The Serpent's Daughter

Chapter Seven: Burden of Secrets

Lily’s footsteps echoed softly in the quiet corridors as she made her way out of the Chamber of Secrets. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions—regret, guilt, and a deep, sinking dread. What had just happened with Ginny wasn’t something she could easily shake off. Her father—Tom Riddle—had almost come back, using the youngest Weasley as a vessel, and all of it tied back to her, to that cursed diary.

Her chest tightened with each step. She had known something was wrong when she first saw Ginny, but had she acted quickly enough? Could she have done more to stop her father’s influence before it had reached this point? The image of Ginny’s lifeless form collapsing onto the cold stone floor replayed in her mind, and it made her stomach churn.

Lily had spent years trying to distance herself from the shadow of Voldemort. But no matter how far she ran, no matter how much she tried to protect Harry and live her life away from that darkness, it always seemed to find its way back to her. Now, Ginny—sweet, innocent Ginny—had almost been lost because of her father.

As she walked through the dimly lit halls, she realized where her feet were taking her. The Weasley family. They would be at the hospital wing by now, waiting anxiously for news of Ginny. She stopped in her tracks, her heart racing. Could she really face them? Could she look Percy, Charlie, or even Ron in the eyes knowing what had happened?

The truth weighed heavily on her. She had watched as Tom possessed Ginny, had even seen him begin to grow stronger. And though she’d cursed Quirrell when she was younger and helped in small ways from the shadows, she hadn’t been able to stop this. Her father’s evil was a part of her, no matter how much she tried to ignore it.

The thought of the Weasleys’ bright smiles and warm laughter brought an ache to her chest. They had been nothing but kind to her over the years. Percy had been her first real friend at Hogwarts, Bill and Charlie had always treated her like a little sister. And now... Ginny. How could they ever forgive her if they knew the truth?

Lily’s hand drifted to her wand, her fingers trembling slightly as she clenched it. There had to be a way to make this right. But how? How could she ever undo what her father had done?

Maybe they don’t need to know, a small voice whispered at the back of her mind. Maybe it’s better if they never find out. You didn’t directly do anything to Ginny. You were just there.

But the guilt wouldn’t leave her. She knew that wasn’t true. Her connection to her father, to Voldemort, meant that this was as much her responsibility as it was his. And now, Ginny had almost paid the price.

Lily found herself standing outside the hospital wing before she could stop herself. She could hear soft voices inside—Mrs. Weasley’s frantic questions, Mr. Weasley’s calm reassurances, and Percy’s quiet murmurings, likely to himself, as he paced. Her heart pounded in her ears. Part of her wanted to turn and leave, but she couldn’t. She owed them this much.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside.

The sight of the Weasleys huddled together made her chest ache. Mrs. Weasley was clutching Ginny’s hand tightly as she lay on the bed, still pale but breathing steadily now. Mr. Weasley sat beside her, his face worn with worry. Percy stood near the end of the bed, his usual composed expression broken by the fear and exhaustion in his eyes.

Lily hovered near the door, unsure of what to say or how to explain herself. She shouldn’t have come. She couldn’t face them like this.

But before she could turn to leave, Percy’s gaze found her. “Lily?”

The sound of his voice made her freeze. He stepped forward, his brow furrowed in concern. “What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice soft but filled with worry. “Are you alright?”

Lily opened her mouth, but no words came out. She couldn’t tell him the truth. She couldn’t say, I’m the daughter of the man who did this to your sister. Instead, she swallowed hard, forcing herself to speak.

“I… I saw what happened. I was just…” She trailed off, her eyes darting to Ginny. “I wanted to make sure Ginny was okay.”

Mrs. Weasley looked up from her daughter, her face softening at the sight of Lily. “Oh, dear,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “Ginny’s going to be fine. It was… it was a terrible ordeal, but she’ll be alright.”

Lily nodded, her throat tight. The Weasleys didn’t know. They didn’t know she had witnessed everything, that she had seen Tom—her father—nearly return. They didn’t know how close Ginny had come to being lost forever because of him. And they definitely didn’t know who Lily really was.

Percy stepped closer, his eyes still filled with concern. “Lily, you look pale. Are you sure you’re alright?”

Lily tried to force a smile, but it faltered. “I’m fine,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Just… tired.”

Percy frowned but didn’t press her further. He simply nodded, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “You’ve been through a lot. If you ever need to talk… you know where to find me.”

The kindness in his voice nearly broke her. Lily bit her lip, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over. How could he be so kind, so understanding, when she was part of the reason this had happened in the first place?

She glanced at Ginny once more, her heart heavy with guilt. She had failed to protect her. She had failed to stop her father’s influence from spreading to someone she cared about. And now, she had to live with the knowledge that the Weasleys—this family that had always been so good to her—had been hurt because of who she was.

“I… I should go,” Lily murmured, stepping back toward the door. “I’m glad Ginny’s okay. That’s… that’s all that matters.”

Mrs. Weasley nodded, her expression full of warmth and gratitude. “Thank you for checking on her, dear. It means a lot.”

Lily managed a nod, her heart breaking as she turned and left the hospital wing. As she walked away, the weight of her guilt pressed down on her harder than ever before. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep the truth hidden. And worse, she wasn’t sure if she could ever forgive herself for what her father had done.

As the door to the hospital wing closed behind her, a single tear slid down her cheek. Lily wiped it away quickly, forcing herself to walk back to her dorm. She had to be stronger. She had to find a way to move past this.

But deep down, she wasn’t sure if she ever could.