Things had settled down. After talking to Hermione, Jane came back down and apologized for her outburst. Molly insisted she had nothing to apologize for. They reassured Jane that Remus would be fine. "He'll be back in a few days and he will explain everything. Just please be patient," Molly said as she put her arm around Jane in comfort.
They had all moved into the parlor. The conversation was lively. Stories about her childhood, here in the Burrow had her laughing. She asked Harry about when he met this family and he told her about his life. They talked late into the night. The story was fascinating and a little sad.
Molly had insisted Harry spend the night. Grimmauld Place was too big and empty right at the moment for him to return there. She really was like a mother to him, and he loved her for it. So he stayed.
The morning had dawned crisp and clear. The house was warm. He sat in the kitchen, sipping tea, listening to the sounds of the family just beginning to stir. Jane came down. She was wearing black tailored pants and a light blue blouse. Her hair was in a sleek chignon. Ginny would have been in her pajamas and robe, hair still messy from sleep. Harry was staring at her.
"Is there something wrong, Mr. Potter?"
"No, and please call me Harry."
"All right, Harry. Good morning." She poured herself a cup of tea. She couldn't bring herself to sit at the table with him. There was a look in his eyes. He was haunted, sad, and lonely. She felt sorry for him. There was nothing she could do about that and it made her very uncomfortable.
"Why don't you sit down, Jane?"
"It's all right, Mr. P-Harry. I don't want to disturb you. I'll just take my tea and go back..."
"Jane, please, sit down," he interrupted. "We need to talk and I would rather do this before the family gets up." He was right. They had to talk. She had been trying to avoid this, but it had to be done. She came to the table and sat across from him.
"I loved Ginny very much."
"Yes, everyone has told me that."
"I still do."
"I know."
"I'm not going to pressure you, Jane." She looked up at him.
"You're the only person in this house who calls me that. Why?" Harry contemplated this woman sitting across from him. He wanted to get this right. He didn't want to upset her. Jane sensed his struggle.
"I won't be angry, no matter what you say." She meant it; he could see it in her eyes.
"You're not Ginny." He waited for her anger. It didn't come.
"I know. I wish everyone else knew," Jane said sighing.
"I think they do. They're just so full of hope."
"I am starting to remember things." Harry looked at her. "Not a lot, just small things. I must have traveled a lot."
"Ginny was doing some research on ancient magic. She had been to a few places."
"Where did she - I mean, where did I go?"
"Egypt, South Africa, the Yucatan."
"Mesopotamia?"
"Where?" Harry questioned.
"Mesopotamia, Syria now. I have flashes of you and I searching some old tombs there."
"I never went with you." Harry's brow furrowed at this.
"Yes, you did. I remember finding an old inscription in a long forgotten tomb. You were there. I know it."
"No, I never went on these expeditions with you, and certainly not to Syria. Are you sure about this?"
"Yes, positive. I remember it being very warm inside the tomb, unusually so. You took off your hat you were wearing and mopped your brow." She stopped. "Harry, your scar. You said you had it all your life, didn't you?"
"Yes. What is it?"
"You don't have the scar, not in that memory."
"Are you sure it was me? I mean, could it have been a guide?"
"It wasn't a guide. The person I was with was British. He looks so like you, dark hair, tall, slender, blue eyes." They both froze. "No glasses," she whispered, "you have green eyes. Who was I with?"
"Jane, try to hold on to that memory. I want to try something, if it's okay with you." Harry took out his wand. Even after all these years and despite him being at the Burrow, he could never go anywhere in the Wizarding World without it in his pocket.
"What are you going to do?"
"It's called Legilimency. I'm not very good at it, but I have been able to break through a memory or two."
"Do you think that will bring my memories back?"
"No, it doesn't work that way. If you have no conscious memory of something, then it can't be retrieved. Just try to hold on to that memory, okay? This won't hurt, but it will leave you feeling a bit disoriented. Can I try?" Jane nodded. She was frightened, but if this could help.
"I think it will be easier for you if you close your eyes." Jane took a deep breath and shut her eyes.
"Legilimens!"
Harry was inside an old tomb. There were torches illuminating the walls. It was hot. It shouldn't be hot. Why was it hot? The man had his back to Jane. He was reading the inscription. This spell was already unusual. Something strange was happening. He was reading her thoughts. How could he do that? She had no idea what the inscription said. She was tired. She had been following him for too long. So many places. His quest. Why was all this so important to him? No, she wouldn't question him again. Not after the last time. It was too horrible. She didn't want to be hurt again.
The man took his hat off and was mopping his brow when he turned to her, a smile on his face. That face! It had aged some since he had seen it in the chamber, but it couldn't be anyone else. Tom Riddle!
Harry broke the contact. Jane had slumped forward in her chair. Harry couldn't move. She righted herself in the chair.
"Harry, how could I have a memory of someone from 40 years ago?" People were stirring upstairs. Harry got up and came around the table to Jane.
"Come with me, I don't want the others to hear." He grabbed her hand and then their cloaks. "We'll go to the workshop."
Harry shut the door behind them. He waved his wand at the small woodstove. "Incendio." Warmth flooded the small shop. Harry removed his cloak and then took Jane's from her. She was trembling. Harry put his arms gently around her. She buried her face in his chest. He took her chin in his hand and made her look at him. There were tears glistening in her eyes.
"Harry," she said softly, pain in her voice. "Help me, find me, I'm lost." Her eyes, they had changed. Those eyes were Ginny's eyes.
"Ginny?" he whispered, he lowered his lips to hers. He wasn't prepared for what followed. It was a kiss of desperation. She clutched at him, pulling at his shirt, trying to hang on to something. Her arms came around his neck. She ended the kiss.
"Harry, help me. Don't let me go. If you do, I'll be lost again. Hold me, keep me here!" She was desperate. What was going on? "No, I don't want to..." Jane's knees gave way. She had fainted.
"Ginny! Jane! Are you all right?" She shook her head.
"What happened?" she asked looking up at him. Her eyes had changed again.
"Don't you remember? When I took your cloak, you were trembling. I tried to comfort you. When you looked at me, you were different. You were Ginny, but scared, lost, holding on to me like someone was trying to pull you away from me."
"I don't remember. I don't remember coming in here."
"I was going to ask to do the Legilimens spell again, but I don't think we should do that right now. I don't think we should tell anyone about this just yet. If Hermione found out, she'd spend too much time trying to figure this out. I don't want her to strain herself, not when she's so close to delivering."
"So what do we do, Harry?"
"Are there other memories like the tomb?" She shook her head. "Then we wait for others. You're not frightened are you? I can do this again?"
"Of course I'm frightened. Why should I have memories of 40 years ago? But we need to know what this is about. I need to know. I wish Remus was here."
Oh God, that hurt, Harry thought. I had her here, if only for a moment, but Ginny was here. Was there hope? Harry let her go. She saw the look on Harry's face.
"I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't mean to hurt you."
"I'll be fine," Harry said quietly.
"Will you? You've talked to Remus about us, haven't you?"
"Yes." Harry turned away from her.
"That's not why he left, is it?"
"No, Jane. But we did talk. I know how you feel about him."
"Oh Harry, I'm sorry. We didn't mean to..."
"Please, Jane. I can't - It hurts - Damn!" He turned to her. "I told him to go to you. I don't blame him. You are so lovely. You're what he needs. He's never had a happy life, not always. If it weren't for my Dad and godfather, he would never have had anyone at all. Then they were taken from him. He was so alone for so long. More than anything, I want him to be happy. I had that once, he's never had that."
"But aren't you afraid you'll never find that happiness again?"
"There was a time when I wanted it all to end. I felt alone and scared. I didn't think I'd ever be happy again. I ran away. I ran from the people who loved me, who wanted to help me. I wanted to die." Jane gasped. "Everyone thinks I was so brave. I was only 17 when I defeated Voldemort. Brave? No. Angry. Yes. That's what made me face him. I wasn't brave. I was too much of a coward to face life after that. I hated myself for what I had become. I never actually thought of suicide outright. But those few weeks I went to Godric's Hollow, not eating, sinking in despair. It was an attempt at it, I suppose."
"Ginny - I mean I saved you?"
"Strong, brave, beautiful Ginny. Ginny who knew me better than I knew myself."
"When I disappeared, how did you..."
"Hope. The same hope Ginny had for me when I disappeared. Then when we all realized Ginny wasn't coming home, I had her memory locked in my heart. She would have wanted me to go on. How could I do otherwise?" Harry said pain filling his voice.
"And now?"
"We had our time together. It was wonderful. I wish it had been longer. Jane, you and Remus belong together. If you and he are happy, that will be all I need. We should go back." He helped Jane with her cloak. There was one person who could help figure this out, he hoped.
Much as he didn't want to, Harry knew he had to contact Snape. If anyone could explain why Jane carried 40-year-old memories in her head, it would be him. He would send Hedwig with a letter. He hoped Snape would open it. There was the chance that he wouldn't even acknowledge it. Old resentments die hard.
"Uncle Harry!" The little boy with dark brown hair jumped into Harry's arms as soon as he came into the parlor.
"Arty!" Harry grabbed him and swung him up into the air. The boy dissolved into giggles and squeals, his blue eyes wide with joy. Harry swung him around.
"Arthur Harry Weasley!" a voice shouted slightly accented. "Did you giff you're Uncle a chance to come in before you attacked him?" Magda Weasley was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, arms akimbo. Arty immediately sobered, a pout on his cherubic face. Harry hoisted the boy on his shoulders. Arty immediately began sucking his thumb.
"It's okay, Magda. I don't mind." Magda smiled at Harry. She was small, even smaller than Ginny had been. A dark-haired, dark-eyed temptress. She would have to be to distract Charlie Weasley from his beloved dragons. Harry walked over and planted a kiss right on top of her head. "When did you get here? Are the others here too?"
"Ve got here about 10 minutes ago, and yes, everyvun is in ze kitchen, vere else vould we be?" It was then that she saw Jane. Harry put his arm around Magda.
"Jane let's go meet the rest of the family." There was a popping sound as Arty pulled his thumb from his mouth.
"Is that Aunt Ginny?" It was a bit of an awkward moment. Jane wasn't a teacher for nothing.
"Well, young man, Arty is it?" The boy nodded his head yes. "I am your Auntie. Let's just leave it at that. Call me Auntie." She reached up and tickled his ribs. Arty giggled and stuck his thumb back in his mouth once more.
The kitchen was crowded and noisy. Jane looked at the new arrivals around the table. Bill had his arm around an incredibly beautiful woman. Silver blond and eyes to match, she was laughing at something someone had said. She jumped up from the table the minute Harry walked in the room and kissed both his cheeks.
"'Arry! Eet is good to see you again! Gabrielle sends her love," she said flirtatiously.
"Don't tell me your sister still hasn't gotten over me yet?" Harry laughed. Something stirred in Jane's heart.
"Non, she still pines away for ze boy 'oo stole 'er 'eart, as well as mine," she winked at Harry.
"Jane, this is Fleur, Bill's wife." What an awful flirt, Jane thought. This was a woman who wouldn't be that easy to like, but she would try. Fleur turned to Jane.
"Zis is our Ginny? 'Ow lovely you 'ave become. Eet is good to 'ave you back with us." On second thought, Jane didn't think she'd have trouble liking her at all once she saw the tears form in Fleur's eyes. She was just naturally flirtatious.
"Uncle Hawwy! Uncle Hawwy!" a little girl was tugging at Harry's pant leg. Jane looked down. The little blond was desperately trying to get his attention with one hand while the other held tightly to her identical twin. Harry swung Arty off his shoulder and handed him to Magda. He crouched down to face both the little girls. "I grewed dis much," she held her fingers very close together; obviously proud of the fact she had grown since she last saw him. "Now can we get mawwied?" Harry smiled tenderly at the brown-eyed beauty.
"Not just yet, Minnie. I think you have to grow just a bit more, but don't worry, I'll wait for you." Jane wasn't sure if the little girl was going to laugh or cry, when Harry said, "Have you met your Aunt yet? Come on." Harry stood and took her hand. He presented both girls to Jane. "Jane, I'd like to present my future bride and her equally delightful sister, Minerva and Elizabeth Weasley, the daughters of Percy and Penelope." Taking her cue from Harry, Jane crouched down.
"I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, Minerva, Elizabeth. Please call me Auntie." Minerva and Elizabeth curtsied formally and walked away hand-in-hand. "Dat's whose gonna mawwy Uncle Hawwy," the second girl said. Minerva pulled her sister's hair and the two ran into the parlor. Laughing, Jane stood.
"You've met Magda," Harry said, "Charlie's wife." The two women shook hands.
"Velcome back, Ginny."
"Where's Penny?" Harry asked.
"A little indisposed," Percy said. "She should be right out." Percy's wife entered moments later. Jane, who was laughing at Arty's struggling to climb down from his mother's embrace, turned. Recognition hit her. This was the other girl she had seen with Hermione. Jane staggered. Harry helped her to a chair. Jane's eyes glazed over.
"Will she be all right?" that was Charlie's voice.
"Yes, I think she's remembering something," Harry said.
"What should we do?"
"Leave her be. Let's wait to see what she can tell us."
The thing was following her, no she was leading it. Must find the Mudblood. Must find her! There she is. Someone's with her. No matter. "Kill," she whispered softly to the thing behind her. She turned to the wall, lest she look into its eyes.
The scene shifted abruptly. She was in a run down hotel room. She sat there waiting. Waiting for him. This time she would leave. She had to. She was frightened. The bruises on her arms hurt terribly. Last night was the last time she would let him do that. She didn't care anymore. He wouldn't kill her, oh he was capable of it, but he wouldn't. He may be twisted, sick, but in his own way he loved her. Enough was enough! The door opened.
"Sweeting," he closed the door. "I've found something interesting. We'll set off for it tomorrow."
"I'm not going," she said dully.
"What?" The anger came ever so quickly.
"You heard me. It's over. I'm done. I can't do this anymore, Tom."
He came to stand over her. "You will."
"No, not anymore. Look at me. Look at what you've done to me! I'm not going to be hurt anymore." She rolled up the sleeves of her blouse revealing darkened bruises.
He grabbed her arms, hurting the already bruised flesh, and pulled her out of the chair.
"You're not going anywhere," he growled, and kissed her. It was brutal. There was no love in that kiss. Had there ever been any, ever? She tried fighting him, but he was too strong. He tossed her onto the bed. Then he was on top of her. She struggled. It was no use. He had a hold on her too powerful to break. And God help her, she still loved him. So she let him.
"No!" Jane screamed and jumped up from the chair. Then her eyes rolled up in her head and she fainted.
Hours later she woke up in bed. Molly was at her side. She saw Jane stir.
"How are you, Ginny?" concern lacing Molly's voice.
Jane smiled weakly at her. "I'm fine. What happened?"
"You looked as if you were remembering something. It must have been too much for you. You fainted."
Jane looked at the window. The evening sunset sent shafts of purple colored light into her window.
"I've been asleep all day?"
"You did come around. But your head was throbbing. I gave you a sleeping draught. You needed the rest," Molly was stroking Jane's hair from her forehead.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to make you worry."
"Don't apologize, Ginny. I'm glad you're here for me to worry over." There was such a look of love in her eyes. Jane was glad this woman was her mother.
"Is Harry still here?"
Molly smiled at that. "Yes, he won't leave until he knows you're feeling better." She knew Molly misinterpreted her request, but now was not the time to correct her. "I'll get him for you." Molly left the room. Jane sat up in the bed. Her head still ached, slightly. Harry came in then and closed the door. He sat next to her on the bed.
"Okay?"
"Yes. Just a headache." He didn't say anything. He sat waiting for her. Jane wished in that moment she were Ginny. She longed to ease the hurt she saw in his green eyes, to comfort that grieving soul.
"I've remembered something else. It's from 40 years ago," her voice broke. Harry stroked her cheek. "I - I was with him again. I don't know where. He hurt me, he had been hurting me."
"Jane, don't. If it's too painful, it can wait."
"No, it can't. Oh God, Harry, I loved him. And I let him do those things to me. What am I? Who am I?" Harry went to take her in his arms. She recoiled. "No, you can't. I'm dirty, I'm rotten..." She covered her face with her hands. His arms still came around her. "No," she whimpered.
"Shhh!" he said. "You're fine. You're here now. Not with him."
"I don't want to remember anymore," she was sobbing now, soaking the shoulder of his shirt. She looked up at him. Ginny was there again, not Jane.
"Harry, help me! Don't let me go!"
What was happening? "Ginny?"
"Yes, Harry, I've tried so hard to find you. Why haven't you come for me? Please come for me. It's so cold here, I'm so lonely. I need you, Harry. I've tried to be brave. I don't know how much longer I can wait!"
"Ginny, where are you?"
"I - I don't know! It's dark and cold. There are stones. I'm trapped! Harry, find me!" Then she was gone. Jane returned. Harry was searching her eyes.
"It happened again, didn't it?" Harry nodded. "Oh God, what's happening to me? Am I crazy?"
"No, Jane, you're not. There's something going on here. There's some kind of dark magic involved. We'll figure this out. I promise. We're going to go see someone tomorrow who I hope can help us figure all this out."