FicWad

Chapter 10:- Shivering Fear

Harry woke with a start, the darkness in the shed told him that it was still night. His eyes franticly scanned the room for what had woken him up. Unexplained panic and fear creped into his core. Quickly grabbing his wand from under the pillow he scanned the room more closely but still found nothing.

He could feel his heart racing and pain echoed in his chest. He sat up and tried to control his body. Slowly getting to his feet he put his glasses on and crept towards the door. He grasped the handle and prepared himself for what his body was telling him must be outside.

With a sudden burst of energy be pulled the door swiftly open and traced the outside with his wand. The shock of seeing nobody outside was like ice water. Taking a few tentative steps outside he looked around the garden. Still seeing no-one he moved further and further away from the shed. The panic and worry was still present but he could not find the reason for it.

He approached "his tree" as he called it. Even after those silly girls had visited he liked to sit under the tree in the shade for some reason it always made him calm and tonight was no different, as sat on the grass and looked back towards the shed and the house, he felt the panic slowly disappear.

His mind brought him back to the afternoon with Ginny and Gabrielle. Something told him that he was a bit harsh with them but the rest was telling him that they, like the rest, had to grow up. He was not some little toy for them to play with, life was changing them all and he was in the middle of it and little games would only get them all killed.

Looking up at the sky he saw that it was cloudy in fact it might rain soon but it was not that that made him start to shiver. Something else was affecting him. He raised himself up and started to walk back towards the shed his legs feeling like lead as he walked. The further he got from his tree the worse he felt. When he eventually crawled into his sleeping bag he was shivering so badly that he found it difficult to do up the zip.

He laid back and calmed his mind, but something more terrible washed over him than the pain or racing heart. Sorrow immense sorrow at the loss of a loved one. As this feeling burst over him he felt the tears start and for once was unable to stop them. Harry just continued to lay there with tears of sorrow running down his face.

**

Luna jumped put of bed. She had pulled open the door and was running down the corridor before she even stopped to think what she was doing. Her hand was resting upon the door handle into the living room at that point. It was the coldness of the handle that had made her stop.

Slowly opening the door she saw the room was empty. She crossed the room to sit down and allow her mind to catch up. As she walked she looked down her own body and saw that she had not even stopped to put on clothes. Last night she had decided to wear nothing to bed and when she got up she had not even bothered to put anything on.

Sitting on the sofa and tucking her feet up she tried to remembered why she had gotten up. Something was happening, should could not remember what exactly she had been dreaming about but she had the feeling that a friend was in danger, grave danger. Looking round the room once more she looked to see if any mysterious creatures had invaded the home but all that she saw was the normal household furniture.

Rising to her feet she started back towards her room, her body shivered to remind her of her nakedness or was it more? As she lay on her bed her mind still could not answer any of the questions it had posed. Closing her eyes she let sleep overcome her once more, but just wished that whoever was in danger was going to be alright.

**

Gabrielle opened her eyes and felt the emotions slam into her. Pain, fear, loss, sorrow they were all their, calming her mind and using her skill she started to analyse these emotions and yet not let then affect her. Her body started to shake but she refused to obey the feeling instead she tried to focus on the here and now. Listening to the house she started to pick up a new sound the sound of soft crying.

Looking over to the other bed she saw that Ginny had he back towards her but Gabrielle was certain that the noise was coming from her. Silently getting out of bed she walked across the room. The noise of the crying grew louder as she approached Ginny.

"Ginny?" she tentively asked as she approached the bed, but no answer came.

"Ginny?" she called again this time sitting on the edge of the bed.

The older girl still did not roll over but Gabrielle could see her slightly shaking.

"Ginny?" she called a third time and this time Ginny did rolled over.

Gabrielle saw that Ginny's eyes were red and the tears were flowing down her face.

"Oh Gabrielle." Cried Ginny looking at the young blond.

Gabrielle knew exactly the problem and gathered Ginny into a hug to try and stop the emotions overwhelming her. She could hardly feel the warmness of Ginny through the duvet that separated them both but she tried to comfort Ginny anyway.

After a few moments Ginny asked. "What's the mater with me?"

"It's the emotions."

"What to you mean."

"You can feel them can't you?"

"What?"

"Ginny tell me what you can feel, please?" Asked Gabrielle still holding Ginny.

"I...um..." Started Ginny but she did not want to finish it. How could she tell this girl, but then she thought about the past week. She had told Gabrielle almost all of her feeling so why was she shy now?

"It's alright Ginny, I can feel them too."

"Then why am I like this?" asked Ginny automatically, looking at the very composed girl in front of her.

"A few reasons but first tell me what you feel."

"I...I...I feel scared, frightened, cold and ...and..."

"And?"

"Very upset."

"You are indeed feeling the same as me, the difference is that I can control my emotions."

"So I'm weak?" challenged Ginny.

"Of course not, I've just had a lot more practice." Smiled Gabrielle.

The two of the continued to hug and Gabrielle could feel Ginny emotions slowly come under control. She had expected something like this to happen, but not yet and especially now that Harry seemed to refuse her. Gabrielle felt Ginny take a deep breath and awaited the older girl's question.

"These emotions aren't mine are they?" asked Ginny quietly

"No they are not."

"They're Harry's?"

"Yes and I think no."

"Is Harry in trouble." Asked Ginny quickly sitting up letting the duvet fall between them. Gabrielle saw the Ginny was wearing a thin T-shirt and her breasts were pushing against the material nicely.

"No I don't think so." Answered Gabrielle trying to concentrate on the emotions.

"Then what?" asked Ginny stronger now.

"These emotions are coming from Harry. They must be to be affecting you but they are not his."

"Not his."

"No if they were, I would know."

"This to do with your link"

"Yes, these emotions are coming from Harry but he's not producing them. It's like he's broadcasting them."

"Please explain." Asked Ginny now clearly interested with this new news about Harry.

"It's similar to what I can do. I can feel Harry emotions and lessen them, sort of like draw them away from him. He is doing the same, but in doing so he is sending out them as well."

"So everyone is being affected."

"No, only people that have a connection."

"So you're saying I have a connection?" asked Ginny in a small voice.

"Yes, how or where it was created I can not tell but there is a connection, and by the look of you a strong one."

"What can we do?"

"I don't think there's anything we can do at the moment. The emotions will pass."

"Is that it, nothing else?"

"Unfortunately yes, Fleur will train him to stop doing it."

"But ... but..." stammered Ginny.

"It's alright Ginny, I had my chance and lost."

"What if you got a second one?"

"I would grab it and hold onto it with everything that I had got." Whispered Gabrielle.

Ginny shivered slightly at those words and felt her breasts tighten against her top.

Gabrielle saw the arousal on Ginny breast start and knew that she had to be careful. The power that Gabrielle was using or that of the link was begining to effect Ginny in a way that she might not want. Getting up she smiled once at her friend and walked back towards her bed.

Ginny looked at the retreating form of Gabrielle and admired the shapely figure but before her thought got any further she started to feel the cold and panic again. The closeness a Gabrielle was obviously the only thing keeping them at bay.

"Gabrielle?" she called out stopping the girl.

"What?"

"Please stay here, I don't want to feel those emotions." She asked shyly

"Alright." Smiled Gabrielle as she turned around after picking up her duvet.

Ginny moved to one side of the bed and watched Gabrielle get comfortable next to her. When they were close she felt much better. The two duvets made physical contact all but impossible and it was not long before the pair of them and drifted back into dreamless sleep.

**

Harry woke to the sound of the birds once more. As he stretched his arms he could feel his legs ache as well as his chest. The panic of the previous night seemed to have disappeared but he still felt worried over something.

Quickly dressing he entered the main house to start the morning breakfast, he found it a challenge not to burn the food as his mind would still not settle and he found himself almost at tears when he served the bacon to his Aunt.

As soon as he could, he escaped back to his shed to see if anything in his school books would help him understand what was happening to him. As he flicked through the pages of Magical Plants and there Usages the soft beat of wings told him the Hedwig was back.

Looking up at his bird he felt his chest lighten slightly, she had always been there for him and now was no different. The presence of just someone else magical made the day seem easier to bear.

"What's wrong with me?" he asked the bird. He knew that he was not going to get a reply but it was worth something to him. He was being affected by something, he was sure of it, but what was happening.

Hedwig did not reply to the question she just sat on the fork and looked directly at Harry.

"Hay stop looking at me like that, I've done nothing wrong!" complained Harry, but Hedwig refused to look away.

Feeling very self conscious Harry rose to his feet, was Hedwig driving him out of the shed? Because those eyes could scare anyone! Leaving the bird alone in the shed Harry walked back to the house, he found the normal lists waiting for him. With hope that words would put his mind at easy he started on the jobs for the day.

**

The two girls woke up almost exactly at the same time. Gabrielle gently removed herself from Ginny's bed and padded back across the room to get changed. Morning had only just arrived but they could hear noises from downstairs.

Without a word the two girls threw on some clothes and walked downstairs to the kitchen to see what was happening.

As soon as Ginny walked into the kitchen she knew that today was not only going to be different but something bad had happened. Sitting at the table was a young woman, it took Ginny two takes before she recognised that it was Tonks sitting there. Her normal bounding personality was subdued so much so that her face and hair was normal. She was sitting at the table just holding a mug of steaming liquid looking into its depths and not talking.

Mrs Weasley was also at the table, she was still wearing her dressing gown and looked almost as bad as Tonks.

"What's up Mum?"

"Oh nothing dear." Replied Molly seeing Ginny and Gabrielle walking into the room. They were defiantly two young to know the horrors of last night, but as she moved around the kitchen making some more tea it was hard for her not to cry.

Ginny looked between to the two women and knew that her mother was lying to her. She was always trying to shield both Ron and herself from the horrors out there but she was not going to let it happen this time.

"Come on Mum, I'm not too young anymore!"

Molly spun round and faced her daughter.

"Yes you are." She retorted

Tonks looked up at the two girls. The new one was a mystery to her but it really did not matter.

"Molly we had better tell them, they will only find out about it soon."

"Tell us what?" asked a sleepy Ron as he entered the kitchen on a quest for food.

"You had all better sit down then." Said Molly looking at the three children.

As soon as they were seated and were drinking tea Mrs Weasley stared.

"There was another attack last night."

"Nothing new there." Grumbled Ron under his breath.

"That might be true Ron...." Bit back Mrs Weasley. "... but this one was different. He...He...who... well you know him let lose some Giants last night."

"Yeh so." Said Ron.

"See Tonks it's useless they are too young."

"Shut up Ron. Please continue Mrs Weasley, I at least would like to know more." Said Gabrielle glancing one at the boy.

Mrs Weasley swallowed once before continuing on. "I don't know everything, Arthur could only send a brief report, but it seems that a group of about 10 or 12 Giants attacked a small town in the West Country."

She took a sip of tea to see the reaction of the children.

"They were on the lookout for food it seems but they didn't find any. That is when they started to attack the town."

"What did they do?" asked Gabrielle turning towards Tonks sensing that Mrs Weasley was having a hard time relating what she knew.

"Simple put they tore apart everything there in the search for food."

"Doesn't sound too bad." Muttered Ron looking round still looking for some food.

"No Ron that doesn't sound too bad. But when I mean that they tore apartt everything I mean it. Houses, Shops, churches, everything, and when they found nothing they started on the people, they just tore apart people looking for food, men women, children anything that they thought might be hiding food."

Ron's face and that of the others started to pale very quickly at the image that Tonks was painting.

"The whole town was or still is a mess. Arthur and most of The Ministry are there trying to put everything back together. Arthur says the loss of life was terrible, that the streets were stroon with bodies, the gutters had ...."

"Tonks please!" interrupted Mrs Weasley.

The three children sat in silence each to there own thought before Ron eventually asked another question.

"Was he there?"

Tonks shook her head and tried to hold back the tears before she responded.

"No, but some of his followers were. They attacked the Medi Teams that arrived. It seemed random at first but Arthur said they were in fact very calculating in hitting only the Medi Teams and those that did not have support, also only those that had a chance to save the people they were working on."

"That's horrible." Exclaimed Ginny.

Gabrielle continued to contemplate what was being said but she could sense something more was coming from Tonks.

"I know Ginny but think of what it could have been like if he was there?" asked Ron.

"He had other plans for himself." Whispered Tonks.

Silence descended again as all turned to face Tonks again.

"He used the attack as a diversion, and a very good one at that."

"What did he do?" asked Ginny

"He attacked Amelia's place."

"Amelia Bones?"

"Yes..."

"Is she alright?" asked Ginny thought knowing what the answer was going to be.

"No...He killed her."

"Oh Susan's going to be so upset. Last year she told me about her trips to her Aunt and how a wonderful person she was. She's going to be so upset." Said Ginny

"That not all." Whispered Tonks once more.

Ginny looked at Tonk's face and knew that indeed it was worse.

"She was there wasn't she?"

"Yes." Simple replied Tonks not wanting to relive the memory but knowing that she would have to soon.

"Is she....?"

"No, she ran away into the wood behind her house. It seems that she is hiding out which is good, but there are Death Eaters prowling the woods looking for her and stopping anyone else from doing so."

"We have to find her!" exclaimed Ginny.

"I've tried. Mad-Eye and myself spent a couple of hours searching but there is no sign and the Death Eaters keep attacking us."

"But the Ministry has to help!"

"They can't the Giants have tied up too many people. Getting them to send some Aurors to find one Girl is not going to happen fast."

"But...But..."

"Anyway we don't even know where to start looking. She could have been...taken."

"So you don't know."

"I know very little, from the look of the house she was there right to the...end. But from past that we don't know."

"So she may not even be there?" Asked Ginny hopefully

"No I think she was. There was it's the only reason that she left this behind." Replied Tonks pulling out the small pink diary and laying it on the table.

Ginny looked at the diary. She had never seen it before but she recognized the writing on the front.

As everyone looked at the diary Mrs Wesley saw the reason that Arthur had sent Tonks to her. The young woman looked on the verge of collapse.

"Come now Tonks, its time for you to sleep. Don't worry about Susan, I'll call if I hear anything."

Tonks looked up and was surprised that she offered no resistance as the older lady giddied her away from the kitchen and up the stairs.

Ron looked at the diary and then at the two girls. The war was getting closer and he did not like it. He wasn't afraid or anything it was just getting too close. Getting to his feet he left them on their own wanting to think and come to terms with what was happening.

An instinct made Gabrielle reach out her hand to touch the diary but something made her stop. It was wrong, the diary was personal but something was almost guiding her. Fighting the feelings she retracted her hand and looked at her friend.

"You ok Ginny?"

"I think so." Replied Ginny glumly, but before anything more could be said Mrs Wesley had re-entered the kitchen and started to make breakfast.

**

Susan looked at the sunlight streaming through the trees the welcoming warmth beckoned to her but she still refused to move from her hiding place. She was tired, cold, hungry but most of all thirsty but still she refused to move. Images of the night flashed through her mind, not of the house nor of her Aunt it was the later images.

As she tried to forget she heard the noise again. It was almost regular every few hours it came closer and soon they would find her. Several hours ago she had crept out to see what was happening, and she had seen them, three men dressed in long dark robes, clearly Death Eaters and they were searching for her. As she watched she saw them stop and hide themselves. She had gotten suddenly afraid that they had found her but when she heard a second noise she knew that it was someone else.

Two figures had crested the rise they were not dressed in black but moved with a sort of confidence. The way that they moved also indicated that they were searching, but they did not get far. Almost as one the three Death Eaters had rose at attacked them. Flashes of light had illuminated the woods but Susan had not stayed around to watch. Seeing the fight reminded her that she was no fighter and when one of the two had fallen she had ran back to her hiding place were she was still now.

The sun light continued to move through the trees but still did not move, she could feel herself getting worse. Slowly she looked over herself again and registered the torn clothes the cuts and scraps turning red. The dryness in her mouth did not disguise the pain in her chest but that was nothing compared to the shivering. It was though her body was trying to get her to move but she was refusing to, but it was getting worse.

**

Harry stopped for his normal lunchtime snack and looked out through the kitchen window. The house was quiet, with Dudley out. He had left several hours earlier only vaguely telling his mother where he was going.

As Harry raised his sandwich to his mouth to take another bit he saw his hand start to shake again. It had been happening all morning and it was getting worse. He had put it down to not sleeping last night when it had first happened but it was getting more and more frequent, he was also beginning to sweet. Even as he sat there looking out of the window he could feet that his face was hot.

Quickly finishing his sandwich he cleaned up and looked round. He had almost finished and would be glad to get back to his shed, he wanted to lie down and sleep. Shaking his head slightly he continued with his daily tasks but could not stop himself continuing to glance at the shed and the supposed comfort it offered.

**

Ron got up from his bed. Lying down on it and reading about his beloved Chudley Canons was about the only normal thing that had happened that day, but it still did not still his racing mind. After breakfast he had retired back to his room almost instantly. The talk that Tonks had given had shocked him more that he realised. He did not want to appear frightened especially in front of Ginny and Gabrielle but the images his mind conjured did frighten him.

The thought of the attack made him shudder more than once. He knew that if Harry had known about it he would have wanted to help and where Harry went he, Ron would always go. But this was not the normal adventure this was now true life. People were dieing now and not just simply they were dying messily.

As this and more ran through his head he had retreated more and more into himself. In just two years he would be out there facing it no matter what happened. He eventually ventured out from his room for lunch but that gave him no relief. Tonks was still sleeping and so Ron had thought the lunch was going to be the normal Weasley affair, but that had changed when his father had arrived.

It was quite sudden, they were there looking at the bowls of soup ready to start and then he was amongst them. His mum had bustled around the kitchen when Arthur arrived setting another place but the table feel into silence. Ron had never seen his father so un-dad like. He had sat down and picked up the spoon showing almost no emotion. Everyone was waiting for him to speak but he did not. He just slowly ever so slowly eat the soup.

Ron looked closely at the dad, it was clear by the expression that he had seen or possibility done things that he would not want to remember or even talk about. The dirt around his face, the drawn feature all told there story instead.

Once the meal was done he quietly got to his feet and with his mum helping the two of them left the kitchen. Nothing was said as they heard the footsteps tell them that he too had gone to bed. With a nod to the two girls Ron too got up and returned back to his room, his own private world shaken once more.

That afternoon he did something he thought he would never find the courage to do. With everything changing how it was he felt that he had to do it. It was not much but he had to make the start, so he forced himself to sit at his desk and with a quick glance at the piles of homework he started a letter.

Glancing now at the almost complete letter he still felt the fear in writing it. A letter to Hermione should not have been this hard to write but it was. No matter what he said or felt what should he put into a letter to a girl, and a girl that he wanted to know more about? For most of the afternoon he had written, crossed out, restart or just binned, but now he was almost done. He had read every line to make sure it was right, smiling to himself he had never put as much work into any of his homework as he had put into this letter, but it still was not finished.

One last problem remained, to him it was the most difficult. To some it was trivial but not to him, how was he going to sign it. Cheers Ron, Your friend, Ron, Hope to see you soon, Ron, Missing you, Ron, Love, Ron. He had gone through them all but which one was best.

Without walking closer to the unfinished letter he crossed to Pigwidgeon. Surprisingly he had been quiet all afternoon as Ron had written the letter, but now he was bouncing slightly in eager anticipation of deliver. Stroking the bird slowly as he had seen Harry do to Hedwig he softly spoke.

"You won't embarrass me will you?"

The bird hooted once and then surprising stop bouncing, he just sat there with almost a regal look as if to say.

"I won't. Just give me the letter and I'll show you."

Leaning on the windowsill he saw the evening darken as rain clouds covered the sky and the night drew close. Looking down he saw that Ginny and Gabrielle were still sitting outside near the back door. They had hardly moved all day and Ron knew by the silence that they had said very little. Each must have been thinking over what had been happening.

A soft knock on the door caused Ron to turn and look. Standing there was his mother. She did not seam to be different but Ron noticed that she did not have that normal glint in her eye.

"Ron dear, dinners ready. Could you get the girls while I get Tonks and your father?"

"Ok Mum." He responded leaving his letter and room behind.

***

Harry shivered once more, big wet raindrops started to hit the back window. The evening sky had turned into an inky black as the rain approached. In the afternoon had started to feel worse and worse. His head had started to ache and now it was a dull but constant pain, but it was the shivering that was the most worrying. He did not feel too hot or cold but he was beginning to shiver more and more.

Through the force of his own will he thought he had managed to sit through the evening meal with the Durslesy's and had not shivered once. In fact it was almost the best he had felt all day. But after his summary dismissal from the table by his Uncle the feelings had started again.

Looking out into the darkness, Harry made a break for the shed, knowing that if he waited in the house any longer the weather would just gotten worse. Reaching the shed he pulled open the door and threw himself inside. He had managed to avoid getting too wet and was glad for it. He was also glad that someone, probably his Aunt had left the light on for him. At least he would be able to read for a few hours this evening.

Feeling a shiver run through him again he crawled into his sleeping bag still fully clothed, pulling a book from a nearby stack he started to read once more. But the noise of the rain on the roof soon sent him to sleep, his book falling to the side forgotten.

**

Initially the rain had been Susan's friend, she had been so thirsty it had almost driven her from her hiding place and then the rain had come, but it did not stop. The rain had come in the early afternoon, and now it was evening. Even though she was hidden in a thick bush the rain had gotten through, within minuets she was soaked. Not just wet the little clothes that she was wearing were soaked through, the warmth of the day had been replaced with the cold wetness, but still she refused to come out.

She was going to wait, her Aunt, had told her to wait. And that was what she was doing. But she hopped that it would not be too long. For the afternoon she had shivered through the rain, the small patch of dry ground she had been sitting on was even now wet through, but now as the evening drew closer she noticed that she was shivering less.

She was smart, she had read the books and knew that when she stopped shivering was the time to worry. But the continue noise of the searches worried her more. The look on her Aunts face kept reminding her that these people would kill her, but the look on the man's face that had grabbed her told her even more. They would kill her, eventually once they were finished.

Shivering once more she tried to block and the thoughts, the cold, the rain everything except Harry.

"Hurry Harry, please." She begged the coming night and waited once more.

**

The smell from the kitchen told Ginny that it was almost time to eat. For most of the day she had sat outside with Gabrielle but the two of them had hardly spoken. Through some unspoken agreement the two of them just sat there in silence with their own thoughts. Ginny could not imagine what Gabrielle was thinking about, but she had spent the whole day thinking of what Tonks was taking about.

She had jumped at the chance to go with Harry to the Ministry. It was the right thing to do, it had felt so nice so right. Yes there was danger, and her ankle still throbbed occasionally but the excitement was only thing she remembered. But this was something completely different. It wasn't a friend or a person in danger it was a village a whole way of life. Silently she just kept looking out wondering and thinking.

A new thought popped into Ginny mind, it came almost unbidden but it was the lateness of the day that had driven it home. Rolling over onto her side she faced her friend and asked.

"I thought you were going to tell mum you were going home today?"

"I was." Replied Gabrielle still looking out across the ground.

"Are you going to?"

"I don't want to but I should, yet something is not right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Something feels wrong. My emotions aren't telling me what it is, but something's wrong?"

"About what?" questioned Ginny focusing more on the younger girl.

Gabrielle turned before replying.

"That's just it. I don't know. Last night, this morning. Your dad. Even Ron. There's something wrong. I don't know if it's all connected. It maybe, I don't even know if it concerns me but something is wrong."

"Wrong alright. He's letting lose Giants on helpless people." Snorted Ginny.

"It's not that! I just feel its something else."

"Like what?" persisted Ginny.

"Like I'm missing a clue."

"Hey you two, dinner." Called Ron from the doorway.

Ginny spun round to look at her brother. He had been absent for most of the day and she was just a little worried. Giving a quick glance she saw that he was no different from normal except his face. It was long and drawn as thought he had been using the day, like her, to think about the future.

When the three of them entered the kitchen they saw that the others was already seated, quickly washing there hands they sat down at their normal places. Thought the whole meal hardly a word was said and for once Ron felt his appetite slip away during the meal.

It was almost as though the family were grieving for a lost relative, everybody was so quiet caught in there own thoughts. Thought the meal Ron was able to study each person around the table. His sister was quiet but very much like him watching everybody, she looked composed but something was making her quiet like the rest. As Ron looked at Gabrielle he saw that she had her head down and seemed to be pushing her food around the plate.

Ron had never really seen her eat much at the table but she was eating even less tonight. Every so often as she sat there Ron observed a tiny shake of the head as thought she was dismissing another thought. Ron moved on to look at Tonks, she did look a little better than the morning but not by much. Her hair was pink but it seemed to lack the brightness, the punch. She was just sitting there eating almost mechanically.

He moved his attention to his parents and was once more shocked to see them. His dad looked much better than he had done a few hours ago but he still was not his normal bright self. As he was eating he seemed to just look off into the distance and for once he did not seem to notice the rest of his family. Finally as Ron looked at his mother he saw that she was doing her best to appear normal but the dark marks under her eyes and the way she kept looking around the room he could see that she was agitated.

At last the meal ended but nobody moved from the table. Mrs Weasley's magic cleared the table with its normal efficiency but she did not follow and start the washing up. To break the awaked silence he saw his mum conjured up the teapot and set out a mug in front of everybody. The three children picked up there mugs and were surprised to find that they were filled with hot chocolate instead.

"You're going back aren't you?" asked Mr Weasley looking at Tonks.

The young women seemed to pause for a moment before looking back at Arthur.

"Yes."

"Do you really believe she's...?"

"I have too otherwise what's the point."

"You know that The Minister can't send anybody yet."

"Hmmmm...I read the report, "I'm very sorry but at the current time and with little evidence at our disposal it would be irresponsible for me to detach any more Aurors to assist in your search." He wouldn't be saying that if he had a family."

"I know Tonks but he has needs everybody on the Giants problem at the moment." Relied Arthur.

Tonks dropped her head and looked into her cup.

"I'll go with you." Said Arthur after a moment.

"Arthur!" exclaimed Mrs Weasley

"It's alright dear, when I left I told Kingsley that if Tonks was going back I'll go with her. He'll cover for me."

Tonk's face broke into a small smile before she replied.

"Thanks Arthur, company would be nice."

"Do you really think that she's there and you can find her?" asked a concerned Molly.

"The tracks I found at the diary all tell me that she's was there, but ..."

"But what?"

"W should have found her last night. I really can't see this evening being any different." Exasperated Tonks.

The three chocolate drinkers had been listening to the conversation not quite believing that they had not been sent from the room. Gabrielle was still looking at the diary which was now back on the table. Her mind was still trying to fit the pieces together but they were always coming up short. The conversation at the other end of the table was about how they were going to search the woods but all she could do was look at the diary.

"Ginny how did you know about this girl, Susan?"

Ginny looked round at her friend slightly annoyed because she could not hear what was being talked about.

"As I said earlier she was a member of the DA. The club run by Harry."

Gabrielle looked blankly at Ginny and tried to voice her next question.

"What was she like?"

"Oh a nice person, she learnt the spells quickly but wasn't very good at using them practically, it was though she was distracted by something else."

"Do you know much about her outside the club?"

"Not really, she's in a different house. I think she was liked, but many a time I saw her wandering between classes on her own, why all the questions?"

"I'm trying to find the missing pieces."

"Missing pieces?" asked Ron who was listening in.

"Yes we're missing something and I thought that if I knew her better they would come."

Gabrielle looked at the end of the table and waited for a break in the conversation.

"Um...Miss Tonks?"

"Please call me Tonks." Replied Tonks automatically.

"Um...Tonks could I have a look at the diary please?"

"Oh...um..." replied Tonks not know knowing if she should let this diary be read by Susan's school friends.

"Please it might help."

"Ok then." She answered vowing to have a quiet word with them about what they read.

Gabrielle pulled the book towards the three of them and studied the cover. With a worried frown she looked at Tonks.

"It's all right. There is no spell on it, I've checked."

Gently she opened the book and waited, when nothing happened she continued to flip through the pages. She was a little disappointed when she flipped through. There were entries but not as much as she suspected and most of them were very small. Her mind did register some facts as she was looking but still she could not find the answer.

Arthur turned his attention back to Tonks before asking his next question, seeing the girls and Ron reading reminded him.

"What was on that piece of paper you found on Amelia?"

"Not much really." She said pulling the scrap out of her pocket and laying it on the table and unfolded it.

The adults looked at the paper.

Harry

Was all that was written.

"No much help is it?" asked Tonks.

Gabrielle looked up at the diary and saw the paper open the end of the table, it was not to difficult to make out the writing and she read the single word. That word started the pieces in her mind to fall together. Last nights emotions, the power the grief. A lost girl and dead aunt. A diary with little written but in every few entries the word Harry. A girl who appeared to have friends at one time but not at others. The pieces were coming together fast now.

"Ginny did Harry ever get close to Susan."

"What you mean like as a couple?"

"No I mean physically close, did he touch her or anything."

"Well yes, he touched virtually everybody when he was showing us wand movements."

The picture in Gabrielle mind was complete. Instinctively she knew what that one word meant. But how did that Amelia know? But she couldn'y spend much time on that thought as he mind raced through the rest. He could find her, Harry could find her, but he would have to be shown how. This was it, this was her dream again, her second chance and this time he would have to listen to her.

She would show him how to find her, how to follow that connection right to her, but she would have to go with Harry. Go with him to the woods.

The sudden though of going into a dark wood frightened her, she was going to have to go with him to help him, but there were people that were going to kill them lurking in the woods. She was powerful in her form of magic but what use would that be against these monsters. She still didn't even have a wand, the cold sensation was sweeping over her at this thought. But stopped instantly as she felt Ginny's hand reach over and grasp hers.

"You all right?" Ginny asked in a whisper.

"Why did ask?"

"You looked...scared."

"I am?" admitted Gabrielle

"Don't be."

"He can find her. I can show him how too."

"You mean Harry."

"Yes but I've got to go with him."

"You sure?"

"Yes everything fits."

"What are you two on about?" asked Ron.

Ginny gave Ron one of her most piercing looks but refused to answer him.

The three of them were drawn to the movement at the end of the table as Arthur and Tonks stood up.

"Um...Tonks. I know where she's hiding." Called Gabrielle.

"Where?" she replied instantly.

"Um...It's not me it's him." Indicated Gabrielle at the scrap of paper " ...Harry."

"Harry knows?"

"Not exactly, Harry can find her."

"How?" asked Mrs Weasley.

"He has a connection to her and he can follow that connection." Replied Gabrielle

"What are you talking about?" asked Ron.

"It's the same as my connection, I think? He can use it to find her, the same was I found him."

"You found Harry?" blurted Tonks.

"That's where the pair of you went!" said Mrs Weasly.

"What...What...What?" asked Ron once more not understanding anything.

"I can show him..." pleaded Gabrielle at Tonks.

"Ginny!" stormed Mrs Weasley not listening anymore.

"Molly quiet a moment." Instructed Tonks.

"I can help him trace his connection, but I'm going to have to be with him."

"Isn't there any other way?"

"Not if you want to go tonight, but, but I'm scared to go on my own I want Ginny there with me."

"Never." Replied Mrs Weasley.

"But Mum, I went to the Department, I'll be alright."

"Oh no my dear. I've not talked to you about that escapade yet. But this one no you are not going."

"Molly, I'll be there to look after them." Said Tonks.

"No she's my daughter as she can't go, final."

"Mrs Weasly, please imagine that it was Ginny out there in the woods. If somebody's daughter could find her you would want them to go even if it is a little dangerous?" asked Gabrielle.

The cold logic of the argument from the young girl stopped Mrs Weasley from instantly replying.

"I'll look after her Molly." Said Arthur.

After a small sob she nodded once in agreement.

Smiling like two Cheshire cats the two girls got up from the table and started to head to there room to get changed.

"If she's going then so am I, I'm Harry's best friend." stated Ron getting up a leaving the room before any reply came.

Sprinting to his room he pulled open the door and rummaged through his clothes. Finding a set of old yet comfortable clothes he changed and grabbed his wand when he saw the unfinished letter on the table. Fearing that his courage might fail him at any time he quickly scribbled an end.

... I'm off to get Harry now with Ginny and Gabrielle (you know Fleur's sister). Gabrielle thinks he might be able to find Susan, hope she's right. Anyway I might be able to bring him back here afterwards.

Hope you'll visit soon.

Love

Ron.

Folding the letter quickly he tied it to Pigwidgeon and opened the window for him. Almost gracefully the tiny bird took to the air and sailed out the room into the gloom of the evening.

Ron dashed out of his room, on a mission to get his best friend and find a missing girl.