Adam extinguished the flame on the cooker, served his breakfast onto a plate and trudged back across the tent.
Pulling the flap aside, he paused as he stepped into what had become Ginny's room. She was lying peacefully on the bed, still unconscious.
Adam was, by now, nearly out of his mind with worry; she hadn't regained consciousness since he'd brought her back from the cave late the previous evening.
"Ginny," Adam whispered, sitting back down on the chair by her bedside. "Wake up, please," he continued in a soft voice, taking her hand and rubbing it. "Please come back to me."
She still did not stir.
Adam had checked her for any physical injuries and she appeared to have none. She just wouldn't wake up. He had forced himself to fight the tremendous urge to just take her to St Mungo's. That would probably only land her, and himself, in Azkaban, but if she didn't wake up soon, then he would have no choice but to get her some proper help from a Healer.
Adam stared at her as he sat down and took a small bite of his breakfast. She looked so beautiful, lying there peacefully. It had been the hardest thing Adam had ever done to force-feed Ginny that potion. Her reaction to it had been heartbreaking, and it had nearly broken him as he was forced to watch what the potion was doing to her.
Ginny's potion-induced state had seemed to swing wildly between being terrified of him dying and being terrified of him leaving her for another girl. Did she really worry about that? Adam wondered. He'd never leave Ginny.
While attempting to comfort her, he'd blurted out that he loved her. He hadn't really thought about what he was saying at the time, it had just seemed to come out but, when he thought about it, Adam realised that it was true. He did love Ginny. He wasn't quite sure how he knew that he loved her with such certainty, but he just knew.
He wondered if Ginny would remember what he had said. He wasn't sure he could find the courage to tell her again anytime soon. What if she didn't feel the same way? What if it scared her off?
Finally having finished his breakfast, Adam stood up and, brushing his hand gently over Ginny's face to move a lock of her hair away from her eyes, he gathered his plate and cutlery and returned to the kitchen.
As he moved back into the main part of the tent, he noticed the locket sitting on the table and realised with shock he hadn't actually examined it yet.
Gingerly, Adam approached the locket and picked it up. He expected to feel something, some sort of tingling maybe, but there was nothing. He fumbled quickly for the catch on the locket, it sprang open, and a piece of parchment flew out.
This doesn't feel right, Adam thought with a sinking feeling as he picked up the parchment and read it.
Once he had finished, he stared at the locket, completely appalled.
It's not a Horcrux! Everything we've gone through, everything Ginny went through, was for nothing!
Adam swore loudly and threw the locket violently across the tent.
It's all been for nothing!
Ginny August 2nd 1997
She was standing in the Gryffindor common room, waiting for Adam to come back from his meeting with Professor Dumbledore. Eventually, after what felt like an age, the portrait hole burst opened and Adam entered the room. His eyes were puffy and red, but blazing with anger.
"What happened? What did Professor Dumbledore want?" Ginny questioned as she trotted towards him.
He glared at her with hatred.
Adam! Ginny cried, jumping backwards in shock.
"Leave me alone," Adam spat.
"What?" Ginny squeaked in horror.
Adam sneered at her. "I never want to see you again!"
Her pushed her roughly and walked up the stairs to his room.
Don't go! Ginny cried, choking back a sob as she dashed after him up the boys' staircase.
"Ginny," a kindly disembodied voice that sounded almost like Adam seemed to echo reassuringly around her. "I'm here, but you have to. You told me to make sure you did. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry!" the disembodied voice said, somehow making Ginny feel safe and happy despite what Adam had just said.
She climbed the staircase and pushed open the door that led to Adam's room.
Then, quite suddenly, she was sitting in the grass at The Burrow, looking out over the pond. Adam was sitting next to her. Much to her relief, he smiled at her.
Adam! Ginny cried with joy, not understanding what was going on.
Adam sighed. "I really don't know how to say this..."
She squeezed his hand.
"Do you remember the story you told me about how You-Know-Who was defeated?" Adam asked.
"Yeah," Ginny replied sounding confused. "He killed the Potters and somehow in the process he died. But what's that got to do with you?"
"Apparently…" Adam paused, "…I'm Harry Potter."
Ginny simply stared at him. "What?" she cried, gaping.
Adam nodded in reply and then smiled apologetically at her.
"Yeah," he began, hesitating slightly. "Well, now I know I'm Harry Potter," he laughed. "I'm far too important to spend time with people like you."
Adam, I know you're famous, but don't leave me! Ginny cried despairingly to herself.
He shrugged his shoulders and grinned mockingly at her. "So, well, bye!"
Ginny was speechless.
Adam stood up and walked back across the garden of The Burrow with a spring in his step.
"I won't leave you! I won't! I promise!" the kindly voice called to her again.
Almost as if the voice had given her a sudden surge of energy, Ginny stood up and dashed after him. She pelted across the garden of The Burrow; she couldn't understand why, if he wasn't going to leave her, Adam was still walking away from her.
"Ginny?" a voice behind her called, stopping her in her tracks.
Suddenly, she was back at Hogwarts, standing in a corridor.
When she heard Adam calling her name, she turned slowly around and raised her wand at him.
With a sudden sickening realisation, Ginny realised that Voldemort was possessing her. Tom! Don't kill him! Take me! Don't make me… Don't kill.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Noooooooooooooo!
Ginny smiled as the green bolt struck the boy and he crumpled to the floor.
HARRRYYYY!!!!
Then everything began to spin. It felt as if she was being sucked down a giant tube, her body being spun at ever-increasing speed.
Then she found herself in complete darkness. She felt strangely heavy. Then, after a period of time, she felt her eyes move and, after a brief struggle, she was able to crack them open. The sensations of her body returned to her in a rush, the bright light blinded her, and she was forced to close her eyes again.
As she lay there, she realised that her body hurt. It felt as if every single one of her muscles was ridiculously stretched and tight. Then, almost as one, they cramped.
"Ooooh… ahhh!" She moaned frantically, stretching out her body, trying to rid herself of the pain that her cramping muscles were causing her.
As the pain receded, Ginny suddenly became aware of a second sensation. Her stomach was churning and it felt to her as if liquid was bubbling up the tube that led to her mouth, liquid that was trying desperately to escape.
I'm going to be sick! she realised in alarm.
Hampered by her still-protesting body, she was only able to turn and direct her head over the side of the bed before she vomited.
"Ahh!" another voice cried suddenly.
Ginny's eyes flew open and, after several seconds of painful adjustment to the bright light, she gazed around the room.
"Oh no!" she exclaimed.
"Ginny!" Adam cried in response. He was sitting in a chair near her bed.
Ginny groaned loudly, and pressed her face down into the bed, feeling her cheeks burning. She had just been sick on the floor and all over Adam!
"Ginny," Adam said in a soft voice several seconds later, and she felt him put a hand on her shoulder. "How are you feeling?"
Ginny grumbled and painfully turned herself back around so she was facing upwards. Adam was looking down at her—his clothes rumpled and his black hair sticking up at all angles—with a concerned expression on his face.
"Awful," she said faintly, looking around at where she was for the first time. "Are…" she hesitated, "Are we back in the tent?"
"Yes, I Apparated us back," Adam replied. "How are you feeling?" he asked a second time.
"I'm okay," Ginny replied, now feeling slightly disorientated. What had happened to make Adam so worried about her?
She tried to lever herself up into a sitting position, but her arms immediately gave way. Instantly Adam was there, supporting her and moving her pillows so she could sit up comfortably.
"Why am I so sore?" she asked. "What happened?"
"Don't…" Adam hesitated, "Don't you remember?"
Ginny paused for several seconds and wracked her memory. She remembered going to Ramsey Island. She remembered the incident with the double bed. She remembered the cave and then… the broom flight!
Ginny shivered suddenly. There was nothing after that. Apart from… she remembered Adam doing some things, but it was strange. Adam would never act like that!
"I-I remember," she began hesitantly. "I remember us flying across the water in the cave on a broom."
"And then?" Adam questioned earnestly.
Ginny shook her head. "Nothing."
"Oh," Adam replied, suddenly looking disappointed.
"What happened?" Ginny queried.
Adam told her how she had volunteered to drink this mysterious potion so they could retrieve the Horcrux and how it had made her very ill. He then began, haltingly, to tell her about the fight with the Inferi.
"So I was fighting?" Ginny asked, amazed. How had she forgotten that?
"Yes," Adam said, grinning suddenly. "You were awesome!"
"The potion," she asked uncertainly. "What did it do to me?"
"I-I…" Adam hesitated, suddenly looking distressed, "I don't know. You kept crying out for me and saying things like…" He swallowed. "You kept saying that I was dead or I was going to leave you."
"Oh," Ginny replied flatly.
"It—" Adam said, "It wasn't nice, but—" he stopped suddenly.
"I—" Ginny began hesitantly, "I remember all sorts of strange things, they were horrible, and you were horrible… I know it wasn't you, but at the time it didn't even occur to me that it wasn't really happening," she finished in exasperation. "It was… it was like the dreams I had in my second year. I was there, but I was only watching. I couldn't control my body…"
"You don't remember anything you said, or—" he hesitated, "—anything I said?"
"I don't really remember. I can remember a voice telling me everything would be all right and that the things that were happening weren't real and you wouldn't really leave me," she replied with a blush. "Was that you?"
"I think so," Adam replied, with a strange expression on his face. "Do you remember anything else?"
"No," Ginny replied, shaking her head.
"Oh," Adam replied, quietly. Then he shook himself. "It doesn't matter, you're here now. You're fine."
"Yeah," Ginny replied, with a grin. "So we got it, then? The first Horcrux?"
Suddenly, Adam's face clouded and he stood up and paced across the room.
"No," he replied darkly. "We didn't."
"What happened!?" Ginny exclaimed.
"It was a fake," Adam growled. "You got hurt for nothing!"
"A fake!"
"Someone beat us to it, someone called R.A.B. They left a fake locket with a note inside it. Whoever R.A.B is took the Horcrux," Adam spat out angrily.
"Who is R.A.B?" Ginny questioned. "I didn't think anyone else knew!"
"I've no idea," Adam replied, with a shrug. "You can read the note. He said he was going to try to destroy it, but…"
"We need to make sure he actually did," Ginny finished.
"Yeah," Adam replied, finally sitting back down on the chair.
"So what do we do now?" Ginny questioned.
"I…" Adam hesitated. "The first thing is to get you well. While you're recovering, we'll make a plan."
Ginny nodded and the two of them sat there in silence for several minutes.
"Adam," Ginny ventured eventually, "I'm going to need you to help me out of bed, please."
"Why? You need to stay in bed." Adam questioned.
Ginny rolled her eyes at him. "I need to pee."
Adam blushed and dashed over to help her up.
August 3rd 1997
Adam and Ginny entered the room where the party was taking place. There was a long table in the centre of the room, which was set for dinner. There were several other well-dressed people in the room, many of whom were clustered around a second long table that was situated against one wall.
"Come on," Ginny said nervously. "I think we get a drink over there."
They reached the table that was serving as a bar, only to be confronted with several large decanters and bowls containing various beverages. Ginny saw Adam looking uncertainly at them.
Adam reached over and poured both of them a glass, and with their drinks in hand, they strolled away from the table.
"Come on!" Ginny exclaimed, grabbing Adam's hand.
"What?" Adam asked.
"That's Gwenog Jones!" Ginny exclaimed, dragging him over to her.
"Hi!" Ginny exclaimed once they got near, she could barely contain her excitement.
Gwenog turned around and stared at Adam.
"Hi," she said, smiling wickedly. "You must be Mr. Potter. Horace told me you would be here. I'm Gwenog Jones."
"Hi," Adam replied, beaming.
Adam… Ginny began to feel uneasy as Adam nudged her to one side and moved closer to Gwenog.
He then stepped forward and kissed her on the lips. The two of them linked arms and then turned to face Ginny.
Please, don't… Ginny thought pathetically, as she realised what was happening.
Adam grinned at Gwenog. "Good," he said smiling. "I've been waiting for an opportunity to get rid of this one," he said, gesturing to Ginny. "Been holding me back for far too long."
I know you're famous, but I can be a better girlfriend. I promise I will! Ginny despaired as she realised Adam was going to leave her. Then her thoughts turned to anger. How could he? How dare he?
"I mean," Adam said derisively, "she's just so poor."
"I'm not going to leave you!" the kindly voice said strongly from nowhere, seemingly causing Ginny's anger to flow away, but still leaving her with a deep, hollow sense of despair.
Don't lie! Don't lie! You will… You will… Ginny moaned silently in response, as she watched Adam and Gwenog groping each other.
"Ginny, I won't," the voice said, far more confidently this time. "I love you. I'm always going to be with you!"
She suddenly felt light-headed, and before she could steady herself, Ginny fell to the floor with a thud.
When she came to, she was lying in bed. She leapt out of bed, dashed out onto the landing and descended the stairs until she reached the hallway. She was in Grimmauld Place. Ginny peered in through the door to the dining room. There was a crowd of people in the room. The centre of attention was the person that was lying on the table in the middle of the room with Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey standing over them.
She could see Remus sitting in a chair with his head in his hands. Tonks had her arms around him and appeared to be comforting him. Others were standing around the room watching what was going on, but generally trying to stay out of the way. She spotted Bill standing alone in one corner of the room.
Ginny tried to absorb what was going on it, but it was difficult without revealing herself. If anyone saw that she was there, she would get sent straight back to bed.
Suddenly Madam Pomfrey moved away from the table and Ginny got her first glimpse of the person lying there. It was a black-haired boy; he was laying on the table, his eyes staring sightlessly into space.
No, no, no, no, no, no, you can't be gone! Ginny cried as she suddenly realised that he wasn't breathing.
"I'm here! I'm here! Please…" the voice said, reassuring her, but Ginny could hardly hear it. She couldn't take her eyes off the body.
"Come in, Miss Weasley," Professor Dumbledore said from inside the room.
She stepped timidly into the room.
"I'm very sorry, but Adam died," he said.
You can't be gone. He can't have killed you! Adam wasn't supposed to die. Dumbledore was supposed to protect him. How could this be happening?
Ginny felt tears welling in her eyes as she looked at Adam's body.
Then the entire room erupted in laughter and Ginny once more fell to the floor.
Then images began to spin past her in rapid succession. Scene after scene of horror. She saw Adam lying dead on the floor of the Chamber of Secrets, poisoned by the Basilisk. She saw him fall off his broom, dropping hundreds of feet to the ground where he landed with a sickening crunch and lay still. She saw him by her side as they dodged the flailing branches of the Whomping Willow, only to be impaled by a branch and fall to the ground, his clothes rapidly becoming stained with blood.
Faster and faster the visions came, until, just as Ginny thought she couldn't take it anymore, they stopped.
She came back to consciousness in a rush of sensation. Her body spasmed and she felt panic surge through her. Someone was holding her down! Her arms lashed out, as she tried vainly to free herself from her captor.
Realising it was Adam, Ginny instantly forced her body to relax. She opened her eyes and saw Adam above her, looking down at her with a concerned look on his face.
"I–I…" she hesitated, "I'm okay."
Adam's face broke into a grin.
"I think," she began faintly, "I think there must still be some of that potion in my system."
"Oh, Ginny," Adam said, drawing her into a hug. "I'm so sorry you have to go through this."
"It's fine," Ginny replied with a weak smile. "It was only the same old paranoid fantasies…" she trailed off, suddenly feeling rather pathetic.
Adam held her even tighter. "I'm not going to leave you!" he reassured her.
Ginny smiled. "You said that in the cave, didn't you?"
"I did," Adam replied simply.
Ginny felt Adam adjusting his position and she was soon sitting on his lap as he sat on the bed.
They sat there in silence for several minutes, Ginny simply enjoying the feel of Adam's arms around her.
"So it was you…" she began softly. "The voice I could hear," she hesitated, her mind drifting back over the dreams she'd had. "I think I'm having flashbacks in my dreams of what happened in the cave, at least of the effects of the potion."
"Yeah, I think you are," Adam began hesitantly.
Ginny suddenly gasped.
"Adam," she began nervously, with a quaver in her voice. "Did you mean what you said in the cave?"
"What do you mean?" Adam asked, looking worried.
"That—" She swallowed. "That you—" her voice lowered to a whisper, "—love me."
Adam stared at her for a second.
"Maybe, it wasn't you!" Ginny exclaimed suddenly, hating the uncomfortable silence that had suddenly sprung up and realising that she had probably just made a massive mistake. "Don't worry about it! It was probably just my dream."
"Ginny," Adam whispered, "I did say that," he hesitated, "And I did mean it."
Ginny froze for a split second, before swivelling in his lap and throwing her arms around him.
"Oh, Adam!" she said, struggling to control the emotion in her voice. "I love you, too!"
Almost before she had finished speaking, she felt Adam's mouth on hers and they kissed. When they broke apart, they were both lying on the bed, with Ginny curled up against Adam's chest, smiling up at him.
"I love you, Ginny," Adam said, grinning down at her.
Ginny beamed back at him. "I love you, Adam."
They lay together for some time, enjoying each other's company, but Ginny soon found herself beginning to fidget. She had spent the last few days in bed and, as nice as it was to have Adam in bed with her, she wanted to be up and about!
"I'm going to get up for a bit," she said to Adam, giving him another kiss.
"What do you need?" Adam asked. "I'll get it for you. You should stay in bed."
"Adam," Ginny replied. "I'm fine, I just want to have a walk around. I've been stuck in bed for three days!"
"Okay," Adam said, sounding worried.
Ginny extracted herself from Adam's arms and gingerly got out of bed. Adam was immediately by her side, and he grabbed hold of her arm.
"I can walk by myself!" Ginny snapped at him, and she shook off Adam's hold.
Ginny managed to walk as far as the living area of the tent before one of her legs suddenly cramped up and she nearly lost her balance. Before she could fall, Adam was at her side to support and help her to the nearby sofa.
"Thanks," she said with a smile. "I guess I'm still a bit weak."
"It's all right," Adam said, easing her down into the sofa and sitting next to her.
Ginny lay back on the sofa and sighed. "So," she began, "can I get a look at the locket that we went to all the trouble for?"
August 11th 1997
A noise from outside the tent flap that served as her bedroom door woke her far earlier than normal, so Ginny lay still in bed for several seconds. It almost sounded as if someone was sneaking around outside, trying not to be heard.
Sitting up, Ginny grabbed her wand, shuffled to the flap and looked out into the living area of the tent.
What she saw made her break out into a wide grin. Lowering her wand, she moved forward and made her way across the tent.
"Boo!" she shouted once she was near the centre of the room.
"Oh!" Adam exclaimed and visibly jumped from where he was cautiously putting candles on a cake.
He spun around and looked at her, and his face fell. "You're not supposed to be awake yet," he said softly. "This was supposed to be a surprise."
Ginny didn't answer. Instead, she leaned forward and kissed him.
"Thank you!" she exclaimed brightly.
"Happy Birthday!" Adam said, grinning back at her. "Sixteen at last!"
"Yep," Ginny replied smugly.
"Okay," Adam said brightly. "You sit down, while I cut the cake."
"Cake?" Ginny said, winking at him. "For breakfast?"
"Well," Adam replied, "I knew I'd never be able to hide it from you all day. You'd suss that I was up to something and be poking around looking for it."
"True," Ginny replied. "Well, I guess cake is okay for breakfast. Shall we add that to the list of things we never tell Mum about?"
Adam sighed dramatically. "That list is getting so long."
Ginny couldn't help but giggle in response.
Several minutes later, after Adam had lit and Ginny had blown out her candles, the two of them were sitting side by side, both munching on a large piece of cake.
"So…" Ginny began between mouthfuls of cake, "now that I'm all better, what do we do next?"
Adam was silent for several seconds. "Are you sure you're alright?" He hesitated. "Maybe you should rest up for just a while longer?"
"I'm fine," Ginny said emphatically in response.
"You still get tired after just a few hours of walking around the tent!"
"I can still help!" Ginny argued in return.
"I know," Adam replied. "And I need your help, but I think we should just wait until you're better before we make our next move."
Ginny sighed. She knew, deep down, that he was right. If hunting for the other Horcruxes landed them in anything anywhere near as bad as the cave they would both need to be at their best.
"Okay, so we wait." She paused. "A while, but what next?"
"Check out the rest of the places. The Riddle House, the orphanage, Hogwarts, if we can, and," Adam shuddered slightly. "Godric's Hollow," he paused. "We need to track down whoever R.A.B is, to see if he did actually destroy the Horcrux from the cave."
"Okay. So which one next?"
"Well," Adam responded, "I guess the Riddle House, but I think it's unlikely he left anything there. All I know about the orphanage is what I saw in Dumbledore's memories; I know its name but I don't even know where it is." He sighed. "Anyway, we can hardly just wander into Hogwarts… The cave was our best lead, Dumbledore's really left us in a mess. If he was wrong in his other 'guesses' then we're done for… We've lost."
"Adam," Ginny said, pulling him into a hug. "Love," she paused. "We can do this. You can do this. Dumbledore left us enough clues. We can beat Tom." Ginny leaned in and kissed him. "I know we can."
August 20th 1997
Ginny tucked her long blonde hair behind her ear and out of her eyes as she pushed through the door to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. The twins' shop was relatively busy, with several people in the shop buying various pranks and other joke products.
Ginny had, after much persuasion, convinced Adam to come to Diagon Alley so that they could check on current events and also get a message that they were okay to the twins. It had been nearly a month since either of them had set foot in a wizarding location.
When they'd arrived in Diagon Alley, they had been shocked at how normal everything seemed. Voldemort had apparently done an excellent job of convincing the Wizarding population that everything was normal.
Ginny wandered around the shop, looking at various items and keeping her eyes peeled for an opportunity to approach one of her brothers. Currently, both were occupied at the counter, manning the till.
Deciding to wait until the queue died down, Ginny busied herself looking around the Wonder Witch section. She felt a stab of guilt when she looked at the Pygmy Puffs. She'd had to leave hers at The Burrow. She hoped her mum was taking care of him.
"May I help you, miss?" Fred's voice suddenly came from behind her as she was looking through the twins' selection of magical make-up.
Ginny jumped slightly and turned to look at him.
He winked at her. "We've been so busy recently, even had some Ministry types in."
Ginny's eyes widened. Is Fred trying to tell me I'm being watched? she thought in panic.
"Were you interested in the Wonder Witch range?"
Ginny nodded numbly.
"Well," Fred continued smoothly, "here is some information about our products."
He rapidly placed a piece of folded parchment in her hand. She quickly pocketed it in her jeans.
"Thank you, Mr. Weasley," she replied, doing her best to keep her voice in control and sounding like she didn't know Fred. "I guess I'll have to take this away and look it over."
"Very good, miss," Fred said, his voice quavering slightly. "You take care of yourself."
Fred paused for a second, and then walked back towards the counter. As he left, Ginny forced herself to wait, deciding that if they were watching her, and she dashed out, it would attract suspicion.
Eventually, Ginny left the shop, walking at a deliberately slow pace. Once outside, she walked calmly back up the Alley towards the Leaky Cauldron, hoping that Adam, who had been hiding under the Cloak outside of the shop, was following her.
Once they reached their agreed meeting point back in a park in Muggle London, Ginny sank tiredly onto the bench and Adam soon joined her.
"What happened?" he blurted immediately. "You don't look too good."
"Just had a bit of a fright," Ginny replied, taking his hand. "Fred warned me off. The shop was being watched. He gave me this, though."
Ginny pulled out the note and spread it on her lap so they could both read.
The Ministry is attempting to round up all Muggle-borns when they come for the Hogwarts Express. Muggle-borns are all to be charged with stealing their magic. Please warn Hermione. We are all being watched.
The writing was scrawled untidily on the parchment. Fred had obviously written it in a rush. Below the note was Hermione's address.
"We need to warn her," Ginny said instantly.
Adam nodded immediately.
"I suppose it's too much to ask that the Order could have tried to warn people," Adam responded bitterly. "Probably still too busy hunting for me."
Ginny nodded. Despite all the meetings they seemed to have, the Order never really seemed to achieve much, even under Dumbledore.
"We can't help all the Muggle-borns, but we need to help Hermione. She's our friend."
Adam nodded firmly. "Let's go right now."
Adam August 20th 1997
It was late evening by the time they arrived at Hermione's house. They had been able to Apparate some of the way, but as neither of them had ever been to Hermione's house before, they had to make the final leg of the journey in a Muggle taxi.
They got out of the taxi about fifteen minutes' walk from Hermione's house, just in case the house was being watched. Ginny kept her hair blonde and Adam coloured his red, much to Ginny's amusement.
The two of them approached Hermione's house and knocked on the door.
Hermione answered the door.
"Hello?" she said.
"Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed.
Hermione looked at Ginny, and then back at Adam. After a few seconds, her eyes widened.
"Come in!" she exclaimed, ushering them inside the house and into the living room.
Adam looked around Hermione's open plan living room and kitchen. The room was nicely decorated with family pictures on the walls and mantelpiece. It looked homey.
"What are you guys doing here?" Hermione exclaimed.
"We had to warn you," Ginny replied.
"Hello? Warn Hermione about what?" a voice came from the doorway.
Adam spun around and saw a woman standing in the doorway.
"Mum!" Hermione exclaimed, looking slightly flustered. "These are two of my friends from Hogwarts."
"Oh, hello," Hermione's mum replied. "I didn't realise you'd be stopping by."
"Oh, we were only passing, Mrs. Granger," Adam replied. "We needed to warn Hermione," Adam hesitated. "Well, all of you, really."
"What's happened?" Hermione replied.
They were both silent for a second, while Adam figured out the best way to tell Hermione that the Ministry no longer wanted her in the wizarding world and would arrest her simply because of who she was.
"Adam?" Ginny prompted.
As soon as Ginny said his name, Adam saw Hermione's mum tense out of the corner of his eye.
"You…" she began, "You're Adam Winters?"
Adam hesitated. "Yeah…"
"You're a criminal!"
"NO! Mum!" Hermione shrieked. "Where did you hear that?"
"I…" Mrs Granger began. "I-I read it in that paper of yours."
"The Daily Prophet has printed nothing but lies about me," Adam replied angrily.
"Mum, he's my friend, he's been framed. I trust him completely," Hermione added.
"All right," Hermione's mum replied, still looking hesitant. "If you're sure, Hermione?"
"I am," Hermione replied.
"Good," Mrs Granger replied. "So you're Adam, and you're…?"
"Ginny," Ginny replied.
"Oh my," Hermione's mum exclaimed.
"Did you see my name in the Prophet as well?" Ginny asked, sounding slightly annoyed.
"Yes," Hermione's mum replied. "I'm sorry," she paused, looking over at Hermione. "Would you like to sit down and tell us what you came to warn Hermione about?"
The four of them sat down in the living room.
"Hermione," Adam began. "Do you know what's been happening at the Ministry?"
"No," Hermione began. "When they put out a wanted posted for you, Ginny, I suspected that the Death Eaters were taking over, but no one's written to me, not Ron or Neville."
"Well, they have taken over," Ginny said gravely. "They even control the Minister. We were warned by the twins that they are planning to round up all the Muggle-borns when they go back to Hogwarts, as they have apparently 'stolen their magic'."
"What!" Hermione shrieked. "That's ludicrous."
"I know," Adam replied.
"So…" Hermione continued, her voice shaking a little, "I can't go back to school?"
"No," Adam added flatly. "Stay away from the Wizarding world all together."
"Why are they doing this?" Hermione's mum asked in a panicked voice. "What's to stop them just coming here?"
"They're doing it because they believe Muggle-borns have dirty blood and don't deserve to be wizards," Hermione explained. "And," she continued hesitantly, "I suppose there's nothing to stop them from coming here."
"I expect," Adam continued, "once they realise you haven't come back to school, they will come here to find you."
Hermione's mum was, by this point, looking terrified. "So they'll really come and take Hermione just because we're not wizards?"
Adam nodded gravely. "If you have any relatives you can go and hide with, or take a holiday or something, get away from here before September first."
"O-Okay," Hermione said. "Mum?"
They were all silent for several minutes.
"If that's what we need to do to keep you safe…" Hermione's mum began uncertainly, "…then that's what we'll have to do."
"Mum," Hermione said, in a shocked tone, "what about the practice!?"
"You're more important," Mrs Granger replied, silencing Hermione's protests.
"I can't see any other option," Adam added glumly. "I would be careful about how you disappear, just in case you're being watched."
"I think…" Hermione began, after a short pause, "…that we should pretend that we're going to King's Cross on the first, but just go somewhere else. That way, if they are watching the house, they'll think we're going to the station."
"Good idea," Adam answered.
"I guess neither of you will be going back to Hogwarts, either?" Hermione asked.
"No," Ginny replied with a short laugh. "We're both wanted criminals."
"Dumbledore left us with a job to do," Adam added.
"Oh?" Hermione began. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Hermione…" her mother began.
"Mum, the Wizarding world wants to persecute me just because of who I am!" she exclaimed. "I'm going to do everything I can to help!" She paused. "Harry, what can I do to help?"
"Harry?" Hermione's mum exclaimed. "Who is Harry?"
Adam sighed and, to his slight annoyance, Ginny giggled.
"I'm Harry," Adam answered. "Long story…"
"Adam," Ginny began, "Hermione could help us out with some research… with the orphanage."
"Brilliant," Adam replied. "Have you some parchment? Or a pen and paper?"
Hermione jumped off the chair and dashed over to the kitchen, soon returning with a pen and paper.
Adam wrote down on the paper the name of the orphanage in which Voldemort had grown up and handed it back to Hermione.
"That's the name of an orphanage that was somewhere in London," Adam told her. "Could you try and find out where exactly it is for us?"
"Sure," Hermione replied. "I can go to the library in town and try to look that up. If not, I could always Apparate to the bigger library in London."
"Brilliant," Adam replied. "Can I have your phone number, then, so I can ring you? We probably shouldn't come back. If you're seen helping us…" he trailed off.
"Sure," Hermione said, writing her number on another piece of paper and passing it to Adam.
"Will you two stay for tea?" Hermione's mum added, slightly timidly. "Or do you need anything? After giving us this warning, I feel we should…"
"No, thanks, Mrs. Granger," Adam replied. "We should go. The longer we're here, the more danger we put you in."
"Whatever you think is best," she replied uncertainly. Then she asked again, "There's nothing I can do for you?"
"No, thanks," Ginny replied with a smile. "We're managing fine on our own."
"Could we Apparate straight from here, though?" Adam asked, standing up from his chair. "Less chance of someone spotting us."
Adam saw Mrs Granger look towards Hermione.
"Sure," Hermione replied.
"We'll keep in touch as best we can," Ginny said. "Bye, Hermione."
"Bye, guys," Hermione said, standing up and hugging Adam and then Ginny.
"Good-bye, both of you," Hermione's mother said from her chair. "And thanks for warning us."
With a wave, Adam clasped Ginny's arm firmly and then, turning on the spot, they Disapparated back to their tent.