the muggle next door | f.w. golden trio era

↳ 1.10

aftermath

March 30th, 1993

"JANE? ARE YOU listening?"

Ms. Sloan snapped her fingers in front of the young lady's eyes and Daisy found herself back in her mother's study, staring emptily at her unfinished essay. "H— Huh?"

"Is something bothering you?" Mrs. Sloan crossed her arms and sat down on her seat. She paid a closer attention on the girl's pale complexion, swollen eyes, and darkened eye bags, "Mr. Allen?"

Daisy smiled, though it looked rather weary and forced, "You know my father's issue never bothers me anymore, ma'am."

"You can tell me. Is it—"

She wanted to spill it out. To get her feelings out in the open and deal with them properly —the grief, confusion, agitation, frustration, all of them. But she couldn't, so she just forced a smile and said, "It's nothing, ma'am. Really!"

✿ ❀ ✿ ❀ ✿

March 30th, 1993

GINNY EXPECTED HER mother to ramble on, the next episode of high pitched 'Haven't I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain. Why didn't you show the diary to me, or your father? A suspicious object like that, it was clearly full of Dark Magic—'

But she didn't.

Neither did her father.

She literally clung to Mrs. Weasley's leg, clutching her grey ankle-length skirt in her tight first, as they trod their way towards the Hospital Wing. Fred, George, and Percy walked side by side, exactly one step behind. Mr. Weasley had one arm wrapped around his wife and the other around his youngest son, his body pressed against his family's radiating warmth so he could reassure himself that they were safe. All of them.

(Professor McGonagall had returned after alerting the kitchen to prepare a feast later that day and took over Ron's duty to tend to Professor Lockhart. By tend, she meant cast a silencing spell on him and levitated him all the way to the infirmary.

And, of course, Harry stayed behind in Professor Dumbledore's office)

Everyone was radio silent. They just soaked in each other's presence... the joy, relief, and gratefulness that came along with it.

Ginny's tears didn't stop flowing and her lips didn't stop trembling. She was dizzy with guilt and condemnation. Her mind kept playing the memory of young, handsome Tom Riddle, emerging from her supposed little diary. Color draining from her face... Cold wind blowing hard against it... The sound of her scream deafened by the magical storm...

"It's okay, dear," she heard a soft whisper, like a soothing lullaby.

Mrs. Weasley stroke her hair affectionately.

"You're safe with Mummy now."

She didn't let go of Mrs. Weasley's skirt as Mr. Weasley lifted her onto the infirmary's bed, Madame Pomfrey gave her a goblet full of dreamless sleep potion, and each of her brothers planted a kiss on her forehead, until she was captured by the strong, lulling urge to sleep.