19 Years

Chapter 19 : What Comes Next

Chapter 19 : What Comes Next

He knew, knew more surely than anything, that when he opened his eyes he would see his wife's body in a pathetic heap on the floor. He knew that James would be there, wondering where his mother had gone, why she had fallen so quickly and where his father was. It was with a shock that he realised he was falling forwards. He thought that maybe this was death. The real death, one he had evaded twice before, come to claim him at long last and he almost felt relieved as he let his body sink down. He felt his knees touch the wooden floor and realised that it was the release of his body from the curse that had held him firmly against the wall.

He raised his head, not daring to breathe and opened his eyes slowly. What he saw was not what he had expected. Instead of Ginny's dead body, there was the Death Eater, shrunken, it seemed, spread eagled on the floor. The expression on his face was one of mingled rage and surprise.

Harry clutched his stomach and retched, falling forward onto his free hand. He heard Ginny cry out and James' feeble whimper of fear and he raised his head. They were still alive. Ginny was on her knees, clutching the bars of the cot. James still stood, silent tears rolling down his handsome, rosy cheeks, his arm stretched towards his father. Harry tried to stand, to move towards them, but his body wouldn't co-operate and he couldn't muster the strength to raise himself up. Instead, he scrambled forwards on all fours to reach them. Without a second thought he fell over the body and collapsed next to Ginny. She reached out to him, grasping his face in her hands. He sagged forwards and she pulled his head onto her shoulder. With shaking hands she lowered the side of the cot and pulled James into her arms. He whimpered again and reached out to grasp Harry's shirt, to pull himself close to his father. Harry raised one hand and pooled all his strength to hold the tiny boy against his chest. Ginny slumped against Harry and her tears soaked his shirt. They were holding one another up but it was Harry who was weakest of all. He didn't understand what had happened, but it had sapped every ounce of strength out of him.

He could barely find his voice to speak as they clung hopelessly together, "We have to leave... the wards... we need to go to the Burrow... not safe here."

Ginny was bolstered by the sound of his voice and lifted her head. She didn't have her wand, it was in the bathroom next door but she shakily raised herself to her feet and left the bedroom to retrieve it, leaning against the wall and clutching at things around her to hold herself up, and then summoned to Harry's wand to her. There was no way they could apparate in this state and she took James from Harry's arms, pulling him to his feet at the same time. He was barely able to stand and they tripped over the body of the Death Eater. They stumbled forward and into the living room and the fireplace.

Ginny grabbed a handful of floo powder and pushed Harry forwards, saying, "The Burrow" loudly and clearly for him. She followed straight after with James in her arms and collapsed on top of Harry. She looked up to see her mother, father and two of her brothers had all leapt to their feet at the shock of seeing three people tumble out of the fire and into their kitchen.

"What happened?" Yelled Bill, leaping towards them as George dropped to his knees next to his little sister.

Ginny shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts to be able to convey what had happened, "Death Eater... dead," she managed before it all went dark and her only comfort was the warmth of Harry's body beneath hers and James' tiny one pulled tightly to her chest.

Minutes later Ginny felt a liquid being poured down her throat and she felt slightly revived. She opened her eyes to see that her father was holding her up in a chair in the kitchen while Bill gently helped her swallow a thick silvery potion. Her mother was pacing up and down, looking worried, soothing James. He was usually a very docile, calm child but he was howling in Mrs Weasley's arms, reaching his tiny hands out towards his mother. As she felt revived she reached towards him and Mrs Weasley relinquished her hold of the boy so Ginny could pull him onto her lap. She was confused and her vision was blurry but the feeling of James pressed firmly to her breast brought memories of the last hour flooding back.