Moving Forward

Chapter 1: Specific Instructions

Author's Note: So I am writing this at 1 o' clock in the morning because I am semi-bored and I was sort of inspired. The first chapter didn't come out quite as dramatic as I had hoped for. It ended up more somber, but you have to keep in mind that these are troubled times. Enjoy! R and R!

Harry Potter had broken Ginny Weasley's heart. This, however, did not for one second deter Ginny. She had been in love with Harry-Yes, love. She knew how she felt thank you very much and she loved Harry. Had done just that since she was roughly fourteen and a half.

So now, as Ginny sat on the opposite end of the train from the golden trio on her own as she returned home from her fifth year at Hogwart's school of witchcraft and Wizardry she was thinking. She was thinking about all the good times with Harry and how she was going to fight hard against evil this summer no matter what. In the midst of these thoughts she received an owl from her mother. And it read as follows:

Dear Ginny,

How are you, precious? Your father and I are so looking forward to seeing you under the happy circumstances of your homecoming as opposed to -well, Dumbledore's… yes.

I have some horribly important news for you dear. Dumbledore, bless his soul, left very specific instructions and I am going to relay the part most significant to you in this letter word for word.

"And in regards to the youngest Weasley, Miss Ginevra, I am asking something that requires the strength of not her alone. Arthur and Molly this summer you are being asked to give up your wonderful daughter. Not only that but you are being asked to do so with the utmost confidence in her success and ability to do as asked. Her success does not directly depend on this rather how much she s going to allow it to affect her. Now I am rambling so this is my request.

Ginevra is now fifteen, indeed has been for quite some time, and is therefore a full-fledged member of the Order of the Phoenix based on need for recruits and her impeccable skill in all her endeavors. However, I am aware that she is underage and is still of limited help magically speaking. So, with this in mind I am sending her on a research mission to Bulgaria. Arrangements have been made for her to stay with a family whose surname I will not leave in this because if this gets intercepted she might be in danger having her whereabouts known. They will meet her upon her arrival for which I have left very specific instructions. When she gets there she will receive her specific assignment."

The next section was in regards to Nymphadora so it stops rather abruptly, but basically dear I needed to tell you this before you arrived at King's Cross because you will not be coming home, but rather leaving right away. I am so sorry. I hate this. I am angry and hurt, but I know Dumbledore can't have meant this to be cruel. It is something we all need to accept and I support you completely and so does your father and Bill and Charlie and we know you can do it. Fred and George do as well though they are being oddly silent right now.

We all love you so much,

Mum

Ginny stared hard at the note. This was unbelievable. At first she was excited and then she was scared and the whole time she was experiencing these emotions she did not here her compartment door slide open and three people walk in.

"Blimey, I think she's gone stupid!"

"Don't be ridiculous Ron, look she's had a letter!" Snapped Hermione Granger impatiently at her friend. Hermione then proceeded to sit down next to Ginny whilst Ron sat across for them and Harry shuffled his feet awkwardly by the door. "Ginny? Ginny?"

With Hermione's gentle coaxing Ginny suddenly snapped out of her thoughts. She looked around surprised at the three people in her compartment. Then sighed. "I need to tell you all something." At this point in time, Ginny was experiencing, although completely refusing to acknowledge an extreme twisting of her heart at Harry's closeness, however, these people were important to her and with forty-five minutes until they reached King's Cross, she needed to tell them what was going on.

Harry's head snapped up at her words and Hermione leaned in a little closer whilst Ron sat up straighter. The four were close through family and friendship bonds and rarely ever started conversations with such a somber sounding preamble so the older trio knew it was serious.

No one said anything and Ginny used the time they were silent and staring at her to try and figure out what she was going to say. She knew she didn't have long before they started asking question so rather then risk getting all jumbled she blurted out, "I am going to Bulgaria."

Harry said nothing and just stared at her. His heart clenched painfully. She was leaving! Why! He had just broken up with her a few days ago and already was feeling the full impact of his choice to protect her on his emotions and his heart. Hermione nodded, encouraging her to go on. Harry hated her for not protesting this. Hermione was so smart! How could she not see that Ginny couldn't go! And as for Ron, well…. He sat there. He looked like a goldfish and tried so hard to not explode though it was obviously difficult for him and Ginny hurriedly offered an explanation before his ears reached a new shade of infa-red.

"Mum, just sent me a letter. It was… It was Dumbledore's orders. It is an assignment… My first as a member of the Order of the Phoenix."

They waited for her to go on, but Ginny just leaned back in her chair and shut her eyes. This was it. Telling people she was so close to made this real. Unavoidable. She was going to Bulgaria. Dumbledore had alluded to the fact that she would be in some degree of danger. Although, judging by the way she leaned into to hug her Hermione though Ginny was afraid, she wasn't. She was excited. She was going to help. She wasn't sure quite how, but this was her chance o get out. Stake a claim for herself. It occurred to Ginny that this was an odd, selfish thought to be feeling, but she couldn't help herself. Living in so many people's shadow for fifteen years can do that to a girl.

Ron was furious! He was standing up now and said in a quiet tone. "No, you are my sister and I will be damned if anyone is going to take you away. You are too young, too at risk! NO!"

Ginny stood up now as well. "Ronald, don't presume to tell me what I can and cannot do. And besides you talk like I choose this. I was assigned this Ron. And you can complain and moan all you want, but I am going. I am going to help."

Ron stormed out after staring at her for a few seconds. Hermione stood up. She was going to go after him, she said and on her way out the door Hermione gently placed a hand on Harry's arm and whispered, "Explain this to her. She will not be able to accomplish her mission if she goes away upset."

Once Hermione made her exit, Harry awkwardly shuffled her feet and Ginny, for a moment was a normal fifteen year old girl and rolled her eyes at her ex-boyfriend's lame antics. "How are you doing Harry?" She finally asked with a sigh in an effort to have a normal conversation.

"I've been better," was his non-chalant reply, but at least he finally looked her in the eyes and Ginny almost feel back words into her seat at the amount of pain and sadness and apology in his eyes. She shook her head once to make sure her own eyes didn't give away how much she missed him before going on.

"Are you going straight to the burrow this summer?" Really it was a stupid question. Ginny knew very well that Harry had to go to his Aunt and Uncle's home first, but it was an accettable topic because it kept either of them for saying what was really in their heart's.

"No, listen Gin-"

"Ginny or Ginevra please, Harry," cut in Ginny. Gin had been something he had called her when they were-ahem-having some alone time and really if it wasn't in the heat of the moment where he simply coulnd't finish pronouncing her name it rather annoyed her.

"Right," replied Harry awkwardly as he to remembered. "About Ron, he is just scared for you. We all are. This is really unexzpected that Dumbledore could expect you to be any-"

"Could expect me to be what?" asked Ginny rather wearily. IT was the same old conversation about her innate uselessness in the fight against darkness. "He couldn't expect me to be any help? Because I am weak and cannot take care of myself?"

"No!" cut in Harry Sharply. "That is not it at all!" Ginny was actually rather pleased with his sharpness because he was showing some control as opposed to the wallowing he had made a habit of doing these past few days. "Ginny it is upsetting to think that this is what it is coming to. We're fifteen and sixteen, but we aren't teenagers anymore. We aren't kids. WE don't get to be. Now we have to fight. And I don't think you realize Ginny how precious you are to everyone! How much you are loved. You having to go on a mission just sort of affirms that we are in a war."

After Harry's speech Ginny just sat there quietly thinking about what the older boy had said. He was right. They weren't kids anymore. But it wasn't just war. It was the changing emotions and the developing relationships-or disintegrating ones she added wirily in her own head.

Harry had gone back to leaning heavily against the compartment door and staring at the floor so Ginny stretched out her arm and grabbed his hand. She almost reeled over and cried at how familiar and perfect it was to be touching him again as well as at the obvious connection they still had, not that she thought it would ever go away.

"AS Harry's hand clasped around her own in response she gave her own little speech. "Look, Harry. I know. That's the thing. We aren't kids anymore and quite frankly I am scared to death of this. I don't know who I am staying with and what I am supposed to figure out. But more then the things that maybe should scare me I am scared of failing because Dumbledore obviously thought this was important. I need to do this. I need to do it so we can win against Voldemort and I need to do this to prove to everyone-even you that I am not some weepy little girl everyone has to protect,"

It was an admirable speech full of strength and courage for the coming months, but it had not escaped Harry what she was really saying to only him. That he had made a mistake in thinking she needed any kind of protection from him. Especially his breaking up with her. He knew she would accept the love and support people could offer her but she wasn't going to cower in everyone else's protective shadow.

So Harry just squeezed her hand and said, "Look, don't reply to this okay? Just let me say it and leave it alone." She nodded. "I am sorry I hurt you. And I know you can do this. Promise to write and stay as safe as you can and I know you can do whatever it is you are supposed to do. And Ginny, before we get off this train you need to know that I-"

At this moment Ron walked in being nudged along by an exasperated Hermione. He looked at Ginny fir a moment who, having abruptly let go of Harry's hand at their entrance, was now wringing them in her lap.

"Look Ginny, I love you. You are my little sister but you are one of the strongest women I have ever met, besides Hermione hear who practically dragged me back and beat me to make me think." He smiled rather sadly. "And I know you can do this. But I am going to miss you."

Ginny then jumped up from her seat and hugged him hard! Then she included Hermione into the hug as well and at Harry's refusal to be dragged into so she held his hand tightly as they rolled into King's Cross station.

Author's Note: First Chapter done! YAY! Next Chapter-Ginny arrives in Bulgaria to meet her mystery host family. R and R!