ONE MONTH LATER

All was hushed, peaceful. The woods muffled all movement, quieted every sound. Leaves of brown, orange, and gold were uprooted from their branches and cascaded to the already leaf-covered forest floor.

Harry watched the sun set below the tree line. From his position at the tent entrance, he had an optimum view. The sky streaked with pinks, the forest silent, the sun sinking…almost made him forget everything that was wrong with his world.

How could such beauty remain in a planet full of turmoil?

Ron and Hermione were inside, bickering. Probably about the indecency of our next meal, Harry thought. They'd been griping a lot since the three of them had broken into the Ministry and stolen Slytherin's locket from Umbridge.

As if it knew he was thinking about it, the locket around his neck pulsed. Ice cold, alive…Harry hated it. Truth be told, it was the main reason they were always arguing. Something about it bittered their thoughts, soured their conversations.

He kept his mouth shut around Ron and Hermione, but secretly Harry wondered if the locket was interfering with his and Ginny's connection. Having it down his shirt, next to his heart—and Ginny's ghostly one—seemed to put a gap between them. He no longer saw into her thoughts or felt her emotions. The day Lupin paid them a visit was the first and last time he'd heard her telepathic voice.

Then again, thought Harry, I'm not really trying to communicate. It's not safe for her.

Because she could see into his head.

He knew, going into this, that if Ginny was able to observe everything he saw, she might be dragged into Voldemort's mind whenever he, Harry, was.

And he was right. The assault he faced at Gimmauld Place was one he did not face alone. Ginny was with him. She'd struggled to pull herself out, to separate herself from Voldemort. But, like Harry, she was powerless throughout the ordeal.

It scared her, being in Voldemort's head.

Harry didn't particularly like it either, but he was used to it.

He distanced himself from Ginny, left her scrambling for answers as to what she had just seen. His will was infinitely stronger than hers, and, with shattering finality, built a mental wall of steel between them.

Once he was sure he wasn't going to be sucked back into Voldemort, he took down the barrier.

Ginny had remained silent ever since. Harry liked to think that she was mad at him for shutting her out in a time of need.

But—call it paranoia—Harry couldn't help but feel that the silence between them meant possible risk. Maybe his iron resolve had damaged their bond.

So, with sheer determination and extreme caution, he let his spirit escape his body and follow optic fiber-like tunnel of their connection. Not really in any hurry, he took time to examine the flashing blues and burning reds that swirled around him. Proof, he thought, of two minds touching.

Still, his progress was sluggish, as if he were moving through pudding. Was this the locket's doing?

Harry stopped just inside Ginny's mind, not wanting to truly be completely within her conscious. From here, he could hear her thoughts as clear as a bell on a quiet night, and glimpse into what she was doing and where she was.

Ginny was agitated about something. Thoughts were racing through her head, blood and adrenaline through her veins.

Neville and Luna were with her. Harry watched them duck into shadows and classrooms, obviously sneaking through the halls of Hogwarts.

He tried to figure out where it was they were going, but only got hold of brief flares of images. Correction—one image.

The headmaster's study.

Are they going to attempt to overthrow Snape? Harry wondered. A chill ran through him. Surely they weren't that suicidal.

They reached the gargoyle statue hiding the entrance to the Head Office.

Neville nodded.

Ginny raised her wand. Luna did the same.

The statue exploded.

Immediately, Luna cast a Silencing charm.

The explosion fell silent before it had the chance to make a noise.

First Ginny, then Neville, and finally Luna thundered up the spiral staircase. At the top, Ginny didn't pause, but blew the oak door with the brass knocker off its hinges.

Writhing inside Ginny's mind, Harry searched for the familiar greasy hair, black robes, and hooked nose. His actions were futile. The room was empty.

If they're not after Snape, then what in the hell are they after?

Ginny turned her head, hunted with her eyes for something she already knew the location of. Harry was shown the image of a glass display case a split second before glass shards flew in all directions.

No…no they couldn't be—

Confusion. Running.

Harry extended his reach into Ginny's hand, feeling for something he hoped wouldn't be there, but knew would be.

The sword of Gryffindor.

"Ginny…you IDIOT!" Harry's mental voice blasted from him.

Ginny received it, the message reverberating through her entire body.

Her run faltered. She dropped the sword.

It skidded along the stone floor—

—right to the feet of a very angry hook-nosed man.

"Taking the sword for a walk, are we?" said Professor Snape in a dangerously calm voice. He bent and retrieved it from the floor.

"Yes, thank you." Neville spat, "You wouldn't happen to have a leash on hand?"

"Enough."

The darkness behind Snape materialized into two people Harry knew immediately to be death eaters. They had been at the top of the tower when Dumbledore was killed.

"Professors Carrow and Carrow…if you could kindly escort these three back to my office…"

Ginny and Luna submitted on the spot. Harry didn't understand why—

Neville put up a huge fight, which was surprising. He had changed over the summer, in a way Harry recognized.

The female death eater—Amycus—cackled at his physical and magical struggles to escape. She was better at magic by far. "Ha—we'd better give this one a taste of the good stuff, Alecto!"

Harry found out what the "Good Stuff" was. The Cruciatus curse.

All attempts to withhold his screams failed Neville.

Harry didn't want to witness this. He closed his eyes and tried to block out the sounds coming from his tortured friend.

"That's enough." Snape sneered.

Neville lay on his back on the stone floor, panting.

"Get up you fat lump. March! Move it!" Amycus forced him to his feet and they began the trek back to the Head Office.

Harry, what the hell?

Ginny's words made Harry squirm. I didn't mean for that to happen. Besides, did I not tell you to not risk your life for me?

Yes, but—

And just what were you planning on doing with the sword?

I was going to hang it on the wall in the Room of Requirement. Seriously, Harry, what do you think I was going to do with it?

You can't send something like that by owl, Ginny.

Sirius sent you a Firebolt by owl, didn't he?

That's not the point. You don't even know where we are.

Yes I do.

That surprised Harry. Had she been sneaking into his thoughts without telling him? Where, then?

In a forest. Somewhere in Europe.

There are a lot of forests in Europe.

Look, Harry, any other time I'd love to have this conversation with you. But right now I'm headed to my certain expulsion. Or worse.

Well, maybe you should have thought of that beforehand.

A wordless cry of anger filled Ginny's head and, with sheer psychic force, she threw Harry back through their connection and into his own body.

When he opened his eyes, Hermione was standing over him with a worried look on her face. "It's your scar again, isn't it?"

"Yes." By far, it was easier to lie than tell the truth at this point.

In fact, he'd rather listen to Hermione badgering him than deal with the fuming female at the back of his mind.

She can be mad. I'm tired of people getting hurt trying to help me…

Hello! So sorry for the long wait. My family took a mini vacation and I spent a lot of time thinking about where I wanted this story to go.

If you are like me, this story's uncanny ability to stick right to JK Rowling's original is...well, getting boring. So, from this chapter on, things are going to change. Who knows? Whole battles might have different outcomes.

This chapter is dedicated to Feff, who wanted a chapter from Harry's POV. Enjoy!

BTW: If you don't understand how the bond between Harry and Ginny works, view my profile.

Reviews are always appreciated!

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