Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, don't sue!
(a/n: Thanks to all that reviewed! Sorry for not replying! I didn't know I even had reviews until five seconds ago!
Read on, oh faithful ones!)
Chapter Two
Ginny climbed out of bed then brushed her hair to untangle to the knots from being in the Forest for most of the night. She was still aware that she was going to marry Draco, but didn't let herself dwell on the thought for too long.
Ginny suddenly remembered that her father had told her there was a gift in her trunk and rummaged through it to find it. A small gift was pulled out and unwrapped eagerly. She looked at the necklace in shock. She'd never seen anything like it before in her family! Hanging off of the silver chain was a small pendant and looking closer Ginny realised that on the pendant was her family crest!
Ginny put the necklace on then changed into her white clothes for Moody's lesson, taking a bag with extra clothes. She put her dagger in her boot then slipped her school robes on before entering the castle through the corridor.
She walked to the Great Hall and entered as quietly as possible, wanting to scare the shit out of Snape. Unfortunately, he wasn't in there, but Professor Dumbledore was and he was just as good to scare... Ginny walked over quietly, her footsteps silent, except to her own ears and perhaps Hagrid's. Moody watched her with his magic eye swivelled towards her but he kept his face forward. She saw the smirk on his face and winked. Creeping up behind Albus and went to clap her hands loudly.
"Hello, Ginevra," he said before she could do anything. Ginny pouted then sat down.
"Morning Professors," she said. Albus smiled at her, eyes twinkling.
"I'm sure you'll be able to scare someone else later," he said. "I have a weak heart and do not like surprises like that, unfortunately," he said. Ginny nodded and grinned knowing that, despite how old he was, Albus was as fit as a fiddle.
"You ready for your first lesson, Ginny?" Moody asked. Ginny nodded.
"Yes... I would have thought you would have known that already," she said.
"I have been caught out too many times looking at ladies to know that I shouldn't do it when they can see. Besides, you're one of my students," Moody said gruffly.
"Of course," Ginny said smiling. Realising that Madam Pomfrey was at the table, Ginny looked at her. "Madam Pomfrey? I was wondering if will you have any anti-headache potions available for me for when school starts?" She asked. Poppy nodded.
"Yes, I'm sure there will be enough for a year's supply. I have been making them since we found out," she replied smiling at Ginny.
"Oh... Thank you," Ginny said wondering how long the teachers had known.
"They were made known of it as soon as you were. We needed to discuss how we were going to handle things, as we weren't sure whether you would have the Thirst or not," Dumbledore said to her quietly. Ginny nodded. As she finished her juice the bell rang, echoing through the loud and nearly empty castle. Ginny winced and listened to her heart beating instead. She had the feeling that she would get to know her heartbeat very well...
8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8
Ginny followed Moody to the Room of Requirement and waited for instruction.
"Do the same exercises you read on the wall yesterday. Depending on how fast you progress, hopefully by next week, you can start doing extra work outs during the morning," Moody told her. Ginny nodded. She did the exercises and turned to Moody when she'd finished. He nodded. "In a few week's time you will be using those techniques against myself, so learn them well," he said.
"Yes, Professor," Ginny said. He passed a very large and heavy book to her.
"Read this during your study time. It describes different types of weapons and their uses. You will be tested on them next week. You need to know about this, Ginny; or else you will not know how to fight with them. It will not do if you go into battle holding your sword the wrong way," he said when she pulled a face. Ginny sighed and nodded.
"I know... I'm just finding it slightly difficult to be taking in all of this new information at one time... Over the school year we learn about one thing and stick with it for a few weeks or days, in the very least, then we go onto something else. With all of this I'm just being bombarded with information daily, hourly, even... I doubt I'll get much rest," she said sombrely. Then her mood changed completely and she smiled brightly. "But this complaining won't get my anywhere, so let's get on with it, shall we?" Ginny suggested. Moody nodded and his magical eye swivelled over her and down to her boot.
"Your dagger... It's bound already?" He asked. Ginny nodded and went to bend to take it out of her boot, but as soon as she moved her hand, the dagger moved by itself and rested in her outstretched palm. "It's sooner than I expected... Congratulations," Moody said with a smile. Suddenly there was a small pop and his magical eye fell out. "Goddamn this eye... Stupid idiot shouldn't have killed him... I would have liked to get my hands on the mongrel's neck," he grumbled.
"There is a spell you can use, if you like... It makes things stay in place until you decide to stop it and only you can take it off. You'll still be able to move your eye about, but it won't fall out," Ginny said. Moody raised an eyebrow at her sceptically.
"I don't think I've heard of it before... What's it called?" He asked.
"Corse," Ginny replied. "It is an old spell. I found it in a book in the library last year. Not in the Restricted Section, don't worry," she said smiling. Moody nodded.
"You're right... I haven't heard that spell in years," he replied. He looked away and did the spell. When Moody turned back, his eye didn't look like it was going to fall out at any random moment. "Thanks," he said then grabbed his wand. "I want to see how well you can block spells with your dagger. I'll only use harmless spells," he said. Ginny nodded and held her dagger in the wizard duelling position. Moody laughed. "You honestly think that anyone's going to take you seriously if you stand in the middle of the battlefield looking like that? Hold it like you're actually going to fight, not the pansy way you're taught nowadays," he growled. Ginny nodded and held her dagger in front of her, ready to fight.
He threw a spell at her, but her reflexes were slow and she fell to the ground, her legs wobbling.
"You'll get better with practise. Again," he said and threw another spell at her. Ginny blocked it, but before she could rejoice, another spell was coming for her. She blocked that too, ignoring that happiness that flowed through her at getting it right. There was no time for emotion on a battlefield, only knowledge, instinct and reflexes.
Moody continued to throw spells at Ginny and soon, she realised that her reflexes were faster than they were normally. Realising what this meant, Ginny stopped in shock just long enough for Moody to throw another spell at her. Seeing it come at her, Ginny moved out of the way so fast that she nearly banged into the wall on the other side of the room.
"What happened?" Moody asked. Ginny looked at him.
"My reflexes became that of a Vampire," she said.
"Next time, don't let it stop you. I could have said an Unforgivable and then you would be dead," Moody said then looked at the clock on the wall. "It's time for your next lesson," he said. Ginny nodded and went into a nearby change room to get into her normal clothes.
8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8
Ginny arrived in Lupin's classroom and looked around for him.
"Miss Weasley," Lupin said from nearby. Ginny tried not to jump and turned to look at him.
"Professor," she said. Lupin walked over to his seat and Ginny followed.
"Before we begin, I would like to apologise for my behaviour during yesterday's lesson... I hope you don't hold it against me and can forgive me so we can be friends again," Lupin said smiling.
"Your apology is accepted, Professor. I apologise for my outburst. It was unnecessary," Ginny replied.
"No, it wasn't. I needed you do to that... Thank you," Remus said. Ginny nodded. "Now that the niceties are over, I suggest we make up for the time we have lost. Follow me," Lupin said and walked out of the room. Ginny followed him.
"Where are we going, Professor?" Ginny asked after a while. They walked out of the castle and along the Hogwarts grounds.
"No questions," Remus replied quietly and led her towards the Forbidden Forest. Instead of going in, as Ginny thought they would have, he walked along the edge before walking to the lake. "You see the squid?" Lupin asked. Ginny nodded and looked at the giant squid that was splashing the water. "That squid has lived for over one hundred years. It used to have a mate, did you know that?" Lupin asked.
"No, I didn't know," Ginny replied. Remus nodded.
"I didn't think so... The squid's mate was killed two decades ago. It happened the night Voldemort came to look for a job here... You see the squid's scar?" Lupin asked. Ginny looked briefly and nodded.
"He got that defending his mate. Even though he tried his hardest to save her, she still died and he was left alone..." Ginny doubted that they were talking about the squid anymore. Lupin sighed and Ginny simply waited, sensing he needed a few minutes alone. Unbidden, Lily took over.
"Remus... Don't mourn for me any longer. You need to move on. It's not fair to Nymphadora for you to be thinking back all the time," Lily/Ginny said. Lupin looked at her.
"I know it's not fair to her. That doesn't mean I can do anything about it. I love you both too much to let either of you go," Remus said quietly.
"You will have to let me go. I will no longer be here after this meeting... Nymphadora can help you ease the pain. Remus, you must do as I bid you, or else neither of us will be happy. You need to let me go," Lily/Ginny said. Ginny could feel Lily starting to fade away. "I forgive you, Remus," Lily whispered and Ginny fainted. Remus caught her and was about to take her to the hospital wing when Ginny woke up again.
"It's ok, Professor. I'm fine," Ginny said. Lupin put her down and Ginny sank to the ground. "She's gone... Really gone," Ginny whispered. "It's funny. I can remember all of this time I've been possessed... That never happened with Tom," she said with a frown. Lupin sat beside her.
"That's because of the different beings that took you over. You-Know-Who is evil and he didn't want to be found out, so he changed part of your mind so you wouldn't remember. Lily, on the other hand... She was pure and didn't like to hurt people without valid reason, so she let you remember what was happening to you," Lupin explained. Ginny simply nodded.
"I think it's time for recess," Ginny said and a second later the bell rang loudly. She sighed and stood up cautiously so she wouldn't get too dizzy. "Need a hand?" She asked grinning.
"I doubt you could lift me," Lupin replied. Ginny narrowed her eyes at him.
"You obviously haven't read up on Vampires then..." She said and held out her hand for him. Lupin took it and Ginny lifted him with so much strength that Remus almost flew over her head. "Sorry... Haven't controlled my strength properly," Ginny said sheepishly when he was on the ground again.
"I'll say..." Lupin replied with a smile and they walked back up to the castle.
8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8
"Miss Weasley. Are you all right?" Dumbledore asked as soon as she walked into the Great Hall.
"I'm fine, thank you, Professor. Why do you ask?" Ginny asked in confusion.
"You will learn of it in my lesson today," he replied realising that the other professors were staring at them. Ginny nodded and sat beside him then started to eat.
Unbeknownst to her, Ginny's appearance changed as she thought of her brothers. Her face took on more distinct features of her brothers' faces than her own. Ron's nose, Bill's hair, Charlie's high cheekbones, Percy's eyes, which were slightly more rounded and darker than her own, and Fred and George's lips, forever smiling.
"Whoa... Who're you changing in to Gin?" Tonks asked grinning at her appreciatively. Ginny looked at her in surprise, then looked at her reflection in her spoon. Seeing her brothers, she dropped the spoon and ran from the room. "Was it something I said?" Tonks asked everyone.
"Surely you didn't miss the fact that she had part of her brothers in her then?" Dumbledore asked Tonks. "They haven't supported her and on seeing them in her own face, it shocked her. She's going to have a very hard time dealing with the loss of those closest to her," Albus said, looking to where Ginny had left.
8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8
Ginny ran to her room, her face returning to normal quickly. She fell onto her bed sobbing. After allowing herself a few moments of self-wallowing Ginny sat up, determination in her eyes. If they wouldn't support her, then... Then she'd just make sure that she could show them how good and happy she was going to be being a Vampiress.
Checking her watch, Ginny decided there was enough time to continue reading the book that Moody had given her before her lesson with Firenze and Trewlaney...
Bronze Age weapons include slender spearheads, swords and knives.
A hand-held crossbow, also known as an arbalest, was used for war and hunting during the Middle Ages, and was especially popular during the 13th century. After that time it was replaced by the longbow.
A spear is a shaft that is usually made out of wood and has a sharp point. In prehistoric times, spears were used both as missiles and hand weapons. Pikes and lances were developed from the spear.
A pike was often carried by foot soldiers. It was a wooden shaft, like the spear, but unlike the spear, the tip had a hook attached to it.
The lance was used as a Calvary weapon until the early 20th century and before that was used for knights to compete in jousting events.
A bell rang and Ginny jumped slightly, before remembering that she had to go to lesson and rushed to the Divination classroom.
8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8
"I'm sorry. I was reading and I didn't think I was going to be so late," Ginny puffed as she arrived in the classroom.
"It is all right, Miss Weasley! I Saw that you were going to be late, so I made use of the opportunity and readied the tea beforehand," Sibyl said smiling at her. Ginny smiled back weakly, wondering where Firenze was. "Firenze has other duties today and will return to teach you once he has finished for the rest of the lesson," Trewlaney said held out a cup for her.
"Thank you, Professor," she said and took the offered cup of tea. She sipped it slowly, but still managed to finish before Trewlaney did. Ginny looked at the bottom of her cup and was surprised to find that she knew what the tealeaves meant, even though she hadn't looked at the book yet. She put the cup down before reading anything properly. Sibyl smiled at her knowingly.
"Your aura has cleared now. You can read it," she stated more than asked. Ginny nodded. "Good. Read mine first. It is always polite to read the other person's first, unless of course, you are alone," Sybil said smiling. Ginny took her cup and looked at the black tea leaves.
"Your tea leaves say that you will have another two promising students in your subject. One of them is myself, the other is... I'm sorry, it seems to be saying that the other is a dragon," Ginny said, frowning at her. Sibyl smiled and took the cup from her. She looked at the leaves and nodded.
"It does say 'dragon'... Very good, Miss Weasley. Someone's name could be translated into 'dragon'. Now who do you think that might be?" Sibyl asked smiling.
"Draco Malfoy," Ginny said and sighed. She wasn't even Seeing and he still wouldn't leave her alone!
"Very good... Firenze will be back in a moment. Let me read yours," Sibyl said and took Ginny's cup. "Interesting... You will find love in a place least expected and you will die and be reborn within the year," Sibyl said. Ginny looked at her in surprise. "You may read it for yourself," she said and handed Ginny the cup. Ginny looked in it and saw indeed, that she was going to die and be reborn. "Be warned, Miss Weasley. These are merely interpretations. The way the leaves See may be different from our view. It may not mean that you will physically die, only that your old self will die and your new self will be born. Understand?" Sibyl asked.
"Yes, Professor," Ginny said. Hearing music coming from the bottom of the tower, she looked around. "Firenze will be up in a few seconds," she said. Soon enough, the door opened and Firenze walked in.
"Hello, Sibyl. Hello, Ginevra. I trust your lesson has been prosperous?" He asked.
"Yes, thank you, Firenze," Ginny said smiling at him.
You have learnt to read the leaves, he stated. Ginny nodded.
"Keep practising so you don't lose the technique, Miss Weasley. I hope the rest of your lesson will be as educational as this has," she said smiling.
"Thank you, Professor," Ginny said and watched as Sibyl walked away, a new respect growing in her for the woman. Firenze looked at her.
"Did you bring your bowl?" He asked. Ginny shook her head.
"No, I forgot it. Sorry," she replied.
"That is all right, Ginevra. You will not need it today anyway. Follow me," Firenze said and walked out of the room. Ginny grabbed her things and followed him. They walked to the Room of Requirement. The ceiling had disappeared. "Lay on the floor. I will teach you how to read the stars," Firenze said. Ginny quickly did as he instructed.
Over the next thirty minutes, Ginny was shown where the stars were positioned and how they could be used to determine to an extent, what may happen.
"Read this book thoroughly," Firenze said, passing a large book to her. "You must realise Ginevra, that although the stars are very good at determining what may happen, it may not always be true, as some of the stars die before they can be read properly," Firenze explained.
"Yes, Firenze. Thank you," she said and left to go to the History of Magic classroom.
8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8
"Hello Professor Binns," Ginny said seeing the ghost sitting in a nearby chair.
"Hello, Miss Weasley. How are you today?" He asked smiling.
"I am well, thank you. Yourself?" Ginny asked, wondering briefly if ghosts could be offended at such a question when they were... well, dead.
"I am as well as is to be expected. Some ghosts may be offended, but I am not one of them, if I know the question is not meant in jest or to taunt," Professor Binns said.
"How did you hear my thoughts?" Ginny asked in surprise. He smiled at her and shook his head.
"Any ghost may see into a mortal's mind, no matter whether they have a natural block or a permanent shield, as you do. It is a very rare occasion when my fellow ghosts may not read other's minds. This can be happen due to shock, as the mind shuts down, or due to a lot of practise. If you want to learn how to do the latter, I suggest you borrow the book Compos Mentis from the Restricted Section in the library," Binns said.
"Thank you, Professor Binns," Ginny said. He merely nodded and opened his book.
"Now, what do you remember from yesterday's lesson?" Binns asked and began to quiz her for the entire hour. After that had finished he asked questions from the previous six years of her schooling, just to test her memory. Ginny got every single question right...
"Very good, Miss Weasley. You may read Compos Mentis for homework. Every lesson before we begin I will try to read your mind. Until it is impossible for me to read your thoughts, you will work on how to block myself and others out, as well as any other homework I may give you," Binns said. Ginny nodded.
"Yes, Professor. See you next Saturday," she said and left.
8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8
"Miss Weasley. You're two minutes late," Professor McGonagall admonished. Ginny nodded, trying to regain her breath.
"I apologise, Professor McGonagall. I was, however, on the other side of Hogwarts and I ran all the way here," she puffed.
"Oh, leave her alone, Minnie! You weren't even here yesterday!" Tonks said staring at the older woman. Minerva looked over her glasses at Tonks sternly.
"My name is not Minnie, it is Minerva. I would appreciate that you refer to me by my given name, Nymphadora," she said. Tonks rolled her eyes.
"Fine, Minerva. As long as you don't call me Nymphadora," she said in distaste. Professor McGonagall nodded then turned to Ginny who had absent-mindedly changed her appearance.
"Miss Weasley. Please refrain in using your abilities so much! You will become ill if you use them constantly," she said.
"Sorry, Professor," Ginny said and returned to her original appearance. She tried hard not to laugh at Tonks, who was currently changing her appearance to that of McGonagall's and was mimicking her. "Professor? How do I change into an animal? Apparently, as a Vampiress, I might be able to change my shape without the need of my Animagus licence," Ginny said to distract McGonagall.
"Really? Well, it is much like changing your human appearance, I would say. Except, in the case of this, you are not merely changing the shape of yourself, you are also changing your entire body from the human skeletal structure to the skeletal structure of the animal you choose," McGonagall said. Tonks had stopped mimicking and was listening intently.
"Does that mean Tonks can do it too?" Ginny asked knowing what she was thinking.
"It is extremely difficult, but she may achieve it, if she is prepared to work hard," McGonagall said looking over her shoulder to the other woman.
"Really? That would be so great!" Tonks said excitedly.
"I'm sure... Now, Miss Weasley. You must control what you are doing now... If people see you change your shape spontaneously, it will be hard for you to explain and in a matter of hours the entire school will know," McGonagall said. Ginny nodded and waited instruction. "First, breathe in. Control your breathing. Breathe in and count to five, then let it out and count to five. Repeat this until you are no longer concentrating on anything but your breathing," she said. "Now, just like you had to in order to change your appearance, think of keeping it as your natural look."
After a few seconds, Ginny felt something change and looked at Professor McGonagall who nodded smiling.
"Very good, Miss Weasley. Don't worry, you will be able to change your look whenever you want, only now it won't happen without your knowledge," Minerva said.
"Thank you, Professor," Ginny said.
"Would you like to attempt changing part of your body into that of an animal today?" Minerva asked.
"Yes!" Tonks said. "Oh, sorry, you meant Ginny..." She said grinning.
"Yes, please," Ginny said shaking her head with a grin at Tonks.
"We will attempt it in the Room of Requirement so there will be easy access to medical supplies if necessary," McGonagall said and led them to the Room of Requirement. "First, you need to clear your mind of all thoughts," McGonagall instructed.
Ginny sat down and crossed her legs then gave a brief nod before doing as she said. She closed her eyes and waited for further instruction. Noises of rustling fabric beside her indicated that Tonks was sitting too.
"Now, once you have cleared them, think of an animal. It is best to start with something small. But not too small that no one can find you," McGonagall said with a smile. "Please also make sure that you aren't choosing an animal that will change too much of your own anatomy... That will be too difficult to attempt if you do not know the animal's anatomy properly," McGonagall said.
Ginny thought of the book that Tonks had given her and an image of a bat's anatomy flashed into her mind. She thought of the bat's skeletal structure and concentrated on changing her own appearance. After a while of concentrating, Ginny heard a small gasp but she ignored it and kept concentrating. She could feel her skeletal structure change and it felt like her head was shrinking.
When Ginny's concentration broke she opened her eyes, but found that she couldn't see. Well, at least not very well. Her vision was fuzzy, almost as if she was starting to go blind. She opened her mouth to ask what was happening, but all that came out was a series of clicks and a low-pitched whistle. The whistle seemed to return to her and she knew that McGonagall was on the ground in front of her. Ginny wondered for a moment why McGonagall was on the floor, and then she realised that she had wings.
She 'looked' at her wings via the use of echolocation and gave a bat-like grin. She flapped her wings and flew up into the air. It was amazing! She felt... free. The thought came to her and Ginny almost stopped in shock. Her lack of concentration caused Ginny to plummet back to the ground. Something thankfully caught her and she knew that it had to be Tonks, as Minerva was out cold.
"I'll gather that you read the book then?" Tonks asked. Her voice seemed so much louder... Ginny winced as Tonks' voice vibrated in her large ears. "Sorry," Tonks whispered. "You better change back. I can't believe that Minnie fainted!" Tonks whispered sounding amused. Tonks put Ginny on the floor gently so she could change back.
Ginny concentrated on her human form and started to change back. Her fingers grew longer and her arms seemed to grow back. Her head returned to its normal size and her vision started to clear. Her legs returned to normal and all of her body parts returned. With a sigh of relief, Ginny quickly felt over her body to make sure that everything was in the right places.
"You're fine. You did it," Tonks said from where McGonagall was. Ginny looked at them and watched as Tonks attempted to wake Minerva up. After trying to revive her with her wand, Tonks sighed slightly. "Gotta do it the Muggle way," she muttered and slapped McGonagall's face gently, then waved a foul smelling salt under her nose. McGonagall sat up and pushed the smelling salts away before putting her head on her knees and taking in deep breaths.
"Are you all right, Professor?" Ginny asked softly. Minerva looked at Ginny, her pale face still in shock. She nodded briefly then put her head on her knees again.
"You may go," she said quietly. Ginny nodded, grabbed her bag then left quickly.
8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8
Ginny wasn't sure if it was a good thing that she kept getting kicked out of her classes early... At least this time she had time to think over that thought. She walked to her room and sat on her bed to think.
Ginny had no idea why she hadn't realised that she didn't felt free before turning into a bat. She had a lot of freedom at home. Her parents trusted her to make her own mistakes and learn from them... She had some freedom at school, however it was slightly limited due to the fact that she had to stay within the school's grounds. But as Hogwarts occupied hundreds of hectares of land it wasn't that limited... Ginny couldn't think of anything other than the Order in which she didn't have her own freedom...
With a sigh she shook her head and walked over to the anatomy book on her table and turned to the wolf section. After looking over the anatomy of the wolf, Ginny went outside. As she walked towards the Forbidden Forest, she began to change her body. Like in her vision, her shoulders broadened and fur began to grow on her body. Her face grew longer and a snout appeared. Her legs and arms shortened and paws replaced her hands and feet. Soon a wolf entered the Forbidden Forest.
Ginny silently went into the clearing, making her paws so silent that not even the other animals could hear. Soon, another wolf joined her in the clearing and Lupin howled at her to go back. Ginny snarled at him, making it clear that she wasn't going to.
"Fine... I'll stay with you. You could use the company," Lupin barked at her.
"How are you a wolf? Why not the werewolf?" Ginny asked in reply.
"All of the Marauder's took the Animagus potion, not just my friends. I choose to be a wolf so I know that deep down I can control myself while being a werewolf," Lupin replied. Ginny nodded briefly then went out of the clearing. Again, she felt free and had no idea why...
Lupin growled for her to stop and Ginny looked back at him.
"There's another one here," Lupin said sniffing the air. Ginny sniffed too and realised that she could smell Dumbledore! She didn't know that he was an Animagus!
Dumbledore walked over to them. His white fur, although making him an easy target for predators, showed how majestic he really was and the respect he commanded. Lupin gave a small whimper and put his two front legs forward, resting his head on them, making a bow to Albus. Dumbledore looked at Ginny who did the same thing. Albus nudged Lupin and yipped at him. Without another word, Lupin leapt up and left quickly. Albus looked at Ginny and motioned for him to follow her. She followed him to a clearing and watched as he began to change back to his human form. She knew why McGonagall fainted! It wasn't pretty, and a bat must have been even worse! With a slight shudder, Ginny changed back to her human form and looked at Albus.
"Miss Weasley... I am sorry to stop you from exploring your new talents, but we must leave now. I have organised a meeting with the Council Elder Xavier Torleni and he is expecting us," Albus said. "You have been given the rest of the night off by your teachers, as this meeting will take a while," he explained.
"Yes, Professor," Ginny said and followed him out of the Forbidden Forest.
8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8
"I think it would be faster and show more respect if we flew there. Simply dropping in via Apparation for the first meeting is considered rude," Albus said. Ginny nodded and waited for him to go towards the Quidditch Pitch, but when he didn't and began to change into a bird, she gave a small sigh and began to change into the only bird that she knew the anatomy of: a phoenix. She hadn't read up on the owl's anatomy yet as that was shown in the section after phoenixes.
Ginny's body began to change and her mouth grew into a large beak. Her arms extended and feathers protruded from them. Ginny's feet shortened and talons grew. Her spine increased as a tail grew and soon enough, a red phoenix was standing next to the eagle form of Albus.
"Interesting choice..." Albus said in an amused tone. Ginny didn't reply and instead flew up into the air. Albus flew up beside her and led her towards the edge of the Hogwarts grounds.
Albus kept flying and it was soon obvious as to why he'd chosen a large bird. The barrier around Hogwarts hit hard and only because of their powerful wings could they push through. With a small shake, Albus soared up into the sky above the clouds, so Muggles wouldn't see them. Ginny followed him and they continued to fly.
After what seemed like hours, Albus began to fly down out of the clouds. With a relieved sigh, Ginny followed and they landed in front of a large mansion with wooden doors. Ginny recognised the doors as the same ones from her vision. She briefly hoped that she wouldn't meet Virginia Weasley before following Albus inside.
As she entered the room, Ginny remembered that Vampires were supposed to be nocturnal beings. If that was true, then how was Elder Xavier up? She wondered. Albus stopped in front of a long table and Ginny saw that a man was sitting there. She recognised him immediately as Xavier as he looked exactly the same as he did in her vision!
Albus bowed and Xavier chuckled to himself.
"Albus, my good friend! I have told you before not to bow before me... It makes me feel old," Xavier said smiling. Albus looked at Xavier with an amused smile.
"And I have told you before that as old as I am, I will continue to bow until I reach your age. Then I doubt I would be able to move," Albus said grinning. Xavier laughed again and walked down from the table to shake Albus' hand. He noticed Ginny behind him and looked down at her. She smiled slightly and curtsied.
"Hello Ginevra... Albus has told me about you. Do you know who I am?" Xavier asked. If he wasn't who he was, Ginny would have scowled at being talked to as if she was a child.
"Yes, my Lord Xavier, I know who you are," Ginny said. Xavier looked at her again then with a brief nod led them into a hallway. It was only as they moved into the hallway that Ginny realised that the entire mansion was dark and lit by candles.
"If we keep up the pretence that it is night, then some of the elder Vampires, like myself, can still move during the day," Xavier said almost as if he'd read her thoughts. He smiled at her knowingly.
You can read my thoughts? She thought in shock. No one had been able to read her thoughts since... Well, since Tom. Xavier watched as thoughts of Tom ran through her head and Ginny bristled with emotion. Not self-pity, nor sadness, not even hate. Pure emotion flowed through Ginny and lightning seemed to crackle in her hair.
Interesting... He thought with a small smile. Albus watched Ginny too and nodded to Xavier.
She flew in the form of a phoenix all the way here from Hogwarts... She's a very interesting woman, Albus said. Xavier nodded and looked back at Ginny.
"Come, we must do this before the others return," Xavier announced. Ginny looked at him and the emotion died down quickly. Her face calmed and the lightning in her hair faded away as if it had never been there to start with.
"What are we going to do exactly, my Lord Xavier?" She asked warily as he led them into a room.
"It is just a simple test to see if you are at the correct stage of your changing process," Xavier explained. Ginny nodded and she looked at the large stage in the middle of the room. Above it was something that looked a lot like a glass room. The doors closed behind them and Ginny started slightly. Candles flickered, giving an eerier feel to the room. "If you will please stand on the stage, then we can begin," Xavier said. Ginny walked up onto the stage and waited. "Albus, if you will..." Xavier said then moved away from the stage. Albus waved his wand and the glass above Ginny began to descend. She looked at them in confusion and with some fear.
"Don't worry. You will be fine," Dumbledore said smiling.
"It is simply a holographic room. It will allow us to test and observe your different skills without you having to see us," Xavier said kindly. Ginny nodded and the glass touched the stage.
The two men disappeared as the glass went black. Words began to form on the glass and Ginny read them.
First test: Memory.
Pictures of various people appeared on the glass, one after the other quickly. Then it stopped and all 20 of the pictures showed up, smaller than they were before and in a different order.
Put them in the right order.
Ginny began to put them in the order that she'd seen them and finished quickly.
Second test: Strength.
A small weight appeared beside Ginny and the glass told her to lift it. Unlike other weights, this one didn't say how much it weighed. Despite the size of the weight, it actually weighed three hundred pounds. Ginny took it by the handle and pulled it up with ease. She put it down and it disappeared.
Third test: Reflexes.
Ginny waited warily for something to happen. All of a sudden someone appeared in the glass and went to hit her. Ginny ducked quickly and another person appeared. The person shot an arrow at her, but Ginny caught it and threw it at the other person with such speed that she could have been using a bow. A third person appeared and tried to kick out at her as the first one tried to punch her. Ginny moved out of the way, and the two people kicked and punched each other instead. As sudden as they had all appeared the three people left.
Ginny waited for the next test to appear.
Fourth test: Hearing.
A loud bell chime sounded and Ginny winced slightly.
Did you hear that? Ginny nodded to the glass' question. A lower chime sounded and they kept going lower until Ginny could no longer hear anything.
Fifth test: Changing.
The glass told Ginny to change into a bat. Ginny did so and waited. As the letters changed, Ginny returned to her human form and read the words. Now she had to change into a phoenix. After a few seconds, Ginny was a red phoenix. The words changed again and Ginny changed into a wolf after changing back to her normal self.
Now change into a phoenix while in your wolf form. The glass instructed. The wolf gave a small shake and Ginny concentrated then began to change. After a longer time, the red phoenix was standing there. Ginny returned to her body, pale and weakened. It had taken a lot out of her to change from the wolf's skeletal structure to the phoenix's, let alone maintain it.
Final test: Etiquette.
A table appeared and a Council Elder appeared that Ginny didn't recognise. She curtsied to the Elder and waited for the woman to sit before she did. Food appeared all of which that Ginny was allergic to. With an apologetic smile she looked to the Elder.
"I apologise to you, Council Elder. I am not able eat this food, as I am allergic to it," Ginny said formally. "I thank you for your hospitality and apologise for any inconvenience I may have caused," she said. The Elder smiled and gave a slow nod. Other foods appeared and Ginny smiled. "Thank you for inviting me to dinner. I am honoured to be dining with you," Ginny said. Even though she was starving, she didn't touch her food, as it was customary for the Elders and hosts to start eating before the guests. The lady smiled again and then she disappeared into thin air. The table disappeared and Ginny stood.
The glass returned to its normal clear colour and started to ascend. Ginny could see Xavier and Dumbledore standing there. She couldn't tell if they were happy, shocked or upset as neither of their faces showed a thing.
"You may come down now, Ginevra," Xavier instructed. Ginny walked down the steps and looked at them.
"May I inquire as to my results?" She asked politely. Dumbledore smiled at her encouragingly. Xavier nodded briefly in a different direction and the Council Elder that had appeared in the final test walked out. She smiled and her appearance changed. Ginny realised that the Elder was Agnes, Xavier's wife.
"You performed all of the tests exceptionally well for someone of your standard. In fact, we expect someone with much more experience than yourself to do as well as you did. Congratulations," Agnes said kindly.
"I thank you, Agnes," Ginny said smiling at the older woman.
"You were right about the mind block, Albus. But what of her ability to See?" Xavier asked.
"She can See through the use of a bowl and water, and also through her dreams at the moment. I believe that just today Ginny learnt how to read tea leaves, am I correct?" Albus asked looking at her. Ginny nodded.
"Yes, sir," she replied.
"We would like to see you See with a bowl if you do not mind, Ginevra," Agnes said. Ginny nodded. A bowl and water appeared and Ginny looked into the bowl...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ginny looked around the Great Hall. Ron glared at her from the other end of the Gryffindor table and she glared back before leaving. She walked to a tapestry and entered the corridor, then went down to her room. Putting on her robes, Ginny kept walking through her room before coming out in front of the Forbidden Forest. She put the hood up on her robes then entered the Forbidden Forest. She sat in the clearing and closed her eyes. Soon, she could feel someone sit beside her and smile.
"Told you you'd be back," she said softly. Draco scowled but soon relented, as she still hadn't opened her eyes.
"I'm just curious, that's all," he said. She smirked then opened her eyes and looked at him.
"I'm sure you are... Follow me," Ginny said and walked out of the clearing. Draco sighed and got up then followed her.
"Where are you taking me, Weasley?" He asked after a few minutes. Ginny held up a hand for silence and he rolled his eyes at her.
"Shut up, unless of course you want to have an arrow through you," she hissed quietly. Draco raised an eyebrow at her.
"There's no one around," he said shaking his head. Suddenly an arrow came piercing through the air. As quick as a flash, Ginny grabbed the arrow mere inches before it hit Draco. He went pale and decided to shut up. Ginny grabbed his robes and threw him up in to the trees.
"Stay there until I come back," she commanded and went in the direction of the arrow. "Bane! You can't outrun me! I'll find you! Face me!" Ginny's voice carried through the forest.
"You do not belong in the Forest! Neither of you do! Leave the Forest or else I will kill both of you!" Bane called back.
"That will mean war, Bane! You do not want to be the cause of a war against your species from both my species and his! The Vampires and Veelas will put away their differences to exterminate your species if you kill us, Bane! You know this as well as I do! The stars have been telling of it for months! Or have you stopped concerning yourself with the heavens?" Ginny called out.
"Fine," Bane said coming out in front of her. Ginny looked at him warily. "Both of you leave and do not come this far into the Forest again. I will not kill you if you stay on the outskirts of the Forest," Bane said. Ginny raised an eyebrow at him.
"I should not be restricted to a certain part of the Forest, Bane. I need materials that are in various parts of the Forest. If I do not obtain them, then I may not finish my job," Ginny said. Bane regarded her briefly.
"Yes, I have heard of your job... A compromise for both of us then: you may go into any part of the Forest as long as one of my species is with you," Bane said.
"Does Firenze count as one of your species? It wouldn't put out any of your herd, if he was with me," Ginny added before Bane could refuse. The centaur thought about it for a second.
"I see your point. That is fine. Just do not let Firenze anywhere near us. He already knows the consequences... Do we have a deal then?" Bane asked Ginny. She nodded.
"I agree to your terms and will not enter the deeper parts of the Forest without Firenze, or if he is unavailable, then one of your herd," Ginny said. Bane shook her head.
"Very good. I will not kill you in the shallow parts of the Forest. If you are in the deeper part of the Forest without Firenze, I will kill you. However, if Firenze is unavailable then one of my own herd will accommodate your needs," Bane said. Ginny nodded.
"I will leave the Forest once I have Draco with me," Ginny said and with a small bow, walked away from the centaur. "Oh, before I go Bane. Here is your arrow," Ginny said and threw the arrow to him softly. Bane caught it and with a small bow of respect, he galloped away.
Ginny walked deeper into the Forest and quickly found where she had thrown Draco.
"I hope you're still up there, Draco!" Ginny called.
"Of course I'm still bloody here! Do you honestly think I could have climbed down? I'm practically at the bloody top!" Draco's voice filtered down from the trees. Ginny tried not to laugh and levitated him down gently.
"Was it a nice view?" She asked smiling. Draco glowered at her.
"Take me back to Hogwarts, Weasley," he demanded. She smirked.
"As you wish... You do realise that I just saved your life?" Ginny asked as she led him through the trees.
"Excuse me?" Draco asked. Ginny smirked to herself before looking back at him.
"I saved your life. You would have been killed by that arrow had I not stopped it," she said. Draco glared at her.
"Fine, I'll give you money when we get back and then we'll be even," he said. Ginny shook her head sadly.
"You think that your life is only worth money? That is as sad as it is pitiful, Draco... I will think of a way you can repay me later," Ginny said then continued to walk.
"I didn't give you permission to use my first name, Weasley!" Draco called after her.
"I don't need permission from you, Draco! Now hurry up, I don't want to have to save your life twice in one day!" Ginny called back. Draco looked around nervously then hurried after her.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ginny stopped looking at the bowl and looked around. Agnes, Xavier and Albus all smiled at her.
"You did well, Ginevra. Come with me a moment... We will have some tea," Agnes said and led Ginny from the room. The doors closed behind them and Ginny was led to a smaller room. Agnes poured tea and offered sugar.
"One, please Agnes," Ginny said politely. Agnes nodded and put a spoon of sugar in the teacup.
"You do realise that your ability to See is extremely advanced, Ginevra?" Agnes asked as she started her tea. Ginny shook her head and then took a sip of her own tea.
"No, actually, I didn't know that. In what way is it advanced?" Ginny asked.
"Most people can only See in a few snippets. They might See an arrow and that boy, Draco, but they may not know whether he was hit by it or not. Very few can actually See in a continuous wave as you did... May I ask what you did to See that vision?" Agnes asked.
"That time I didn't really do anything, but before when I've Seen, I willed the bowl to show me what was going to happen at a certain time. Yesterday was the first time I Saw, to be honest," Ginny said. Had Agnes been any less of a person than she was, she would have spit out her tea in shock.
"Really?" She asked raising an eyebrow. "That's very interesting..." Agnes murmured.
"I apologise for interrupting your conversation, but Ginevra and I must leave, or else we will miss the arrival of the other students," Albus said bowing to Agnes. She smiled at him.
"It is all right, Albus. I would just ask you for one more thing," she said.
"Of course, my Lady," Albus said.
"Thank you. I would wish that Ginevra reads my tea leaves," Agnes said smiling at Ginny. Ginny took the offered teacup and looked at the leaves on the bottom. With a small frown, she turned the cup around and looked up at Agnes.
"The leaves seem to be saying that either you are pregnant, or that someone close to you is," Ginny said. Agnes smiled and nodded.
"I thought so... Thank you, Ginevra. You may take leave of us now," Agnes said. Ginny stood and curtsied to both Agnes and Xavier before going outside with Albus. He took her hand and they Apparated to Hogsmeade.
8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8
"You know of the tunnel leading to the Shrieking Shack, I presume?" Albus asked Ginny. She nodded. "Good, then go there and make your way to the school," he said. "I will be there in time for the arrival of the other students," Albus said.
"Yes, sir..." Ginny said and went down to the Shrieking Shack. She pulled her hood up and ducked beneath the wire before walking in to the wooden shack. She made her way down the long tunnel to Hogwarts and came out at the Whomping Willow. Seeing all of the dust and dirt that was covering her clothes and body, Ginny decided to have a shower before the others arrived and she walked down to her room.
She turned the shower on and cleaned herself quickly, the sound of the water becoming too much after a while. After drying herself, Ginny changed into her school clothes and robes before checking the time. It was just after six o'clock. Everyone would arrive at eight thirty so Ginny had two hours left on her own. Deciding to see what she would have missed out on in Snape's lesson; she went down to the dungeons. It was also a good excuse to piss Snape off... Ginny thought with a grin.
8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8
"Professor Snape?" Ginny called as she knocked on his office door. Snape opened it looking pissed off. That's one of my objectives done...
"What do you want, Miss Weasley?" Snape growled.
"I was just wondering if you would mind telling me what I would have missed out on during my lesson..." Ginny said smiling at him. Snape scowled and let her into the office. "Thank you, sir. I wasn't interrupting anything, was I?" She asked seeing the books on his table.
"Do not worry yourself over my business, Miss Weasley. Today you would have been taught how to keep a straight face. I know it is hard for people of your... gender to refrain from being all giggly," he began to say.
"I beg to differ, sir. I dislike the other girls due to that exact quality. I think it isn't appropriate for a woman to be 'giggly', as you so eloquently put it, around other people. It shows disrespect to a person if they are trying to talk to you and all you can do is giggle," Ginny said. Snape gave a curt nod.
"I would presume then, that you do not act as others of your gender do," he said.
"Not very often. After my first year, people... excluded me. No one wants to be friends with someone who caused people to be Petrified, whether it was under their control or not," Ginny said. Snape nodded.
"Very well then... I can see from your appearance that you do not overly use make up, which is a compliment," Snape added quickly. Ginny nodded.
"I do not think it necessary to make myself look like a clown by over doing something that I don't really need anyway. I do not mean that I am vain," Ginny said catching a few of his thoughts. "I simply mean that I am happy with my natural look and don't need make up to make myself feel happy, as so many others do," Ginny finished.
"Good... In next week's lesson you will be learning how to read other's emotions as well as how to control your own emotions," Snape said looking down at a nearby parchment. Ginny nodded. "I trust that you will be able to manage your time effectively, Miss Weasley. I do not wish for you to fall behind in class just because of your extracurricular subjects, is that understood?"
"Yes, sir. I understand. Thank you for your time. I will see you at the Sorting Feast," Ginny said and left Snape's office.
8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8
Ginny walked down to Hagrid's hut and looking at her watch, she saw that it was seven o'clock. She knocked on the door and waited.
"Who is it?" Hagrid called out as he opened the door. "Oh. Hi Ginny. Come in. I just made some rock cakes. Do yer want some?" He asked. Ginny walked in to the hut after him and sat down at the table.
"No, thank you, Hagrid. I wouldn't want to spoil my appetite for the Sorting Feast," Ginny said with a grin.
"How did yer meeting go then?" He asked as he sat on his lounge.
"Apparently I did better than someone of my standard should have. I'm not sure if that means something good or bad though," Ginny said smiling. "What were we going to be studying in today's lesson?" She asked.
"I did have the unicorns ready for yer ter see," Hagrid said.
"Really? Oh, I'm sorry I missed them! Can we do that next week instead?" Ginny asked. Hagrid nodded.
"O' course. They're looking forward ter meeting yer," Hagrid said smiling.
At seven thirty, Ginny said goodbye to Hagrid and left his hut. She walked slowly in the moonlight, wondering at how much she could see with such a minimum amount of light.
8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8
Ginny walked down to the hospital wing to see Madam Pomfrey about the anti-headache potions.
"Ah, Miss Weasley. I was just about to go and find you. I have the potions ready for you. I usually don't suggest people to carry a potion on them, but in your case, I think it's necessary," she said kindly.
"Thank you for making these for me, Madam Pomfrey. It must have taken a lot out of your personal time. I'm sorry if it did," Ginny said. Madam Pomfrey shook her head and smiled at her.
"No, it didn't take much out of my personal time, let me assure you. Besides, it's my job to provide medicine to students, and you are a student," Madam Pomfrey said smiling. "You look quite pale... Did your meeting with the Elder tire you?" Madam Pomfrey asked putting a hand on Ginny's forehead.
"Slightly... I just overdid myself, that's all," she said with a smile. Madam Pomfrey nodded and took a bar of chocolate out of her cabinet.
"Eat some of that, then have a small rest before dinner," Madam Pomfrey said. "You can keep the rest of the bar. I have the feeling you may need it," she said kindly and then shooed her out of the hospital wing.
Ginny bit off some chocolate then went down to her room. She set an alarm for 15 minutes then fell asleep at exactly seven forty-five.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ginny hurried to her room quickly and shut the door behind her. She flopped onto her bed and stared up at the star-covered ceiling. Someone knocked at the front door and she opened it reluctantly, not really in the mood for talking.
"Hi, Ginny. I was just wondering if I could talk to you," Hermione said smiling cheerfully.
"If you must... I'm not really in the mood for talking," she began to say, but Hermione simply pushed into the room and sat down at the table.
"That's ok, you can just listen," she said smiling still. With a small sigh, Ginny sat opposite Hermione and waited. "I've come to talk about you and Malfoy..."
"What about us?" Ginny asked.
"Are the rumours true then? Are you going out with him?" Hermione asked. Ginny gave a shrug.
"I don't know. You'll have to ask Draco that, not me," she said.
"How can you not know if you're dating someone?" Hermione asked with a frown. Ginny gave another sigh and wished that Harry and her brother would stop whispering their questions to Hermione. It was bad enough that they were using Hermione to get her to talk, but it was even worse that they couldn't even get enough nerve to ask her themselves! They obviously thought that she was stupid if she couldn't hear them whispering!
"Quite easily actually..." Ginny said and began to pace.
She could hear the Invisibility Cloak rustling and knew that she was close to them. When she had them cornered, she grabbed the Invisibility Cloak and pulled it off of them.
"Sit down," she snarled. Ron and Harry quickly sat down. "You guys are really thick to think that I can't hear you! Even without my bloody hearing I could have heard you whispering! 'Ask her what she's doing with Malfoy, Mione!''Mione, ask if she's dating the ferret!' You're both idiots and gutless! Ask me yourself or get the hell out of my room!" Ginny said angrily. Hermione looked from Ginny to the two boys then stood up.
"I'm sorry, Ginny... Should I leave you to talk with them, or did you want me to stay?" Hermione asked. Ginny looked at Hermione then sighed.
"You can leave," Ginny said. "Don't move!" She yelled at the boys and pointed her wand at them. "Don't even think of it!" She snarled at them. Hermione left quickly...
"Ginny, we were just beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep," Ron said.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep... Ginny hit her alarm and sat up. She dragged herself into the bathroom and splashed her face with cold water. Looking down at the water-filled basin, images began to appear. Watching closely, Ginny realised that it was her brother and Malfoy. They were duelling, both looking as angry as the other.
A drop of water from the tap destroyed the image and another one appeared... Ginny had a blindfold around her eyes, but she wasn't scared. In fact, she looked happy... She laughed and tried to take the blindfold off, but two pale hands stopped her and a mouth appeared beside her ear before another drop of water destroyed that image too... Ginny turned the tap tighter and dried her face.
She started her exercises and in twenty minutes, she had finished. She walked to the Great Hall.
"Ah, there you are, Miss Weasley..." Dumbledore said when he saw her walking to the Great Hall. "I think it would be best if you go down to the train station. It will look suspicious to the other students as to why you are already here. Try to blend in with the others if you can," Dumbledore said. Ginny nodded. "You will have to get there quickly. So go as a bat or wolf if you like," he said smiling at her.
"Yes, sir," Ginny said and left. Once outside of the castle, she started to run down in the direction of the train station. As Ginny ran, she turned into a wolf and soon she was running past some of the earlier carriages. Some of the students called out in surprise at seeing a wolf but then they had passed each other so quickly that the students weren't sure if they'd actually seen one or not. Ginny leapt into bushes nearby and turned into her normal self quickly before any other students could come. Seeing that no one was about, she walked down to Luna who was humming to herself while reading The Quibbler upside down.
"Hello, Ginny... I'd say congratulations, but I'm sure you don't want everyone to know," she said in a dreamy voice.
"I'd say thanks but as you said, I don't want everyone to know," Ginny replied grinning, puffing slightly from both the running and the sudden change.
"There you are, Ginny! We didn't see you on the train!" Hermione said waving at her. Ron looked at Ginny both sulkily and in anger, a feat only Ron could pull off.
"Sorry, Hermione. I was with Lu..." She began to say but Luna gave her a small nudge. "I just wanted some time to be alone," Ginny said smiling at Hermione.
"That's all right... If I was with your brother for the entire summer, I'd want a break too!" Hermione said laughing. Ginny smiled and looked at Ron in surprise. He didn't tell them about me... He's embarrassed... She thought to herself. With a slight shake of her head, Ginny took Hermione and Luna's hands before going up to the carriages. Luna patted one of the Thestrals, who snorted in appreciation. Ginny looked at the Thestrals and smiled when she realised that she could read its thoughts too.
Did you teach the young one to fly? She asked politely. The Thestral neighed happily in response.
"Can we get going already, or did you want to suck someone's blood before we get up to the school?" Ron hissed in her ear. Ginny turned around and slapped Ron so hard that his jaw broke.
"Ginny! What was that for?" Hermione asked. "I think you broke his jaw!" She said in shock. Ron held his jaw in pain and glared at her.
"The reason I did it is for my brother to tell you. I'm going up to the school in a different carriage," Ginny said calmly. You may leave now. I apologise for delaying you, Ginny said to the Thestral. The Thestral neighed again then sped off.
"Did everyone leave the little Weaselette alone?" Draco Malfoy asked in a sad sing song voice. Ginny turned to him and smiled.
"I wish that would happen... Now, take the hint and leave me alone, Malfoy," Ginny said and walked away. Draco watched in shock as she walked away from him. Remembering what his mother had told him, he smirked and climbed into his carriage. This year was going to be fun. Very fun indeed...
8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8
Ginny walked into the Great Hall and sat as far away from Hermione and Harry as possible. By their looks and thoughts, she could tell that Ron had told them. The Hat was brought out and the first years were led in between the tables. McGonagall placed the Hat on a stool and the Hat sung of each of the founders and how they all wanted House unity. Ginny barely listened to it, as she was still angry after her brother's comment.
After the Hat's song, each first year as Sorted into their respective House. Hermione and Draco were named Head Girl and Boy, which didn't come as a big surprise to any one.
As the night before, the exercises that Ginny had done earlier had increased her hunger and she ate two main meals and three desserts, as well as a plate of fruit.
"That's all going to go to your thighs, you know," Lavender Brown commented as Ginny started her third bowl of dessert. Parvati Patil nodded in agreement.
"Thank you so much for telling me that, Lavender. I've always wanted to know that food can increase the size of my thighs..." Ginny drawled. Lavender raised an eyebrow at her and sniffed.
"I was just warning you..." She said. Ginny laughed quietly.
"Of course you were, Lavender. You only have my well being at heart, don't you?" Ginny asked and glared at the girl.
"Well! All I did was try to help!" Lavender said and moved further down the table with Patil.
"Thanks Ginny. They were starting to bug me," Colin said grinning at her. "Oh, Parvati! Can you imagine how many calories this one crumb of bread has?" He mimicked. Ginny laughed.
"Why are you talking to her, Colin?" Harry asked suddenly. Colin frowned at Harry.
"What do you mean by that? Ginny's my friend and I think I am allowed to talk to her," Colin said.
"Yes, Harry. What exactly do you mean by that?" Ginny asked glaring at him.
"Nothing," Harry muttered and pushed his bowl away.
"Dinner has finished! Prefects, will you please lead your House to your respective dormitories? Everyone have a good night's rest and tomorrow classes will start!" Dumbledore called out. Harry and Hermione quickly left the Great Hall. Colin went to follow after them, wondering what was going on.
"Aren't you coming, Ginny?" He asked when she didn't get up. Ginny shook her head.
"No, I've got to speak with Al... Professor Dumbledore," Ginny replied. Colin nodded and left the Great Hall. Ginny walked up to the teacher's table and Albus looked down at her.
"I'm disappointed with you, Ginevra," he stated. She nodded briefly.
"I'm not sorry about it. He was being a prick and I don't have to apologise for breaking his jaw. I had every right to hit him for the comment he made and he said it right in front of everyone too!" Ginny said shaking her head. "Stupid idiot," she muttered.
"As much as you think your brother may have deserved it, that still does not give you the right to go around hitting people especially with your extra strength... You could have done worse damage than just a broken jaw," Albus said sternly.
"Yes, Professor," Ginny said sullenly.
"Of interest, what did Ron actually say?" Albus asked her.
"I was just asking the Thestral if they'd taught their young one to fly yet while Luna was patting it and out of nowhere, Ron said 'can we get out of here, or did you want to suck someone's blood before we get up to the school?' I just resented it that's all. He hasn't shown any support for me at all and I just thought he might have been over it by now... Stupid git," she muttered. Albus nodded.
"Very well... I will not take points from your House and as you acted in self-defence you will not receive detention. However, if you do not control your temper and fists next time, you will lose 150 House points and receive a month's detention. Is that understood, Miss Weasley?" Albus asked her sternly.
"Yes, Professor. I understand," Ginny said.
"Good... One more thing before you go. Has Lily really left, or is it just a ruse for Remus' sake?" Albus asked her.
"Lily has really gone, sir. She didn't want Remus to suffer because he knew that she was nearby, so she left..." Ginny replied.
"All right... You may go to bed now. You look tired," he said smiling. Ginny nodded briefly and left the Great Hall. She stopped at a nearby tapestry, flicked her wand to the right and said 'open to me' then walked down in to the corridor and walked down to her room to go to sleep.
Albus paced his office, frowning before walking down to the hospital wing to pay Ron Weasley a visit...
8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8----8
(a/n: All information on the weapons and animals is from the Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2004... I don't own it, don't sue me! 'Compos Mentis' is Latin for 'of sound mind
Another long chapter... It wasn't as long as the first one though. This one's only 14 chapters long... I hope you enjoyed it!)
-->