MetaFic

The entire Weasley family, minus Percy, sat at the table. With them were Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Fleur Delacour, Hermione Granger, and Albus Dumbledore. The other Order of the Phoenix members had been given assignments and sent on their way. Molly Weasley had protested at the inclusion of the younger children, but the Headmaster insisted that they might be able to help in puzzling out not only where Harry had gone, but why.

Ginny, Ron, and Hermione had been decidedly tight-lipped about the matter. Ginny had only told Dumbledore the same line she had given her father. The Headmaster regarded her over his glass, as if trying to peer into her soul. Ginny had narrowed her eyes and held her ground, and the Headmaster had finally sighed and nodded wearily to her, as if accepting her story.

"So someone please explain to me why Errol flew directly to Ginny?" Tonks said.

Bill chuckled into his teacup, which caused Mrs. Weasley to give him a sour look. "It's pretty simple. Harry set a charm on Ginny, re-directing his mail to her."

"We should cancel the charm," Mrs. Weasley said, reaching for her wand.

"If you do," Bill interjected, "you'll break the one connection we have with Harry. I'm sure that if he's placed a re-direct on Ginny, then he also put a no-mail charm on himself."

"Where did he learn to do these spells?" Hermione asked. "Most of them are NEWT level or beyond."

"Harry always has had a knack for picking up new spells," Ron pointed out.

"Any of these spells would be available in the library at Hogwarts," Dumbledore said.

"And Harry spent a lot of time in the library researching spells for the D.A.," Ginny pointed out. She looked at her teacup and finally sighed. "In his letter he said I should forward his mail with Hedwig."

Ron threw Ginny a sharp look, wondering why she would give up such an important secret. Ginny slipped her brother a wink, and Ron relaxed. He trusted Ginny; she was the slipperiest of the family when she wanted to be.

"Then if you please, Miss Weasley," Dumbledore said, "would you fetch Hedwig and meet us in the yard?"

Ginny smiled. "Of course."

Bill, Charlie, and Tonks took up their brooms again, prepared to follow the snowy owl to her master's location. Ginny came outside with Hedwig on her arm. She handed the owl a piece of parchment.

"Take this to Harry," Ginny told Hedwig.

With a cheerful hoot, Hedwig lifted off. She had taken four beats of her wings, and the chasers were just leaving the ground, when suddenly there was a soft pop, and Hedwig was gone.

"Did Harry's owl just apparate?" Bill said, looking around at the others.

"Most extraordinary," Dumbledore murmured. "I believe Harry's faithful owl has been taking lessons from Fawkes."

***
Harry heard the small pop that heralded Hedwig's arrival. He looked at his watch. He was a bit surprised it had taken Dumbledore this long to figure out how to reach him. He supposed they had tried to trace the owl.

He opened the letter and gave it a quick read. Passing Hedwig an owl treat, he scribbled his reply and handed it to her, stroking her feathers before sending her off.

Harry grinned as she vanished.

***
With another pop, Hedwig re-appeared in the yard. She circled once and then landed on Ginny's shoulder. Ron reached over and took the letter from the owl's beak. He unfolded the parchment.

There at the top of the paper in Ginny's hand were the words:

Harry,
The Order is looking for you.
Ginny

And underneath in Harry's tight scrawl was written:

Ginny,
Tell Dumbledore, "Nice try, but not enough."
Harry

Ron snorted, earning a scowl from his parents, and then handed the letter to Dumbledore, who nodded his head after reading it.

"Very clever, Harry. Yes, very clever indeed," Dumbledore whispered. "I suggest we all return to the kitchen."

The entire group trouped back into the room.

"How can we know that was really Harry?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

Hermione shook her head. "Hedwig would never have taken that message to anyone except Harry."

Mr. Weasley fidgeted with his wand. "I just wish we could be sure that Harry is all right."

"He's fine," Ginny whispered.

Molly Weasley rounded on her daughter. "And how would you know if Harry is fine, young lady? It seems to me you've been keeping secrets from us."

Ginny returned her mother's gaze. "No, I've told you before, I know when Harry's in trouble, and I'm telling you now; Harry is fine."

Molly Weasley sighed. "You're obviously stressed. Why don't you go lie down? We'll let you know if there's any news."

Ginny stood to leave, not wanting to argue with her mother's dismissal.

Fleur Delacour cleared her throat. "Ginny is telling the truth."

Bill Weasley looked at his girlfriend. "Fleur?"

"Miss Weasley, if you would care to explain how you believe you know Harry is well?" Dumbledore asked.

"Headmaster, really, she's just being overly emotional," Molly Weasley said.

"She is bonded with 'Arry," Fleur said simply. She may as well have flung a killing curse at Dumbledore. The room went deathly silent.

"What?" Bill finally asked, looking from his girlfriend to his sister while the others sat stunned.

"It's true," Ginny whispered.

"Oh, now really–" Mrs. Weasley started, but she fell silent when Dumbledore held up a hand.

Dumbledore looked at Fleur. "You are sure of this?"

Fleur smiled. "As sure as I am that William and I are bonded."

"Albus, you don't really think that–" Mr. Weasley began.

"It makes perfect sense, actually," Ron said. "Think about what happened Ginny's first year. And she was the only one who could soothe Harry last year when he was angry." Ron looked around the room at the disbelieving faces. "Oh, come on, guys, you had to know if anyone would be part of a bonded pair, it would be Harry. And who else could his partner be?"

"Miss Weasley, if I may, there is a spell–" Dumbledore said, rising from his chair and reaching for his wand.

"I'll do it," Bill said. "It's okay, Sprite, it won't hurt or anything."

"I trust you," Ginny said simply.

Bill kept his face impassive as he cast the spell. A bright purple glow enveloped Ginny and then faded. Mrs. Weasley gasped and collapsed into her husband's arms. The other adults looked shocked. Bill smiled sadly at his sister. "Welcome to the club," he finally said.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Miss Weasley, can you sense Harry right now?"

Ginny shook her head. "No. I can only feel him if he's in trouble or especially distressed."

"'Arry has yet to acknowledge the bond," Fleur supplied. "Until he does, they will not have the full potential of what it can be."

"I see," said Dumbledore. "Miss Weasley, if I asked you to try and focus on Harry, would you be able to tell us more?"

Ginny frowned. "I don’t know."

"Please, Miss Weasley, if you would try. Anything we can do to find Harry would be helpful," Dumbledore persisted.

Ginny continued to frown but nodded her head. She wanted to know where Harry was, and if he was safe. Once she had the knowledge, who said she had to pass it to the Order? Ginny sat back down and took a deep breath. She felt Fleur touch her shoulder.

"I will be here with you," the French woman said.

Ginny gave a little smile, closed her eyes, and focused on her feelings for Harry.

***
Harry Potter looked up from his book. For a moment he thought that he had heard a voice, a girl's voice, speaking to him. He stood and looked around the small cottage. Just the wind, he decided, just the wind. He sat back down.

"Harry."

He looked up. The voice had been in his head. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, doing the exercises the book on Occlumency had explained. Exercises Snape had never bothered to give him. He felt his shields go up.

"Harry?"

The voice was stronger and definitely female. Harry redoubled his focus, but a presence was starting to form.

Harry relaxed and let it come. It took him a minute to realize that it was Ginny Weasley that he was thinking about. He smiled to himself. Ever since this morning's revelation, he could have cursed. It was too bad that he'd waited too long to notice her. He supposed getting the note from her by way of Hedwig had placed her in the forefront of his mind. He hoped Ginny was happy, wherever she was, and whatever she was doing. It was probably better this way anyway.

Because really, Harry thought, what did he have to offer her except misery and death?

With a resigned sigh, Harry turned back to his book on dueling techniques.

***
Ginny put her head on the table and groaned. For a moment she had thought she might make contact with him, but then he had slipped away.

"Ginny?" Fleur said.

"He's all right," Ginny muttered.

"Do you know where he is?" Dumbledore asked.

Ginny raised her head and let everyone see her tear-stained face. "No. But he's alone, and he's sad, and he feels let down, especially by you."

"Ginny!" her mother admonished.

"Well, it's true. You want to know what Harry's feeling? He feels like the entire world is on his shoulders. He feels let down by the people in his life who were supposed to protect him. He's not feeling very charitable to society in general."

"All very well, Miss Weasley, but Harry's safety is of paramount importance at the moment," Dumbledore said.

"You just don't get it, do you?" Ginny stood and hissed, looking around the room.

"I think we've heard enough, young lady," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Fine, fine, I'll be in my room if you need me," Ginny turned and stalked off.

The kitchen was quiet for several seconds, and then finally Dumbledore sighed. "Well, I had not wanted to go this far, but there is one thing left to do."

"And what would that be?" Lupin asked.

"I shall ask Fawkes to fetch Harry back to us. It will make Harry angry, I'm sure, but better that than leave him exposed to attack."

Arthur Weasley nodded. "Can Fawkes find Harry?"

"I believe he can," Dumbledore said, standing up. "Remus, Nymphadora, if you would return to headquarters?"

"Of course," Lupin said.

Dumbledore turned to the Weasley parents. "I may wish to discuss this bond Ginny has with Harry at a later time."

Ron and Hermione did not hear the rest of the conversation as they slipped up to Ginny's room. They opened the door to find Ginny angrily stuffing her possessions back in her school trunk. She was muttering to herself the entire time. Ron and Hermione stood open mouthed as Ginny used her wand to shrink several items and to repack her belongings.

"Um, Ginny, you're going to get a letter from..." Hermione started, but then she stopped at the angry glare from the small redhead.

"So what are you planning?" Ron asked, eyeing his sister carefully.

"I'm going after him," Ginny said. She was vibrating in anger and frustration. "I need to find him; he shouldn't be alone."

"Ginny, you don't even know where to start looking," Hermione said reasonably. "Please, just calm down, it will be all right."

Ginny took two sharp breaths and clenched her fists.

"Sprite, you okay?" Bill asked from the doorway.

"No, she is not well, William. She is separated from her bondmate and has no way to find him," Fleur said behind him. "Forcing her to seek out 'Arry has made the connection stronger, but unstable, because 'Arry still does not acknowledge it."

"Will you guys stop discussing me like I'm not here!" Ginny snapped. She turned her wand on her trunk and shrunk it. Picking it up, she put it in her pocket. "Bill, is Dad's old Oak Cruiser tuned up?"

Bill blinked. "I don't know, why?"

"Because I need a solid, stable broom under me."

Bill shook his head. "You're not going anywhere."

Ginny licked her lips, stepped back toward her open window, and pointed her wand at them. "Either you guys help me find Harry, or get out of my way!"

Bill stepped into the room, past Ron and Hermione, who were watching Ginny in shock. "What's wrong with you?" Bill asked.
"
I can feel him. He's in my head, and I need to get to him. He's all alone, Bill, do you understand that? He's alone." Ginny took a small breath and sobbed. "Bill, he's resigned himself to the idea of dying if he can destroy Voldemort at the same time."

"Harry?" Bill asked.

"Yes, Harry! Who else?" she snapped.

"Do you want me to call Dumbledore to help you?" Bill asked.

Ginny's eyes flashed. "No! Dumbledore just wants to use me to find and control Harry, just like he wants to use Harry to kill Voldemort!"

Bill blinked and stepped away from his sister, looking at her as if she had gone mad. Fleur stepped forward and opened her mouth to try to soothe Ginny.

There was a beautiful trilling in the air, and everyone looked over Ginny's shoulder, expecting to see Fawkes carrying Harry safely back to them.

Instead, Fawkes flew into the room, took Ginny by the shoulders, and flew out again. Bill and Fleur rushed to the window, but in just a few moments, Ginny and Fawkes were mere spots on the horizon.

Bill turned to look at the rest of the Weasley family, who were standing in the hallway wondering what the commotion was.

"Oh, shit," Bill muttered. "I don’t think that’s what Dumbledore expected."