The Aurors replayed the narrative of the young French girl once again, listening carefully to her frightful description of the event. There were Avadas they agreed, a lot of Avadas. What was that thing she described happened to the attacker? It seemed like he was stunned, probably by Harry Potter, but that the wizard dissolved and appeared again - what kind of magic was that? Different theories were brought forward. Snape did not take part in the discussions. He put a hand on Mr Weasley’s shoulder and exchanged a look with Bill Weasley that spoke of the seriousness of the situation.

“We don’t know yet,” Snape contented himself to mumble. Mr Weasley tried to clear his throat to say something in return, but in the end, he abstained from talking. At last Fleur and Ophelia came back into the room.

“The French Ministry of Magic has finally acknowledged the incident officially,” said Ophelia. Simultaneously, Mrs Steadfast opened the door to her office where she had shut herself up.

“Message from France - the Security Office. Please read my communication stone, Mrs Fleur. The translation spell has stopped working – it’s an incomprehensible mess of French and English. I guess we haven’t had the occasion to make contact with France for a long time.” Fleur took the stone and started to translate as she read aloud to herself.

“Incident de Magie illegitime au Club Trocadéro le 14 Avril 1999... Incident, oui... you understand zzat... Cinq morts dont un sorcier, nationalité inconnue et un sorcier blessé grave, nationalité francaise... Five deaths, where-off one wizard of unknown nationali-tee and one seriously wounded Frrrench wizard,” she read. Mrs Steadfast stifled an exclamation, whereas Mr Weasley looked eerily from one person to the other, as if he wanted someone to explain to him what it all meant.

“A wounded French wizard and a dead wizard... No mention of a witch - they do make the distinction in French - don’t they, Fleur - between witch and wizard?” Bill spoke.

“Yes... sorcier and sorcière. Zzey say sorcier...” answered Fleur.

“Ginny is probably alive, then,” said Bill in a half-choked voice and pressed his father’s shoulder. “But Harry...” Bill’s voice trailed off.

Snape studied his palms with an empty expression on his face. The Aurors’ Office was silent. There was nothing they could do. Fleur spoke suddenly, burring her “r”s lengthily.

“I will try to establ-ish an Appari-tioun area in your office, Arthur. Ginny will want to come directly to you when she is released from zze interoga-tiouns. Zzey’ll find ‘er, don’t you worry, Arthur. But she’ll be devastated, if ‘Arry is dead. Let’s make our best to bring ‘er ‘ome to Molly as quickly and as considerately as we can. Do I ‘ave your authoriza-tioun, Madame, to speak to our Department and to the French Department of Magical Transporta-tioun in order to alter the composition of magma temporarily in Arthur’s office and make it possible for ‘er to... to Apparate back ‘ere? And to the Security Office to let zzem know of zze arrangement?”

“That’s a good idea, Mrs Fleur,” said Mrs Steadfast after having cleared her throat. “Let’s hope to bring them both back... We do not know yet what has happened to Harry. Don’t assume the worst. By all means, Mrs Fleur, let’s go, I’ll sign the forms later,” she said with a stubborn look on her face and met Snape’s dark gaze briefly.

Mrs Steadfast followed Fleur and Ophelia out of the office to meet the head of International Cooperation and subsequently inform the Minister of Magic. Snape started to pace back and fro in the room as the Aurors flickered between the channels on the Muggle TV and waited for the British wizard news to start at eight o’clock on the wireless.

“Do you think...?” Mr Weasley started to say to Snape, but was cut off.

“Nothing! I think nothing until I have proof of what has happened... Mrs Steadfast is right about that at least... For the rest... Sorry, Arthur, I didn’t mean to snap at you...” Snape made a jerky gesture.

“Don’t worry about it...” Mr Weasley murmured.

“Has Mrs Steadfast asked anyone to look after her communication stone while she is away?” Snape suddenly roared at the other Aurors. Mrs Steadfast’s right hand, Soundy, was not in the room and no one else answered. Snape muttered as he let himself into Mrs Steadfast’s office.

“French...” he sneered, as he came back with the communication stone in his hands. “There is something new here... We need to wait for Mrs Fleur Weasley to come back... Unless... Anyone?” He raised his voice questioningly at the Aurors who watched him apprehensively. A well-known figure stepped forward. 

“Mr Burgess, what are you doing here? Well, you’ll read French, of course,” said Snape.

“I took some days off from Hogwarts during Easter and I was spending them with a friend in London when I was reached by the news that something happened at my former working place and I came here... Technically I’m still on the program, you know Professor... the teaching is only temporary...” Mr Burgess ranted on. Snape stared at the garrulous man.

“Translate this,” he commanded curtly.

“It says that the dead wizard is supposed to be a British subject…” The audience of Aurors gasped and Snape’s fingers clasped the stone so tightly that they turned white. ”It also says that they’ve apprehended a witch… and a wizard - also of British nationality,” continued Mr Burgess. ”Why on earth don’t they give us more particulars, or spell out the names!” Mr Burgess’ outburst was surprisingly strong and devoid of his usual ingratiating manners. “They are bringing the apprehended British subjects in for interrogation at their Security Office.”

“What did you just say?” Mrs Steadfast stepped inside again, followed by Fleur. They repeated the message and Fleur verified the translation. They all agreed that it was unduly bureaucratic to speak of British subjects without mentioning any names.

“They know very well that we are concerned about Mr Harry Potter and Miss Ginny Weasley in particular. They know they were objects of protection from our side,” said Mrs Steadfast.

“What protection? They’ll wonder,” said Snape sarcastically. “It’s not as if you had a squad of Aurors after them.”

“Well, we’ll get confirmation any moment now, since they’re on their way to the French Security Office. We might be able to speak to Miss Ginny...” Mrs Steadfast sank down on a chair. “There’s nothing to do, but to wait...” She started to pull at the fingers of her left hand in a way that made the joints snap. Snape frowned disapprovingly at her.

“It’s all arranged for Ginny to Apparate directly into ‘er father’s office whenever she’s finished,” said Fleur.

“And Harry,” Mrs Steadfast corrected her absentmindedly. “It might take a while though. They’ll want to interrogate them thoroughly - if it is indeed them. They might have been delayed by the Muggle authorities. That’s why they’ve not been able to contact me...”

At this moment, a breathless Ophelia tumbled into the room.

“They’re here!” she panted. Everybody’s heads turned to her. “Please come quickly!” she pleaded. “I think they’re dead!” She was wide-eyed and near tears.

“Who are you talking about, Ophelia?” said Mrs Steadfast severely as she rose.

“I think it’s them! Two young people appeared at Mr Weasley’s office when I was there to check the Apparition zone! Please, please come!”

“It can’t be them! They were just being brought to the French Security Office for interrogation.”

“I don’t know who it is, but somebody has come! Please go, Mrs Steadfast. They don’t move, they don’t breathe!”

“You cannot send dead people by Apparition, Ophelia...” Mrs Steadfast started to object with confusion written on her face, but Snape interrupted her. 

“No time to argue, Audrey, come on!” He was already at the door.

Mrs Steadfast pulled herself together.

“Soundy and Mr Weasley come with me - the rest of you stay here, please. Mr and Mrs Bill Weasley may come as well of course... and you Ophelia!” she commanded.

They ran through the corridor to Mr Weasley’s office that was situated halfway down to the elevators, and rushed to the door that Ophelia had taken care to shut. Mrs Steadfast banged it open and all of them stumbled inside, but froze as if stunned by the sight that met their eyes.

On the floor, side by side, equally slender and hand in hand, lay Harry and Ginny. Their faces were pale, but serene and their eyes were closed. They were simply, but elegantly dressed in Muggle clothes. Ginny wore a sky-blue top with short sleeves and diamond-like items around the décolletage. She had tight, leather-like black trousers and patent leather high-heals. Harry too had black trousers in a softer material and elegant shoes. He wore a startling white shirt. They looked surprisingly unscathed, even unaffected, but as Ophelia had pointed out, their chests were not moving and Harry’s lips were a blue-lilac colour.

While everyone was still staring at the young couple, Harry started to stir. His head moved slightly from side to side and his eyes opened. He coughed as he rolled over on the side facing Ginny. When he saw her, he sat himself up with an effort, gasped and started to shake her by her shoulders.

“Ginny, Ginny!” his voice sounded croaky and weak. He shook harder and lifted his eyes at the assembled people. His face, so serene a moment ago was screwed up with fear. He looked like he had lived a decade in one night and his green eyes were pleading. They searched the persons present and fastened upon Snape. He coughed again and wiped his mouth on his sleeve where a red stain appeared.

“Help her! Please, help her!” he croaked.

Snape was indeed the first to react as he stepped forward to bend over the young, unconscious witch. He drew his wand.

“Rennervate!” he said, pointing at her still body. He repeated the spell twice. Ginny glowed in response, but did not stir. Snape seemed to hesitate, but had to decide quickly on his actions.

“Harry, are you up to blow three breaths into her mouth?” he said urgently. Harry wiped his mouth again and drew a rather rattling breath before he gave Ginny the kiss of life.

Snape did a new Rennervation spell, and suddenly Ginny sat up, gasping violently for air. As she exhaled, blood started to spout out of her mouth. Her eyes were wide with fear and she clung to Harry who had caught her in his arms. Blood continued to gush out through Ginny’s mouth and quickly coloured Harry’s white shirt red with blood.

“Wait, Miss Ginny, stay still and I’ll get that to stop,” said Snape as he lowered himself on his knees in front of her. But Ginny was so panic-stricken that she wriggled from one side to another, trying desperately to draw breaths while splattering blood all over the place. Snape tried to hold her chin and do a spell directed at her throat, but she punched his arms away and twisted her whole body. Harry who was coughing quite badly himself, with blood running both from the corners of his mouth and his nostrils, although at a slower rate than Ginny’s cascade of blood, struggled to, but could not hold her still.

“Will someone help Potter restrain her so that I can stop that lung bleeding!” Snape hissed between clenched teeth. “You don’t want me to conjure up ropes and tie her up in front of you, all the same! You can see that she is losing blood, no? Quick, now!”

Mr Weasley hurried forward and sank down behind Ginny.

“Daddy’s here, Ginny,” he said. “I’m going to hold you. We used to do this when you were little and we needed to give you a Potion. Stay still now, child...” He put a gentle hand on her forehead from behind, put his other arm across her chest, grabbing one of her shoulders and pulling her firmly against his own chest. Harry held her hands so that they would not punch Snape.

“Stay still, darling. The healer will do a spell and you’ll be fine,” Mr Weasley murmured soothingly, as if speaking to a very small child. 

Snape run the fingers of his left hand over Ginny’s throat as he read an incantation and waved his wand over her chest. The fountain of blood ceased to run and Ginny could finally draw regular breaths. She relaxed and turned to sob in her father’s arms. Mr Weasley murmured comforting words to her and stroked her back. Snape’s hands were red with blood and his sleeves were drenched all the way up to his elbows. Both his and Harry’s faces had been splashed with droplets of Ginny’s blood during the short, but intense struggle.

When he released Ginny to her father, Harry turned away and sagged to the side. He supported himself with both hands on the floor, but soon turned his anguished face back to Snape as his breaths grew more and more rattling and the blood gushed out of his mouth in a steady stream at every cough he made. Panic shone out of his eyes, but he managed to stay still when Snape performed the spells for the same treatment that Ginny had been given. Snape’s left hand was once again washed with blood.

When Snape was done and Harry could breathe again, he closed his eyes, bent his head down and started to mumble to himself. His fists were clenched as he supported himself on the knuckles on the floor between his knees.

Mrs Steadfast, Soundy, Fleur, Bill and Ophelia were still in shock at what they had just witnessed, whereas Snape started to swear as he rose slowly from the floor, putting his wand away. His mutterings increased into scolding and when he was upright he turned with fury at Harry.

“What were you thinking of, Potter, Apparating all the way from Paris? Disregarding the distance limit of direct Apparition! Did you not pay attention to the theoretical parts of the lessons when you learnt to Apparate? But of course you didn’t!” spat Snape.

Harry jerked his head up, opened his eyes and looked bewildered at Snape.

“I do know...”

“You do know of the limit?” Snape roared at him. “So what happened? You forgot temporarily that you were in another country and that you had to make an intermediary Apparition to return home?”

“Severus, go easy on the boy” Mrs Steadfast tried to intervene, but Snape boiled over with anger and turned on her with equal force.

“What if I hadn’t been here? They could have died!” he shouted at her. ”Every year there are a couple of stupid tourists who Apparate directly home from their holidays. You saw the effects. It’s a matter of minutes to get them to a healer. Every year there are empty-headed wizards who bleed to death because of sheer acts of folly.”

Harry had risen with an effort to face Snape. A little colour started to rise in his otherwise pale face.

“Stop it! You have no idea...” he tried to intervene.

Snape swirled back to face him.

“You think you’re grown-up enough to go abroad on your own, but you don’t check up on the ways of transport and the limits of them? You know that you’re threatened, but have no plan for escaping back home? Did you think of nothing? I’ve no idea how she could let you go... It’s completely irresponsible of both of you!” Snape raged at Harry and Mrs Steadfast.

“Stop yelling at me! You don’t know what we’ve been through!” Harry shouted back.

“Why not start telling us, then?” Snape hissed at him.

But the yelling made the wound in his lung reopen and Harry started to cough blood again. When Snape drew his wand to remedy it, however, Harry brandished his own wand threateningly in the face of Snape.

“Don’t come near me!” Harry gurgled, his eyes flashing with anger. Snape was forced to back off and Harry directed his wand at his own throat and read the same incantation that Snape had done before. He had to repeat it twice, because the blood in his throat made him inarticulate, but it stopped the bleeding eventually.

“Very mature of you, Potter, not to let a trained healer cure you, but rather do it amateurishly yourself!” muttered Snape, troubled and still angry.

“Severus Snape! That’s enough from you!” said Mrs Steadfast firmly, finally endeavouring to take charge of things. “Harry, we’re so glad you’re back, but would indeed like to be given an explanation. They sent a message only fifteen minutes ago that you were on your way to the Security Office at the French Ministry of Magic for interrogation and then here you were!”

“It’s probably my fault...” confessed Fleur with tears in her eyes. “I insisted by the French secretary I spoke to, on making sure they delivered zze message to Ginny zzat she could Apparate directly back to her father’s office - but I didn’t mean it literally like zzat of course. And only after you were finished at the French Ministry…”

“I can’t tell you how grateful we were for that message!” exclaimed Harry, his voice still hoarse. “It was such a relief to realise that someone was working on bringing us home and we saw our chance to get out of there. You don’t understand - we had been interrogated already for hours by the French Muggle Police. They spoke for ages in French without translating for us, then they would fire one short question in English. They were so suspicious of us. Naturally, they didn’t have a clue of what had happened - they thought it had to do with drugs and I guess they were after the guys who introduced them into the club. I had to do at least a hundred Mind-modifiers to keep them from taking my wand away from me. They had already confiscated our security watches. At last a French Auror found us, Obliviated the Muggle policemen thoroughly and brought us to the French Ministry of Magic. I realised that it would be the same thing all over again with the interrogations, except that the French Aurors would see more clearly what had been going on in that club. So when Ginny...”

Harry stopped talking because his mouth had filled with a mixture of blood and mucus and he needed to swallow. Ginny filled in, speaking in a small voice.

“The secretary who met us at the Ministry and brought us to the head of the Security Office transmitted Fleur’s message to me. I guess we sort of figured it was a special Apparition channel directly between the two offices.  We needed to come home... We were so desperate...” Ginny started to cry again.

“And you decided to go on the spot, is that right?” Snape spat angrily at Harry. “Of course it’s not a trifle to be in a country where you don’t understand the language, but you don’t just skip off! You’ve put yourself in this situation - there’s no one else to blame! You should have let yourself be interrogated, out of respect for the foreign country’s officials!” Harry opened his mouth to defend himself, but Snape was too upset to let him speak. “They’ll be offended and furious not to have been able to interview you! This might lead to diplomatic complications and political retaliations! But you put yourself above such things, don’t you, Potter?”

Mrs Steadfast put a restraining hand on Snape’s arm to stop him from starting to shout again.

“I judged it the best thing to do.” Harry tried to sound rational, but his voice trembled. “I thought it’d be better if we were interrogated here where we would be able to explain ourselves properly.”

“You panicked and wanted to go home,” Snape said dismissively.

“I needed protection!” exclaimed Harry.

“Protection! What protection? You’ve declined all protection hitherto since Voldemort’s fall and all of a sudden you want to run back to hide in Mrs Steadfast’s skirts?” Snape thundered at him.

Mrs Steadfast raised an eyebrow, but Harry stared at Snape.

“But don’t you understand? Don’t you see?” he said pleadingly. “I killed that wizard... I killed the attacker at the club with an Avada Kedavra!”

Everyone in the room, except Ginny who simply whimpered, stared dumbfounded at Harry who shrank back. He looked nauseous and his voice was small.

“I killed him. I had to, you must believe me... there was no other way - he would’ve killed us both... I couldn’t take the risk of staying in France. I didn’t know if they were going to send me to Azkaban without my having a chance to justify myself... I had to come home... Please help me!” The last was said in a pleading whisper.

Snape was speechless for once, and this time Mrs Steadfast collected her wits first.

“Of course we’ll help you, Harry. Don’t mind Professor Snape, he has just been worried sick about you,” she said.

Snape blinked and raised his eye-brows.

“You were attacked, so much is clear to me. You’ll tell me all about it in my office.” Mrs Steadfast stepped up to him and put a hand on Harry’s arm.

“It was self-defence,” he said feebly.

“You’ll tell me soon. Soundy, please go and prepare my office. And try to find out how the French Security has reacted to the...er... sudden sortie... of Mr Potter and Miss Weasley. With your help, Mrs Bill Weasley, if you please. Tell them that we take over the interrogations and that we’ll provide them with all the information they need,” said Mrs Steadfast.

Soundy and Fleur disappeared. Mr Weasley and Bill were speaking in low voices to Ginny who repeated with increasing desperation that she wanted to go home to the Burrow.

“Will you need to interrogate Ginny as well?” said Bill to Mrs Steadfast who hesitated.

“I want to go home to Mum!” Ginny stifled a wail and tugged at her father’s sleeve.

“Miss Weasley needs to go to St Mungo’s Hospital to receive additional treatment for her lung condition,” intervened Snape. “It’s not nearly healed. I’ve only stopped the bleeding. She needs to inhale some Dewcup potion. After this over-Apparition, the wounds in the lungs will take several days to close. She must be examined and treated properly.”

“Well, that settles it, then,” said Bill. “Dad, you go with Ginny to St Mungo’s and I’ll go back to the Burrow and explain things gently to Mum.”

“Harry, I want Harry to come with me,” said Ginny. Her voice was not clear and she stuttered slightly as she spoke. Her whole body was tense.

“I need to ask Harry a few questions, then he’ll join you at St Mungo’s,” Mrs Steadfast said gently to Ginny. “If that’s okay with you?” she added to Snape.

“It’s okay. He’ll need the treatment as well, eventually, but he was less affected than Miss Weasley. He’ll stand an hour of interrogation,” said Snape. 

Ginny disengaged herself from her father and took a few unsteady steps towards Harry. She sorted her wand.

“I hate to see you covered in blood,” she muttered, “...even if part of it is mine.”

Her hands shook so badly that booth Mrs Steadfast and Snape made a gesture to stop her, for fear she would hurt him, but Harry faced her unafraid and let her perform the cleaning spells that removed the blood from his skin and his clothes. He tried to smile at her.

“Your turn,” said Ginny to Snape who started. “Stand still, Professor. Tergeo!” Ginny spoke through her teeth and removed the blood from Snape as well.

“Thank you, Miss Ginny,” he said, docile.

“Thank you for saving our lives earlier,” said Ginny, dignified.

Snape inclined his head courtly.

“Let’s go, Ginny,” said Mr Weasley taking her arm.

“Bye then, Harry...” She looked him shyly in the eyes and suddenly Ginny flew herself at Harry and kissed him like she was never going to see him again. He kissed her back with the same fierceness and desperation, oblivious of the audience. As their lips parted, Ginny broke down and started to cry against Harry’s chest as she clung to him. He hugged her, stroked her hair and kissed it.

“I can’t leave you. I can’t... I want to stay with you... We’ll go together… later...” whimpered Ginny.

“Listen Ginny...” Harry supported her as her legs buckled, lifting her up. “We’re safe now... both of us... You need that treatment. I’ll join you in no time. Your father’s with you... Listen...“ he cajoled her. “What will your mother say if she sees you in a state like this... huh? You need to be taken care of... Your mother will kill me for making a mess of you like this... Please, pull yourself together for her sake, if not for mine...”

“Mum will kill me for talking you into going to Paris to start with...” Ginny said falteringly. Harry looked at her tenderly, his eyes full of sadness.

“It was an excellent idea, Ginny! Don’t let any green-haired terror make you think differently.” Ginny smiled at him through her tears. She took her father’s arm, ready at last to go, but swirled around to Mrs Steadfast and Snape.

”Keep him safe and bring him back to me!” she said, suddenly aggressive again, with emphasis on every word. Snape and Mrs Steadfast recoiled and nodded.

“Flo-powder... you need to go by Flo-powder,” Snape cried after them. “She must not go by Apparition for a couple of days...”

“I had made that out for myself, Severus, but thank you anyhow,” Mr Weasley answered politely.

Harry looked away and supported himself with a hand on Mr Weasley’s desk when Ginny left the room with her father, followed by Bill. There were only Snape and Mrs Steadfast left with him in the room.

“Why... that tough little lady... Miss Ginny... To see her like this, disheveled… in pieces… almost without control... she must have been terrified...” mumbled Mrs Steadfast to herself. Harry looked up at her with extinct eyes.

“We were trapped in a room with a lunatic who wanted to kill us...” he said tonelessly. ”And she watched me do an Avada Kedavra,” he added falteringly.