This Can Never Be Real || George Weasley

Fourteen

𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫: 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐛𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐳𝐢𝐞𝐫

I opened my eyes, sitting up and listening to the sound of running water.

Where was I?

"You're awake."

"You," I snarled, beginning to scoot away frantically. I sat up quickly and noticed something red flashing between huge snake pillars.

Ginny.

I stood up quickly and rushed over to her, my temples throbbing in my head once I saw her face.

"What is she doing down here?" I hissed dangerously, nearly raging.

"She's my strength," he commented maliciously, cocking an eyebrow.

I walked up to him fiercely and pointed my wand at his throat. "Let her go or I will hurt you—"

My wand flew out of my hand, and Tom threw me over, grabbing my throat tightly, making me gasp.

"No," he snarled. "You won't. Because if you hurt me, you hurt her. Don't be an idiot girl."

I tried to wiggle away, but he held me fire, flicking out his wand, in which I shook my head rapidly. "You see," he mumbled, twirling his wand around, "I need Ginny. I don't need you. I'll finally show you how to get rid of the pain, Miss Black."

The curse he yelled was so powerful I thrashed backwards and screamed as curs began to form on my legs, my eyes beginning to spill tears.

He flicked his wand, and with a snap and the arch of my back, everything went black.

——

"Zell? ZELL!"

I sat up and held my stomach, blinking softly.

Tom was gone. Ginny was awake, and Harry was sitting in front of me, covered in blood.

"Oh my God," I mumbled, stroking Harry's hair from out of his face and looking around. "Oh my God, Harry, you're covered in blood."

I clutched my side painfully as I fell back into the wall.

"I'm alright," Harry said. "I really am. Bloody hell, Zell, you've been missing for a month and a half. When you didn't show up at the Quidditch match we thought you'd been petrified, even though we couldn't find you. What happened?"

I shook my head and my lip began to tremble. "Tom tried to help me with something— it didn't turn out exactly how he wanted— he hurt me."

I took a harsh breath in and Harry wrapped his arms around me.

"It's okay," he said. "You don't have to explain right now. You're safe now."

I nodded against his shoulder and Ginny ran up to hug me.

"This is all my fault!" She wailed. "I'm going to be expelled! Ever since B-Bill came to Hogwarts I wanted to c-come— what will mum and dad say?"

"Don't worry about that right now," I mumbled, closing my eyes and hugging them both to my chest.

Harry urged us to get up, and we followed him down to the end of the chamber.

"Ron!" Harry yelled. "Ginny and Zell are fine! I've got them!"

There was a cheer, and when we turned the corner, we found Ron peeking through a gap in a pile of rocks.

"Ginny!" Ron cried, reaching forward to pull give toward him. "You're alive! I don't believe it!"