The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect, by James Bow

Chapter Two: The Nightmare Begins

Wesley set a glass down before Ginny and poured out a brownish, translucent liquid into the cup. Ginny curled into herself on her chair, shivering. She stared suspiciously at the glass.

"What is that?" she asked. "Butterbeer?"

"We need something stronger, I think." Wesley poured himself a glass and set the decanter aside. "Butter-scotch." He sipped. "I shouldn't have done that to you. That was very cruel."

"I haven't told anybody what happened," said Ginny. She sipped her glass, grimaced, and straightened out. "Not even Harry, though I still have nightmares about it. I hate the look on his face whenever I wake up screaming. Maybe it'll do me some good to have talked about this, finally. Especially if you tell me what you find so difficult to say."

Wesley stared at her. He drained his glass and poured himself another. Then he sat across from her and stared at the liquid. "It has to do with how we won the war," he said at last. "What do you remember of it?"

"I was in a coma, remember?" Her glare softened. "And nobody will give me the full story. I don't think anybody understands fully what happened. Harry's been bombarded by the press, but he only saw a small fraction of the fighting in those last minutes."

"I pity Harry his profile," said Wesley. "I know what happened, but nobody asked me."

Ginny leaned on the desk. "Tell me what happened, Wesley. Please?"

Wesley took another sip from his glass. "The war started the next day."

***

"I Apparated to St. Mungos as soon as I heard the Burrow had been attacked. I'm afraid I was in quite a state. It reminded me too much of a similar night, five years beforehand, that didn't happen. Fortunately, Ron and Hermione were all right. Harry, however-- He was worse than me."

Ginny lay still in the hospital bed, her face purple and pale. Molly wrung her hands as Arthur held her. Harry stood by the door, his hands at his side, staring.

Hermione stared, herself pale, but her jaw set. Ron squeezed her hand. "We'll she be all right?" She clipped her words short, as though they might betray her to tears.

The nurse checked Ginny's pulse. "With luck. She has that, though. Few would have survived the beating she took. She's strong inside, and that should pull her through. She'll have to learn how to walk again."

Molly moaned. Arthur stared. "Why? Surely you can repair the damage?"

"Most of it. But her legs are the worst off. The best of our restorative charms and potions can't totally fix the worst curses of the Death Eaters. She's lost the use of her legs. She may have to have one amputated. If she pulls through, she'll have to use a cane for the rest of her life."

"She saved us," Molly gasped. "She saved us all!"

There was a clatter of feet in the corridor. Wesley burst in, his bag of purchases dangling from his hand. "Is everybody all right? What happened? Mum!" At the first sight of Hermione, he dropped everything and enveloped her in a tremendous hug. "I thought I'd--" Then he saw Ginny. "Oh, my God."

"She's alive," said Ron. "She helped fight off the Death Eaters."

"Will she be okay?" asked Wesley.

The nurse gave him a sympathetic look that made his blood turn cold. Ron's voice was like stone. "She'll pull through. I know she will. She has to."

Wesley covered his face in his hands. "Oh, God--I'm so sorry I wasn't there. I could have helped--"

Arthur laid a hand on his shoulder. "You did all you could, Wesley. We all did."

Harry turned away and punched open the door. He strode out into the corridor.

Hermione looked up. "Harry?"

Wesley ran out after him.

***

"Harry! Wait!" Wesley had to run to catch up to him. "What are you doing?"

"I should have been there," Harry muttered. "I should helped!"

"Don't blame yourself!" Wesley puffed to keep up. "Granddad's right, we all did everything we could. Nobody expected that attack. Everybody got out alive!"

"Ginny didn't get out unhurt!" Harry yelled. "She sacrificed herself for her family. That should be me in that hospital bed, not her!"

"Well, it's not!" Wesley tried to grab his arm, but Harry shook him off. "You've got to accept that."

"Oh, I'll do more than that," Harry grumbled. "I'll make Voldemort pay for what he's done. He's caused enough suffering and chaos. I'll make him sorry he was ever born!"

Wesley stopped in his tracks, staring in disbelief. Then he ran after him again. "Harry, you're not thinking straight."

"I don't care!"

"Harry!" Wesley quickened his pace and darted between Harry and the door to the stairwell. "I won't let you do this!"

"Get out of my way!" Harry tried to push him aside, but Wesley planted himself in the way.

"What are you going to do? Hunt down Voldemort by yourself? How are you going to do that? Search for his Dark Tower?"

"I have this!" Harry slapped his scar. "I can seek him out!"

"Oh, brilliant: divine him out through debilitating pain, that's a good strategy!"

"I have to do something!" Harry tried to dodge around the other way.

"I agree!" Wesley blocked him. "But something other than throwing your life away!"

"Wesley, get. Out. Of. My! WAY!" Harry's voice deepened, and all the light was sucked from the room. He radiated energy, towering over Wesley and making the boy look very, very small.

Wesley took a deep breath. "No." He closed his eyes.

The air rushed around them. Then, suddenly, "Harry, stop!"

Hermione rushed between them, shoving the two apart, and breaking the power like a ground. "Get a hold of yourself! Wesley's right, you can't face Voldemort alone!"

Harry backed into a wall. His breaths came in short, sharp gasps. "I can't just stand here. I'm sick of being afraid. I'm sick of waiting for Voldemort to attack! I'm sick of it all!"

"I understand."

The soft voice made everyone stop. Harry looked up to see Dumbledore step from the stairwell. "How long have you been listening?"

"Long enough to come to a decision," said the Headmaster. "You're right, Mr. Potter. We have cowered long enough while Voldemort rebuilt his army. We should cower no more" He stepped around Wesley, making for the hospital room where Ginny lay. As he passed, he paused and patted Harry's shoulder. "But if you will wait but a few days more, I will give you something to channel your anger. Everyone's anger. Be patient for me?"

Harry, Wesley and Hermione stared after him a moment before following him back to Ginny's room.

***

"Dumbledore paid a quick visit to Ginny. He gave the nurses some of my advanced spells to use. I'd forgotten about them in all the rush, I'm ashamed to say. They helped, but only a little. By that time, the wizarding world had caught up to a lot of what I knew. Then Dumbledore left, taking granddad--your father with him."

"Where did he go?"

"He didn't tell us, but I guessed later that it was to the Ministry. St. Mungo's started to fill up rapidly after that. The attack on the Burrow wasn't the only one that happened that night. St. Mungos received two hundred casualties in the next three hours. Hermione and I were conscripted into tending to the wounded. Ron wanted to help, but somebody had to stay to look after you-- and your mother. So, Hermione and I got to work. The injuries we saw--" He shuddered. "And those were just the ones that lived. The Death Eaters were making their move.

"Later that night, Corneleus Fudge addressed us through WWN."

"To all loyal wizards living on the British Isles." Fudge's voice cracked as he read his prepared statement. "It grieves me to tell you that the followers of the Dark Lord Voldemort have, this night, seen fit to attack hundreds of Wizarding households, killing and plundering indiscriminately. It is clear, from the severity of the attack, that the Wizarding world faces an armed insurrection by the followers of Voldemort and that no wizard that loves peace and tolerance is safe while this violence lasts.

"I hereby announce that, as of this moment, a state of war exists between the supporters of peace and justice and the Dark Lord's Death Eater hordes. All wizards who wish to preserve the safety of their loved ones, are asked to come to one of several safe havens that the Ministry is setting up this night. These havens are heavily guarded by our Aurors. There, all Wizards will be given Veritaserum to prove their loyalty. Those that pass may volunteer to join the forces we are building to face down the threat of Voldemort. The location of these havens will be given out at the end of this broadcast.

"With the help of Albus Dumbledore and his associates, the Ministry of Magic is performing a thorough check of our people, ensuring the loyalty of all our members. Key supporters of the Dark Lord have already been identified and removed from their positions of authority. Aurors are, even now, moving to arrest these traitors.

"Albus Dumbledore has convinced me that we must not cower under this onslaught. We may love peace, but we will not be docile. Fear is understandable, but cowardice is not. We will face the Dark Lord and his minions. We will guard our families and fight to keep our freedom. We will pursue this struggle relentlessly, even to the death.

"May the coming days bring a true and lasting peace to the wizards of Great Britain. But whatever the outcome, we will be firm in our resolve."

Ron looked across the cafeteria table at Wesley. "This is it. We're at war."

Wesley lowered his head to the table. "Yes, we are. Let's hope it goes better, this time."