Shadows

Chapter Eight: Grey Revelation

Ginny landed in front of the Burrow as the sky was beginning to become streaked with orange and pink. She'd been brought much further away than she'd thought, and it had taken so long to fly home that she had to stop to rest a few times. Her stomach growled loudly, reminding her that she hadn't eaten once that day. To top it off, she was in her pajamas. This wasn't going to be easy to explain.

She approached the door apprehensively, opening it slowly and peeking her head in, expecting her family to be gathered around the table, each looking at the clock worriedly, wondering where she'd gone without saying a word to anyone.

She shouldn't have been surprised when they weren't there.

Ginny entered the house slowly, gripping her broom to her body as she slowly walked through the rooms, looking for everyone. She heard Percy and Ron before she saw them, on the stairs screaming at each other. She couldn't even understand a word they said, she just saw them in each other's bright red faces, yelling and pointing in various directions.

She carefully took a few steps up, and they both turned to her.

"Ginny," Percy breathed, sounding relieved.

"Ginny!" shouted Ron, not sounding so relieved. He went down a few steps and took her by the shoulders. "Where the bloody hell were you?"

"I...I was just..."

"Ginevra!" cried her mother's voice behind her. "Where the bloody hell were you?"

Ginny's eyes widened at her mother's curse. She'd only heard her curse one other time in her life, and it was when Ginny had been in danger.

"I'm sorry, I was just-"

"Just what?" demanded Ron.

"Leave her alone," said Percy, walking up and pulling Ron back by his shoulder. "Just let her answer."

"I don't care about the answer," said Molly Weasely suddenly, "I don't care. You're not leaving this house again!"

"What?" said Ginny in surprise.

"For four months," decided Molly.

Ginny backed up a step, almost tripping over her feet. She could hardly go out as it was, and now she wouldn't even be allowed to see Hermione? Or Luna? "Where's dad?"

"Working late again," Molly snapped. This wasn't like her at all, but it was obvious all the fighting between Ron and Percy and the reclusiveness of George and Ginny was getting to her. "Now get upstairs to your room now, go!"

"But I haven't-"

"Go!"

Ginny spun and pushed her way between Percy and Ron and ran up the stairs. She paused when she reached the second floor, and walked quietly over to George's door. She pressed an ear against the wood. There was movement inside. So he was home. She reached a hand up to knock on the door, but decided against it. She might not be able to resist talking to him about things, and she didn't want another headache.

She walked into her room, closed the door behind her with her foot. Shikoba wasn't in her room, so he probably was put outside. A glance out the window confirmed it – he was hiding under a tree across the way. Lightning flashed in the sky, suggesting a storm on its way. She felt a little bad for the bird left out in the rain, giving mournful cries. But she also didn't trust it.

Ginny spent most of the rest of the night slowly getting ready for bed, taking a hot bath and changing into a nightgown and lighting more candles. She picked up a book to read. She crawled under the covers and tried hard not to think about her family's anger (though she knew it was caused by worry, it hurt), the fact that she wouldn't be allowed to leave the house for months, about anything she'd read in those records. She didn't want to think about it, didn't want to let it sink in. She hadn't found a way to get rid of him, so there was no reason to remember any of it. She just wanted to forget what Tom had said about falling...