The Way Things Are
Harry, Hermione and Ron were standing outside the hospital wing in various stages of disbelief, waiting for Madame
Pomfrey to let them in.
"What an idiot," muttered Ron angrily. "Why does she always go and do these things? Do you think she's erased her memory or something?"
There was a painful silence as Harry and Hermione tried to think of something to say.
Ally shuffled in guiltily. 'I'm so sorry," she mumbled, looking like she would burst into tears any minute. Hermione put an arm around her shoulder. "It's not your fault," she said consolingly, shooting a warning glance at Ron, who looked very much as if he disagreed. "Don't worry, I'm sure she'll be okay."
"But she was acting completely nuts," Ally sniffed. "She thought I was her maid or something."
"What??" burst Ron, looking accusingly at Harry and Hermione. "No one told me that! She hasn't gone bonkers, has she? Why couldn't the little git just make up her bloody answers? That's what I always do, and old Binns never seems to notice. What am I going to tell Mum? Where do you think-"
"Please keep your voice down, Mr. Weasley," said Madame Pomfrey, who had appeared at the door. As the four of them gathered anxiously around her, she explained the situation. "Miss Weasley seems to have undergone a temporary Mind Switch," she told them. "And at the moment she believes that she is someone else."
She glanced at Ron, who had turned a decided shade of green, and continued hurriedly, "Let me stress that this is temporary. She is in otherwise excellent health, and I see no reason for her to remain here."
"You mean she can come back to the dormitory?" asked Ally in a small voice.
"Absolutely"
"But what do we do?" spluttered Ron. "If she's all loony, how do we manage?"
"It's not very complicated, Mr. Weasley," replied Madame Pomfrey wearily, "This situation may last for a week or two at the most, and my advice is to humor her. Let her believe what she wants to believe- play along if necessary. Just don't upset her, or we might have a problem."
"Can we see her?" asked Hermione.
"You may go in -quietly please, Mr. Weasley- and remember what I said about not upsetting her."
"Who does she think she is?" asked Harry, speaking for the first time.
"Lady Elspeth Richardson, circa 1842," came the tart reply.
----
"You certainly took your time, I must say," said Ginny. She was sitting upright in bed, and sipping tea delicately. She motioned to Ron, who was gaping at her disbelievingly. "Perkins, have the carriage waiting. I should be out of here soon."
"Perkins??" spluttered Ron "Carriage??"
Hermione frowned and elbowed him.
He groaned and bowed slightly. "Certainly, my lady", he managed to say.
"Mary, get my cape," she said vaguely.
They looked at each other blankly.
"Mary! Stop gawping like a fish, and bring me my cape. What is the matter with you, girl?"
Ally muttered an apology and rushed out to look for the phantom cape.
Ginny smiled graciously at Harry. "I appreciate you being here, Sir. If not for you, my mother may have been very unsettled." She turned to smile at Hermione, who looked aghast. Harry tried his hardest to keep a straight face, while Ron, forgot for a minute that he was the lowly footman Perkins, and chuckled.
"And now," continued Ginny complacently, "I would very much like to go home."
Harry put out his arm gallantly. "Come, my lady, let us depart."
---
While Ginny was changing for dinner, and Ally attending to her; Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in the Common Room with a sense of surrealism.
"Perkins," said Ron bitterly, "Harry gets to be a Sir, while I -her own flesh and blood- have to be Perkins."
Harry grinned, and ducked a blow from him.
"At least you're not her mother," groaned Hermione. "Me, of all people."
"So what happens now?" asked Ron.
"Dinner," replied Hermione. "I've had a word with the students and they promised to help us out. Even McGonagall said she would see that things stayed under control."
"Didn't Ginny have a problem with staying in a dormitory?" asked Harry quizzically.
"I told her our house was being repainted, and you had kindly allowed us to stay with you. Also that she wasn't well enough to travel. She doesn't approve of the décor, but she won't complain because it would be impolite."
"But what about the other girls?" asked Ron, "If she thinks we're keeping here with the maidservants, we're going to get it for sure."
"I took care of that as well," sighed Hermione. "I told her Harry had all his cousins over from Spain. But I have a feeling she wouldn't talk to them anyway."
"Wow," said Ron, "not bad, I must say."
Harry nodded in agreement. Hermione blushed.
Ginny came down the stairs, wearing two sets of robes, and a chiffon scarf around her neck. Ron's jaw dropped.
"Mother," she said disapprovingly, "what is he doing here?" She stared pointedly at Ron, who hurriedly bowed and backed out of the room, muttering, "Bloody sisters" under his breath.
---
Things seemed quite uneventful at dinner. The Gryffindors played along, bowing or curtsying to her when she walked in regally, ignoring everyone else.
She sat opposite Harry and Hermione, eating slowly and delicately, her eyes scanning the room expectantly. Ron was sitting at the other end of the table, as far away from them as possible, his face like thunder. Ally sat morosely next to him, picking at her food.
"Something's bothering me," whispered Hermione to Harry. "And I can't think what it is."
"Who's she looking for?" he whispered back.
"Absolutely no idea."
Before he could say another word, the doors opened and the Slytherins came in. Ginny stood up, and moved forward- her face enraptured.
"Oh, no," said Hermione.
The Hall grew silent as Ginny made her way towards Draco Malfoy, who stared at her blankly. She stopped and looked at him adoringly.
"My Lord," she said, blushing, "I see you have finally returned."
---x---x---