Ginny shoved her hands into her pockets, breathing in the damp, cool air. Her gaze wandered towards the jaws of the Forbidden Forest, then back at the lake's glassy, calm surface. It grew colder every day; just another sign that winter was on it's way. Ginny stood, leaving behind the tree she had been leaning on and headed back to Hogwarts.
It's your first day as a seventh year.. So why doesn't it feel any different here? Not to mention.. The War is almost here. The last time Ron had written.. it had been over the summer, as a scrap of paper was flown into the Burrow by Hedwig. She had flown off before the Weasleys could send a reply, but Molly, with shaking hands, had read aloud the following:
Mum:
I've barely the time to write this.. We've nearly done it. Harry only needs to find one more horcrux, and then.. Then we'll defeat him once and for all.
Give my love to the family. I'll be home soon.
Ron
That had been in August. A few days after the eleventh, Ginny's birthday. Ginny was now at Hogwarts, finding memories and wondering why she wasn't happy. It was her last year, after all, and then she would be out into the world, finally on her own.
One thing she wouldn't have to worry about this year was Draco Malfoy. He had already graduated, becoming an auror, if gossip was true. The blond Slytherin had always been a nightmare to the Weasleys. And now, finally, Ginny had been rid of him.
Mollified for the moment, the red head slowly trekked inside, spotting Massimo Vinacci, a fellow seventh year Gryffindor, and one of Ginny's closest friends. He waved as he noticed Ginny moving towards him, flashing her his dazzling, sweet smile that had all of the girls, Gryffindor or not, crawling to him for attention.
"Ginny, I didn't see you last night!" Ginny grinned slightly, hiding a grimace. She had taken a nap after arriving at Hogwarts, in the early afternoon. Then had woken up, screaming, sweating, and shivering, and one of her roommates, Sarafina, had made her see Madam Pomfrey, supposedly before the Sorting. But the bustling, slightly deranged Madam Pomfrey, upon seeing Ginny's underweight body (she hadn't been able to eat much after Ron had left Hogwarts) and purple-black bags under her eyes, had forced Ginny to stay the night, tucked away in the sterilized bedsheets.
"Oh, well, Madam Pomfrey had another fit. Unluckily, I was caught in the middle of it." Massimo looked vaguely concerned, his handsome face knit into a frown.
"You're sure you're alright?" His nascent scowl descended upon Ginny as she frowned back, knowing she wouldn't convince him she was fine.
"I'm fine, Mas, really." He shrugged, too tired to argue, and steered her into the Great Hall, pushing said girl into a seat at the Gryffindor table. He sat down next to her, immediately picking out a piece of toast and spreading it with marmalade. So he began his rituals, and, after finishing his toast, he began to study the people around him interestedly. Ginny grinned when she saw him stop, his bright green eyes resting on a pretty, blonde-haired Slytherin.
"Hah!" Ginny laughed, startling Mas from his daydreams. "Good luck to you. She's a Slytherin, if you haven't noticed." She watched him skeptically as he winked, standing up gracefully and striding over to the blonde. A finger tapped her shoulder delicately, and she turned around to the angelic face of Sarafina, Mas' twin.
"Hey, Sara. How was your night?" Sarafina sank into a seat next to Ginny, putting her head on the table.
"Absolutely dreadful. The whole common room was filled to bursting the entire night. Talking about their ruddy Quidditch teams, or their British heart throb of the month.. I really don't know how you can stand these people." Ginny laughed, taking a piece of toast for herself.
"I'm one of them. You'd think after seven years in England, you would be used to our behaviour."
"After going home to Italy for the summer, I didn't ever want to come back here. But then I remembered that you would be all by your lonesome, so I decided to be my compassionate self and rescue you from your final year here. Not to mention that Mas would have kidnapped me and brought me here, so that he could return to snog all of the semi-attractive British girls." Ginny laughed again, turning to look incredulously at Massimo, who was, as his sister had just mentioned, snogging a British girl. Sara looked at him with disinterest, then grabbed a strip of bacon, shoving it into her mouth indignantly.
Quite suddenly, Tonks walked nonchalantly into the Great Hall, waving to Ginny as she passed. Sara didn't seem to notice, but Ginny, her mouth opened, turned to said girl for an explanation.
"Oh… right, you weren't here. Well, Dumbledore decided that we needed extra protection this year. So he's assigned two aurors to each House. I don't quite remember all of them, but that one that just passed is one for Ravenclaw." When Remus Lupin followed Tonks a few minutes later, Ginny realized that Dumbledore had stationed most of the Order of the Pheonix here, as well. Remus (as he had forced Ginny to call him) stood next to Tonks at the head of the Ravenclaw table, looking slightly uncomfortable. Ginny hid a grin, knowing the shared feelings between Tonks and Lupin. She was curious to how they would turn out.
Professor McGonagall strode quietly into the Great Hall, drifting past Sara and Ginny and taking her place at the staff table, looking thoroughly exhausted. Ginny watched her tired movements, shifting her eyes away as they met McGonagall's gaze. No one had been the same after last year. Now, with the Golden Trio gone and more deaths every day, the whole school seemed drawn and old. Ginny secretly wondered how Hogwarts would stand up to Voldemort's growing power.
"Oh." The red-head stared at the breakfast in front of her blankly, her appetite gone in an instant. Sara caught onto her mood and sat up, resting her chin on her palm and staring up at the Great Hall's enchanted ceiling. Ginny canvassed the teachers with experienced eyes, able to pick out the emotions of exhaustion mingling with fear in all of them. The crowds inside of the Hall expanded, until, half of an hour later, nearly all of the students had arrived for their start of the morning.
"Dear teachers, students, many of you have experienced losses at the hands of Voldemort, already so early in your lives." There was a visible cringe that ran through the House Tables as mention of Voldemort was made. Dumbledore continued onward, despite everyone's reluctance to pursue the topic.
"And many have seen suffering, and will experience it, throughout the course of this year. But, please know that Hogwarts is one of the safest places you can possibly during these times. Our aurors.." Dumbledore gestured to the heads of the House Tables, and Tonks shifted wearily. ".. will do all they are able to keep you safe. All will have their doubts and trials, but if we unite, as a school, to face them, we will be all the stronger." There was raucous applause from the Gryffindor table as Dumbledore finished, halfheartedly trailed by Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Nearly all of Slytherin remained silent, some sneering, others frowning.
"Now, if all Prefects and the Head Boy and Head Girl will please exit the room for a short meeting with their aurors.." Massimo, who had returned to the Gryffindor table, stood, being a Prefect, waiting for Leena Boldin (the other prefect) to stand before walking out of the doors.
Conversation had broken out after Dumbledore's announcement, and Ginny snuck another glance at McGonagall before watching the aurors walk past her and out of the door. She nearly choked on her orange juice, watching the Gryffindor aurors drift past her.
Draco Malfoy, his pale hair flawless, as usual, and his icy eyes calmly fixed ahead of him, strode past her and out of the hall, followed closely by Parvati Patel. Sara (after assuring that Ginny hadn't choked) laughed amidst the chattering, her eyes watering with mirth.
"Did I forget to mention.." she managed to choke out in her laughter, "that Draco Malfoy was assigned to Gryffindor?" Ginny was on the verge of hitting the nearly hysteric girl, blinking, mystified, at the now closed door.
"Yes, you did. Sara, you prat, why didn't you tell me?!" Ginny, not far from hysterics herself, was nearly having an apoplectic fit, watching Sara wipe the tears from her eyes. After
Sarafina had calmed down, she shrugged, grabbing a bit of toast for herself. She stared down the table at Colin Creevey, who was watching the girls with a smile, giving him a small grin. She elbowed Ginny in the ribs, directing her attention to Colin.
"What of it?" Ginny asked, waving to Colin absentmindedly. Sarafina shrugged, still grinning slightly, her head flashing towards the doors as they opened. The Prefects, aurors, and Head Boy and Girl filed back into the room (said Head Girl and Boy being Luna Lovegood and Dawson McLaggen, Cormac McLaggen's brother) somberly, taking their assigned places and seats with blank expressions. Mas, for once, seemed sedated, staring down at his plate with a lifeless expression. Sara and Ginny knew better than to ask what had happened, and instead ate in silence, waiting for a chance to get their class schedules from McGonagall.
Professors McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, and Sprout all stood near the end of breakfast, ready to distribute schedules. Ginny, Sara, Mas, along with half of the hall, walked up to meet them, anxiously awaiting their schedules. As Professor McGonagall handed Ginny hers, she said quietly,
"Please see me before your first class, Miss Weasley." Ginny nodded nervously, waiting for Sara to get hers, then walking out of the hall and to the Gryffindor Common Room. Once there she collapsed onto a couch dramatically, closing her eyes wearily. Draco Malfoy.. an auror? For Gryffindor? And McGonagall wanting to talk to me about something.. already, this year is getting to a horrid start. Not to mention last night.. The nightmare. Ginny wished desperately that she would never have it again. Sara pushed Ginny off of the couch, pulling her up towards their dormitory.
"C'mon, lazy. We need to get to class." Ginny grunted, shuffling up the stairs and to her dormitory. She grabbed her things, checking to make sure that every shabby book was in place, then followed Sarafina out again, lugging her bag with her.
"I have to go see McGonagall.." Ginny muttered as they neared said teacher's office, and Sara gave her a worried look.
"Are you alright?" Ginny nodded, already sick of the question.
"I'll see you in Charms.." They split up, Sarafina to the dungeons for potions and Ginny to McGonagall's office. As Ginny pulled open McGonagall's door, she had a rush of foreboding, stepping delicately into the bright room. She turned towards McGonagall's desk and then froze.
Draco Malfoy sat at her desk, sneering slightly, and McGonagall motioned for her to sit next to him.
What in the bloody… I already have to deal with Malfoy as a Gryffindor auror. What is this about?
X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.
Just so you know..
Dumbledore is alive. Sirius is not.
Draco never made the Unbreakable Vow with Snape.
He accepted Dumbledore's protection for him and his mother, and became an auror.
And Massimo and Sarafina Vinacci are indeed fictional, figments of my imagination.