Chapter 3 Refuge and Revolution
Ginny brought her full attention back to the task before her and stared for a few minutes, calculating. Finally, she gave the order for her knight to move to a new position and glanced back at Zabini.
“Nice one, Ginny,” she turned back to Theo and the chess game with a small shake of her head, as if she was clearing it after a long sleep, “But let’s see what you make of this.”
She glared at the offending Queen and studied the board carefully. There must be a way for her to get rid of his queen before he did anymore damage with that piece. He relied very heavily on the Queen so if only she could take her out of the game she would be able to ensure herself an easy victory. At least she hoped she would, but this was only their second game and she probably shouldn’t underestimate him, he might have some other tricks up his sleeve.
Finally, she found an opening for one of her rooks and moved it by hand, feeling more connected to the game that way. She looked up to find Nott staring at her thoughtfully.
He turned back to the board hastily, but when he spoke it had nothing to do with imaginary battles. “Why did you burn the house, Ginny?” he asked, “The illusions we left would have been enough to stop him going after you.”
Blaise (she wanted to get used to calling him that, but it was not as easy as calling Theo by his first name rather than his last) - he turned in his seat by the window and laughed. “Enough for Voldemort, Theo, enough for us, but remember this little Weasley had her own bones to pick with both sides of the war. Isn’t that right, Ginny?”
Ginny decided she liked it when he used her first name. She ignored the question for a few seconds and sunk into the armchair she was sitting in. It was so soft, so comfortable. In the few days she had been here she had come to love this place, to think of it as her own refuge. But she hadn’t left to get peace of mind, not really, she hadn’t left without a word to any of them, faked her own death, just so she could hide out in a magically concealed shelter while others did the work for her. “Might as well have stayed with Mum, cooking and dusting the stupid Black House all the time for all the use I am to anyone.”
“We’re not useless,” Blaise jumped out of his seat and stared down at her with indignation, “We’re building something.”
She nodded, that was true. The two runaway Death Eaters had not been idle, they had big dreams, big hopes. She had come to admire them for it. She looked towards Theo over the chess board as his Queen struck down another one of her players. She had come to think of them as friends, one of them at least, she wasn’t sure how Blaise would take the idea of befriending a Weasley even now.
“I don’t want them looking for me, Theo,” she answered his previous question, “I don’t want to hold them back either.”
“How were you holding them back?”
She sighed, remembering the twins and Charlie and Mum and Dad and Bill. Even Ron - and Percy thought he was a bloody prick. “Check,” she said with a small smirk as soon as she noticed it. She watched in silence for the next few moments and could not peel her eyes off as a small stone sword was drawn.
Theo sniffed and stood up. He jerked his head towards the door that led into the dueling room. They had set it up with all sorts of charms and spells for dueling practice and this was one of the things she liked most about this place. “I’m still far better at dueling,” Theo said, “Care for a quick demonstration of my superior skill?”
She grinned. Even Blaise left his notes and stretched, pulling out his wand. She knew now that she had much to learn, but unlike before when she had had no hope of ever seeing a battlefield, she was now prepared to wait, to be patient while she learned. “Is that a challenge, Nott?” she lowered her voice to what she hoped was an intimidating tone and pulled out her own wand.
“Since you’re so skilled, Theo, perhaps you can have the first turn at being alone?” Blaise suggested. They took it in turns practicing two against one. It was tiring facing two opponents, but in a real battle you were likely to be much more gravely outnumbered. Blaise stepped in beside her and her heart skipped a beat. She shook her head and tried to focus and remember useful spells, it would be no use making a fool of herself - she didn’t think she’d ever live it down.
She did not come out on top in that particular battle, but they practiced everyday in the bewitched room that seemed to have a mind of its own and slowly Ginny felt herself gaining confidence, agility, and knowledge. Theo Nott had a large store of spells and jinxes that Ginny had never even heard of before. He was quick, too, and he had a knack for hiding in the shadows so he could not be easily seen even when she used Blaise’s revealing spell on him.
Blaise was different. He could not boast as much knowledge as his friend and his wand movements were slow by comparison, but his magic was powerful. Ginny caught herself on the receiving end of one of his hexes only a week later and had to be confined to her bed for the next couple of days alternately complaining about the pain and trying to get him to teach her how to perform the hex. It was a good thing that both boys knew a thing or two about emergency healing or she may never have recovered.
“Theo,” she began as he unwrapped the bandage on her left arm, “I know how important it is, what you’re doing here, but you’re disconnecting yourself from the world. Isn’t it your war too?”
“No, Ginny,” he said softly, “It’s not our war, not Blaise and I. Blaise didn’t spend his first year possessed by that monster, I don’t have a brother whose face was ripped apart by Greyback.”
“But that’s not what it’s about!” she regretted her outburst immediately because her arm twisted in his hand and the wound smarted horribly, but she couldn’t stop herself: “It’s not about revenge, Theo, you know that, it’s not just petty revenge, it’s about what’s right. Isn’t that why you left them?”
“Of course it is,” he said sharply, not looking up from his task, “But wars have sides and we don’t belong on yours no matter what we do, we never will. Nor do we want to.”
He took a deep breath, but she had come to know Theo and she understood that he had more to say, he was collecting his thoughts, finding the words and forcing them upon his unused voice. “We left because life, not just war, is about what’s right and in this war none of the sides are right,” he looked up, holding her gaze in his, “I won’t be at the beck and call of the ministry or the order of the phoenix any more than I will allow myself to go back to the Dark Lord’s ranks. And I think you have enough sense to know by now how much pride our friend has.”
Ginny nodded. They didn’t really have much choice, but it hurt her to think about it. Maybe if they were making an effort, maybe if they risked their pride for a short time they could help bring Voldemort down.
Bring Tom down.
“Besides,” Theo said giving the bandage one last tap with his wand, “Who will be there to heal the world when the war is over?”
“Can I see it again?”
“Of course,” he stood and walked silently out of the room returning moments later with a wooden structure standing before him, “You’re one of us, Ginny, you’re part of this, never ask if you can see it or touch it or question it. You don’t have to ask.”
“Thank you,” she said, “Friend.”
Theo let it rest on her lap and picked up one of his books to read in his spot under the window. She liked it when he read around her. The silence was companionable and he made his presence felt. It was reassuring.
She brought a finger up to caress one of the small model towers. Some days the only thing that kept her patient in the face of the boys’ stubbornness and unwillingness to go out and fight was this small wooden structure that represented their dream.
The two young unqualified wizards were building a healing academy. But first, she thought, they needed a place to build it and some very strong protection and anti-detection charms. After all, both Tom and the Ministry would gladly kill the both of them no questions asked. They were, however, doing a very good job at researching and teachings themselves the knowledge they would need.
Blaise came in at that moment and plopped himself into an armchair. His face looked beautiful in the dancing shadows and the pale moonlight seeping in through the window. He was actually sweating from exertion even though she knew the protection was completely magical. “It’s safe,” he said at length, “At least for tonight.”
One of the biggest failings in their most powerful protective charm was that it had to be renewed every night. They needed to find a good way to protect more space and permanently. It could not continue to drain Blaise like this once everyday.
Blaise suddenly became aware of her gaze and stood up. He sat on the bed, completely ignoring the chair beside it and began to examine the bandages. She neglected to mention that Theo had already renewed it, and so did Theo, although she saw him glance at her from his spot by the window.
When Blaise was finished re-wrapping them he lifted her hand to his lips and let them touch for a minute. “When you gain enough skill and confidence, Ginny,” he whispered, “You’re going to go out there and throw yourself into battle and leave us. You will never have enough patience for healing,” she suddenly became aware of her restless fidgeting, “And I am thoroughly sick of adventure.”
Ginny stared at him in silence for a few moments and then she realized it had not been a decision, it had been a warning. Her hand was still clasped in his. She didn’t care. He was a hundred times better than the boy she’d spent years of her life dreaming of and she wasn’t going to go down without a fight. She would make them see her side of it. She would find the words to explain to both of them that it wasn’t about sides any more than it was about revenge. You didn’t have to listen to someone’s stupid orders in order to fight. They’d win this war together.
They started going out a week later – well as far out as they could go when they were confined within a small run-down cottage sheltered from the world by undetectable charms and protective spells. Ginny started plotting her rebellion a month after that.
