Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: This is an experimental story. I started it during class one day, and I have no idea where it will be going. I'm not even sure when or if it will ever be finished (assuming I continue writing it). Right now, I'm just trying to get an idea of whether or not it's worth continuing. These two chapters are all I have done right now, so please let me know if I should continue. Thanks! And Enjoy! (By the way, I started this before OotP came out, so anything that contradicts what is in that book just ignore. Thanks!)
Searching for Answers
~Prologue~
It was the rain that woke him. He slowly sat up, trying to ignore the pain produced from stretching muscles cramped from lying on the hard wooden floor. The man looked around at his surroundings. Through the haze of rain, he could see his companion's sleeping face. She looked relaxed, a drastic change from the cold, guarded façade she usually wore. The rain had plastered her long auburn hair to her face, barely covering the angry red scar that ran down her cheek, marring her otherwise lovely face. As if she could feel his eyes on her, she shifted her body in her sleep, moving her face out of his line of sight.
Sighing, he stood up quietly so as not to wake her. As much as he hated to admit it, she deserved a peaceful rest after what she had gone through. After what they had gone through. To either side of the small rail cart they were riding in stretched the rolling hills of northern Scotland. Behind him lay miles upon miles of traveled track. In front of him lay their destination. They had been trained not to show emotion, but he could not help himself. He was scared. It had been six years, he reminded himself. They probably didn't even remember him. Why the One had decided to send him, he'll never understand. And with her of all people! The One knew their history, and yet It still decided to send the two of them together on this mission. He sighed again, melancholy thoughts drifting through his head.
"Potter?" The voice startled him out of his reverie. He turned to look at the woman in the cart with him. She had obviously just woken up, if her sleep-heavy eyes were any indication. She was getting rusty, he thought as he took in her semi-alert expression. Just a few weeks ago and she would have been awake instantly the moment he first sat up. He must have been staring at her for quite some time, because she gave him a concerned look. "Harry?" He could hear the worry in her voice. Now he was positive she was out of practice; he would not normally be able to detect feeling of any kind in her voice.
"I'm fine, Ginny," he replied shortly, "and from now on, don't use our names. We're getting close to the destination."
"Yes, sir."
"And please, I've told you to drop the 'sir.' We've known each other too long and been through too much for such formality."
"But you're my superior," she said with a bit of a bite in her voice. "How am I supposed to address you?" He let out a heavy sigh.
"Let's just use the aliases we agreed upon," he replied wearily, "when we arrive, we'll have to use them anyway. Might as well start now so we don't slip up later on."
"Fine, Odin. But I'm telling you right now: I am not happy with this mission."
"The feeling is mutual, Freya, trust me. But if you feel like complaining, go ahead and complain to the One. Or better yet, the Coven. Maybe they'll overrule It." He could see the look of horror pass over her face as he chuckled.
"No thanks," Ginny—Freya—said emphatically, "I'll take my chances with you over the Coven any day."
"Really? And here I was thinking you didn't like me." She said nothing as she turned away to look out over the moors of Scotland. Harry—Odin—could feel the semi-jovial atmosphere leave and be replaced with the hostile tension that usually dominated the air whenever they were together. If this was any indication of what the rest of their mission was going to be like, he most definitely was not looking forward to it. Ginny was just as much a mystery to him now as she was five years ago when she first entered the Circle. He could not imagine having to teach little kids with her—for every day of the next year. As the sun rose over the horizon, both Harry and Ginny got their first glimpse of their destination. The dawn light glinted off the roof and turrets, casting an ominous shadow over the building. It had been six years for him, although only two had passed for everyone else. He had changed quite a bit over the years, both mentally and physically, but as the cart slowly made its way towards the small town at the foot of the castle, he got the same tingle in his spine that he had always gotten as he looked up at the magnificent sight. With a small sigh, he accepted the inevitable: Harry Potter had returned to Hogwarts, and he was no longer the student he used to be.