The Long Road Home, chapter 20
Rated:R
Summary: Sequel to Ginny's Gift. Read that story first. Harry must deal with the aftermath of Voldemort's defeat.
Ginny could feel herself drifting. She opened her grainy eyes just a bit wider and stared at the runes on the page in front of her, but her brain refused to make sense of them. She had no idea what time it was. It was dark in the winter at Durmstrang, and the light changed little to mark the passing hours.
She was no longer certain how many days had passed since her arrival. The place was empty. Viktor had told her everyone went home over the Christmas holidays, and Ginny could see why. The only constants here were the cold and the dark, and in spite of the fact that the castle was smaller than Hogwarts, it was oppressive and cheerless.
She shivered and huddled more closely under the blanket she'd spread over herself for warmth, as there was no fireplace in the small lounge, which was part of Viktor's private quarters. Indeed, there didn't seem to be many fireplaces at all from what she'd seen of the castle, causing her to wonder how the students managed to learn anything in this environment. At least they missed the worst of the winter, since the Christmas holidays lasted until nearly the end of January.
"What are you doing up? Did you go to bed at all?"
Viktor's abrupt question caused Ginny to start, and she realised she must have dropped off in spite of the chill. The book she'd been reading had slipped out of her hand and onto the wide planks of the floor. She looked up to see him standing there in his dressing gown and slippers, obviously having just emerged from his bedroom.
"Sorry, I just wanted to finish going over this. What time is it?"
"It's six in the morning. You haven't been getting much sleep since we got here."
"I don't need much sleep. I can sleep when we're done."
She'd told him the entire story the day they'd arrived at the school. Viktor had been shocked when he understood what Harry had done for the wizarding world, but there had also been amazement in his reaction. "I had no idea," he'd said almost to himself. "None at all. How could anyone do such a thing? I couldn't. I don't know anyone who could."
"Then you don't really know Harry," Ginny had told him. "He had to do it or die trying. He'd have used any means possible, even if it meant his life. As it was, he gave up his powers, but he chose to do it. If he'd not done this in the end, he wouldn't have been able to live with himself, because he knew this was the right thing to do. That's just who he is."
"And now you'd do anything you could to help him get back what he gave up," Viktor had replied.
"Yes. Anything."
And Viktor had agreed to help her, stating that he'd always admired Harry from the time he'd met him in Harry's fourth year. He'd thought it was a terrible thing that someone with Harry's flying skills and obvious love of flight might never be able to do so again, but the fact that he'd given all that up willingly was admirable. Harry deserved to have that back if he could. And it wasn't just the flying; it was everything: Harry had obviously possessed incredible magical talent to be able to compete in and win the Triwizard Tournament at the age of fourteen, and he deserved to have it all restored to him.
Viktor crossed his arms over his chest and looked sceptical. "You won't be in any condition to travel if you don't get some rest," he told her now, as she yawned in spite of herself. "You don't have any idea what else you'll have to do, either. This isn't going to be easy, you know. These things never are. We'll be asking a lot, and even if we get what we want, there will be some sort of price. You know that, don't you?"
"Whatever it is, it'll be worth it."
"And what if it's something physical? Will you be in any condition for that? You've barely been eating. All you've done since you got here is research."
"I've had to. You know that. We have to be sure this is the only way, don't we?"
They'd had a long discussion about other possibilities a few days ago. Viktor had shown her what he'd unearthed, but he'd told her then it seemed like a long shot. They'd tossed a few other scenarios back and forth, and Ginny had explained how she and Hermione had spent the previous autumn looking through all the books in the Hogwarts library, finding nothing useful. When Ginny had mentioned the torn-out page, Viktor had asked her about the possibility of using a time turner to go back and find what had been written there. Ginny had already discussed that scenario with Professor Dumbledore's portrait, and the idea had been rejected. The former headmaster had explained to her that the further one went back in time to tamper with events, the greater the possibility of disaster occurring. On top of that, she'd have had to relive about nine months of her life, while not letting herself been seen the entire time. Time turners only worked in one direction: backwards; they could not be used to return to the present.
"I think we've decided it is, haven't we?" Viktor was saying. "All that's left to do now is set out, but we're not going anywhere until you've had some rest and a decent meal."
"You're as bad as my brothers, you know that? Mum, too."
"Well, someone has to look after you, because you're certainly not doing it yourself. Have you taken a good look at yourself lately? You're too thin, you've got circles under your eyes, you haven't got your usual spark…"
He broke off quickly and looked down, pulling the lapels of his dressing gown closer, as if he'd only just realised he was standing in front of her in a state of undress. Ginny wanted to laugh at his reaction. Her brothers had never had that much concern for her sensibilities; she'd seen them in less and never thought twice about it. She'd even seen Harry in his pyjamas on his summer visits to the Burrow before they'd got together. She had to conclude that Bulgarians were much more concerned with appearances. Viktor hadn't seemed to be particularly comfortable with the fact that she was staying in his rooms, even if it was in a guest room and the school was deserted but for them.
"I'm going to get dressed. I want you to go to bed, and I don't want to see you until lunch time at least."
"But…"
"No buts. We can't leave today anyway, and we certainly won't if you're not fed and rested."
Ginny fought the urge to salute, but she knew he was right. They were facing another long journey, and although she now had someone going with her who could make travelling easier, they still didn't know how much time it would take them to reach their ultimate goal.
She got out of her armchair and entered the small guest bedroom, which adjoined lounge. It was comfortable enough with its cosy bed covered with a thick eider down comforter. It was just the thing for the northern winter in this draughty castle. She undressed quickly, shivering in the cold, realising as she did so that Viktor had to be used to the harsh conditions here. His dressing gown hadn't been all that heavy, and he hadn't acted as if he was chilly at all. She couldn't imagine getting used to the endless cold and darkness. Putting on a warm flannel night dress, and casting an extra warming charm over the bed, she dived under the comforter and went to sleep.
A knock at the door woke her several hours later. It was still dark out, but that was no indication she'd slept the day away. "What is it?" she called.
"I'm sorry to wake you, but it's almost supper time. We don't know how many more chances we'll have for a hot meal once we've set off. It's better if we get them while we can."
"All right, I'll be along."
Teeth chattering as she left the warmth of the bed, she reached for her clothes, throwing them on as quickly as she could. The smell of something hot and filling greeted her when she emerged from her room. They'd been taking all their meals in Viktor's rooms, since they were the only ones at the school. Ginny had seen very little of the rest of the castle beyond the library.
"I can't believe I slept so long," Ginny said, as she sat down across from him.
"You needed it. You didn't even stir when I came…" Viktor stopped, but Ginny had the feeling he was about to say he'd been in to check on her. She almost asked if he had, but she got the distinct feeling he was too embarrassed to admit it, so she changed the subject.
"So are we leaving in the morning?"
"Impatient, aren't you?"
"I want to get this done. I've been putting my studies on hold for this. As it is I'm going to miss the beginning of term. What day is it, anyway?"
"Second of January."
Ginny raised her eyebrows. "We missed New Year's, and I didn't even notice." She couldn't stop herself from thinking of Harry and wondering what he'd done two evenings ago. She'd left him alone. "But maybe there's a chance…"
"For what?"
"To make it back to school in time for term."
"You've only got two days before your term begins. Do you really think we're going to be able to find the place and do what we need to in two days?"
"No, I suppose not." She turned her attention to her plate of food. It was piping hot, and that was all she cared about. "But I still want to get back as soon as possible. I don't want to get behind in my studies again."
"I don't think we ought to rush into this."
Ginny put down her fork. Just yesterday, they'd drawn the conclusion that this was the best way. "Why? We've been through this."
"I don't know. It's a feeling I have. Something's not quite right here. There's something dishonest…"
"I haven't been lying to you," Ginny said quickly.
"No, I know that. It's not you. That's what's strange about it. It's… it's in the text."
"You can tell if something written on a page is a lie?"
"That's just it. I'm not supposed to be able to. I need to have someone in front of me in order to read them, and it takes a conscious effort. This is the first time this has ever happened to me."
"How did you learn you could do that… You know, read people."
"Karkaroff suspected it," Viktor said with distaste. "After the tournament, he had me tested."
"But shouldn't you have known Karkaroff was bad then?" Ginny had learned something about Soul Searchers last year in a book on rare magical talents that Hermione had bullied her into reading. "Wouldn't you have had an idea?"
"I should have known, shouldn't I? I never did like him, and with good reason as it turned out."
"And shouldn't you have suspected something wasn't right about Mad-Eye Moody?"
"I might have if I'd had more contact. Karkaroff tried to keep us away from the other students and teachers as much as he could."
"But you managed to meet Hermione."
Viktor looked down at his plate of food, avoiding Ginny's eye. "I had a feeling about her. I can usually sense good in people more easily than bad. I suppose that's what attracted me to her…" He paused for a moment before continuing. "Anyway, Karkaroff took me to someone and had me trained. He wanted me to use my talent for the Dark Lord, but I'd had enough of him controlling me by then. I got away and went to Dumbledore. He gave me a job at Hogwarts, but that didn't stop me from using my talent for Lucius Malfoy."
"That wasn't your fault. You didn't do that of your own will."
"No, I was controlled. And I should have seen Professor Grubbly-Plank wasn't all she seemed, as well, but she was a difficult case. She wasn't completely acting of her own free will, either. She was under duress. She wasn't evil, and I didn't try to look into her heart. Perhaps I should have, but I didn't. I just went on my instinct with her."
He paused and took a deep breath. "Most of my life I've been controlled by someone else." He was changing the subject, and Ginny had to wonder if the events of last year still weighed on him. "I loved flying, you know. When I was flying I was free. I could do what I wanted. I didn't have to listen to anyone else's orders. But Karkaroff even managed to turn that against me. I was talented at Quidditch, you see. And I loved the game at first. But then they kept on making me play and train until they took my only escape away from me. Or they tried. I showed them on a few occasions during matches. I was Seeker. I controlled the outcome."
Ginny suddenly remembered the final match of the Quidditch World Cup, when Viktor had caught the Snitch even though his team had been too far behind to make up the difference in the score and win. Her brothers had discussed the outcome in detail in the tent after the match and on many other occasions, and she remembered Harry saying something about Krum ending the match on his own terms. Perhaps that was what Viktor was referring to.
"I know what you mean, I think," Ginny said. "I've had my family holding me back my whole life. They always tell you what you can -- and mostly what you can't do -- when you're the youngest and the only girl."
"It's not quite the same. Your family did those things out of love and concern for you. Karkaroff was using me for his own ends."
"And Lucius Malfoy didn't use me last year?"
"Yes… yes, he did. That's what happens when you're talented. People want a piece of you."
"It's all useless in the end, though. I don't want to make use of my talent. I don't want it. It's too exhausting, and now that the war is over, what good does it do? I'm grateful I made Harry a talisman. It saved his life. But beyond that, what good did my talent ever do anyone?"
"About as much good as mine has ever done me."
"You're a teacher now. Surely being able to tell whether your students are lying to you comes in handy."
Viktor smiled a bit at that. "Well, yes it does for things like that. But mostly all it's ever brought me is trouble."
"Why didn't you go back to playing Quidditch this year? You could have."
"Yes, I could, but this was my choice to make. It was my choice to teach. And now that Karkaroff is gone, I know I can help make this school a better place."
"Do you think you could convince the headmaster to put in a better heating system?" Ginny asked, feeling a smile begin to creep over her features. "Maybe get him to let people light fires?"
"That might be worth a try."
*
They left the following morning, shivering in the dark as they trudged across the expansive grounds through the drifting snow to the small inn -- Viktor had told her its name translated to the Troll and Dragon -- in the nearby village, where they'd come out a week before. Ginny adjusted her bag on her shoulder as she repeated the name of their destination under her breath. She'd had to memorise another impossible-sounding Swedish designation, and she had to be sure she got it right. She'd been lucky that she hadn't mispronounced anything on her arrival here, and she definitely didn't want to get lost this time. Not when they actually had a goal in mind.
They had gone over the final plans the previous evening, while packing up what they'd need, before Viktor had insisted she go back to bed. They were going to Floo down to the southern coast of Sweden, and from there, they'd have to take to their brooms, which they'd magically shrunk and packed away, to cross a narrow straight to Denmark. From that point on, they'd be relying on guesswork and landmarks to find their ultimate destination.
The Troll and Dragon, when they reached it, looked as if it was locked up tightly. Ginny decided this wasn't really surprising. The village must generally shut down at this time of year, with the school closed for the holidays. She couldn't imagine anyone wanting to come up here for a drink or to do his shopping the way witches and wizards came up to Hogsmeade for the day. In the dead of winter, there couldn't be any guests staying at the inn.
Viktor had to bang on the door for a long time before the innkeeper came down and opened it for them. He was an older man, dressed in a nightshirt that flapped around his spindly bare legs. He glared at the pair of them for a moment, obviously irritated with them for getting him out of bed, before barking something terse at Viktor in Swedish. Viktor replied evenly, reaching inside his cloak and producing a few Sickles.
The innkeeper's demeanour immediately changed, and he gave Ginny and Viktor a toothless grin as he showed them into the tiny bar. The fireplace was full of ashes from the previous night, and the owner pointed his wand at it and cried, "Incendio!" He then went over to the mantelpiece and offered Viktor and Ginny a pinch of Floo powder each from a cracked jar.
As he had in Bergen, Viktor went first, crying out their destination and disappearing with a burst of emerald green flame. Ginny followed, concentrating on what she must say. "Den Blonda Gudinnan!" she shouted, and immediately she was drawn into the maw of the Floo network. She spun for a long time, taking care to keep her elbows tucked in and passing many grates before she felt herself slowing. Making sure to keep her eyes open for Viktor, she finally stumbled out at another dingy pub. Viktor was waiting for her in the dimly lit room, but at least there seemed to be a sunrise here. A watery greyness permeated the deserted room where she now found herself.
When they'd reached the street outside, Ginny found they were in the middle of a large Muggle town. It was still early, but there were people about on their way to work. Climbing on their brooms and taking to the air was out of the question at this point. It would have been too easy for the Muggles to spot them. They were going to have to walk until they found a place where they could take to the skies unseen. Ginny hoisted her bag higher on her shoulder and trudged off after Viktor, who seemed to have an idea where he was going.
It seemed to take forever to get to the outskirts of town. The sun had risen halfway to the zenith, the cold was less than it had been further north, and that was something. But Ginny was still footsore and tired by the time they stopped. They were well out of town, and the land around them was empty. It was now safe for them to take their brooms from their packs and return them to their normal size so they could fly the rest of the way.
Ginny immediately pulled her bag from her shoulder and took out the Firebolt, ignoring the protests coming from her aching feet and legs. She'd be in the air soon, and her feet could rest then. Viktor looked hard at her. "Don't you think we should take a bit of a break?" he asked. "We've been walking so long, we need it."
Ginny sighed. She was itching to be off. "All right, but not too long. We don't know how many hours of daylight are left. Once it gets dark, we won't be able to see landmarks anymore."
"Ginny, just take a rest for five minutes? Please?"
"Five minutes," she agreed, "and then we need to be off."
Viktor pulled a smaller pouch out of his bag and produced some bread and dried fruit. "You can eat something while we're waiting. We didn't have breakfast."
Ginny didn't feel particularly hungry -- she was too impatient to be on her way once more -- but she took a piece of bread and a few dried apricots, and washed it all down with a few swallows of bottled water to placate Viktor. She was used to this in a way; she'd done it often enough in the past. It was like pretending to eat to please her mother.
"Are we clear about what we're looking for?" Viktor asked, between bites.
Ginny resisted the temptation to point out to Viktor that he was going into teacher mode now. "Yeah. We fly across the straight to Helsingor, turn south-west and follow the motorway until we come to a large lake. We'll know it's the right lake if we see a town with a palace nearby, and from there we'll be searching along the western edge of the lake for the sign."
"And we're going to have to hope the sign is still evident."
"It's supposed to be fairly easy to spot from the air if you know what to look for."
"A thousand years ago, you mean. Who knows what's there now?"
"It'll be there," Ginny insisted. "It has to be. This is our last chance."
"Then let's be off and see what we can find," Viktor replied. He didn't sound happy, and Ginny had to wonder if he was hoping they wouldn't be able to find what they were looking for.
Once they'd taken to the air, it didn't take long at all for them to cross into Denmark and reach the uninhabited side of the lake. The problem now facing them was a search along about six miles of shoreline, which, under normal circumstances, shouldn't have posed too many difficulties. They were both mounted on racing brooms, and they weren't in much danger of being seen. But they didn't even know if the runic symbol would still be where the books described it. The lie of the land had certainly changed in a thousand years. As it was, upon arrival, it was immediately obvious that they were fortunate to have attempted this in winter. Deciduous trees covered the ground right down to the shore, and in summer a canopy of leaves would have hidden all the signs, making the search that much more difficult.
They flew for hours, beginning high up in the sky and passing lower to the ground each time, looking for the symbol. The weather was warmer here than it had been at Durmstrang, or even in Norway on the day Ginny had crossed the North Sea, but there was something penetrating about the cold that sunk in deeper and deeper the longer they were out in it. The sun had also begun its descent towards the horizon, and Ginny began to despair that they'd have time to find what they wanted in the remaining daylight. If they missed it today, they'd have to begin again tomorrow, but that would mean another day wasted, as they would have to await the next sunrise to attempt their plan.
The shadows of the naked trees were long over the lake, pointing back eastwards towards more populous regions, when Ginny saw it at last. She gave a shout and flew a bit lower to be sure, but there it was. There was a clearing among the trees, like so many others they'd passed, but this one had a large stone in it, and on the stone there appeared a large but faint tracing that looked like an X. But Ginny knew it wasn't really an X; it was the rune Gebo. Gebo for Gefinn.
Ginny pointed the Firebolt towards the ground without even looking to see if Viktor was following. She knew he would be. Landing on the stone, she saw the marking from this vantage was actually a pair of cracks that met in the centre of the rock face. After a thousand years' time and more they should have been worn away, but Ginny could see that they ran deep into the surface, so deep that she couldn't tell if there was one stone here or four stones that fit together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Viktor asked as he landed.
"It has to be. It fits the description well enough, and we haven't seen anything else like it."
"That's just the problem. It fits too well. It shouldn't. Not after all this time."
"I don't know," replied Ginny. "It's like when we landed here we entered another time."
She didn't know where the words had come from, but as she said them, she knew they were true. Looking around her, she could see that the surrounding trees -- they looked to be a mix of ash and elm -- had taken on an entirely different aspect. They definitely grew more thickly than they'd appeared to from the air, and even as she watched, she had the impression that they'd closed ranks around the stone, and that if she tried to penetrate them, they would not allow her to pass. An involuntary shiver coursed through her, and she looked up to reassure herself. The sky was still an open patch of deepening blue above them. Escape was still possible.
"I don't like this," Viktor said. "Something isn't right about this place."
"Perhaps it's because you're not…" Ginny broke off, not quite knowing how to put it.
"What? A maiden?"
"Well, yes," Ginny replied, reddening. "She's a goddess of maidens. Maybe she thinks you're intruding."
Viktor gave a harsh laugh. "That's just too bad. I don't like this place, and there's no way I'm going to let you stay here by yourself. Don't you feel it?"
"What?"
"The animosity."
"No," Ginny replied, and it wasn't a lie. She didn't feel animosity so much as she felt… trapped. But there was nothing she could do about that. She'd either have to go ahead with the plan or turn back and admit defeat. "Listen," she went on, trying to cast the situation in a better light. "Have you studied the runes at all?"
"Not much. Only enough to know there was something about all this in the library. I wouldn't have been able to decipher how to find this place in the texts the way you did."
"Do you know what Gebo means? It's got a symbolic meaning."
"No."
"It means gift, generally, or at least it does on the surface. It's got some other meanings that fall under that. Partnership, trade, love, harmony, a crossroads, decisions… But Gefinn means 'giver'."
"You do know that a gift implied an exchange to the Norse, don't you?"
"Yes. That's where the trade bit comes in. It's a give and take. I never went into this thinking I'd get what I was asking for nothing in return. You know that. You keep bringing this up."
"And what if you're asked for something you can't give?"
"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. At the moment, there aren't too many things that fall into that category."
Viktor looked sharply at her, and she knew he was trying to get a reading on her, to see just how far she'd be willing to go for Harry. She let him look; she didn't care if he knew.
"Let's make camp then," was all he said after a long moment. It was all they could do for now. According to the texts, they wouldn't be able to approach the goddess until dawn.
The rock was much higher and steeper than it appeared from the air, so that Ginny had to stumble and slide down the side, nearly falling against Viktor when she reached the bottom. He put his hands on her shoulders to steady her as she came to a halt on the ground. From this vantage, there was no indication of the mark on the top of the stone. It merely looked like an outcropping in the midst of the forest.
Ginny could see an indentation in the side of the rock. The deep crack that crossed its upper face was visible here, and it widened as it descended, forming an opening. Instinct told her she had only to enter this when the sun rose the next morning to reach her final goal. She wondered if she'd manage to sleep tonight.
*
Ginny spent a restless night in their camp. In spite of a thick sleeping bag with her cloak spread out over it and numerous warming charms, she was cold. The cushioning charm she'd cast on the ground before lying down hadn't seemed to work as effectively as usual, either. It was as if there was another magic at work in this place, one that superseded her own.
From the sound of things, Viktor hadn't fared much better. For most of the night, she'd been aware of him tossing and turning on the other side of the blanket they'd rigged up to split their tent down the middle and afford Ginny some privacy. She had the feeling that even if Viktor had been comfortable enough to drop off, he would have made an effort to remain awake. Something told her he would have kept watch most of the night no matter what.
All seemed quiet at the moment, as Ginny put on her cloak and eased herself out of the tent. The waters of the lake were ice-rimmed and still, reflecting the deep blue sky above, which still held a few stars. They were winking out one by one as the sky to the east lightened with the approaching dawn.
Ginny glanced at her watch. It was about seven in the morning. Her heart began to pound with anticipation and apprehension. Soon. Soon she would know. There was still one thing she needed. Casting a warming charm to thaw the frosty ground, she scratched up a handful of earth and put it in her pocket.
She found a secluded spot to relieve herself and paused to wash her hands in the icy lake. Splashing some water onto her face made her bite back a squeal at its chill, but it wakened her fully. Making her way back to the tent, she found Viktor poking his head out, looking as if he wanted to ask her where she'd been. He obviously worked it out for himself in the next instant, for he simply nodded a curt good morning to her before going off himself, while Ginny rummaged through their packs for some breakfast.
"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" he asked when he got back and Ginny had handed him some food.
"Of course. Are you still getting a bad feeling about this place?"
Viktor looked around him, and Ginny saw his eyes stray to the entrance of the cave. "I don't know. The feeling's changed. I sense curiosity now more than anything."
Ginny wouldn't have admitted it, but she was relieved to hear him say that. Her own feeling was that the mood surrounding them had lightened. The trees about them seemed less threatening this morning.
Ginny ate some more in silence, while she looked out over the lake and watched the sky gradually lighten. When the first blinding sliver of sun slipped over the edge of the world, she stood. It was time.
Ginny turned and started towards the cave, hearing Viktor rise and follow. She paused at the entrance, looking for the runic inscription, which would confirm to her that she was in the right place. She found it and translated it to herself.
Enter, mortal, but take heed,
Don't ask for more than what you need.
Those who take but do not give
Must pay most dearly while they live.
If you seek and find the way
Be prepared; you must surely pay.
Turn away before you lose
A piece of self, which I will choose.
"Shouldn't I go in by myself?" Ginny asked, suppressing a shudder and turning to find Viktor directly behind her.
"No, I don't think so."
"But… Look, Viktor, I don't want to jeopardise my chances, and well, she's a goddess of unmarried women. Somehow you don't fit the bill."
"Perhaps not," Viktor replied, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. "But while she might be a goddess of virgins, she isn't exactly chaste herself, is she?"
"No, but… I don't know. I have no idea how this will work."
"I'll stay back, all right? But I'm not letting you go in there by yourself."
"Yes, sir," Ginny shot back, saluting. Viktor scowled at her. "Stay here by the entrance, please?" Viktor didn't look pleased with the prospect, but he nodded once. "Right. Well, let's go then before it's too late."
The sun had almost completely risen now, and Ginny felt their window of opportunity slipping away. She didn't want to have to wait another day. She lit her wand and entered the cave, hurrying along the narrow passage until it opened onto a sort of gallery. There was a ring of white stones in the centre, and Ginny knew what she had to do.
Working quickly, she lit a magical fire in the ring of stones and stepped back. Reaching into her pocket as the flames began to rise she threw the handful of earth into them, followed by a pinch of heartsease, closed her eyes, concentrated, and recited an incantation. When she opened her eyes again nothing seemed to be happening at first, and Ginny swore to herself, wondering if she'd mispronounced something.
But then, as she watched, the flames began to rise higher, changing colours, until they'd reached the roof of the cavern. They burned blindingly bright so that Ginny had to shut her eyes, seeing blood red as the fire became so intense that its light penetrated her closed eyelids. She felt sweat break out over her body in the heat.
Then suddenly the red behind her eyes went out, and the heat subsided. Ginny opened her eyes to find a blonde woman towering over her in the ring of stones. The woman was dressed in rich garments, which showed an alarming amount of cleavage. A necklace of heavy gold links rode the tops of her breasts. Her icy blue eyes glittered down at Ginny in disdain.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" the woman asked coldly.
Ginny's first instinct was to reply as rudely as she'd just been addressed., but she knew better than to arouse the goddess' anger. She didn't want her request to be refused, after all. "I'm Ginny Weasley. Are you Gefinn?"
"Of course I am! Who else would I be? Now what do you want?"
Ginny took a calming breath. She couldn't let the goddess' manner get to her. "I've come to ask for your help. You see, there's a wizard named Harry Potter, and he defeated an evil wizard who wanted to take over our world, but in doing so, he lost all his powers. He gave them up willingly in order to defeat the Dark Lord. I thought maybe you could help me get them back for him."
"What makes you think I'm interested in getting some wizard I've never heard of his powers back? Who is he to you that you would come and bother me with this?"
"He's my love."
Gefinn's laughter echoed in the cavern. "Your love? What do you know about love? If you were able to summon me, it means you're still a virgin. Why haven't you given yourself to him?"
Ginny was taken aback. It was a very personal question.
Gefinn laughed again. "You think I'm nosy, don't you? But you may as well answer. I can see into your heart."
"Then why bother asking me?"
"Don't be insolent! I want to see if you know the answer yourself. Why haven't you given yourself?"
"I… I would have. It's… It's just… My brother is a prat! And my mother…" Gefinn was right. She did have to think about this. The further she went back in their relationship, the more complicated things became. "He wanted to wait in the beginning. He had other things to do first. He was afraid he'd have to leave me. And after that things just didn't work out for us. He went through a bad time when he lost his powers, and then I had to go back to school."
When she'd first found out about the possibility of appealing to Gefinn, Ginny had actually been glad things hadn't worked out. She'd even been ready to forgive Ron for being such a prat. But now she wasn't so sure.
"Yes, I see now," Gefinn said. "You have loved this boy ever since you were a child. He is your heart's true love, and you'd risk anything for him. But are you his? Would he do the same for you?"
"He says he loves me, but he grew up not knowing what love is. Perhaps he still doesn't know. But I know this much. He would lay down his life for me."
"That's a start. You must be equals. At least you are equal in this. You will show him the true meaning of love." Gefinn suddenly raised her head and looked beyond Ginny. "Someone else is here. Who have you brought with you?"
Ginny wanted to curse Viktor for his protectiveness. He was as bad as her brothers, maybe even worse. She wasn't too certain how things were going with Gefinn as it was, and she didn't need him ruining her chances.
"Who's there?" Gefinn cried. "I will allow you to pass. Show yourself!"
Viktor stepped forward, glowering, from the shadows. "My name is Viktor Krum," he said.
"So you're not the person this girl wants help for?"
"No."
"Then why have you come?"
"So she wouldn't be travelling alone."
Ginny definitely didn't like the knowing smile that crossed the goddess' features. "I see," Gefinn said after a long moment, during which she scrutinised Viktor. Then she turned back to Ginny. "What makes you think I want to help you?"
"You're supposed to be a goddess of healing, aren't you? I'm asking you to heal Harry. To restore his powers to him."
"I didn't ask if you thought I could help you. I asked what made you think I would."
"Because you're the giver. That's what your name means."
Gefinn fingered her gold necklace. "I never give anything without getting something in return. What are you prepared to give me?"
"I have a special talent. I can make protective talismans."
"Why would I need a protective talisman? I'm immortal!"
Ginny had said on several occasions that she didn't want to go through the pain of producing another gem, but if that's what it took to restore Harry, it would be worth it. She took a deep breath and made her offer. "I can make you a magical gem to go with your necklace."
"What's wrong with my necklace? Do you know what it cost me?"
Ginny knew that Gefinn, according to legend, had prostituted herself for it, but she wasn't about to say that aloud. "It's a bit plain, isn't it? It would be prettier with a crystal set into it."
Gefinn blandly inspected her fingernails. "I don't need a crystal."
"I can give you my talent. I'd give it up so that I couldn't use it anymore."
Gefinn looked at her through narrowed eyes, and Ginny had the distinct feeling she was being sized up. "All right. I'll consider it. But before I decide, I want to see what you can do. Make me a gem, and then we'll discuss it."
And without another word the goddess disappeared.
A/N: Yeah, I know… No Harry in this chapter, but I figure if you think about it, it's not too hard to work out where he went. You'll find out next chapter, anyway. Thanks to everyone for their continued support, and to Monique and Jo for the beta.
Chapter 21
Summary: Sequel to Ginny's Gift. Read that story first. Harry must deal with the aftermath of Voldemort's defeat.
Ginny could feel herself drifting. She opened her grainy eyes just a bit wider and stared at the runes on the page in front of her, but her brain refused to make sense of them. She had no idea what time it was. It was dark in the winter at Durmstrang, and the light changed little to mark the passing hours.
She was no longer certain how many days had passed since her arrival. The place was empty. Viktor had told her everyone went home over the Christmas holidays, and Ginny could see why. The only constants here were the cold and the dark, and in spite of the fact that the castle was smaller than Hogwarts, it was oppressive and cheerless.
She shivered and huddled more closely under the blanket she'd spread over herself for warmth, as there was no fireplace in the small lounge, which was part of Viktor's private quarters. Indeed, there didn't seem to be many fireplaces at all from what she'd seen of the castle, causing her to wonder how the students managed to learn anything in this environment. At least they missed the worst of the winter, since the Christmas holidays lasted until nearly the end of January.
"What are you doing up? Did you go to bed at all?"
Viktor's abrupt question caused Ginny to start, and she realised she must have dropped off in spite of the chill. The book she'd been reading had slipped out of her hand and onto the wide planks of the floor. She looked up to see him standing there in his dressing gown and slippers, obviously having just emerged from his bedroom.
"Sorry, I just wanted to finish going over this. What time is it?"
"It's six in the morning. You haven't been getting much sleep since we got here."
"I don't need much sleep. I can sleep when we're done."
She'd told him the entire story the day they'd arrived at the school. Viktor had been shocked when he understood what Harry had done for the wizarding world, but there had also been amazement in his reaction. "I had no idea," he'd said almost to himself. "None at all. How could anyone do such a thing? I couldn't. I don't know anyone who could."
"Then you don't really know Harry," Ginny had told him. "He had to do it or die trying. He'd have used any means possible, even if it meant his life. As it was, he gave up his powers, but he chose to do it. If he'd not done this in the end, he wouldn't have been able to live with himself, because he knew this was the right thing to do. That's just who he is."
"And now you'd do anything you could to help him get back what he gave up," Viktor had replied.
"Yes. Anything."
And Viktor had agreed to help her, stating that he'd always admired Harry from the time he'd met him in Harry's fourth year. He'd thought it was a terrible thing that someone with Harry's flying skills and obvious love of flight might never be able to do so again, but the fact that he'd given all that up willingly was admirable. Harry deserved to have that back if he could. And it wasn't just the flying; it was everything: Harry had obviously possessed incredible magical talent to be able to compete in and win the Triwizard Tournament at the age of fourteen, and he deserved to have it all restored to him.
Viktor crossed his arms over his chest and looked sceptical. "You won't be in any condition to travel if you don't get some rest," he told her now, as she yawned in spite of herself. "You don't have any idea what else you'll have to do, either. This isn't going to be easy, you know. These things never are. We'll be asking a lot, and even if we get what we want, there will be some sort of price. You know that, don't you?"
"Whatever it is, it'll be worth it."
"And what if it's something physical? Will you be in any condition for that? You've barely been eating. All you've done since you got here is research."
"I've had to. You know that. We have to be sure this is the only way, don't we?"
They'd had a long discussion about other possibilities a few days ago. Viktor had shown her what he'd unearthed, but he'd told her then it seemed like a long shot. They'd tossed a few other scenarios back and forth, and Ginny had explained how she and Hermione had spent the previous autumn looking through all the books in the Hogwarts library, finding nothing useful. When Ginny had mentioned the torn-out page, Viktor had asked her about the possibility of using a time turner to go back and find what had been written there. Ginny had already discussed that scenario with Professor Dumbledore's portrait, and the idea had been rejected. The former headmaster had explained to her that the further one went back in time to tamper with events, the greater the possibility of disaster occurring. On top of that, she'd have had to relive about nine months of her life, while not letting herself been seen the entire time. Time turners only worked in one direction: backwards; they could not be used to return to the present.
"I think we've decided it is, haven't we?" Viktor was saying. "All that's left to do now is set out, but we're not going anywhere until you've had some rest and a decent meal."
"You're as bad as my brothers, you know that? Mum, too."
"Well, someone has to look after you, because you're certainly not doing it yourself. Have you taken a good look at yourself lately? You're too thin, you've got circles under your eyes, you haven't got your usual spark…"
He broke off quickly and looked down, pulling the lapels of his dressing gown closer, as if he'd only just realised he was standing in front of her in a state of undress. Ginny wanted to laugh at his reaction. Her brothers had never had that much concern for her sensibilities; she'd seen them in less and never thought twice about it. She'd even seen Harry in his pyjamas on his summer visits to the Burrow before they'd got together. She had to conclude that Bulgarians were much more concerned with appearances. Viktor hadn't seemed to be particularly comfortable with the fact that she was staying in his rooms, even if it was in a guest room and the school was deserted but for them.
"I'm going to get dressed. I want you to go to bed, and I don't want to see you until lunch time at least."
"But…"
"No buts. We can't leave today anyway, and we certainly won't if you're not fed and rested."
Ginny fought the urge to salute, but she knew he was right. They were facing another long journey, and although she now had someone going with her who could make travelling easier, they still didn't know how much time it would take them to reach their ultimate goal.
She got out of her armchair and entered the small guest bedroom, which adjoined lounge. It was comfortable enough with its cosy bed covered with a thick eider down comforter. It was just the thing for the northern winter in this draughty castle. She undressed quickly, shivering in the cold, realising as she did so that Viktor had to be used to the harsh conditions here. His dressing gown hadn't been all that heavy, and he hadn't acted as if he was chilly at all. She couldn't imagine getting used to the endless cold and darkness. Putting on a warm flannel night dress, and casting an extra warming charm over the bed, she dived under the comforter and went to sleep.
A knock at the door woke her several hours later. It was still dark out, but that was no indication she'd slept the day away. "What is it?" she called.
"I'm sorry to wake you, but it's almost supper time. We don't know how many more chances we'll have for a hot meal once we've set off. It's better if we get them while we can."
"All right, I'll be along."
Teeth chattering as she left the warmth of the bed, she reached for her clothes, throwing them on as quickly as she could. The smell of something hot and filling greeted her when she emerged from her room. They'd been taking all their meals in Viktor's rooms, since they were the only ones at the school. Ginny had seen very little of the rest of the castle beyond the library.
"I can't believe I slept so long," Ginny said, as she sat down across from him.
"You needed it. You didn't even stir when I came…" Viktor stopped, but Ginny had the feeling he was about to say he'd been in to check on her. She almost asked if he had, but she got the distinct feeling he was too embarrassed to admit it, so she changed the subject.
"So are we leaving in the morning?"
"Impatient, aren't you?"
"I want to get this done. I've been putting my studies on hold for this. As it is I'm going to miss the beginning of term. What day is it, anyway?"
"Second of January."
Ginny raised her eyebrows. "We missed New Year's, and I didn't even notice." She couldn't stop herself from thinking of Harry and wondering what he'd done two evenings ago. She'd left him alone. "But maybe there's a chance…"
"For what?"
"To make it back to school in time for term."
"You've only got two days before your term begins. Do you really think we're going to be able to find the place and do what we need to in two days?"
"No, I suppose not." She turned her attention to her plate of food. It was piping hot, and that was all she cared about. "But I still want to get back as soon as possible. I don't want to get behind in my studies again."
"I don't think we ought to rush into this."
Ginny put down her fork. Just yesterday, they'd drawn the conclusion that this was the best way. "Why? We've been through this."
"I don't know. It's a feeling I have. Something's not quite right here. There's something dishonest…"
"I haven't been lying to you," Ginny said quickly.
"No, I know that. It's not you. That's what's strange about it. It's… it's in the text."
"You can tell if something written on a page is a lie?"
"That's just it. I'm not supposed to be able to. I need to have someone in front of me in order to read them, and it takes a conscious effort. This is the first time this has ever happened to me."
"How did you learn you could do that… You know, read people."
"Karkaroff suspected it," Viktor said with distaste. "After the tournament, he had me tested."
"But shouldn't you have known Karkaroff was bad then?" Ginny had learned something about Soul Searchers last year in a book on rare magical talents that Hermione had bullied her into reading. "Wouldn't you have had an idea?"
"I should have known, shouldn't I? I never did like him, and with good reason as it turned out."
"And shouldn't you have suspected something wasn't right about Mad-Eye Moody?"
"I might have if I'd had more contact. Karkaroff tried to keep us away from the other students and teachers as much as he could."
"But you managed to meet Hermione."
Viktor looked down at his plate of food, avoiding Ginny's eye. "I had a feeling about her. I can usually sense good in people more easily than bad. I suppose that's what attracted me to her…" He paused for a moment before continuing. "Anyway, Karkaroff took me to someone and had me trained. He wanted me to use my talent for the Dark Lord, but I'd had enough of him controlling me by then. I got away and went to Dumbledore. He gave me a job at Hogwarts, but that didn't stop me from using my talent for Lucius Malfoy."
"That wasn't your fault. You didn't do that of your own will."
"No, I was controlled. And I should have seen Professor Grubbly-Plank wasn't all she seemed, as well, but she was a difficult case. She wasn't completely acting of her own free will, either. She was under duress. She wasn't evil, and I didn't try to look into her heart. Perhaps I should have, but I didn't. I just went on my instinct with her."
He paused and took a deep breath. "Most of my life I've been controlled by someone else." He was changing the subject, and Ginny had to wonder if the events of last year still weighed on him. "I loved flying, you know. When I was flying I was free. I could do what I wanted. I didn't have to listen to anyone else's orders. But Karkaroff even managed to turn that against me. I was talented at Quidditch, you see. And I loved the game at first. But then they kept on making me play and train until they took my only escape away from me. Or they tried. I showed them on a few occasions during matches. I was Seeker. I controlled the outcome."
Ginny suddenly remembered the final match of the Quidditch World Cup, when Viktor had caught the Snitch even though his team had been too far behind to make up the difference in the score and win. Her brothers had discussed the outcome in detail in the tent after the match and on many other occasions, and she remembered Harry saying something about Krum ending the match on his own terms. Perhaps that was what Viktor was referring to.
"I know what you mean, I think," Ginny said. "I've had my family holding me back my whole life. They always tell you what you can -- and mostly what you can't do -- when you're the youngest and the only girl."
"It's not quite the same. Your family did those things out of love and concern for you. Karkaroff was using me for his own ends."
"And Lucius Malfoy didn't use me last year?"
"Yes… yes, he did. That's what happens when you're talented. People want a piece of you."
"It's all useless in the end, though. I don't want to make use of my talent. I don't want it. It's too exhausting, and now that the war is over, what good does it do? I'm grateful I made Harry a talisman. It saved his life. But beyond that, what good did my talent ever do anyone?"
"About as much good as mine has ever done me."
"You're a teacher now. Surely being able to tell whether your students are lying to you comes in handy."
Viktor smiled a bit at that. "Well, yes it does for things like that. But mostly all it's ever brought me is trouble."
"Why didn't you go back to playing Quidditch this year? You could have."
"Yes, I could, but this was my choice to make. It was my choice to teach. And now that Karkaroff is gone, I know I can help make this school a better place."
"Do you think you could convince the headmaster to put in a better heating system?" Ginny asked, feeling a smile begin to creep over her features. "Maybe get him to let people light fires?"
"That might be worth a try."
*
They left the following morning, shivering in the dark as they trudged across the expansive grounds through the drifting snow to the small inn -- Viktor had told her its name translated to the Troll and Dragon -- in the nearby village, where they'd come out a week before. Ginny adjusted her bag on her shoulder as she repeated the name of their destination under her breath. She'd had to memorise another impossible-sounding Swedish designation, and she had to be sure she got it right. She'd been lucky that she hadn't mispronounced anything on her arrival here, and she definitely didn't want to get lost this time. Not when they actually had a goal in mind.
They had gone over the final plans the previous evening, while packing up what they'd need, before Viktor had insisted she go back to bed. They were going to Floo down to the southern coast of Sweden, and from there, they'd have to take to their brooms, which they'd magically shrunk and packed away, to cross a narrow straight to Denmark. From that point on, they'd be relying on guesswork and landmarks to find their ultimate destination.
The Troll and Dragon, when they reached it, looked as if it was locked up tightly. Ginny decided this wasn't really surprising. The village must generally shut down at this time of year, with the school closed for the holidays. She couldn't imagine anyone wanting to come up here for a drink or to do his shopping the way witches and wizards came up to Hogsmeade for the day. In the dead of winter, there couldn't be any guests staying at the inn.
Viktor had to bang on the door for a long time before the innkeeper came down and opened it for them. He was an older man, dressed in a nightshirt that flapped around his spindly bare legs. He glared at the pair of them for a moment, obviously irritated with them for getting him out of bed, before barking something terse at Viktor in Swedish. Viktor replied evenly, reaching inside his cloak and producing a few Sickles.
The innkeeper's demeanour immediately changed, and he gave Ginny and Viktor a toothless grin as he showed them into the tiny bar. The fireplace was full of ashes from the previous night, and the owner pointed his wand at it and cried, "Incendio!" He then went over to the mantelpiece and offered Viktor and Ginny a pinch of Floo powder each from a cracked jar.
As he had in Bergen, Viktor went first, crying out their destination and disappearing with a burst of emerald green flame. Ginny followed, concentrating on what she must say. "Den Blonda Gudinnan!" she shouted, and immediately she was drawn into the maw of the Floo network. She spun for a long time, taking care to keep her elbows tucked in and passing many grates before she felt herself slowing. Making sure to keep her eyes open for Viktor, she finally stumbled out at another dingy pub. Viktor was waiting for her in the dimly lit room, but at least there seemed to be a sunrise here. A watery greyness permeated the deserted room where she now found herself.
When they'd reached the street outside, Ginny found they were in the middle of a large Muggle town. It was still early, but there were people about on their way to work. Climbing on their brooms and taking to the air was out of the question at this point. It would have been too easy for the Muggles to spot them. They were going to have to walk until they found a place where they could take to the skies unseen. Ginny hoisted her bag higher on her shoulder and trudged off after Viktor, who seemed to have an idea where he was going.
It seemed to take forever to get to the outskirts of town. The sun had risen halfway to the zenith, the cold was less than it had been further north, and that was something. But Ginny was still footsore and tired by the time they stopped. They were well out of town, and the land around them was empty. It was now safe for them to take their brooms from their packs and return them to their normal size so they could fly the rest of the way.
Ginny immediately pulled her bag from her shoulder and took out the Firebolt, ignoring the protests coming from her aching feet and legs. She'd be in the air soon, and her feet could rest then. Viktor looked hard at her. "Don't you think we should take a bit of a break?" he asked. "We've been walking so long, we need it."
Ginny sighed. She was itching to be off. "All right, but not too long. We don't know how many hours of daylight are left. Once it gets dark, we won't be able to see landmarks anymore."
"Ginny, just take a rest for five minutes? Please?"
"Five minutes," she agreed, "and then we need to be off."
Viktor pulled a smaller pouch out of his bag and produced some bread and dried fruit. "You can eat something while we're waiting. We didn't have breakfast."
Ginny didn't feel particularly hungry -- she was too impatient to be on her way once more -- but she took a piece of bread and a few dried apricots, and washed it all down with a few swallows of bottled water to placate Viktor. She was used to this in a way; she'd done it often enough in the past. It was like pretending to eat to please her mother.
"Are we clear about what we're looking for?" Viktor asked, between bites.
Ginny resisted the temptation to point out to Viktor that he was going into teacher mode now. "Yeah. We fly across the straight to Helsingor, turn south-west and follow the motorway until we come to a large lake. We'll know it's the right lake if we see a town with a palace nearby, and from there we'll be searching along the western edge of the lake for the sign."
"And we're going to have to hope the sign is still evident."
"It's supposed to be fairly easy to spot from the air if you know what to look for."
"A thousand years ago, you mean. Who knows what's there now?"
"It'll be there," Ginny insisted. "It has to be. This is our last chance."
"Then let's be off and see what we can find," Viktor replied. He didn't sound happy, and Ginny had to wonder if he was hoping they wouldn't be able to find what they were looking for.
Once they'd taken to the air, it didn't take long at all for them to cross into Denmark and reach the uninhabited side of the lake. The problem now facing them was a search along about six miles of shoreline, which, under normal circumstances, shouldn't have posed too many difficulties. They were both mounted on racing brooms, and they weren't in much danger of being seen. But they didn't even know if the runic symbol would still be where the books described it. The lie of the land had certainly changed in a thousand years. As it was, upon arrival, it was immediately obvious that they were fortunate to have attempted this in winter. Deciduous trees covered the ground right down to the shore, and in summer a canopy of leaves would have hidden all the signs, making the search that much more difficult.
They flew for hours, beginning high up in the sky and passing lower to the ground each time, looking for the symbol. The weather was warmer here than it had been at Durmstrang, or even in Norway on the day Ginny had crossed the North Sea, but there was something penetrating about the cold that sunk in deeper and deeper the longer they were out in it. The sun had also begun its descent towards the horizon, and Ginny began to despair that they'd have time to find what they wanted in the remaining daylight. If they missed it today, they'd have to begin again tomorrow, but that would mean another day wasted, as they would have to await the next sunrise to attempt their plan.
The shadows of the naked trees were long over the lake, pointing back eastwards towards more populous regions, when Ginny saw it at last. She gave a shout and flew a bit lower to be sure, but there it was. There was a clearing among the trees, like so many others they'd passed, but this one had a large stone in it, and on the stone there appeared a large but faint tracing that looked like an X. But Ginny knew it wasn't really an X; it was the rune Gebo. Gebo for Gefinn.
Ginny pointed the Firebolt towards the ground without even looking to see if Viktor was following. She knew he would be. Landing on the stone, she saw the marking from this vantage was actually a pair of cracks that met in the centre of the rock face. After a thousand years' time and more they should have been worn away, but Ginny could see that they ran deep into the surface, so deep that she couldn't tell if there was one stone here or four stones that fit together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Viktor asked as he landed.
"It has to be. It fits the description well enough, and we haven't seen anything else like it."
"That's just the problem. It fits too well. It shouldn't. Not after all this time."
"I don't know," replied Ginny. "It's like when we landed here we entered another time."
She didn't know where the words had come from, but as she said them, she knew they were true. Looking around her, she could see that the surrounding trees -- they looked to be a mix of ash and elm -- had taken on an entirely different aspect. They definitely grew more thickly than they'd appeared to from the air, and even as she watched, she had the impression that they'd closed ranks around the stone, and that if she tried to penetrate them, they would not allow her to pass. An involuntary shiver coursed through her, and she looked up to reassure herself. The sky was still an open patch of deepening blue above them. Escape was still possible.
"I don't like this," Viktor said. "Something isn't right about this place."
"Perhaps it's because you're not…" Ginny broke off, not quite knowing how to put it.
"What? A maiden?"
"Well, yes," Ginny replied, reddening. "She's a goddess of maidens. Maybe she thinks you're intruding."
Viktor gave a harsh laugh. "That's just too bad. I don't like this place, and there's no way I'm going to let you stay here by yourself. Don't you feel it?"
"What?"
"The animosity."
"No," Ginny replied, and it wasn't a lie. She didn't feel animosity so much as she felt… trapped. But there was nothing she could do about that. She'd either have to go ahead with the plan or turn back and admit defeat. "Listen," she went on, trying to cast the situation in a better light. "Have you studied the runes at all?"
"Not much. Only enough to know there was something about all this in the library. I wouldn't have been able to decipher how to find this place in the texts the way you did."
"Do you know what Gebo means? It's got a symbolic meaning."
"No."
"It means gift, generally, or at least it does on the surface. It's got some other meanings that fall under that. Partnership, trade, love, harmony, a crossroads, decisions… But Gefinn means 'giver'."
"You do know that a gift implied an exchange to the Norse, don't you?"
"Yes. That's where the trade bit comes in. It's a give and take. I never went into this thinking I'd get what I was asking for nothing in return. You know that. You keep bringing this up."
"And what if you're asked for something you can't give?"
"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. At the moment, there aren't too many things that fall into that category."
Viktor looked sharply at her, and she knew he was trying to get a reading on her, to see just how far she'd be willing to go for Harry. She let him look; she didn't care if he knew.
"Let's make camp then," was all he said after a long moment. It was all they could do for now. According to the texts, they wouldn't be able to approach the goddess until dawn.
The rock was much higher and steeper than it appeared from the air, so that Ginny had to stumble and slide down the side, nearly falling against Viktor when she reached the bottom. He put his hands on her shoulders to steady her as she came to a halt on the ground. From this vantage, there was no indication of the mark on the top of the stone. It merely looked like an outcropping in the midst of the forest.
Ginny could see an indentation in the side of the rock. The deep crack that crossed its upper face was visible here, and it widened as it descended, forming an opening. Instinct told her she had only to enter this when the sun rose the next morning to reach her final goal. She wondered if she'd manage to sleep tonight.
*
Ginny spent a restless night in their camp. In spite of a thick sleeping bag with her cloak spread out over it and numerous warming charms, she was cold. The cushioning charm she'd cast on the ground before lying down hadn't seemed to work as effectively as usual, either. It was as if there was another magic at work in this place, one that superseded her own.
From the sound of things, Viktor hadn't fared much better. For most of the night, she'd been aware of him tossing and turning on the other side of the blanket they'd rigged up to split their tent down the middle and afford Ginny some privacy. She had the feeling that even if Viktor had been comfortable enough to drop off, he would have made an effort to remain awake. Something told her he would have kept watch most of the night no matter what.
All seemed quiet at the moment, as Ginny put on her cloak and eased herself out of the tent. The waters of the lake were ice-rimmed and still, reflecting the deep blue sky above, which still held a few stars. They were winking out one by one as the sky to the east lightened with the approaching dawn.
Ginny glanced at her watch. It was about seven in the morning. Her heart began to pound with anticipation and apprehension. Soon. Soon she would know. There was still one thing she needed. Casting a warming charm to thaw the frosty ground, she scratched up a handful of earth and put it in her pocket.
She found a secluded spot to relieve herself and paused to wash her hands in the icy lake. Splashing some water onto her face made her bite back a squeal at its chill, but it wakened her fully. Making her way back to the tent, she found Viktor poking his head out, looking as if he wanted to ask her where she'd been. He obviously worked it out for himself in the next instant, for he simply nodded a curt good morning to her before going off himself, while Ginny rummaged through their packs for some breakfast.
"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" he asked when he got back and Ginny had handed him some food.
"Of course. Are you still getting a bad feeling about this place?"
Viktor looked around him, and Ginny saw his eyes stray to the entrance of the cave. "I don't know. The feeling's changed. I sense curiosity now more than anything."
Ginny wouldn't have admitted it, but she was relieved to hear him say that. Her own feeling was that the mood surrounding them had lightened. The trees about them seemed less threatening this morning.
Ginny ate some more in silence, while she looked out over the lake and watched the sky gradually lighten. When the first blinding sliver of sun slipped over the edge of the world, she stood. It was time.
Ginny turned and started towards the cave, hearing Viktor rise and follow. She paused at the entrance, looking for the runic inscription, which would confirm to her that she was in the right place. She found it and translated it to herself.
Enter, mortal, but take heed,
Don't ask for more than what you need.
Those who take but do not give
Must pay most dearly while they live.
If you seek and find the way
Be prepared; you must surely pay.
Turn away before you lose
A piece of self, which I will choose.
"Shouldn't I go in by myself?" Ginny asked, suppressing a shudder and turning to find Viktor directly behind her.
"No, I don't think so."
"But… Look, Viktor, I don't want to jeopardise my chances, and well, she's a goddess of unmarried women. Somehow you don't fit the bill."
"Perhaps not," Viktor replied, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. "But while she might be a goddess of virgins, she isn't exactly chaste herself, is she?"
"No, but… I don't know. I have no idea how this will work."
"I'll stay back, all right? But I'm not letting you go in there by yourself."
"Yes, sir," Ginny shot back, saluting. Viktor scowled at her. "Stay here by the entrance, please?" Viktor didn't look pleased with the prospect, but he nodded once. "Right. Well, let's go then before it's too late."
The sun had almost completely risen now, and Ginny felt their window of opportunity slipping away. She didn't want to have to wait another day. She lit her wand and entered the cave, hurrying along the narrow passage until it opened onto a sort of gallery. There was a ring of white stones in the centre, and Ginny knew what she had to do.
Working quickly, she lit a magical fire in the ring of stones and stepped back. Reaching into her pocket as the flames began to rise she threw the handful of earth into them, followed by a pinch of heartsease, closed her eyes, concentrated, and recited an incantation. When she opened her eyes again nothing seemed to be happening at first, and Ginny swore to herself, wondering if she'd mispronounced something.
But then, as she watched, the flames began to rise higher, changing colours, until they'd reached the roof of the cavern. They burned blindingly bright so that Ginny had to shut her eyes, seeing blood red as the fire became so intense that its light penetrated her closed eyelids. She felt sweat break out over her body in the heat.
Then suddenly the red behind her eyes went out, and the heat subsided. Ginny opened her eyes to find a blonde woman towering over her in the ring of stones. The woman was dressed in rich garments, which showed an alarming amount of cleavage. A necklace of heavy gold links rode the tops of her breasts. Her icy blue eyes glittered down at Ginny in disdain.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" the woman asked coldly.
Ginny's first instinct was to reply as rudely as she'd just been addressed., but she knew better than to arouse the goddess' anger. She didn't want her request to be refused, after all. "I'm Ginny Weasley. Are you Gefinn?"
"Of course I am! Who else would I be? Now what do you want?"
Ginny took a calming breath. She couldn't let the goddess' manner get to her. "I've come to ask for your help. You see, there's a wizard named Harry Potter, and he defeated an evil wizard who wanted to take over our world, but in doing so, he lost all his powers. He gave them up willingly in order to defeat the Dark Lord. I thought maybe you could help me get them back for him."
"What makes you think I'm interested in getting some wizard I've never heard of his powers back? Who is he to you that you would come and bother me with this?"
"He's my love."
Gefinn's laughter echoed in the cavern. "Your love? What do you know about love? If you were able to summon me, it means you're still a virgin. Why haven't you given yourself to him?"
Ginny was taken aback. It was a very personal question.
Gefinn laughed again. "You think I'm nosy, don't you? But you may as well answer. I can see into your heart."
"Then why bother asking me?"
"Don't be insolent! I want to see if you know the answer yourself. Why haven't you given yourself?"
"I… I would have. It's… It's just… My brother is a prat! And my mother…" Gefinn was right. She did have to think about this. The further she went back in their relationship, the more complicated things became. "He wanted to wait in the beginning. He had other things to do first. He was afraid he'd have to leave me. And after that things just didn't work out for us. He went through a bad time when he lost his powers, and then I had to go back to school."
When she'd first found out about the possibility of appealing to Gefinn, Ginny had actually been glad things hadn't worked out. She'd even been ready to forgive Ron for being such a prat. But now she wasn't so sure.
"Yes, I see now," Gefinn said. "You have loved this boy ever since you were a child. He is your heart's true love, and you'd risk anything for him. But are you his? Would he do the same for you?"
"He says he loves me, but he grew up not knowing what love is. Perhaps he still doesn't know. But I know this much. He would lay down his life for me."
"That's a start. You must be equals. At least you are equal in this. You will show him the true meaning of love." Gefinn suddenly raised her head and looked beyond Ginny. "Someone else is here. Who have you brought with you?"
Ginny wanted to curse Viktor for his protectiveness. He was as bad as her brothers, maybe even worse. She wasn't too certain how things were going with Gefinn as it was, and she didn't need him ruining her chances.
"Who's there?" Gefinn cried. "I will allow you to pass. Show yourself!"
Viktor stepped forward, glowering, from the shadows. "My name is Viktor Krum," he said.
"So you're not the person this girl wants help for?"
"No."
"Then why have you come?"
"So she wouldn't be travelling alone."
Ginny definitely didn't like the knowing smile that crossed the goddess' features. "I see," Gefinn said after a long moment, during which she scrutinised Viktor. Then she turned back to Ginny. "What makes you think I want to help you?"
"You're supposed to be a goddess of healing, aren't you? I'm asking you to heal Harry. To restore his powers to him."
"I didn't ask if you thought I could help you. I asked what made you think I would."
"Because you're the giver. That's what your name means."
Gefinn fingered her gold necklace. "I never give anything without getting something in return. What are you prepared to give me?"
"I have a special talent. I can make protective talismans."
"Why would I need a protective talisman? I'm immortal!"
Ginny had said on several occasions that she didn't want to go through the pain of producing another gem, but if that's what it took to restore Harry, it would be worth it. She took a deep breath and made her offer. "I can make you a magical gem to go with your necklace."
"What's wrong with my necklace? Do you know what it cost me?"
Ginny knew that Gefinn, according to legend, had prostituted herself for it, but she wasn't about to say that aloud. "It's a bit plain, isn't it? It would be prettier with a crystal set into it."
Gefinn blandly inspected her fingernails. "I don't need a crystal."
"I can give you my talent. I'd give it up so that I couldn't use it anymore."
Gefinn looked at her through narrowed eyes, and Ginny had the distinct feeling she was being sized up. "All right. I'll consider it. But before I decide, I want to see what you can do. Make me a gem, and then we'll discuss it."
And without another word the goddess disappeared.
A/N: Yeah, I know… No Harry in this chapter, but I figure if you think about it, it's not too hard to work out where he went. You'll find out next chapter, anyway. Thanks to everyone for their continued support, and to Monique and Jo for the beta.
Chapter 21