I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS FROM THAT SERIES BECAUSE THEY ALL BELONG TO JOANNE KATHLEEN (J.K.) ROWLING.

Chapter Twenty-Six-

Harry held Ginny as she drank another sip of tea. They had just came back from the hospital and were done talking to the ministry. It was five in the morning and the healer said that Ginny should just rest and eat to gain her health back.

Albus, Lily, and Teddy fell asleep at the hospital an hour in since they were so tired. Mr. Potter had to chuckle when he came out of a room with his wife and saw Albus leaning his head on Teddy’s shoulder with Lily lying down sleeping on the bench. The waiting room was relatively empty except for a couple of people, who were also sleeping. Even Ginny gave a wide smile.

Scorpius and Mr. Malfoy were at St. Mungos since they were trying to find a way for Astoria to wake up. The school officially called off the lock down since students were going out because of all the family members and arrests. Students were going to leave in the afternoon today. Ron, Hermione, Hugo, and Rose were also at the hospital along with Molly and Arthur, but they also left when Ginny was going to her last healer of the morning. Alice was also in the waiting room and she was sleeping as well, but she was leaning the other way in the chair that was beside Albus.

Harry just woke up Albus and Teddy, but before he could wake up the girls, Albus and Teddy stopped them and went to carry them. Albus took Alice and Teddy held Lily. The ride home was quiet and the boys also took them inside. Albus and Alice were in their rooms while Lily and Teddy were sleeping on the couches downstairs. Teddy had told Victoire what happened and he was going to leave his wife and two boys at his house and stay with his godfather for the day to help around the house and help find James.

“When did Lily and Albus come to the house?” Ginny asked as she leaned against her husband in the dark morning.

“A couple of days ago. Apparently Albus was crying in the common room out of worry and stress, so he was going to come over for the weekend and Lily was offered to come along and she did.” Harry answered as he kissed her.

Ginny set her now empty cup on the nightstand beside her before she laid down in the bed. Harry did the same and they looked at each other. Ginny sighed before she said, “James is going to be okay, right Harry?”

Harry kissed her and whispered, “of course he is. He is strong and strong willed and smart. Not only that, but we will find him.”

Ginny began crying again gently and Harry gently wiped her tear away.

“I left him. I should’ve stayed with him.” Ginny whispered, “dammit, Harry, I feel so guilty!”

“Don’t be! Because now that you’re out, we can find James. We can find him now, Ginny!” Harry comforted her.

“Except that I have no idea where we were. Astoria knew. All she said was that it was a professor’s house. That could mean the kid’s professors or one of ours.” Ginny sighed, “all I know was that one girl that was there. She helped kidnap James and I in the first place.”

“You must’ve told the Ministry that when I went to check on the kids. Who was it?” Harry asked worriedly.

“Pansy.” Ginny growled.

*

James groaned when the man’s foot slammed into his stomach. He doubled over in pain and groaned, but he couldn’t do anything to defend himself. His wrists were tied tightly behind his back and his mouth was gagged with the tight cords. He was hungry and thirsty. His captors had given him nothing ever since he woke up in the basement of the house again.

He was bleeding. They had used an unforgivable curse on him as well as other torture spells. They had also kicked him several times in the stomach and head to a point where James felt his ribs break. He was panting as he watched the one man that was kicking him walk away.

“Stupid kid! Now what are we going to do?!” the man asked, still in his mask.

“We have to leave. Astoria knows where we are. She will recognize my house.” One man said and James recognized the voice, but in his pain, he couldn’t recall his memories, “and Ginny knows about Pansy. Sooner or later he will track the location here and to us.”

The pig face, black haired woman who looked possibly either pregnant or fat walked to James and stared down at the bleeding boy.

“I have a better idea. We need to end this and we need to end it now.” Pansy whispered, “get the video camera. It may be muggle, but it is the only thing that will work.”

James glared at Pansy and she smiled down at him before stepping on his shoulder roughly. James groaned in pain and Pansy smiled. One man went to get the video camera and Pansy then kneeled down and held the boy’s chin.

“Until your father gets here, we’re going to do anything to you except kill you. This is probably going to be the worse twenty-four hours of your life.” Pansy smiled.

Bring it on, James thought.

*

The next morning, Harry woke up to the tapping on his window. He looked over to see that his wife was still sleeping soundly. It was dusk, the sun just rising. Harry looked at his window to see a black Great Horned owl that he did not recognize, but it was holding a DVD case.

Harry gently walked out of the bed and to the window. He grabbed his wand on the way and pointed it at the mysterious animal before he took the case. By the time the owl flew off and Harry shut the window, Ginny opened her eyes and asked him, “what is that?”

“I’m sorry that I woke you.” Harry told her, “A DVD thing. I don’t know exactly. I didn’t recognize the owl.”

Ginny got out of bed and both of them walked downstairs to see Albus, Alice, Teddy, and Lily all up, watching the television. Harry was surprised. He didn’t hear Albus or Alice walk down the staircase.

“What are you all doing up so early?” Harry asked them.

“Lily was up when I did and about a half hour later, Alice came down and then Albus did a couple of minutes later.” Teddy told his godfather.

“Are you sure that you can stay, Teddy?” Ginny asked him.

“Yes. I talked to Victoire.” Teddy said, “she says that she can watch Michelle and Victoria for a couple of days while I spend some time here.”

Ginny smiled and Harry then went to the television and began to put it in, “sorry, this came by owl this morning.”

The kids did nothing as Ginny sat beside her daughter, who had her quilt wrapped around her like a shield as all of the other family members were on the other couch, sitting together. Harry stepped back as the DVD began to play, the entire family mortified when they saw James in a cellar, blood all around him as he was cut and bruised, bound and gagged. The camera centered on him in the darkness besides one light from the background. James was looking at the camera, weakly as he was tired.

“You’re son is alive Harry, but he won’t be for long. We’re going to give you twenty-four hours to come to my house. If you tell the Ministry then your son will die. We will make a trade. Your life or your son’s.” a woman’s voice said.

Harry then saw James gently shake his head before someone pointed a spell at him that made James go rigid and scream into the gag before the tape clipped out. Lily was white and began taking short breaths before her mother wrapped an arm around her to try to calm her down. Harry sighed and closed his eyes, knowing what had to be done.