talk about is the fact that she was put in charge of cleaning the vault doors of the Potters. She makes sure that she mentions this five or six times a day as well as the fact that she dated Harry, mostly just to make the other girls jealous, I would think. Fleur said she heard her telling another girl that one day that she and Harry might get married. Now I know this is BS but it's causing a bit of a stir."

Ginny nodded. "I would imagine so. Who is she?"

"Her name's Cho something. She's nice enough, and pretty I suppose, but she's got nothing on you, babe."

"That vindictive little - ugh! I hate her!"

Bill laughed. "Wow, Firefly, didn't see that one coming. Look, I just wanted to warn you, privately, that this bird seems to have her heart set on marrying into the Potter family, or should I say the Potter fortune. We had stopped at Gringotts earlier today to get some supplies from the goblins before we headed out to find Ron, and she was definitely eyeing Harry. They spoke for a moment and she hugged him and kissed his cheek. He looked uncomfortable and hurried away, but I just wanted to tell you it's there."

"I don't understand her! She had her chance with him! She treated him like shit and broke up with him faster than she dated him! This makes for the second time she's tried to do something. I just don't get it."

He shrugged. "Well, it's nothing to worry about I'm sure, as I could clearly see for myself how much Harry isn't interested, but I just thought you might want to know."

Ginny smiled. "I don't worry about Harry. He won't hurt me and besides he can't lie to save his life, especially not to me. Is this why you wanted to talk to me? To tell me that Cho Chang wants my fiancé?"

"Nah, just making interesting conversation. What I wanted to tell you is inside."

Ginny followed her brother up the stairs and into the flat he shared with his wife. When they stepped inside, she saw it and gasped. Bill had constructed a huge grandfather clock, much like the one their parents had showing the people and where they were except it had new signs now. It said:

At the Burrow
Work
School
Visiting
Travelli ng
Do Not Disturb
Mortal Peril
Lost
Hospital
Prison
Home


There were beautiful silver-lined spoons used as the hands and each spoon had a face on it: Molly, Arthur, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Emma, Percy, Penelope, Preston, Paul, Scott, Fred, Angelina, George, Katie, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Harry.

"It's made from solid oak and I know, it's beautiful. Charlie and I have been working on it for a month now. Everyone has chipped in a bit here and there, buying the hands and the parts. Ron made this part here." He pointed to the beautifully chiselled headpiece that said The Weasley Family in scripted writing. "He gave it to me at Fred and Angelina's wedding, as I had asked him to do it ages ago. Charlie and I built the actual clock. Percy bought the silver-lined spoons. George and Fred put the pictures on them. They're special pictures that actually move and reflect the actual picture of the person. See, look at yourself."

Ginny stepped closer to the clock to look closer and realized the picture on the spoon was wearing her hair the same as she had it now. "How?"

"Fred and George did it, I'm not sure but it's so as you get older, the picture changes with you. I mean, Mum and Dad's clock still has our baby pictures on it. This is more realistic. Now I need you to finish off the clock."

"Bill, its beautiful what else could I possibly add to it?"

Bill grinned now. "A little bit of magic."

Ginny glanced at her brother in surprise. "I don't understand."

"Firefly, we've got the oak and it's stained and gorgeous. The spoons and the headpiece and the pictures are there, but we need the pendulum, haven't you noticed it's missing from the glass door?"

Ginny looked closer and nodded. "Yes, and you even put a real clock under this big one. Will it ring if the pendulum is there?"

"Yes, it will, but we need the pendulum and that's your job. Fleur and I found quite a few of them but I just don't want the pendulum there. This is a Christmas present to Mum and Dad from all of us and it should be really special. I want you to decide how."

Ginny glanced at the four pendulums her brother had chosen and she chose the round silver one. "Let's put their wedding picture on it and instead of the gong of the clock every hour, it should play their wedding song."

Bill grinned. "Wouldn't that get annoying?"

"No, it's romantic and Mum never tires of hearing it. Besides, not the whole song, only one verse every hour."

"I don't even know what their wedding song was."

Ginny grinned. "I do. Daddy told me and used to sing it to me when he told me the story of how they met."

"What is it?"

Ginny shrugged. "I don't know the name, but I remember the words."

Bill nodded and was quiet as she began to sing softly.