Toxic Memories

"He was jealous of me? Whatever for, Minerva?" Harry was aghast at the implications.

Ginny spoke up in a tight voice, "Because you were famous and if you were his friend, he would be famous, too. He talked about that when he came home for Christmas your first year. I had forgotten until now. Oh, love, I am so sorry."

"Not your fault, Gin. Bloody hell, it explains so much. The way he acted towards Hermione those first four years, and the snit he had when my name came out of the Goblet of Fire. Oh, it must have galled him for me to be even more famous and him not sharing the glory. Merlin, I must have been blind to see how superficial his friendship was."

Alastor could not stand for Harry to be so shocked. "Well, lad, he's made himself a name for sure now. Kidnapping, rape, and worse. Near murder as well. The Wizengamot will not be lenient with him, not even if he was infected with a bit of the Horcrux. It isn't your fault, nor is it the Weasleys'. There was something lacking in the boy from the first; had to have been for him to act out that way in your early school years."

Minerva asked a question to get the table away from the disastrous subject of Ron. "Tell me about the Snitch Hermione was holding. I know it was from Viktor, but what is the story?"

"Well, when the three of us decided to go after the Horcruxes..." Harry began.

"You mean when you told me goodbye, and were going to go off on your own, don't you?" Ginny gently reminded him.

"Yeah, that's true. I had it in my head that it was too dangerous for you to be in love with me, and to drag your brother and my sort-of sister on the hunt with me. I am very glad Hermione had made up her mind that I wasn't going anywhere without her. Ron just rather tagged along. The night before we left, an owl came to the window for her. It carried a small box and a letter. I saw her tuck the box into her bag and start to cry when she read the letter. I forgot about the box and the letter until the night that Ron stormed out. She took that box out of her bag and opened it. The Snitch was in it. She held that Snitch to her lips and kissed it. She whispered something that I couldn't hear and cried again. I fell asleep at that point, but I am willing to bet that Viktor showed up that night to comfort her. I know he came other times. He had to have done because she would go from nervy and unhappy to radiant. I couldn't figure it out because my head was so centred on the Horcruxes. The times she was happy were the same times we found food and shelter. I guess Viktor had a lot to do with that. He always did protect her."

"Where is the Snitch, Harry?" Alastor asked. "I have a thought about it."

"It is in my bag. I'll get it," Ginny responded. She dug in the bag and handed him the Snitch.

Alastor's face took on a look of intense concentration and he cast a few spells at the Snitch, finally handing it back to Ginny.

"Interesting. He made the damn thing into a witch's ball. Filled it with emotion-activated spells. I'll wager there is a lock of her hair in it. He aimed it at keeping her focused and calm. A whole lot of love went into that."

"But why would she be holding it today?" Harry asked.

Alastor shook his head before answering, "I think you'll find that Ron told her Viktor was dead or the babies were dead. She was using the witch ball to infuriate Ron into killing her so she could be free. The traces of her wandless magic are fraught with despair and hopelessness. I think we had best get back to the school. You two need to talk."

Goodbyes were said, and the older couple left by the Floo.

Harry told Kreacher to clear the dinner away and then go to bed.

After he and Ginny returned to the library, he lit a fire. Standing, staring at the flames, he asked, "Gin, when do you want to have kids? Those two tonight were so..."

"Harry, it is up to you. You have always known that. I know you are always a bit skittish around our friends' kids. However, you have the instincts to be a very good father. Kids sense that they are safe with you. You're a kind, sensible, funny man. I love you more every day we are married. That really isn't what you wanted to ask though, is it?"

Harry laughed a bit and admitted, "No, I really wanted to ask if you had worried about the time I was spending with Hermione on the Horcrux hunt?"

Ginny smiled and shook her head. "No, I knew she was in love with Viktor and that you were in love with me. Moreover, I got regular reports from our guest upstairs. He wanted me to know there was nothing untoward going on. He was very good about telling me how you were."

"Aha, another reason to thank him when this is all over. You go to bed. I am going back to St. Mungo's to take over the watch. Tomorrow is going to be a nightmare."

Morning found the Potters and their somewhat subdued guest Flooing off to St. Mungo's after breakfast.

Snape met them at the door to Hermione's room.

"Viktor, you will lie down beside her and take her hand in yours, then you will drink the contents of this phial. Everything will be fine. I will wake both of you once my job is done."

Viktor took the phial from Snape's hands and lay down on the bed next to Hermione. He drank the contents of the phial and went to sleep.

"Kingsley approved the use of the Imperius, Harry. He said the circumstances warranted its use. I have several flasks. I will take his memories first. Then, I will go after hers. She has had rather more Draught of Living Death than he has because I expect it to take much longer to retrieve her memories and patch what is left together. Percy has been here already and told me you found the children. Both Alastor and Minerva have been here, bringing potions and clean things for Hermione."

"I know, Severus. I was here until about three when Bill and Charlie came to relieve me. Is taking his memories going to lessen their bond?"

"No, it will simply give him some peace. While I am working on her memories, the Healers will be evaluating Viktor. I told Percy to bring Luna and the children this afternoon. Hopefully, things will be much improved by then."

He turned as if to go, and Ginny caught him by the hand. Planting a kiss on his cheek, she murmured, "Thank you, Severus. I know you don't hear those words enough. You are a very kind man. We are very lucky to have a friend like you."

Severus just looked at her, raising one eyebrow, before nodding and walking into the room.

"Oh, dear, I think I embarrassed him, Harry. But he truly is kind to do this sort of work."

Harry put his arm around her and sat down on one of the benches to wait. A few minutes later, the Healer came out and told them that Viktor had been given several general nutritional potions, and the old scars on his wrists had been removed.

Harry was almost afraid to ask, but did anyway. "What scars, Healer Ormond?"

The reply was curt. "The self-inflicted scars, Mister Potter. He had apparently tried to commit suicide at some point." The man was clearly indignant.

Harry stood up, looked the Healer in the eye, and said, none too kindly, "Healer Ormond, I am telling you this because you need to know, but I want your sworn word that you will tell no one else."

"Why yes, of course, Mister Potter."

"Viktor Krum is an empath. The things done to his wife affected him as well. Do you blame him for trying to escape their shared pain? He obviously didn't succeed, and your condescension is unwarranted."

"Oh, yes, that does change things. I am so sorry. I should never have presumed to judge. My apologies." He hurried off to check on other patients.

Ginny kissed Harry and said, "I just love it when you defend our friends. You intimidate people. It is heart-warming to watch."

At that moment, in the Auror holding cell at the Ministry, a Healer was doing a complete diagnostic on Ron Weasley. He asked Ron what the old scar on his forearm was and was it infected; the area gave off a strange reading and appeared to pain Ron when touched. Ron glared at the Healer and shrugged when asked questions.

The Aurors let the Healer out of the cell and had him write up his report. A copy was sent to the Minister, and a copy went to St. Mungo's.

The Healer returned some hours later and examined the scar again. Alastor Moody had requested the wound be checked for any foreign substance. The reading matched that of an object in the Department of the Mysteries. The Healer documented the findings and hurried back to St. Mungo's.

Meanwhile, Severus was picking his way through Viktor's memories of Hermione's ordeal. Selecting only the memories of the sexual abuse, he deleted those and removed the Imperius Curse. He had also taken the memory of Viktor harming himself when he was at his lowest.

At least I can take that memory and destroy it. Neither of them needs to deal with it.

What Snape found most interesting was that even though Viktor was still connected to Hermione's emotions while she was with Ron, he had not been able to find her. Snape made a mental note to see if the Imperius was the reason her whereabouts were blocked. He also removed the memory of their meeting last night. He knew Viktor would be better off not remembering how he had been castigated.