Through All the Pain // N. Longbottom

Second Year // Chapter 16

Riddle kept going on and on gloating about him beating Harry Potter, even at one point mentioning his mother Lily and her being a Muggleborn. I kept looking between Harry and Ginny until I saw Harry reach for the diary in Ginny's hand. 

"Funny, isn't it? The damage a silly little book can do? Especially in the hands of a silly little girl."

"My sister isn't some silly little girl!" I looked over at her. "She's smart, brave, sweet, and the best Weasley in the bunch! Of course, she may be in the shadow of us, but she is gonna grow up and be one of the greatest witches ever!" I spat at him. 

Suddenly Harry coughed and we saw he had the diary in front of him and the fang in his hand.

"What are you doing?" Tom said. Harry raised the fang, as he did I figured out what he was going to do. "No. Stop!" Riddle pleads. However, I reach over and join Harry as we plunge the fang into the diary. As soon as we do, black ink spurts out from the pages.

"No!" 

We kept plunging the fang into the diary while he shrieks and writhes in pain. After a few moments, he goes blurry once more and then vanishes altogether. Once he was gone I heard moaning and movement from behind and saw Ginny was waking up. 

"Ginny!!" I leaned over and hugged her tightly. "Ginny!" I cried into her shoulder as she talked to Harry.

"I didn't mean to ... Riddle made me. He wrote to me ... took me over ... I didn't even know whose diary it was. I found it in my cauldron. The day we all went to Diagon Alley and ..." She paused as she finally saw Harry's arm. "Harry, you're hurt!" He just shook his head.

"I'm fine, Ginny. You need to get out of here ... Go with Lori. She'll take you to Ron." I looked at him. 

"I'm not leaving you, Harry!"

"You don't get a choice, Lorrinda! Get Ginny out of here." I could tell by the tone of his voice he wasn't going to take no for an answer. I nodded reluctantly and lead Ginny out of the Chamber. 

"Lori, I'm sorry. I'm the reason Hermione got petrified ... I'm the reason everyone turned on Harry ... IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" Ginny cried as we made our way. I turned her to face me.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley! This is NOT your fault! You didn't know what that little diary was capable of ... Bloody hell, I probably would've been in your same shoes!" I hugged her. "This was all Tom Riddle, NOT Ginny Weasley." I laid a kiss on her hair. 

"Thanks, Rinda. I sometimes hate you, but, I love you more than anything!" I chuckled. 

"I know, Gin Gin. I know." I heard someone walking behind and pulled my wand. Low and behold Harry walked up behind me. "Harry?!" I quickly walked over and examined his arm. "How in the world did you heal this?" 

"Fawkes. Pheonix tears can heal." I slapped myself on the forehead. 

"I'm such an idiot!" I grabbed his hand. "C'mon, let's go to Ron and get the hell out of here." Harry nodded and we walked on until we finally got to the wall of rocks, just as Ron's body came through. 

"Ginny!" Ron rushed forward and crashed into her. "You're alive! I can't believe it!" He hugged and kissed her. Then he saw me and rushed into my arms.

"Lori!!!" 

"Oof!" I said as his body slammed into mine. "Need I remind you, Ron, Ginny was the one missing, not me!" 

"I know, just ... you both mean so much to me ..." Ron's voice trailed off as some tears welled in his eyes. 

"Oh shut it, you," I said wrapping my hand around his and grabbing Ginny. "Now, let's go. We have a feast to make!"

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