Disclaimer: Though I'm sure you realize it, I don't own anything you might recognize in this series. Especially the characters and locations created by JK Rowling, authress of the Harry Potter Series.

Chapter One: Missing

School was a veritable hell for her lately. The littlest tremor of hope for a bright outcome in the war was always met with the same fate: utter disappointment. Everyone was in mourning for the loss of someone, since so many tragedies had hit so many lives. Poor this girl and poor that boy. Poor everyone. It was enough to drive anyone mad.

Ginny slumped in her seat, the astonishment that the school was still aloft buzzing through her. It was only the second week of her sixth year, and already it seemed as if she were getting off to a bad start. Not only had she lost one of her books, but also she already had an argument with Flitwick. She had neglected her Charms essay in favor of her Potions one, knowing she wouldn't have time to finish both. While she had succeeded in her attempt to skive out of a detention, she still didn't get off without punishment. She had another essay to do now, on top of the neglected one.

The last class of the day seemed to take forever, and for her, it seemed to stretch infinitely longer. She had received word from her mother that Harry had gone missing only five days ago, and it was still weighing heavily within her. Hermione had been there for her, granted, but the loss of the only man she loved was bringing her down exceptionally fast.

The bell sounded and they were all off. Ginny grabbed her bag and slipped her wand into her pocket. She raked her vibrant red hair behind her ear and stole out of the room, not wanting to stay behind to answer any more questions.

The news she had been met with also seemed to move fast within the stone walls of the school. Everywhere she turned she heard them whispering, some even laughed about it. Harry Potter had always been the hero, something she had been thankful for, but now . . . it seemed they all found him a joke.

How could it be, they would ask her fervently, that someone who defeated You-Know-Who would run off like a coward and hide in the shadows? No matter how much she would protest, they persisted on. How could it be that our hero would abandon us when all hope was being lost? She didn't know. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to know.

As she walked past the swarms of her fellow classmates, her heart pounded in her ears. Hermione was still here and was just as lost in the whole of the situation as she. Ron hadn't returned for his seventh year, and Ginny wondered if he had been connected to Harry, or if he still was. Though she hadn't had the nerve or the spirit to ask questions, she knew that she would have to soon enough.

She arrived at Gryffindor faster than she had meant to, but she was slightly thankful for her haste. The empty common room stretched out before her, the normal coziness and appeal vanishing as she allowed herself to be lost within her dark thoughts. Ginny slumped down on the couch, pulling her legs up and lying down. The soft murmurs of students entering lulled her into a deep sleep, and she fell into the placid pool of her dreams.

The day dawned brightly, Hermione jostling Ginny from her bed. How she had come to be in the dormitory she would never know, and she didn't really care at the moment. The curtains had been pulled back from the windows, sunlight pouring in over the scarlet beds. The girls woke up around her, and Ginny wanted more than anything to simply sink back into the comfort of her bed, not to be bothered by the day ahead of her.

"It's still fairly early," Hermione began in a remarkable sing-song voice, "but I think that we should get an early start, you know?"

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?"

Hermione stared down at her in awe. She shrugged it off and smiled widely, "Post comes today, and I'm expecting a letter from Ron."

Ron. Ginny groaned inwardly. A letter from Ron meant more talk of Harry, which was something she didn't want to go through. She knew that answers might lie within Ron's letters, but she was anxious and apprehensive about the whole of it. It was too much . . . too early.

"Come on," Hermione grumbled, slightly miffed by the evil eye Ginny was sending her over the crimson bed sheets.

Ginny tossed the blankets aside and stepped onto the thickly carpeted floor. She sighed as she saw that she had not changed since yesterday, uniform crumpled and wrinkled on her freckled form. Hermione smiled sheepishly and exited the room.

After removing and replacing her school attire, Ginny ascended the stairs. Her bag lay heavily on her back as she followed Hermione out of the common room and to the Great Hall.

The room bustled and hummed with excited talk, more people at breakfast than Ginny had seen in days. She spotted Lavender slumped in a seat next to Seamus and Dean. She had been forced to live without Parvati, and it didn't seem to be going well at all. Ginny remembered the tearful send-off that took place only a week into school. Parvati's mother sent word in the post that she was no longer attending, and that there had been a death in the family. She and Padma left only a day later, both dressed in cool and crisp robes of black. Lavender and Parvati always seemed inseparable, and it was hard to watch.

Of course, Ginny knew that Hermione couldn't be having it too easy either. Harry and Ron weren't around any more. The trio, the golden three . . . disbanded. It all felt like a big joke at first to Ginny, the notion that Ron and Harry weren't coming back. The notion that after being broken up with, she still wouldn't be able to talk with him. She wouldn't be able to see him. If it was hurting her this much on the inside, it must have been tenfold for Hermione.

"I think that Neville's saved us a spot."

Hermione moved through the aisles with ease, Ginny having trouble being as graceful. She knocked a couple of students in the back of the head with her bag, though she didn't stop to apologize. Only five spots away from their spot she managed to knock a girl out of her chair. The whole of the Great Hall was still laughing as Ginny sat, red-faced, in her seat.

Neville was alone, giving Ginny the opportunity to be disbanded and disjointed from the rest of the school for at least ten minutes. Hermione sat next to her, immediately pulling out a textbook and rifling through it with great haste.

"You don't look so good." Neville gave Ginny a sympathetic look. She felt like punching him.

"I'm fine," She said as gently as possible, though she could tell that her voice had a distinct trace of anger hidden inside.

Hermione gave her a admonishing look over the top of Seventh Level Transfiguration, her brown eyes full of caution. Ginny shrugged it off and pulled a plate of toast to herself. She munched on a piece as her eyes scanned the room.

The Hufflepuffs were the lightest in number, something that had come as no shock to anyone. Only a handful remained, all of whom looked very wary. They sat close, practically massed at the center of their long table. Ginny passed them over and moved to look at Ravenclaw. They had to be second in low numbers, though not closely to Hufflepuff. Luna Lovegood sat alone, far off along the table. She read airily from the latest Quibbler, her large eyes drinking in every sentence.

Next came the Slytherin table. They were surprising in their rank as the second highest amount of returning students. Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini sat closely together, Ginny assuming that Pansy was adjusting perfectly to Draco's absence. Crabbe and Goyle were gone, their entire families reported as missing. Ginny supposed this was due to their heavy affiliation with Voldemort, and wasn't ruffled in the least by that revelation. The table was nearly full, save a smattering of empty spots here and there.

Gryffindor was only missing ten students, a brave and graceful return indeed. Parvati, Harry, Ron, The Creevey's, two girls from Ginny's year, and three second years had all decided to stay away from the school. Ginny could understand most of their absences easily, but she had been amazed when Ron decided to stay home.

He was of age, and that was his most substantial argument. It served him well, as their parents both conceded regretfully to it. Ginny felt even more alone on the way to the train, as it was only she and Hermione returning. It still was more than she felt she could bear.

A loud fluttering of wings filled her ears, her head jerking up in time to see the swarm of owls descending into the Hall. Parents eager to hear of goings-on and even more eager to hear of the state of their children had been writing relentlessly. Ginny felt her stomach clench uneasily as a small gray owl appeared above them, dropping the to table unevenly and hooting with glee.

"Pig!" Hermione breathed, pulling the small owl from Ginny's plate and removing a scroll of parchment. "It's not very long . . ."

Ginny tried to lean in and read, but Hermione pulled it away, as if trying to protect her from any upsetting content. Ginny thought momentarily that this might be from embarrassment on Hermione's part, but she knew better. There was something in there that Hermione was scared to show her. Answers, Ginny thought greedily.

Neville was now reading a rather long letter from his grandmother, his mouth moving to form the words as he progressed. Ginny idly glanced at it, catching a few snippets of good news, a few of bad. She turned back instead to Hermione, very eager to hear what lie within Ron's letter.

"Well," Hermione began uncertainly, "it wasn't very long at all . . . but it was very informative."

Ginny looked at her with expectant eyes. "Has there been word? Did he say anything about Harry?"

The look of uneasiness that Ginny had seen her wear so often lately returned to Hermione's face. She bit her lip and looked at Ginny appraisingly, as if trying to see her emotional stability by examining the state of her physical being. Slowly, she handed Ginny the parchment, inhaling deeply as it was received.

Hermione,

Harry's sent me something. I'm going to be coming for you in a day, Mum and Dad's orders, as well as Ginny. Apparently, from what I can understand of Harry's nonsense, he's headed for Grimmauld Place. He says that he's found out something important and that he needs you and I there as soon as possible. Mom doesn't think Gin's safe there anymore, and she wants her home. I have to end now, but I want to tell you that nothing bad has happened, I know how you worry. I'm fine, and so are the rest of us. I'll see you soon, so you had better be ready. McGonagall's already been told. Tell Ginny I said hello, and that we'll be there.

Ron

Ginny felt her fears ease. Harry was alright. Harry was fine. All of the anxiety and hopelessness she had been filled with seemed to seep out, and she was left feeling lighter than she had in months. Hermione was still wearing her worried look, and Ginny quickly soothed her by smiling brightly.

"This is the best news I think I have ever received."

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and smiled weakly. "You're not upset about leaving?"

"Heavens no! Being here is harder than I ever thought it would be. You know that I can't stand it any more." Ginny looked up at the staff table, then quickly back.

Dumbledore's spot remained empty, as no teacher felt comfortable occupying it. The rest of the staff looked emaciated and forlorn, though McGonagall stood as a veritable beacon of strength and determination.

Ginny was glad that she was soon to be rid of the school. Though McGonagall was a great leader and was expected to be just as qualified as the late Headmaster, it didn't feel the same. The difference was by far too immense for her to be able to ignore. For now, she would end her education. She hoped that perhaps later she could make up for it, though she wasn't even sure if she would be able to after this year. The fate of the school was not predetermined. Anything could happen.