The Journey Home
Summary: Ginny Weasley was declared dead at the age of 16 when she falls through the same veil Sirius Black had only two years prior. But Ginny is not dead. Instead she lands in a different realm, in a place called Thedas. This is the story of her adventure.
Author's Note: Never did I ever think that I would be writing a crossover fan fiction. But this idea would just not leave my head, and I found it odd that there were no fics with 'Sirius in Thedas after falling through the veil' in the crossover section (or perhaps I just didn't see them) this story will have Sirius as a main character, but it will Ginny Weasley who is the protagonist. I've always loved Ginny and I wanted to make her the heroine of the story. Needless to say, this is AU for both Harry Potter and Dragon Age canon. It takes place during Dragon Age: Origins, but it will not follow the game (though some parts in the beginning will be straight out of the game, as well as some of the dialogue, with minor tweaks.) This is my first time writing anything ever, so please, leave a review! I would love to hear where I need improvement. Constructive criticism is always welcome!
Disclaimer: I am not associated with either JK Rowling or Bioware. I do not own the rights to either Harry Potter or Dragon Age. This story is for entertainment only; I am not profiting from it in any way.
Prologue: Return to the Department of Mysteries.
Ginny was sure that this was a trap. She couldn't believe that Harry and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix could fall for the same trick twice.
Two years ago, during her fourth year at Hogwarts, Ginny had followed Harry, her brother Ron, and her friends Hermione, Neville and Luna to the Ministry of Magic. Harry had received a vision from Voldemort through their connection, and Harry believed that Sirius had been taken by Death Eaters and was being tortured in the Department of Mysteries. Sirius had not been there. Voldemort had tricked Harry into entering the Ministry, and then sent his Death Eaters to capture them. Ironically, Sirius had been killed attempting to rescue them.
Now they were in the same situation. Voldemort had again sent Harry a vision, this time of their friend Tonks, who had disappeared four months ago. Harry and Remus had insisted that they rush to the Ministry to save her. The rest of the Order had agreed, and although Ginny was certain that this was another trap, she had volunteered to follow Harry to the Ministry once again.
And that was how Ginny Weasley was caught in the middle of a gruesome battle, in the odd chamber where the veil was located. Curses and hexes, and their counter-spells, were flying back and forth, Order members were fighting Death Eaters. There were bodies on the ground, some were alive but knocked out; most were dead. Ginny had to step over some of these bodies as she dueled Death Eaters relentlessly.
At least this time we were better prepared, thought Ginny as she stupefied another Death Eater. Ginny and her companions were now more experienced in dueling, and they had planned their mission to the Department of Mysteries more carefully, bringing with them plenty of reinforcements. Unfortunately, the Death Eaters still outnumbered them.
Ginny stepped over the body of a Death Eater as she moved to avoid a killing curse from the wizard she was dueling at the moment. She sent a stunner back in his direction, but the man sidestepped the curse, losing his hood in the process. Lucius Malfoy smirked at her as he threw a cruciatus curse at her.
She didn't have time to do anything. The curse hit her, making her fall to her knees as she screamed in pain. Malfoy removed the curse, and Ginny was left panting, trying to regain her breath.
"I'm going to enjoy killing you, little Weasley," sneered Malfoy as he lifted her up and took her wand. Ginny was weak from the cruciatus, panting and gasping for breath. Suddenly a curse hit Malfoy from behind and he fell.
"Ginny! Are you alright?" Ron rushed to her, Hermione by his side, sending stunners to any Death Eaters nearby.
"I'm fine," replied Ginny. "I just need to get my wand back."
She hadn't noticed how close they were to the Veil that had taken Sirius that night two years ago. She was still disoriented from the cruciatus. Had she realized where she was, perhaps she would have been more careful. Perhaps had she not received such a powerful curse from Malfoy, she would have been able to see his son, Draco, sending a hex in her direction. But Ginny didn't notice as she crawled to where her wand had fallen next to Malfoy, next to the Veil, and the hex connected with her shoulder, throwing her back and through the veil. She thought she heard Ron's voice calling her name for a second.
And Ginny knew only darkness.
Chapter 1: It Smells Like Wet Dog.
"And you just found her lying there, outside the walls?"
"Where did she come from?"
"Her clothes are so odd…"
Ginny groaned. Her whole body ached and her head felt like it would explode. It hurt her ears to hear people talking, and she wished they would go away. She tried to speak to tell them to leave, but was unable to form the words, and another groan left her lips.
"I think she's waking up," one of the voices said.
Ginny opened her eyes slowly. The bright light in the room hurt, and it took a few moments for eyes to adjust. When they finally did, she saw three people, two women and a man, standing around her. She tried to sit up, but one of the women stopped her.
"It's all right, child," she said, pushing Ginny back down. "You were badly injured when you were brought here. It's best if you stay in bed a bit longer." The woman spoke gently, but firmly, as though she were accustomed to give orders and have them followed without question. She was older, Ginny would guess about 50, with graying hair braided and pulled back into a bun, and bright green eyes.
The other woman was a young girl, not much older than Ginny herself, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing what looked like armor made of leather. The man was also wearing armor, but his was metal and looked a bit like the armor sets which decorated the halls at Hogwarts. He had the same brown hair and eyes as the girl, and she figured they must be related, possibly siblings.
"Where am I?" Ginny asked, wincing as she attempted to move again. She felt like she was covered in bruises.
"You are in Castle Cousland," responded the older woman. "I'm Eleanor. What's your name?"
"Ginny. Ginny Weasley," she answered. "How did I get here?"
"Fergus and Elissa found you just outside the wall to the castle," said Eleanor. "Like I said, you were badly injured. We thought for a moment that you might not make it. What happened to you, child?"
Ginny didn't know how to answer. She had never heard of Castle Cousland, and she didn't know if these people were muggle or wizarding folk. She couldn't just tell them about the battle at the Ministry of Magic. And there was something odd about this place. She looked around the stone chamber. It was furnished simply, with a bed, a nightstand, a table and chair made of wood, and a large chest in the corner. The window was a simple opening in the stone wall, and there was a tapestry on the opposite wall, depicting a hunting scene. The images in the tapestry did not move, and there were no magical items in the room. There was no also no sign of modern muggle items either, not that Ginny would have been familiar with how to use them. And the young people in armor scared her. She could see that they were both carrying swords.
No, she couldn't tell these people the truth. At least, not yet. "I don't remember," she lied.
Eleanor looked down at her with pity. "It's all right, child. I'm sure you will remember soon enough."
"It looks like you got hit in the head hard," said the girl. "You may have a concussion."
"Were you traveling with anyone?" asked the man.
"I was alone," Ginny answered him.
"Alone? Bandits must have seen you, thought you were an easy target, and attacked you," he said. "If that's the case, Mother, we must send a few of the men to search the area for these bandits and make sure they don't attack anyone else."
"You are right, Fergus," Eleanor said nodding. "Will you be alright on your own for a few moments, child?" she asked, turning back to Ginny.
Ginny nodded, and immediately regretted it as the pain in her head felt worse. She closed her eyes, and she heard Eleanor, Fergus and Elissa leave the room and close the door silently behind them.
What had happened? Last thing Ginny could remember was reaching for her wand, which Lucius Malfoy had dropped after Ron had stunned him. Then... what happened then? She had felt a pain in her shoulder. A curse or hex must have hit her, and it threw her back. She had fallen to the floor, and rolled back. And she remembered the feeling of soft cloth on her face…
Ginny's eyes snapped open as she realized what had happened in the Department of Mysteries. She had fallen through the veil, just as Sirius had two years ago.
Her family must be devastated. They must think she is dead. Just like Sirius.
Sirius… If she had fallen through the veil and was still alive, then Sirius must be alive as well. But where was he?
Come to think of it, where was she? Ginny needed to learn more. Was she in some remote part of Britain that she didn't know about? Or in another country? Where had the veil taken her? Would it have taken her to the same place Sirius was? Or was Sirius someplace different?
How would she ever get home?
She looked around the room, searching for her wand. She was dressed in the gray slacks and white shirt she was wearing when she went to the Department of Mysteries, but her shoes were gone. Perhaps Eleanor had taken them off when she got her into bed. Her pockets were empty, and she found no sign of her wand in the room. She wasn't expecting it to be there…it was probably still on the floor of the veil chamber, or perhaps her parents had gotten it back.
Thinking of her family made her heart hurt. She couldn't bear the thought that they were probably mourning her death, couldn't imagine the pain they must be feeling. But she wasn't dead. There must be a way to contact them, to let them know she was okay. Would they all give up on her without even trying to find her beyond the veil, just as they had for Sirius? Would she be declared legally dead by the Wizengamot just as Sirius had?
She needed to find the way home. But how? How would she find a way back to Britain, when she didn't even know where she was? How was she supposed to find her back when she didn't know where the veil had thrown her, or how it worked?
Her thoughts drifted once more to Sirius. Was he even alive in this place? Had he been trying to find a way home as well? Would they be able to go back?
Ginny knew that she had to first learn about this place. She needed to know where she was, needed to learn how this world worked. And then she had to find Sirius. Together, perhaps they could find a way home. Back to her family. Back to Harry.
Again, Ginny felt an ache in her heart as she thought about her family. And Harry. They had been together, as boyfriend and girlfriend, for almost a year. The last conversation she had with him had ended in a fight, as he refused to heed her warnings about the trap that was waiting for them in the Department of Mysteries. She knew Harry well, she knew he must be mourning her and blaming himself for not listening to her and leading them all once again into Voldemort's trap.
A knock on the door disrupted her thoughts. The girl who was there when she had woken up had returned, this time with a tray of food.
"Oh, good, you are still awake!" Elissa exclaimed. "I've brought some food for you."
Ginny watched as Elissa set the tray down on the table, and then sat in the chair.
"Nan made her famous Ferelden lamb and pea stew," said Elissa. "But Mother thought that may be too heavy for you to eat, so she sent up some broth. I nicked some cheese and an apple from the larder for you, though. Broth is just so plain, not a good meal at all."
Ginny sat up on the bed. "Thank you. And thank you for bringing me here and healing me."
"Well, Fergus and I couldn't just leave you out there for the wolves to eat, "said Elissa, with a small smile. She reached back and grabbed the apple from the tray, and offered it to Ginny.
"Thank you." Ginny grabbed the apple and bit into it.
"You must be hungry," said Elissa. "You were out of it for about five days now. Gave us all a fright. We were starting to think that you might not wake up."
Elissa watched Ginny closely. It made Ginny nervous, but the girl had been one of her rescuers. She looked Elissa over. She was a beautiful girl, her long brown tied back into a braid, and her eyes shone with mischief.
"Mother has ordered everyone to not pester you with questions and allow you time to recover," she continued. "She's concerned that you might have some memory loss due to the blow on the head you received. And she wants you to rest and heal up. I'm sure she'll want to question you herself, though, so be prepared for that soon."
Ginny nodded. "I really appreciate what you and your family have done for me. I'm a complete stranger and yet you've taken me in and taken care of me."
Elissa stood up. "You should eat, and get some rest. I'll send one of the servants up to clear the tray later. I'll also send you clothes, so you can be more comfortable. You look to be about my size. We can talk more once you are well."
Ginny thanked her once more, and Elissa smiled at her kindly, and left her to finish her meal. She ate slowly, thinking about this strange place, and wishing she were home instead.
Elissa had sent an elf to take away the empty tray, and to bring her some clothing. The elf was nothing like what Ginny expected. She had thought it would be a tiny house elf. Instead the elf girl who arrived was a beautiful woman, only a head shorter than herself, with pointed ears that were partly hidden by her long, black hair, and lithe figure. She spoke normally and fluently, calling her Mistress Ginny. Through her, Ginny learned that most of the house servants at Castle Cousland were elves, although some humans, like Nan, also worked here.
The chest of clothing that Elissa had sent was filled with beautiful and expensive gowns, comfortable shoes, stockings, and brand new underwear and night clothes which the elf referred to as smallclothes. The elf drew Ginny a bath in the small bathing chamber across the hall, and then helped her walk to tub.
Ginny felt much better after her bath and small meal, and was much more comfortable in clean clothes, even if the night shirt she now wore did look like it came out of the 13th century. She resolved to find Elissa to thank her for the clothes in the morning. She lay on the bed and fell asleep almost immediately.
Eleanor and Elissa returned the next morning to see how Ginny was feeling. They helped her sit up and Eleanor looked over her wounds. Ginny had a nasty cut and bruise on her head, as well as a few minor cuts on her arms and legs. There was a very large bruise on her torso where she had had some minor internal bleeding, according to Eleanor.
"Well, it looks like you are healing well," she said once she had inspected Ginny's wounds. "I don't think there will be any lasting damage. You will need lots of rest and relaxation for the time being though. So you are to stay in bed unless it is absolutely necessary."
Ginny was not thrilled about having to stay in bed for an extended period of time. Her displeasure must have shown on her face, because Elissa let out a small laugh and said, "Don't worry. I'll bring you some books from the library if you wish so you have something to do."
"Thank you," said Ginny. Books could be a good thing. She needed to start looking for a way home. Perhaps the answer might be in a book, though she didn't really believe that the Castle Cousland would have the book she needed most. "And thank you so much for all those dresses. I promise I will return them as soon as I can."
Elissa waved her off. "I hardly wear those dresses, anyway. Keep them for as long as you like. I much prefer to wear my armor."
Ginny noticed Eleanor roll her eyes. It looked like this may have been a frequent fight between mother and daughter.
"I need to go and tend to some things," said Eleanor. "But if you need anything, don't be afraid to ask. One of the servants will come if you call them, and they'll know where to find me if you need to speak to me. For now, get some rest. I'll send someone up with breakfast for you." Ginny thanked her yet again, and Eleanor left, closing the door behind her.
Elissa stayed with Ginny, making small talk with her until her breakfast arrived, and then she set off for the library to get Ginny something to read. Ginny ate her breakfast slowly, and she was just finishing when Elissa returned.
"I wasn't sure what kind of books you would like," she said, setting three books down on the small table by her bed. "Brother Aldous insisted I bring you some history books. I think he is hoping that you will be a historian like him so he has someone to talk to. And Mother Mallol insisted I bring you a copy of the Chant of Light. I picked out the The Ballad of Ayesliegh. If these don't suit you, I can always bring you others."
"Thank you, Elissa," said Ginny. "Really, I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you and your family for all you've done for me."
"Ginny, do you have a place to go?" asked Elissa. "Once you are healed, I mean. Do you have a place to live?"
Ginny lowered her eyes. "I don't."
Elissa pursed her lips. She was quiet for a few minutes, her eyes watching Ginny. It made Ginny a little nervous, like Elissa was inspecting her or something.
"Stay here," Elissa finally said.
"What?"
"You can stay here, in Castle Cousland," Elissa repeated. Ginny was about to protest, but Elissa continues. "I'm not asking you out of charity. I am asking you to stay here, and work for me. You can start once you are better."
Ginny looked at her in disbelief. "Why?"
"Mother has been after me to behave like a proper young lady, "said Elissa. "I need a handmaiden, and you need a place to stay and a way to earn money. I think this is the perfect solution for both of us."
"But you hardly know me. You don't know who I am, where I am from."
"You hardly know me," countered Elissa. "I don't see hiring you any different than hiring any elf girl who comes looking for the position. I won't who they are either. And I trust you to not try to kill me and my family in our sleep, and not just because we've helped you. You seem like you are good person, and you have a strong head of your shoulders. You've woken up in a strange place, surrounded by people you don't know, and you haven't gone in a panic or tried to run away or try to attack anyone. My instincts are telling me its okay to trust you, so I do."
Ginny was stunned. But she could hardly refuse Elissa's offer. She really didn't have a place to go. And she had no idea where to start looking for Sirius, or how to find a way home. "I've never been anyone's handmaiden before," she told Elissa.
"And I've never had a handmaiden before," replied Elissa. "I guess you and I will just have to learn together."
It was nearly three weeks since Ginny's sudden arrival at Castle Cousland before Lady Eleanor decided that Ginny's injuries had healed properly and that she was free to begin her duties as Elissa's handmaiden. Lady Eleanor had been thrilled that Elissa had chosen to hire Ginny, and she provided Ginny with some money from her pay in advance so she could buy anything she needed. Lord Fergus escorted Ginny and Elissa into the city of Highever for a shopping expedition.
Elissa insisted that Ginny take her meals with the rest of the family in the dining hall. Ginny had pointed out that it might be wrong for her, as a servant to the family, to sit with them during meals, but Elissa would have none of that. The other Couslands were very welcoming of her. Teyrn Bryce was a kind and just man, who smiled often and loved to share humorous stories of the war with Orlais. Fergus's wife, Oriana, was from a place called Antiva, where apparently everyone was always getting assassinated. Their son Oren, had fallen in love with Ginny the moment he laid eyes on her, and Oriana was grateful for Ginny's help with the little boy, who was very active and tended to get into trouble often.
Staying at Castle Cousland had major advantages. The Couslands had a large library, with a multitude of books and atlases. She spent a lot of time here, reading and learning about this new place. Brother Aldous, a learned man who had been Elissa's tutor and was now Oren's, was always there, ready and willing to answer any of her questions as well. In this manner, Ginny learned that she was in the country of Ferelden, in the continent of Thedas. Ginny could only assume that Thedas was in a different realm than the UK. Thedas was something out of medieval times, with a feudal system in place in most nations and city-states. The countries of Thedas were always warring. Ferelden had, until recently, been occupied by the Orlesian Empire. King Maric and his general, Loghain Mac Tir, had ended the Orlesian tyranny and made Ferelden an independent nation. Brother Aldous explained that although Ferelden had a king, the newly crowned King Cailan, son of Maric, the real power of the kingdom was held by the noble families. There were the teyrns, the Ferelden equivalent to dukes, then the arls, then the banns. The Couslands held one of the only two teyrnirs in Ferelden, Highever. The other was named Gwaren, and had been gifted to Ser Loghain for his part in the rebellion.
Ginny also learned of the many races in Thedas: There were the humans, who were the dominant race in most of Thedas; the dwarfs, who lived underground; the kossith, who lived in the far away islands of Seheron and Par Vollen; and the elves, who had been beaten down by the humans in a struggle for dominance of Thedas. The elves had once had a great civilization, until Arlathan had fallen and the elves were enslaved. After they followed the prophet Andraste, the elves were given the Dales as a reward, but once again the humans had beaten them into submission. Now the elven population was divided: One group of elves, who called themselves the Dalish, roamed the forests as nomads; another group of elves had settled in cities all around Thedas, and they were treated like second class citizens, forced to live in alienages in housing falling apart and forced to take jobs as servants; in places like Tevinter, elves were sold into slavery.
Of all the things she learned, the most disconcerting and terrifying to her, was the history of magic in Thedas. Everyone in Thedas knew about magic- it was not a secret like in the UK. Humans and elves that held magical ability were called mages. The Chantry, Thedas's largest religious organization, and the most powerful entity, taught that the magisters that had once ruled the Tevinter Imperium using magic as a weapon to keep the people enslaved, had attempted to take over the Golden City from the Maker, the Chantry's only god. The magisters were punished by being turned into darkspawn, awful, soulless creatures that lived underground in the Deep Roads. Darkspawn would eventually find an entity known as an Old God, who would become an archdemon and lead a Blight. A blight could last decades, with the darkspawn attacking the surface and destroying and tainting everything in their path.
Because of this, magic was seen as a curse, and any person with magical abilities was feared. The Chantry had created the Order of the Templars and Circles to keep the mages in check. The Circle of Magi was a place where mages could be sent for training and to learn to control their magic. The Templars watched over the mages, making sure they stayed in the Circle, hunting down apostates, or mages who refused to live in the Circle. The Templars were also tasked with killing any mage who used a type of magic known as blood magic, as well as abominations, mages who had made deals with demons in exchange for something, usually more power.
This was part of the reason Ginny kept her magic hidden. She did not want to end up locked away in a tower. She knew she would be considered an apostate, and that the Templars would not hesitate to take her in. But Ginny was having difficulty with her magic. She had attempted simple spells wandlessly, and could not get them to work. However, in a few occasions, she had been able to conjure small fires, and her fingertips sometimes crackled with electricity. It was unusual and frustrating. She wished she knew why she couldn't use her magic effectively, but was too afraid of becoming a prisoner to search for someone to help her. It was terrifying that she could not rely on her magic to protect herself if she needed it. And so she kept her abilities a secret, even from Elissa.
Ginny quickly adapted to Ferelden, and life in Highever fell into an easy routine. She would wake up every morning and help Elissa get dressed, and then take breakfast with the Couslands. She would follow Elissa to the chapel for a short service. She would then have the morning to research in the library while Elissa trained with the knights and soldiers of Highever, much to her mother's dismay. The afternoon was spent with Elissa, doing whatever the older girl decided. Elissa treated Ginny like an equal and they quickly became friends, laughing and joking as though they had known each other all their lives. The evenings were spent in the Great Hall with all the Couslands, laughing and telling stories, playing with little Oren.
It was a comfortable life, and one that Ginny might have liked if she had been brought up in this place. She felt guilty at enjoying some of her time her while her family was back home, probably frantic with worry, or worse, sick with grief. She knew she should've been focusing on finding a way to get home, but she was scared to ask anyone for help. A suspicious question to the wrong person might land her in Aeonar, a Chantry-controlled prison where mages who had disobeyed Chantry law were sent for punishment.
It was difficult to see the Couslands interacting with each other, and every night Ginny wished she could see her family once again, enjoying lazy evenings playing chess and listening to the wireless. She was desperate to find a way home, and she had to force herself to focus. Her first goal was to find Sirius. She was sure that together they could find a way back.
After almost three months of being in Castle Cousland, Ginny gathered her courage and went to Elissa for help finding Sirius.
"Who is this person you are looking for?" Elissa asked. "Is he a relative of yours, this Sirius Black?"
"Not really," answered Ginny. "He was friend of my parents, and I was hoping he might be able to answer some questions for me."
"About your family?"
Ginny hesitated. She hated lying to Elissa, who was truly the only friend she had in this odd place. "Yes, among other things."
"And you have no idea where he could be?"
"None, though I hope he is in Ferelden."
Elissa sighed. "I won't lie to you, Ginny. Finding him may not be as easy as it sounds. He could be anywhere in Thedas. You don't even know where he's from, just his name and a description."
Ginny bit her lip. She knew finding Sirius would be like finding a needle in a haystack, but she had to try. "I have to find him, Elissa. He may be the only one who knows how I can get home. I need to talk to him. There must be a way!"
"What do you mean he's the only one who knows how you can get home?"
"I mean, he's the only who knows where they are."
Elissa smiled sadly at her. "I know this means a lot to you, so I will have some contacts outside Highever ask a few questions, search in a few places. But don't get your hopes up. This search could last a very long time. In fact, we may not ever find him."
"Thank you, Elissa!" breathed Ginny, relieved. "I know this sounds impossible, but I appreciate your help. I owe you and your family so much already. I don't know how I will ever repay you."
Nearly four more months had passed before Ginny and Elissa received any promising leads on Sirius's whereabouts. Teyrn Bryce and Fergus had gone to Denerim for a Landsmeet, a council of all of Ferelden's nobility where they discuss and vote on important matters of the kingdom. With both men gone, Elissa had spent more time with her mother, helping her run the teyrnir appropriately. It meant that Ginny spent more time helping Oriana with little Oren, a task she rather enjoyed. The little boy was the pride and joy of all the Couslands, bright and happy and playful, though very mischievous. Oren reminded her of the twins. Though she had never known them when they were four, she imagined they had behaved a lot like Oren did now.
Ginny had been watching Oren while Oriana, who was feeling unwell, rested in her chamber. Ginny had taken the little boy to play in the courtyard. Oren insisted on bringing his toy swords, and Ginny was quickly drawn into a mock duel with the boy, who moved fast as lightning.
"Go Oren! Show Ginny what auntie Eli has been teaching you!"
Ginny turned to see Elissa approaching them. Oren took advantage, seeing Ginny distracted, and brought down his toy sword on her arm.
"Ow!" Ginny yelped. She pretended to fall rather dramatically. "Oh, I yield, I yield! O kind Ser Oren, please I beg you to spare my life!"
Oren stood over her and seemed to be considering her surrender. "Okay, Ginny. I'll let you live. But just this once!"
Elissa laughed. "Go on, Oren. Go play on your own for a moment while I speak to Ginny. But don't go where we can't see you!"
Ginny stood and shook her dress out as Oren ran towards one of the knights on duty, no doubt to pester him with questions about his job. "Is something the matter, Elissa?"
"Don't get excited," warned Elissa. "But Fergus wrote that there may have been a sighting of Sirius Black."
Ginny's heart jumped to her throat. She tried to keep calm as she spoke. "Where was he seen? Are we sure it was really Sirius?"
Elissa shook her head. "A man fitting his description was seen just outside of Denerim. The owner of an inn said that the man's name was Sirius, but he did not know his last name. However, Sirius is not a common name here in Ferelden, so it may have been who you are looking for."
Ginny bit her lip. After spending nearly eight months in Highever, she had a real chance of finding Sirius. Perhaps they could finally go home! "I need to go there, Elissa," she said, her voice filled with excitement and hope.
"It's too dangerous to travel by yourself. There are bandits on the roads, and there were some reports that there were darkspawn in Brecilian Forest," Elissa said. "The Grey Wardens are there now investigating, but darkspawn could pop up anywhere. It's better to let Fergus handle it."
"But Fergus won't know Sirius," said Ginny. "I need to go. I need to see him for myself to make sure it is him."
"We don't even know if he's still in Denerim, Ginny!"
"I have to try! Please, Elissa," she begged. "I need to go to Denerim!" No matter how comfortable she was at Castle Cousland, it was not her home. Her home was the Burrow. Her home was her mother and her father, her brothers, her friends. Seeing the Couslands everyday only reminded her that her family wasn't here with her, that she had no way to contact them. That she might not ever see them again. Getting to back to them was the only thing that kept her going in this strange land, it was the only thing that motivated to get up every morning. Sirius hadn't been able to find a way home, but together they would.
Elissa sighed. "Mother is going to kill me for letting you go. You will need a guard. Perhaps Ser Gilmore can take you, and you both can come back with Father and Fergus."
Ginny hugged her friend tightly. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"
The older girl patted her back comfortingly. "I will go and talk to Ser Gilmore. You take Oren back to Oriana and start getting ready. You both will leave in the morning."
Ginny gathered Oren's toys, and then led the young boy back to his mother. She made sure that Oriana was feeling better and didn't need her anymore before returning to her small chamber. She began to pack her few possessions. She had been able to return Elissa's dresses when she purchased her own, but Elissa had insisted she keep most of the smallclothes and some of the better dresses. "I can always get Mother to order more, and I hardly wear those dresses in any case," she had explained, handing them back to Ginny.
Ginny hardly slept that night. The excitement at the possibility of seeing Sirius again kept her up, and she ended up pacing the length of her chamber, double checking her bag to make sure she took what she would need, and dressing carefully for the long travel to Denerim.
Finally, dawn came, and with it came a soft knock on her chamber door. She opened it and smiled brightly at Elissa, who was waiting with her new mabari at her side. Ginny was fascinated with mabaris, a breed of dog which was used in battle and as guard dogs. They were massive beasts, ferocious, yet highly social and intelligent. The mabaris chose their owners for life and they imprinted onto the person they chose. Elissa's mabari was still small, a puppy, but he had the potential of being a great dog.
Elissa led her out to the stables where Ser Gilmore was waiting with two horses ready. "Come back with Father's party," she said, hugging Ginny tightly. "And if you find this Sirius, bring him here. I want to meet this man who has you rushing out on me like this."
Ginny laughed, allowing the handsome Ser Gilmore to help her onto one of the horses. "I promise we will be back."
It was a promise Ginny was unable to keep.
Author's Notes: I know that it seems a little unrealistic for Ginny to adapt to Ferelden so quickly and with so little struggle. My excuse for this is that she's a young girl, so she would adapt faster. Also the wizarding world is far behind from the muggle world, or our world, and Ferelden is as well. So the transition, while not smooth, would not be as difficult. Also I didn't focus too much time in Castle Cousland. I wanted Ginny to meet the Couslands now because they will play a larger role towards the end, but I didn't want to spend too much time here since I want to move on to the rest of the story.